No matter what your HVAC questions are, the experts at Mechanical Air Systems Co in Mason City have answers. Whether you have questions about choosing new HVAC equipment to best practices on care and maintenance, we are here to help. Our online FAQs answers give you a fast response for your convenience, but if you want to know more on any topic, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 641-454-6572.

Just like you need to take your car in to the shop for normal tune-ups, such as oil changes or looking at possible concerns, your home comfort system should get the same kind of attention. Regular maintenance by a professional technician provides various benefits to your HVAC equipment, which can help your systems perform efficiently and prevent costly breakdowns.
The cost can fluctuate depending on the equipment size and different features, so we recommend contacting Mechanical Air Systems Co at 641-454-6572 to receive a quote.
Two-stage heating enables the furnace to heat at two levels of output: high for cold winter days and low for mild ones. About 80 percent of the time, your homes heating requirements can be met when the furnace is left on the low setting, allowing your two-stage unit to work for longer periods of time. Two-stage units also provide more even heat distribution, fewer temperature swings, quiet operation, improved air filtration and energy efficiency.
Mechanical Air Systems Co has a selection of brands and models that are more efficient than ever and make it easier to find the best match for your home. There are innovative systems that make heating or cooling your home more automatic, functioning similar to cruise control to make tiny adjustments to help meet your comfort demands with energy efficiency. Contact us at 641-454-6572 to learn more about the technology we offer.
Depending on how old your previous furnace was, you could experience a variety of differences. Furnaces today are developed to provide more even and efficient heating than ever before. Modern furnaces also better regulate temperature and air flow, moving more air over the heat exchanger than older furnaces.

Additionally, new furnaces are designed to work with other high-efficiency HVAC products, such as air conditioners. The air conditioner blowers offer your heating system an extra lift so it can deliver cool air around your home efficiently. Special features like variable speed motors will also help reduce noise associated with operating your equipment and easily meet your family’s airflow needs.

The Department of Energy recently boosted the minimum efficiency levels for air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units created after Jan. 1, 2015, since heating and cooling contributes significantly to a homes total energy usage. The requirements vary by region, so call Mechanical Air Systems Co for the efficiency standards for Mason City.
Mechanical Air Systems Co carries a number of HVAC products with high-efficiency ratings, which can help lower the amount of energy they require to work. Aside from picking products that have received Energy Star® certification or achieved high SEER ratings for air conditioners or AFUE ratings for furnaces, you can consider the following:

  • Making certain that your system receives ongoing maintenance by a trained professional can keep your system operating at its top performance.
  • Zoning systems enable you to heat or cool only targeted areas of your home, so you wont have to pay to heat or cool spaces that you aren’t using.
  • Installing a programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperature in your home around your schedule. They can be programmed to give you the comfort you desire when you’re home and increase or decrease the temperature while you’re not around, helping you save on energy bills.
Mechanical Air Systems Co is well-known in the Mason City area and you can rely on them to provide quality home comfort products. We carry a variety of innovative and high-quality products. We are dedicated to giving customers high-quality service and will make sure you find the best solution for your home.
Improving your home’s indoor air quality starts with four basic strategies:

    • Poor indoor air quality leaves your home with lots of air pollutants floating around. So, to enhance IAQ, the first step is to get rid of as many pollutants as possible. You can easily do this by cleaning and vacuuming at least one time during the week, frequently washing linens and storing cleaning products safely.
    • Proper insulation is great for keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, but it also makes it difficult for airborne pollutants to escape. We have products that help swap stale air for fresh, filtered outside air.
    • Good ventilation and regular cleaning are a start, but air filters, germicidal lights and purification systems take your IAQ to the next level by capturing microscopic particles, killing germs and eliminating particles while destroying chemical vapors.
    • Programmable thermostats will help control the humidity levels and temperature to help prevent particles and germs from building up while also keeping your home comfortable.

We suggest that you meet with one of the technicians at Mechanical Air Systems Co and have them evaluate your home and current indoor comfort system. We can help you decide which equipment will be best suited to meet your needs.

