Along with your smoke detector, your carbon monoxide detector may be the most important safety device in your home. Now that it’s time for fall seasonal maintenance on your HVAC system, it’s also time to check your carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they will continue working throughout the year. Here’s why this is important.

The Risks of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous gas that is released as a byproduct of combustion. This means that anything that is flammable, such as natural gas in your furnace, will release carbon monoxide when it burns.

Most of the time, the CO gas is safely vented to the outdoors by your heating system, but problems with the ventilation equipment or issues such as cracked heat exchangers can allow carbon monoxide to escape into your home.

Carbon monoxide detectors are necessary because CO is invisible to human senses: it is odorless, colorless and tasteless. A person can be exposed to dangerous or even fatal amounts of carbon monoxide without even knowing the gas is present. For this reason, it is essential to have a functional carbon monoxide detector in your Oregon home.

Checking and Testing Your Carbon Monoxide Detector

• Give your CO detector a visual inspection to make sure it is clean, not obviously damaged and has not come loose from its mounting.
• Install fresh new batteries in the detector, even if the current batteries are still working. This will prevent a battery failure during the colder months when the CO detector may be needed the most.
• Test the unit by pressing the “test” button on the outside of the case. This button is usually on the face of the detector. The device’s alarm should sound a few seconds after the button is pressed. Replace any detectors that fail this test.

Roth Home & Cooling is a premier provider of HVAC sales, maintenance, and service in the Oregon communities of Portland, Canby, and Hillsboro. Contact us today for more information on checking and testing your carbon monoxide detector and keeping this important safety device working properly.

Let’s face it, your outdoor HVAC unit is not the most attractive feature on your property. Also known as the condensing unit, the outdoor component of your HVAC system is installed where it is for optimal performance, not for how it meshes with your landscaping design. Fortunately there are ways to make the outdoor unit less obtrusive. Here’s how.

Plantings

The simplest way to hide the outdoor HVAC unit is to plant around it, but be careful what you plant. Choose ornamental grasses that don’t grow too tall and that are easily managed. Some smaller-sized shrubs are fine, but avoid bushes that might interfere when your HVAC tech works on the unit, like thorny rosebushes or prickly holly. Keep shrubs trimmed back so there’s a 2- to 3-foot clear space around the unit for good ventilation.

Do not plant trees or shrubs that are likely to drop seeds, fruit, or debris that might clog the venting around the unit’s metal cage. Plant debris can close the vents and restrict airflow around the unit. Good airflow ensures that the condenser can exhaust heat properly.

Structures

Erecting a fence around the condensing unit is an easy way to hide it. Leave at least 2 feet around the condenser and an entrance/exit to the unit for your technician. Whatever material you choose for the fence should permit airflow. Check with your local zoning authority to make sure you comply with all regulations for fencing.

Building a dedicated, well-ventilated structure around the unit is another option. A utility closet, constructed with materials that harmonize well with your landscaping, could be erected to house tools as well as the condensing unit. The roof of the structure should be at least 5 to 6 feet above the unit and well-ventilated.

A trellis is another easy solution for keeping the unit out of sight. Plant attractive vines such as clematis, passionflower, or trumpet vine to grow up the trellis.

For more on how to hide an outdoor HVAC unit, contact Roth Home and Cooling of Portland. We’ve been providing quality customer service since 1976.

The question of whether to repair or replace an ailing HVAC system is not always an easy one. To make matters worse, system malfunctions often occur during the height of the cooling or heating months when you’re using your A/C, heat pump, or furnace the most. Consider the following factors to make the best decision for your situation.

System Age

The age of the HVAC unit needing repair is a very important factor for determining whether to replace or repair. The useful life cycle of heat pumps and air conditioners is 10 to 15 years respectively. Boilers and furnaces may provide efficient heating for up to 20 years with regular maintenance. If your HVAC system is within one-third of these numbers, an HVAC replacement may be your best option.

