News | United CoolAir

February 22, 2021 by Matt Hanson

Improving Indoor Air Quality in Commercial Buildings

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air can be considerably more detrimental to people’s health than outside air. With this in mind, it is important to identify where indoor air contaminants originate and address the possible health effects. To begin with, we can improve indoor air quality

Particulate matter
Carbon Monoxide
Secondhand tobacco smoke
Pesticides
Solvents
Volatile organic compounds
Biological pollutants
- Mites
- Allergens
- Molds
Built environment
Radon
Asbestos
Occupation-related contaminants

Schools present an extraordinarily important focus due to the unique vulnerability of children. This is because children inhale more pollutants per kilogram of body weight than adults. Furthermore, with children having narrower airways, indoor pollutants can result in proportionately greater obstruction to airways.

Particle Size

Pollutants travel through the air by multiple means. For instance, particles come in an array of sizes ranging from coarse particles (2.5–10) to fine particles of less than 2.5 micrometers. In particular, the size of particles is a determining factor in which part of the lung receives particle deposits. For this reason, children may be greater affected by the smallest of particles according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, children that reside in urban areas are at greater risk of IAQ due to spending more time indoors than rural children.

Sometimes the negative impact of indoor air quality is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and poor ventilation. Yet other times poor air quality is associated with building materials such as asbestos, formaldehyde, paints, glues, resins, spray propellants, and cleaning agents.

Acute and Chronic effects of air pollutants

Poor indoor air quality can affect people in a variety of ways from mild to severe.

Acute:

Irritation of mucus membranes (eyes, nose, and throat)
Cough, wheeze, and chest tightness
Increased airway responsiveness to allergens
Increased incidence of acute respiratory illness:
Tracheobronchitis
Exacerbation of asthma

Chronic

Long-term exposure decreases lung growth
Impairment of pulmonary function
Increased susceptibility to chronic obstructive lung diseases
Other

Prevention is the key
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas formed by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels. Exposure to this gas can lead to intoxication that results in tissue hypoxia. Breathing high levels of carbon monoxide can lead to symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and weakness. Breathing even low levels can cause fatigue and increase chest pain in people with chronic heart disease. Smoke and CO detectors may provide early warning and prevent exposure.

Tips:

Keep fuel-burning appliances in good working condition
Check heating systems, chimneys, and vents on a regular basis
Never burn charcoal indoors
Never leave a car running in a closed garage.
Consider CO detectors

Ventilation is Paramount

Finally, one of the best ways to improve indoor air quality is to bring clean fresh air into the building. Of course, this is easily accomplished by the use of a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS). These units work in conjunction with an HVAC unit to bring in fresh room neutral air which also saves energy by helping the HVAC unit run more efficiently. Besides, United CoolAir makes several packaged DOAS units in various tonnages.

January 22, 2021 by Kevin Stepp

What ERVs Can’t Do

Background

Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) have flooded the HVAC market. Building owners want more fresh air in their buildings, but don’t want to pay the costs associated with conditioning it. They know it is far more costly to remove heat and humidity from 95° air than it is to do the same with return air. So, the industry has turned to the energy recovery ventilator as a means of efficiently reducing ventilation costs.

ERVs use a device (typically a wheel or a fixed plate) with heat transfer media to exchange heat from a building’s exhaust air to its fresh air source. In the summer, this means pre-cooling the outside air before it reaches a cooling coil, and in the winter it means the opposite; pre-heating the air before it reaches a heating coil. Pre-treating the air reduces the amount of energy required to heat or cool it. ERVs accomplish this with little power consumption, making them a desirable means of adding fresh air to a building.

The ERV Problem

Standard energy recovery ventilators, though, are a half-measure. While ERVs provide energy savings, they stop short of fully conditioning the air they are responsible for bringing into a building. Most ventilators discharge air off of the media at around 80° db and 67° wb in the summer. These are the classic full load design conditions for commercial comfort cooling applications. So, while an ERV reduces the outside air load, it adds more CFM of relatively warm, wet air that must be conditioned by the building’s other equipment.

A Better ERV

What if, instead of adding load, an ERV delivered fully conditioned air? The size of the comfort cooling equipment could be reduced and energy dollars would be saved. United CoolAir’s Alpha Aire does just that. By using two energy recovery devices, a small compressor, and a hot gas reheat coil, the Alpha Aire delivers room neutral air to a space. It does so without increasing load on the existing equipment. Plus, the unit is so efficient that it operates at near identical FLAs to the top ERVs on the market. Click this link for more details on the Alpha Aire, and join our mission to provide healthier, more efficient buildings.

