Comfort, Safety and Efficiency—Intelligent Innovations in HVAC

With cooler weather now upon us, most of us are turning our attention toward indoor activities. These activities are best enjoyed in a safe, warm, and comfortable environment. Yet these amenities require reliance on a well-maintained and efficient HVAC system. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, home heating costs are expected to increase 25 percent this fall from the same time last year. Now more than ever it’s critical that your HVAC systems are performing at the most efficient levels. We had a chance to catch up with Clay Phillips, President of Ross and Witmer, Inc., one of Charlotte's oldest and most prestigious HVAC firms, to find out about product innovations and steps consumers can take to create that comfortable environment inside, while the ice and snow blanket the earth outside.

According to Phillips, “health concerns and energy efficiency are the two biggest driving forces of innovation in HVAC.” As of January 2006, all residential heating and air conditioning manufacturers must produce equipment with a minimum efficiency standard of 13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Standard). These new 13 SEER units will be 30 percent more efficient than a 10 SEER unit, which has been the current minimum since 1992. Phillips notes, “this increase in efficiency will have a profoundly positive effect on both consumers and the environment.” Not only will electric bills be more affordable, but the 13 SEER units will also reduce harmful emissions and curb the need for new power plants.

In addition to more efficient heating and air conditioning units, a new wave of healthy filtration systems marks the continued advancement of the HVAC industry. According to Philips, today’s new HEPA and UV-light filtration systems offer us much healthier living conditions than in the past. HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters will remove particles such as dust, mold, and asbestos while UV-filtration systems circulate air around an ultraviolet lamp that kills various airborne bacteria, viral particles, and other infectious matter, thereby safeguarding the air we breathe.

Philips has also noticed the growing popularity of another beneficial yet once uncommon product in America’s homes—the home standby generator. Today, these generators are providing homeowners with a level of comfort and convenience that they have never known before.

“The home standby generator that I purchased from Ross & Witmer gives me a great sense of security and the comfort I have been looking for,” remarks Charlotte resident David Crawford. Whereas these generators were once considered merely a luxury, they are now turning up in homes across the country. Mostly powered by natural gas or propane, they are capable of providing electricity to an entire home for extended periods of time when power is lost. The home standby generator will surely be a valuable addition to any home the next time a snow storm takes out power in the area.

New innovations provide amazing benefits to consumers and allow companies such as Ross & Witmer to expand their businesses and satisfy the evolving needs of their customers. “I was greatly impressed by the knowledge Ross & Witmer had of new products,” Crawford proclaimed. “It’s nice to see an old company like Ross & Witmer still being a pioneer of technology.”

Ross and Witmer, Inc. has been servicing the Charlotte Metro area since 1945. They are a Carrier Master Dealer and can be reached by calling 704-392-6188, or online at www.rossandwitmer.com.