Comfort, Energy Bills, and Home Efficiency

Poor comfort characterized by uneven temperatures is usually accompanied with higher energy bills. Check for drafts around windows and doors. Attic insulation should be above floor joists. Sealing drafts and boosting attic insulation can reduce the burden on your ailing HVAC system.

Home-efficiency upgrades definitely help reduce energy bills and enhance comfort. If repair costs are less than 25 percent of a replacement system and your HVAC unit is within a reasonable age, upgrading home efficiency and repairing your unit makes sense.

Interdependent Systems

Your HVAC system is actually a combination of mechanical, refrigeration, venting, plumbing, and electrical components that rely on each other for overall performance and efficiency. If your repair is a failed blower motor, for example, the cause could be airflow obstructions in the air ducts. An ailing compressor could be the result of dirt and mold insulating the evaporator.

The point is this: You may have more than one repair on your hands. Your HVAC contractor should thoroughly inspect your system for incidental repair causes and problems. Additionally, obtain a lifetime cost evaluation of your system, including repairs, and weigh it against the immediate energy savings you receive with an HVAC upgrade.

For help navigating the repair-or-replace dilemma, contact Roth Home & Cooling. We’ve helped Portland residents with HVAC system solutions since 1976.

Although bathroom ventilation is essential to the well-being of your home and health, many homeowners often overlook the importance of properly ventilating. Do you know whether your existing ventilation system is up to par? Find out everything you need to know about selecting and installing the right exhaust fan for your bathroom.

A Closer Look at Proper Ventilation

Your bathroom is regularly exposed to high levels of moisture and humidity. At the same time, the space is small and enclosed. Without a good bathroom ventilation system in place, you could wind up with warped wood, damaged drywall, and a breeding ground for mold and mildew. But just because you have a bathroom fan doesn’t mean that it’s getting the job done right. You may find that your existing system exhausts excess moisture into the space between ceiling joists or into an attic. This only moves the problem from one location to another. Instead, you need to install a bathroom fan that will exhaust moisture and mold spores outside of the home.

Selecting a Bathroom Fan

Once ready to install a properly ventilating bathroom fan, you need to know what to look for:

• Airflow capacity — The airflow capacity of bathroom fans is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). In order for your bathroom’s ventilation needs to be met, you’ll need a fan with 1 CFM per square foot of the bathroom’s floor space. In the event that your bathroom is larger than 100 square feet, you’ll need to increase the fan’s airflow capacity by 50 CFM for each toilet, bath, shower, or bath/shower combo and by 100 CFM per whirlpool.
• Noise — Many homeowners are concerned with the noise factor associated with bathroom fans. If this is a concern, look for a fan rated at 0.5–1.2 sones. Fans rated higher than 4 sones, on the other hand, are the loudest.
• Energy efficiency — Maximize your energy savings by looking for an exhaust fan that has received the Energy Star label.

Ready to improve your bathroom ventilation? Call the pros at Roth Home & Cooling. We serve the Greater Portland area.

Where you put your tankless water heater affects how convenient and efficient it is to use. Finding the ideal location helps ensure you’ll have plenty of hot water even during the chilliest Portland winters.

Installing a Whole-House System

If you’re replacing a conventional storage tank water heater, the new tankless water heating system can usually be installed where the old system was. This is optimal because the gas and water pipes are already in place. In some cases, however, larger gas lines will have to be installed to meet the water heater’s demand.

The venting needs of a tankless system also affect its placement. If the system will be vented through the wall, the vent must be at least 3 feet from any operable window. If the system will be vented through the roof, you’ll need to make sure it’s possible to install a vent that’s long enough. For example, it may not be possible to place a large water heater in the basement of a two-story home and vent it through the roof.