October 14, 2020 by Matt Hanson

Compressor Failure and the Effects on Warranty

Identifying why compressor failure is subject to many variables and is important to understanding warranty implications. Although compressors fail for a multitude of reasons, poor installation and maintenance are the most common causes. However, for the vast majority of compressors returned for claims, rarely is it due to a defect in the manufacturer supplied part.

Determining why a compressor has failed is a challenge for contractors of light commercial cooling systems. The mere fact that installation and maintenance procedures are key factors means that most compressor failures are preventable. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to understand the various ways in which these failures occur.

Following OEM guidelines for installation, startup and service are critical for installers of both ducted and ductless systems. For instance, the act of completing a compressor changeout can introduce contaminants to an HVAC system. Conversely, there is the rare occurrence of natural causes such as lightning or line voltage fluctuations that happen. On the other hand, proper routine maintenance improves the long-term reliability of the system.

This allows technicians to identify issues before they can cause a catastrophic failure. For instance, a dirty outdoor unit coil will result in the inability to reject heat, thus increasing compressor operating temperatures. When this happens, the compressor forces more expended energy while providing less capacity. Therefore, regular routine maintenance is key to keeping a system running well and avoiding compressor breakdown.

Other factors that affect compressor life

When it comes to compressor endurance, keeping refrigerant lines free of moisture or oxidization is very important. When refrigerant lines become contaminated it causes the internal lubricant to become acidic, which can eat away at internal windings.

Another factor contributing to compressor failure is incorrect refrigerant line sizing. When this occurs, it affects pressurization and evacuation to ensure the absence of leaks. It is also important to have correct minimum unit clearance and refrigerant charging procedures. These factors are critical to longevity and the life expectancy of the compressor.

Overheating is yet another variable that causes compressors to lose their operating capabilities. This usually happens when there is not enough refrigerant in the system. When overheating happens over an extended period it will cause the breakdown of winding insulation. Symptoms of overheating may include compressor short cycling due to increased trips on protection devices. This reduces heating and/or cooling performance, and an increases current draw.

Training and Startup Procedures

Contractors can help mitigate the chances of compressor failure by adhering to each manufacture’s startup procedure. This is because each manufacture has unique steps that must transpire in order to keep equipment running smoothly. Finally, attending a manufacturer training session is a good step in achieving longevity in HVAC systems.

October 8, 2020 by Matt Hanson

Now Is the Perfect Time to Upgrade an HVAC System

Section 179 of the 2020 Cares Act

Just what is section 179 of the tax code and what does it mean for HVAC in 2020? Section 179 which was enacted in 2008 is more beneficial to small businesses than ever. Known as the SUV Tax Loophole, it adapted in subsequent years to adjust tax deductions factoring depreciation. Fast forward to March of 2020 and we now have the that that grants cash to business owners through accelerated deductions through the Cares Act. Combined with relief aid for the Corona pandemic business owners can realize even more savings.

What the Cares act does is provide full deductions in a single year instead of having to spread the deductions over several years. It Accomplishes this by corrected a retail glitch in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). For example, in the past when your business bought qualifying equipment, it typically wrote it off a little at a time through depreciation. So, if your company spent $50,000 on equipment, it gets to write off approx. $10,000 a year for five years. This made the Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) subject to a 39-year depreciation. With the Cares act, QIP changed from 39 down to 15 years and became eligible for bonus depreciation to be taken as well. Furthermore, the Cares Act invalidates the $2 million a year limit that applied to IRC Section 179 property. As an added benefit these changes are retroactive going back to 2018.

So what type of facilities qualify as a QIP

Office buildings
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities
Logistical facilities
Factories and manufacturing plants
Other non-residential facilities

What Section 179 means for your business

With the Cares Act, Section 179 provides huge saving can be made when a business invests in new or used equipment. A taxpayer may elect to treat the cost of any section 179 property as an expense which is not chargeable to the capital account. This includes Property applicable include heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning. Under IRS Tax Code Section 179, installing a new HVAC system provides a tax deduction for the project costs. Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year.

Summary

Businesses can now take advantage of both Section 179 and Section 168(k) Bonus Depreciation allowances at the same time. However, the deadline for putting the new equipment into place to qualify for the tax benefit is December 31, 2020. Finally, as each business is unique, consult with your tax attorney or tax preparation team before claiming the tax benefits.