Lots of homeowners believe that air conditioners make it cooler in your house, but it actually removes the heat from your house, sending the hot air outside. That hot air goes across a cold indoor coil where refrigerant in the lines sends the heat to the coil in your outdoor unit, releasing the heat outside. This procedure continues until the indoor temperature reaches the temperature you set on your thermostat.
Due to the amount of energy used by heating and cooling systems, the Department of Energy (DOE) increased the minimum efficiency levels for air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units manufactured after January 1, 2015. These levels are determined regionally and carry varying requirements based on your location. Mechanical Air Systems Co will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding these minimum requirements and let you know what choices are available when you’re searching for a replacement system.
These numbers can be found on a nameplate or sticker that is near your systems service panel. The sticker should be white with black letters and have both of these numbers located near the top of the sticker. M/N denotes model number while S/N is your serial number.
There are a few ways to determine what size system is the best fit for your home, but the most reliable way to choose a system is by having your local Mechanical Air Systems Co technician come out and perform a load calculation. This calculation considers your homes: square footage, insulation value, amount of insulation, and a variety of other factors.
Yes, because dirt and other debris can hinder your systems ability to work efficiently. For heat pumps, it is normal to have frost or ice on them during the winter, but they also include defrost controls to ensure they work efficiently in those kinds of weather.
Two-stage cooling means that your cooling unit has two levels of operation. When summer is in its hottest weeks, the high setting kicks in, and when its cooler or more mild, the low setting gets the job done. Usually, the lower setting can take care of your cooling needs, but even when the high setting starts up, you may not realize it because it can maintain such even temperatures for your comfort. This also means a quieter cooling system, greater efficiency and enhanced humidity control.
When your cooling unit freezes up, there are a couple of reasons why it could be doing so. The most common reasons include: dirty filters, low refrigerant, a dirty evaporative coil and a faulty blower motor or relay. A dirty filter is something you can fix as a homeowner, but the others need to be completed by a professional like those at Mechanical Air Systems Co. Contact them at 641-454-6572 with any other questions.
Choosing the best thermostat for your cooling system comes with a lot to think through. Thats why its nice to have such a big variety of choices from Mechanical Air Systems Co. Whether you’re in the market for for a programmable or non-programmable thermostat or want to join the smart home trend, there are a number of thermostats that you have to select from. Some thermostats will depend on what type of heating and cooling system you have, but the pros at Mechanical Air Systems Co will be able to help determine what options meet your needs and your budget.
Heat pumps can be a tad confusing due to their name, but they actually meet both your heating and cooling needs year-round. When its hot outside it works like an air conditioner in that it removes heat from your home, but when it cools off, the process gets switched around and it collects heat from outside and brings it inside. Heat pumps are also very efficient, and may produce up to two or three times more heat than the energy it uses.

Of course we think you should also replace your indoor system, but this is why:

      • All outdoor cooling systems have a matching indoor unit that they are intended to work with to ensure efficient performance. When they aren’t paired with the other piece as a whole system, efficiency might be diminished.
      • As with a lot of products, advancements have brought about newer, more efficient ways of doing things. Heating and cooling systems are no different. These improvements most importantly include improved heating and cooling efficiency, but also include improved air handling, filtering and noise pollution reduction to name a few.
      • Heating and cooling systems that are more than 10-15 years old usually need to be replaced. Not only do they have outdated technology, but they are also less efficient than todays models. Adding a new indoor unit at the same time means you’ll have a matched system to provide you with better comfort and efficiency for years to come.
The communication module on your home energy system could send the system’s performance records for each module to a website. You can visit this website to learn more about the system’s status, energy production and environmental benefits. The site also shows carbon offsets as it happens.
In most areas, rain will naturally clean the solar modules. If you live in a dusty or industrial area, periodically spraying the modules with water may help improve performance. However, detergents and high-pressure hoses should never be used to clean solar modules.
The right thermostat for you depends on your heating and cooling equipment. Mechanical Air Systems Co sells programmable and nonprogrammable thermostats that can help increase the efficiency of your HVAC systems. Browse our available products or contact us at 641-454-6572 to learn more.
Heating and cooling can make up a significant amount of your utility bill. The innovative and high-efficiency heating and air conditioning products available from Mechanical Air Systems Co can help lower these costs. If you’re shopping for a new heating or cooling system, look for products with high SEER ratings for air conditioners and AFUE ratings for furnaces. SEER and AFUE are a measure of system efficiency, and the larger the number, the more efficient the product. Besides purchasing a new home comfort system, don’t forget about these additional factors:

      1. Is your system typically maintained? Whether it’s a furnace or air conditioner, HVAC systems will work more efficiently after regular maintenance checks.
      2. Do you need a zoning system? If there are areas in your home that are rarely used, a zoning system will allow you to heat or cool only the most used areas of your house.
      3. Are you taking advantage of a programmable or smart thermostat? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, programmable thermostats may reduce your heating costs by up to 35 percent, and your cooling costs by up to 25 percent.

Zoning your home allows you the comfort of sectioning areas of your home and control the temperature differently in each part of your home. Zoning equipment is ideal for when you have areas of your house that are seldom used or when you and your family are often in disagreement of what the temperature in each area of your home should be. Zoning systems are almost noiseless and efficient, allowing you more control over the comfort of your house. Learn more about the zoning equipment available from Mechanical Air Systems Co.