Installing Point-of-Use Water Heaters

For a tankless system intended to supply only a few applications, the system is usually best placed as close as possible to the appliance or faucets it will supply. Keeping the water heater close ensures you’ll get hot water quickly and reduces the amount of heat lost from the water as it travels through the lines. That said, your home’s plumbing configuration and the location of the electrical panel also influence where you can install a tankless water heater.

For safety reasons, don’t place the water heater under pipes or air conditioning lines that could drip. Likewise, don’t put the water heater above an electrical box, which could catch fire if the water heater drips.

Get familiar with your local building codes as they pertain to water heaters. Systems installed on a second floor or in a finished attic may be subject to additional regulations.

For more tips on installing a new tankless water heater, get in touch with us at Roth Home & Cooling in the Portland area.

Saving energy saves money. It also reduces your Portland home’s carbon footprint, which helps the environment and preserves resources. If you haven’t considered that your water heater temperature can affect energy bills, you may want to reconsider. Read on for easy energy-saving tips for water heating.

Benefits of Lower Temperature

Water heater temperature from manufacturers is generally set to 140 degrees. The reason is to kill or neutralize germs and bacteria. Though, water temperature this hot can cause scalding, increase energy costs, and lend to corrosion of the water heater and pipes.

A hot water temperature of 120 to 122 degrees has been found effective at controlling germs and bacteria, and you can save as much as 10 percent on water-heating costs. Since water heating accounts for up to 20 percent of total household energy usage, you can keep more money in your wallet and prevent scalding with lower temperatures.

Turn Back the Thermostat Dial

Turning down the water heater temperature is a simple task. The thermostat for gas water heaters is on the gas valve. Turn it back toward the “low” indicator, wait a few hours, and test water temperature at the most distant faucet.

For electric water heaters, you’ll need to remove one or two panels on the bottom and top of the tank. Turn off the circuit breaker before you do this. Set both thermostat dials to the same setting. Wait a few hours and test the temperature with a thermometer at a faucet.

More Water Heater Savings

Water heaters offer more ways to save energy and keep more energy dollars in your pocket. Consider these tips:

• Schedule water heater maintenance each year.
• Use foam sleeves to insulate the inlet and outlet pipes to the water heater.
• Continue on and insulate all hot water pipes in your home.
• Drain one gallon of water from the drain bib every other month to reduce sediment and improve efficiency.
• If you have an older system, wrap it with insulation designed for your model to reduce standby heat loss.

If you have questions about lowering water heater temperature, contact Roth Home & Cooling today.

The cool, rainy weather Portland often sees creates the perfect conditions for mold growth. Ultraviolet (UV) lights help keep that mold and other harmful microbes from taking hold in your home.

UV Lights Protect Your Health

Viruses, bacteria, and mold spores are present to some degree in every home. These tiny microbes circulate through the air you breathe, putting you at risk for illnesses such as cold, flu, and even strep throat. Mold spores trigger allergy and asthma attacks in those susceptible and place even healthy people at risk for respiratory infections.

UV light, the same type of light found in sunshine, neutralizes these microbes by breaking down the microbes’ DNA and rendering them incapable of reproducing. This quickly decreases the number of microbes floating around, leaving you with cleaner, safer indoor air.

The lights disinfect so effectively that they’re used in hospitals, scientific laboratories, food-processing plants, water-treatment plants, and other facilities where sanitation is critical.

Incorporating UV Lights into Your Home

The most convenient way to enjoy these benefits in your home is to have an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system installed in your heating and cooling system’s indoor unit. The UV light shines into the air passing through, neutralizing the microbes in that air and allowing the purified air to flow out to your rooms. Because all the air in your home passes through the system several times a day, you’ll have clean air in every room. This type of UVGI system also prevents mold from forming in your air handler and ducts.

Because both the intensity of the light and the lamp’s position affect a UVGI system’s efficiency, these systems should be professionally installed.

Handheld UV lights are also available. These give you a quick way to disinfect kitchen and bathroom surfaces. It’s also possible to install a UVGI system in a kitchen exhaust hood to break down grease particles as well as disinfect. These systems are used primarily in commercial kitchens.