August 13, 2020 by Kevin Stepp

Understanding DOAS and comfort cooling differences

While indoor air quality and ventilation have been major focuses of the HVAC industry for a long time, many misconceptions remain about what these applications require in terms of equipment and design. Today’s post will parse some of the most common questions about DOAS and comfort cooling equipment.

Purpose of DOAS

A dedicated outside air system (DOAS) or energy recovery unit (ERU) conditions air from the outdoors and delivers it to a space. It is essentially a dehumidifier in that its primary purpose is to remove moisture from the air, so when that air enters the space it is not adding additional load. This contrasts with comfort cooling equipment whose purpose is to maintain a consistent temperature in the space.

How

In order to achieve a cooling effect, a comfort cooling device must provide air to the space at a temperature much lower than the set point for that space. A DOAS or ERU, for its part, is not concerned with the temperature in the space. It monitors the temperature and humidity of the outdoor air and gauges how much capacity it needs to remove the moisture. The DOAS/ERU then discharges dry, room neutral air (roughly 70°-72°F and 30-40% RH).

When you need comfort cooling

A comfort cooling device operates only when the temperature in a space rises above set point. An outdoor air system, however, will typically operate during all occupied hours. ASHRAE 62.1 requires outdoor air be brought into in buildings at all times, so these machines rarely rest.

What is a DOAS unit?

Outdoor air equipment typically discharges air off of its cooling coil at 50-55°. The low leaving air temp effectively strips moisture from the air. However, constantly delivering low temperature air to a space will over cool it, so a modulating hot gas reheat coil is added to reheat the leaving air to a room neutral temperature around 70°.

DOAS and ERU equipment often feature some form of capacity control. Because outside air in cooling seasons can range from 65° to over 100°, these machines must be able to vary the amount of dehumidification they provide. Staged compressors, variable speed compressors, and modulating hot gas bypass are all options.

Space Temperature Control?

No, an outdoor air unit cannot replace a traditional air conditioner as the only device responsible for maintaining temperature in a space. The outside air unit operates constantly, meaning it cannot be turned off when the space is satisfied. Constant operation in a space temperature control design would lead to unacceptable temperature swings. More importantly, the mode of operation for a DOAS/ERU is determined by outside air temperature and humidity, not by space temperature. Space temperature control would become problematic when the space calls for heating, but it is 65° and raining outside. The unit must ignore the space and dehumidify instead, or the space humidity will rise out of control.

Not One or the Other

In order to properly apply a DOAS or ERU, it must be teamed with a comfort cooling device. This decoupling strategy allows designer to meet ventilation requirements while properly controlling space temperature and humidity. Thankfully, at United CoolAir we have solutions for both. Inquire today for more information on our comfort cooling equipment, DOAS, and ERUs.

June 29, 2020 by Kevin Stepp

What is DOAS?

With Independence Day weekend approaching Americans are making plans to celebrate with cookouts, swimming, and other outdoors activities. These simple pleasures become even sweeter knowing that, when outside, we are breathing clean, fresh air. What some don’t know is that when we return to work, we are often returning to buildings that have been consciously designed to bring in fresh outdoor air. This fresh air creates cleaner and safer indoor environments. You don’t need to be in the backyard in order to breathe fresh air!

We refer to HVAC equipment specifically designed to condition outside air as DOAS equipment, or a Dedicated Outdoor Air System. The goal is to flush recirculated air from a building and replace it with clean air from outdoors. Doing so reduces the quantity of unwanted particles in the air by diluting their concentration.

How does a DOAS unit work?

While technologies and applications differ, most DOAS equipment operates on the same basic principles. Outside air, which in the summer is hotter and more humid than indoor air, must be cooled and dehumidified before being discharged into the space. If it were not, temperature and humidity in the building would skyrocket. Air passes across a cooling coil that reduces its temperature to around 50°-55°F. This process removes much of the moisture from the air. Because 50°-55° is too low to comfortably blow into a room, DOAS units often offer hot gas reheat as an option to heat the now-dry air up to a more comfortable 68-72°. Now, fresh air is ready to enter the space.

While we will likely return to work still thinking about the fun we had outdoors over the holiday, we can do so knowing that some of the outdoors is still with us.

To learn more about United CoolAir’s DOAS offerings, click the following link to our Omega Air product or call us to discuss how we can modify our other products to fit your DOAS application.