ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency.

In 1992, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced ENERGY STAR as a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Computers and monitors were the first labeled products. Through 1995, EPA expanded the label to additional office equipment products and residential heating and cooling equipment. In 1996, EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy for particular product categories. The ENERGY STAR label is now on major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings and plants.

Through its partnerships with 18,000 private and public sector organizations, ENERGY STAR delivers the technical information and tools that organizations and consumers need to choose energy-efficient solutions and best management practices. ENERGY STAR has successfully delivered energy and cost savings across the country, saving businesses, organizations, and consumers $24 billion in 2012 alone. Over the past two decades, ENERGY STAR has been a driving force behind the more widespread use of such technological innovations as efficient fluorescent lighting, power management systems for office equipment, and low standby energy use.

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Want to know how we can help you with an Energy Star System? Give us a call!

We offer Heating, Ventalation,

Air Conditioning & Insulation Packages.

• * Reduce Overall Enegry Costs
• * Seal Off Areas of Air Leaks
• * Ownership of Conditioned Envelope
• * Eliminate Costly Mistakes
• * Meet or Exceed Texas Building Codes (3 ACH)
• * Insure System is Properly Sized to Insulation Factor
• * Pass the Blower Door Test

We offer complete packages that include HVAC and Insulation that is properly sized and installed to insure costly mistakes are eliminated. It is very important to insure your insulation factors are carefully balanced with the HVAC system you select to insure you are maximizing your energy conservation and overall engery costs.

Optimal Air Solutions has invested in the HVAC and Insulation market to insure our technicians are fully trained in properly configuring your HVAC and Insualtion System. Combining these two areas insure you are getting the best possible Cooling and Heating conservation and efficiency. We have taken the guess work our to estimating the Encapsulated Spray Foam application and insure your home meets or exceed the Texas building code 3 ACH (air exchange per hour) standards.

What does this all mean for you? 

We save you money year after year on your energy costs ($$).

• * Our HVAC Technicians are Factory Authorized by Trane
• * Experts with HVAC and Equipment for Encapsulated Foam Application
• * New Construction
• * Residential
• * Commercial
• * Military Bases
• * Latest Spray Foam Technology

Give us a call today and allow us to meet with you and discuss how combining your HVAC and Insulation System will save you money.

CALL: 832-779-1008

So What Is This SEER Thing?

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER measures air conditioning and heating cooling efficiency, which is calculated by the cooling output for a typical cooling season divided by the total electric energy input during the same time frame.

 A SEER rating is a maximum efficiency rating, similar to the miles per gallon for your car. Your car might get 28 miles per gallon on the highway, but if you’re stuck in city traffic it could be lower. If your air conditioner is 21 SEER, that’s its maximum efficiency.

So What Is A Good SEER Rating?

A higher SEER rating means greater energy efficiency. The minimum standard SEER is 13 for air conditioners. Most modern air conditioners have a SEER that ranges from 13 to 21. Trane air conditioners range from 14.5 SEER up to 22 SEER. It’s important to remember the efficiency of your system can also depend on the size of your home your current ductwork and other variables.

Heating and cooling can account for nearly half of the energy used in your home, according to Energystar.gov, so it’s important to invest in an energy efficient system. It just makes good sense to carefully consider the SEER rating of any Air Conditioning or Heating System before you buy.

Do you want more detail on this SEER thing? We have a short article that might help you if you like digging into the detail.

So What Is A SEER ?

It’s All About Saving Energy!

 Energy Star:

ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR delivers the technical information and tools that organizations and consumers need to choose energy-efficient solutions and best management practices.

Tell Me More…

Where Do I Go From Here?

You have many choices and options when it comes to researching your SEER and Energy Savings.

Many of our customers have asked these same questions and the answer to how you can save Energy Costs can be a little more involved than just finding out the SEER rating and if the system is Energy Star certified. For instance here are a few things that are required to determine the best system for your home:

•   Determind How Many BTU’S Of Heating And Tons Of AC You Need
•   Square footage
•   Climate Zone
•   Duct Work
•   Number & Style of Windows
•   Natural Shade or Sunlight
•   Quality and Amount of Insulation
•   Number of People In Home
•   Heat-generating Applicances

Let Us Do The Hard Stuff…

Want to know more about what SEER rating you should consider and what other factors need to be considered?

Let us do the calculations for you… It’s Free and we can be there today!

Give Us a Call: 832-779-1008

“Help! My furnace is not working!”

“This simple tip could help you save some money for the holidays!”

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Thanksgiving has passed and its officially time to pull out those Christmas decorations from the attic! However, did you happen to notice your HVAC system was not working properly after you finished decorating?? Believe it or not, this is very common call we get this time of the year! But why is this happening?! Don’t worry, the solution could be very simple!

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Furnaces are installed in the interior of homes either in the attic or a small utility closet. In each space there is a “furnace switch” or more accurately known as a furnace disconnect switch. Its purpose is to disconnect the power to the furnace allowing service technicians the ability to shut off the power without having to go to the main service panel and switch off the circuit breaker.



This switch very commonly looks like a normal light switch and is often unlabeled. It could easily be mistaken for a light switch. As a result, it’s not hard to believe that when we are up in our attics pulling down Christmas decorations this switch could mistakenly be bumped or flipped off instead of the light switch. Once the switch is flipped the furnace will turn off and the unit will no longer heat your home.

I know what you are thinking… but I am not using my heater. This is Texas after all and I’m using my AC. If the furnace switch is off shouldn’t my AC still work?

Short answer is… no!

The furnace switch powers the entire HVAC system. If the switch is off the entire system is off, including the cooling components. So, before calling your favorite HVAC company (Optimal Air Solutions of course ?) first check that your furnace switch is on. This could easily solve your problem and save you the service fee an HVAC company would charge to simply flip a switch on! Of course, if this is not the issue or the unit continues to power off, give us a call and we can help diagnose why the failure is taking place!

We hope this article has provided some helpful information and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!