If you’d like to start using UV lights to protect your health, contact us at Roth Home & Cooling anywhere in the Portland area.

Air sealing the leaks around your house keeps your home more comfortable in Portland’s chilly winters and warm summers, and protects your indoor air quality. Learn your options for blocking leaks so you can achieve the best results possible.

Caulk

Caulk is a viscous substance that hardens after application. It’s typically sold in tubes designed to be loaded into a caulk gun. Caulk is used for air sealing gaps and cracks around non-movable surfaces, such as door and window frames, ventilation and appliance vents, points where pipes and wires penetrate exterior walls, and where the foundation meets the wooden sill on the home’s exterior.

All-purpose acrylic latex caulk is a good option for most interior sealing jobs. If you need to seal leaks in a wet area, such as the bathroom or kitchen, waterproof silicone caulk is a better choice. For outdoor sealing jobs, consider elastomeric or butyl caulk. Before buying caulk, check the product’s label to learn where it can be used.

Spray Foam

Polyurethane expanding spray foam insulation, sold in spray cans, is used to seal gaps between one-quarter inch and 3 inches wide around non-movable surfaces. It’s often applied around furnace flues, pipes, and other large penetrations in the attic and basement. In the crawl space, it can be used to seal a plastic vapor barrier to rigid foam insulation on the wall.

Because spray foam isn’t eco-friendly and is difficult to remove when repairs are needed, consider an alternative such as cellulose or cotton insulation.

Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping consists of strips of material used to block leaks on movable surfaces. The ideal weatherstripping depends on the surface you want to seal. Foam tape provides an inexpensive way to seal window sash tops and bottoms, as well as the insides of doorframes. For double-hung or sliding windows, use V-strip weatherstripping. Tubular gaskets, available in vinyl, rubber, and silicone, can be applied to window sash tops and bottoms and along doorjambs.

For more guidance on air sealing or to hire a pro for the job, contact us at Roth Home & Cooling in the Portland area.

A few heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV) troubleshooting tips can keep fresh air moving in and stale, stagnant air moving out of your home. The goal of HRV and ERV is to intake and exhaust air in balanced amounts, without compromising heating and cooling. Heat energy is transferred from the warmer air stream to the cooler air stream. In summer, that means heat in the incoming fresh air is moved to the outgoing air stream to prevent burdening your A/C. During winter, the opposite occurs. Up to 85 percent of heat is recovered from an HRV system. ERV units also transfer humidity in addition to heat, reducing the accumulation of indoor humidity in summer and preventing excessively dry air conditions in winter.

Both ventilation systems consist of small-diameter, dedicated intake and exhaust ducts routed through a central controller that incorporates twin blower fans, filter media and the heat/humidity exchange core. HRVs and ERVs impose minimal maintenance requirements and only a few HRV and ERV troubleshooting tips are generally necessary for proper operation. The following are a few common problems and how to troubleshoot them:

• No Power: Is a circuit breaker tripped? Reset any tripped breakers and try again. If the tripped breaker recurs, contact your qualified HVAC service provider.
• Low Air Flow: Reusable filters should be removed and cleaned at regular intervals per manufacturer’s instructions, generally every other month. If air flow is not improved, contact a professional.
• HRV Leaking Condensate: This is usually a drain issue. Is the condensate drain line kinked or obstructed? Make sure the drain line is routed on a slope to allow gravity flow of water.
• ERV Unresponsive: If outdoor temperatures fall below 23 degrees, an automatic defrost cycle activates to prevent a frozen central core. While the defrost cycle is active—up to 20 minutes—operation is interrupted. After defrost is completed, normal function should return. If not, call a qualified service technician.

For more HRV and ERV troubleshooting tips and professional service to remedy the trouble, in Portland contact Roth Home & Cooling.