Caring for the environment is a responsibility we all share. From the cars we drive to the foods we eat, every choice we make has an environmental impact. But what about the systems we use to heat and cool our homes? Is it important to hire an environmentally responsible HVAC contractor?
According to Alan Love of Charlotte air conditioning repair and installation specialists Tier 1 Heating & Air, the choices you make with regard to heating and cooling make up a big part of your carbon footprint. Choosing an environmentally responsible HVAC contractor to install and maintain your system is one way to minimize your impact on the world around you.
HVAC Systems and the Environment
The potential environmental impacts of HVAC systems, Love explains, are many. “The refrigerant used to charge HVAC systems, for example,” he says, “is a substance that’s monitored by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).” Refrigerant is known to contribute to ozone depletion, and its manufacture results in by-products that are thought to contribute to global warming. For these reasons, it’s essential that refrigerant be handled in an environmentally responsible way. The Clean Air Act, Love says, prohibits the venting of refrigerant into the atmosphere during installation, service, or retirement of HVAC equipment.
Furthermore, HVAC systems are big, bulky and mostly made of metal. When those systems need to be replaced, Love says, quite a bit of waste is generated. And unless action is taken to avoid it, that waste could end up in a landfill. According to Love, many elements of old HVAC systems can be recycled if the contractor takes the time to do it. “It’s just a matter of making the effort,” he says.
HVAC systems are also large consumers of energy. Keeping them running at peak efficiency not only means lower utility bills, but also a reduced carbon footprint.
What Is Environmental Stewardship?
According to Love, environmental stewardship is one of his company’s core values. “At Tier 1 Heating & Air,” he says, “we understand that not all resources are renewable, so we take careful and responsible action to ensure the continued prosperity of our surroundings.”
There are a few things, Love says, that all HVAC contractors should be doing to protect the environment. First, he says, because venting refrigerant into the atmosphere is prohibited, it’s critical that all refrigerant be reclaimed and, if possible, recycled when replacing and disposing of an old system. “This is really just common sense,” he says, “but unfortunately, not everyone in the HVAC industry behaves in an environmentally responsible manner every time.” Tier 1, he says, reclaims all old refrigerant and provides it to a recycler, who is then able to extract the clean, reusable refrigerant for future use.
When removing an old HVAC system from a home or business, Love’s company also recycles every possible element. “We work with a recycler to identify and separate absolutely everything that can be recycled or re-used,” he says, “in order to minimize the amount of waste that will ultimately end up in a landfill.”
Tier 1 Heating & Air also emphasizes energy efficiency when working with its customers to choose and maintain their HVAC systems. “We do our best to make sure our customers have systems that are extremely efficient and well-maintained to help reduce their energy consumption and keep their costs down.”