If you can’t remember the last time you had your air ducts or furnace cleaned or replaced, then it is probably a good idea to look into having them cleaned or replaced within the near future. If you’ve suddenly realized this is a priority, you may be wondering about how much furnace systems cost or how you can go about getting your air ducts and furnaces cleaned. Fortunately we can help you figure out all the key qualities of furnaces and installation, coding requirements for the city of Issaquah and how to go about selecting the right contractor for your installation or cleaning. It may have been ten years or so since the last time you had your system cleaned or replaced, but it will only take a couple minutes to understand all the key details in receiving the best quality air circulation and temperature for your home or work space.

Furnaces have advanced just like most other appliances have in the last decade, which is why it is important to understand the essentials of what you need and don’t need within you furnace’s heating system. Remember that you want to make it a priority to select the most efficient furnace because it will save you more money by having a greater efficiency. Furnace systems with higher levels of efficiency do cost more up front, but they will help you save more money on your heating bill, especially during the times where you are using your heater to heat your home more often. You also want to look for a furnace that is going to last a long time so that you don’t have yearly problems and aren’t having to replace them every couple years. A good furnace should last about ten years. Quality furnaces of today feature draft blowers that keep a constant and consistent flow of air within each room, while also having the ability to cycle off to maintain the heat within the air space of your home or work environment. Pilot lights can cause your system to just waste energy and more of your money, so you might consider purchasing a system with electric ignition. Having electric ignition by itself could improve the efficiency of your home by six percent and including it with a draft blower could help boost your efficiency levels around 20 percent. If a draft blower senses a restriction in airflow, it will automatically shut off in order to make sure that you are aware of any malfunctions or damages that have occurred within your system.

Each city usually adheres to the Washington State Energy Code when determining the code requirements for air ducts and shafts. In this case, the city of Issaquah would require that all ducts, handlers and filter boxes be air sealed. Duct tests must also be conducted with the test results documented and recorded. You have the option of having two different duct tests conducted after having your air ducts and furnace cleaned, repaired or installed. The first option is called the total duct leakage test, which entails measuring of leakage within the air ducts for inside your home or building and outside. The other option is the duct leakage to the outdoors test, which reveals how effective the duct leakage is to the outdoors. After the installation or cleaning of your air ducts the tests must show that the total leakage test has no more than 8 cubic feet per minute for every 100 square feet of the room’s area that is being heated. The leakage to the exterior test must show that there is no more than 6 cubic feet per minute for every 100 square feet of the floor’s area. Duct tests are not required for the duct tightness if the air handler and ducts are in a conditioned space. It is also not required if the furnace is non condensing located at most six feet away from the duct work in an unconditioned location. The total duct leakage test also states that all registers, fresh air ducts and grilles must be sealed, static pressures be installed in the supply side, duct blowers be attached to the system, pressure gauges be set up, the system is pressurized to +25 Pa, air flow at +25 Pa be recorded and all set-up configurations must be documented. For the duct leakage to the exterior test, the same tasks must be performed in addition to attaching a duct blower system, installing a blower door and setting up pressure gauges.

To prepare for an air duct test, make sure that outside windows and doors are shut, the fireplace and stove tops are closed, dampers are closed, plumbing traps contain water and inside doors are left open. Hatches to conditioned and crawl spaces must also be open, while exterior ventilation openings must be sealed off. On the other hand make sure that HVAC ducts and registers are not sealed and that the water heater and HVAC system are turned completely off.

It is important to make sure that you are selecting a contractor who is not only aware of all the furnace air duct codes and regulations within the city of Issaquah, but also one who can perform the correct tests that will determine how efficient and safe your heating system is. Your contractor should also be someone you can not only reach out to for cleaning and installation, but also repairs. He should keep a broad range of parts on his person at all times just so he can make simple adjustments if you should encounter a problem.

Whether you’re looking to replace your current air ducts and furnace or just have them cleaned, it may be beneficial to you or your company to make sure that your heating systems are up to date with the correct coding. If you are looking for other coding regulations for the Issaquah area, log on to http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/index.aspx?nid=928 or http://nadca.com/sites/default/files/userfiles/NADCA_General_Specifications.pdf for cleaning and contracting purposes.