No matter what your HVAC questions are, the experts at Patterson & Stirling in Erie have answers. Whether you have questions about selecting new HVAC equipment to best practices on care and maintenance, we can assist. Our online FAQs answers give you a quick response for your convenience, but if you want to know more on any topic, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 814-739-6977.

Just like you need to take your car in to the shop for regular tune-ups, such as oil changes or checking out possible concerns, your home comfort system should get the same kind of attention. Regular maintenance by a trained technician provides numerous benefits to your HVAC equipment, which can help your systems work efficiently and prevent costly breakdowns.
The cost varies depending on the equipment size and different features, so we recommend contacting Patterson & Stirling at 814-739-6977 to get a quote.
Two-stage heating allows the furnace to heat at two levels of output: high for cold winter days and low for mild ones. Around 80 percent of the time, your homes heating requirements can be met when the furnace is left on the low setting, enabling your two-stage unit to run 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.
Patterson & Stirling has a variety of brands and models that are more efficient than ever and make it easier to find the right fit for your home. There are innovative systems that make heating or cooling your home more automatic, running similar to cruise control to make tiny adjustments to help meet your comfort demands with energy efficiency. Contact us at 814-739-6977 to learn more about the technology we offer.
Depending on how old your previous furnace was, you could experience a host of differences. Furnaces today are created to offer 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 created to work with other high-efficiency HVAC products, such as air conditioners. The air conditioner blowers give your heating system an extra boost so it can deliver cool air around your home efficiently. Special features like variable speed motors will also help lessen noise associated with operating your equipment and easily meet your family’s airflow needs.

The Department of Energy recently increased 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 Patterson & Stirling for the efficiency standards for Erie.
Patterson & Stirling offers a number of HVAC products with high-efficiency ratings, which can help reduce the amount of energy they require to operate. Aside from picking products that have received Energy Star® certification or achieved high SEER ratings for air conditioners or AFUE ratings for furnaces, you might consider the following:

  • Making certain that your system receives routine maintenance by a trained technician 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.
  • Using 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 utility costs.
Patterson & Stirling is well-known in the Erie 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 offering customers high-quality service and will make sure you find the appropriate solution for your home.
Improving your home’s indoor air quality starts with four basic strategies:

    • Poor indoor air quality leaves your home full of air pollutants floating around. So, to increase 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 weekly, 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 challenging for airborne pollutants to escape. We have products that help swap stale air for fresh, filtered outside air.
    • Good ventilation and ongoing 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 getting rid of 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 Patterson & Stirling and have them perform an evaluation of your home and current indoor comfort system. We can help you choose which equipment will be best suited to meet your needs.

Many homeowners believe that air conditioners make your home cooler, but it actually removes the heat from inside your home, moving 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 process continues until the indoor temperature reaches the temp that was 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. Patterson & Stirling can 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 will be white with black letters and have both of these numbers located at the top of the sticker. M/N signifies model number while S/N is your serial number.
There are a few ways to determine what size system is right for your home, but the most reliable way to choose a system is by having your local Patterson & Stirling technician come out and perform a load calculation. This calculation considers your homes: square footage, insulation value, amount of insulation, and a number of other factors.
The short answer is Yes. Dirt and other debris can impede 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 are built with 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 its hottest, the high setting kicks in, and when its cooler or more mild, the low setting gets the job done. Most of the time, the lower setting will take care of your cooling needs, but even when the high setting is in use, you may not realize it because it can generate such even temperatures for your comfort. This can also mean a quieter cooling system, greater efficiency and better humidity control.
When your cooling unit freezes up, there are a number 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 take care of as a homeowner, but the others need to be fixed by a professional like those at Patterson & Stirling. Contact them at 814-739-6977 with any further questions you may have.
Picking the best thermostat for your cooling system comes with a lot to think about. Thats why its nice to have such a great variety of choices from Patterson & Stirling. 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 experts at Patterson & Stirling will be able to help determine what options fit your needs and your budget.
Heat pumps can be a tad confusing due to their name, but they actually cover 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 turned around and it collects heat from outside and brings it inside. Heat pumps are also very efficient, and could produce up to two or three times more heat than the energy it uses.

Of course we advise you to also replace your indoor system, but this is why:

      • All outdoor cooling systems have a matching indoor unit that they are created to work with to ensure efficient performance. When they aren’t paired with the other piece as a whole system, efficiency can suffer.
      • 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 developments most importantly include better heating and cooling efficiency, but also consist of improved air handling, filtering and noise pollution reduction to name a few.
      • Heating and cooling systems that are more than 10-15 years old typically need to be replaced. Not only do they feature outdated technology, but they are also less efficient than todays models. Getting a new indoor unit at the same time means you’ll have a matched system to provide you with improved 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 shares carbon offsets as it happens.
In most locations, rain will be enough to keep the solar modules clean. If you live in a dusty or industrial area, periodically spraying the modules with water can help improve performance. However, detergents and high-pressure hoses should never be used to rinse solar modules.
The proper thermostat for you depends on your heating and cooling equipment. Patterson & Stirling has programmable and nonprogrammable thermostats that can help enhance the efficiency of your HVAC systems. View our available products or contact us at 814-739-6977 to learn more.
Heating and cooling can make up a large part of your utility bill. The innovative and high-efficiency heating and air conditioning products available from Patterson & Stirling can help decrease 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 higher the number, the more efficient the product. Besides purchasing a new home comfort system, think about these additional factors:

      1. Is your system regularly maintained? Whether it’s a furnace or air conditioner, HVAC systems will work more efficiently after regular maintenance checks.
      2. Would you benefit from a zoning system? If there are rooms 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 decrease your heating costs by up to 35 percent, and your cooling costs by up to 25 percent.

Zoning systems give you the ability to section off areas of your home and control the air differently in each area. Zoning equipment is good for when you have spaces of your home that are infrequently used or when you and your family are often in disagreement of the perfect temperature for the house. Zoning systems are quiet and efficient, allowing you more control over the comfort of your family home. Discover more about the equipment available from Patterson & Stirling.