Fans draw air in through grilles called returns, force air through ducts and into the conditioned space through supply registers.

Code-making bodies recognize construction standards developed by SMACNA, the leading authority on duct construction and installation.  We follow these guildlines to ensure that you are getting all the necessary components that goes into a effiecent and correct duct system.

You are the one that is responsible for your utility bills, not your builder. You  should take a proactive role in all matters that pertain to energy-related design decisions.  In regards to duct, each material has its own charactistics that  suit specific applications. For example sheet metal has enormous amount of advantages and this is why it is the primary material used by most HVAC contractors. In fact, sheet metal use in HVAC is larger than all other materials – combined.

Sheet metal is a basic metal-Steel and aliuminum. These are highly recyclable material and have high recycling rates. Which means the new sheet metal duct installation comes,without your specific request, with a relatively high recycled content.

When your HVAC system is upgraded, the duct system may need to be removed and replaced with a newer design. It’s a good bet that the sheet metal duct removed from your house will end up back where much of it is returned to the industry – at a metals' recycler!

Also, sheet metal ducts can be easily and more thoroughly cleaned than other duct material choices if the need should ever arise.

It is recommended to have your Air Conditioner cleaned and checked every spring and your furnace every fall to assure they will be ready for the season. At Tully’s we offer a maintenance service plan that takes this worry away for you. See Premier Program (Prevenative Maintenance Program)

This answer varies depending on your particular HVAC system, frequency of use and climate location. In Idaho we experience all four seasons and we have relatively low humidity level throughout the state. The rule of thumb is to start by checking your HVAC system’s filters at least once per month. Hold the used filter up to the light and compare it to a clean "spare." When light is obscured by captured dust and dirt particles, the old filter should be changed. Keep a record for one year and then replace the filter on that basis. At a minimum, it is always a good idea to change filters at the start of the heating and cooling seasons and then in between according to observed need.

Our website is designed to provide you with as much information for your direct questions as possible. It can be a daunting task choosing which contractor to do work on your home or business.

In order to gain some peace-of-mind,  it helps to ask friends and family, check out the yellow pages for local service providers and view there websites as well. Any investment requires doing some research.  It helps to prepare and arm yourself with the tools needed to make an informed decision.

A lot can go wrong in installing new HVAC systems, maintaining them, and servicing and repairing them. If you’re looking to solve a problem with the system, why introduce more risk into the equation by choosing just any contractor? 

Give us a call and we’ll help to make this journey as smooth as possible. 

There could be many reasons as to why you’re a/c unit is icing up. Some of them include having an undersized unit , dirty filter or the unit could be low on refrigerant. If this is occuring, we certainly recommend getting an HVAC technician to do a diagnostic on your unit. The icing up of your air conditioning unit can slug your compressor, which aids in premature failure of the unit. Which means that liquid refrigerant is hitting the compressor , which should be in a vapor form.

Mold is a "whole building" issue with moisture and the broad answer to your question is to keep moisture out of the building and control and contain moisture that is necessarily in the building.

Leaks can come from your roof, window flashing, pipes that carry water. Wherever there is water or excess moisture, it must be controlled and contained. The ducts of your HVAC system can become contaminated, however the cause is rooted in uncontrollable moisture, not the ducts. Moisture that enters a building in an excess, resulting in mold growth, the ductwork can convey mold and excess moisture to other parts of the building.
The remedy to this issue doesn’t lie in replacement of the ductwork or shutting off the ventilation system. It is more so on figuring out and identifying how the moisture is getting into the building or out of control from within the building. This then becomes a “moisture management” issue.

We do not. We have opted to leave that part of the service to those trained within that segments of the industry.

What we can do for you is to help diagnose problems with excessive moisture and help to fix them by examining the building’s problem.

Of course. Here are some simple things homeowners can check before calling us.

1. Check the thermostat
Is it set in the correct heating or cooling mode and for the correct season? Is it in the off mode…you’ll be surprised how often that happens.
2. Check the air filter.
If the filter is diirty and clogged with dirt- your unit is working that much harder to get any air through. Replace the filter and see if the system then operates properly.

3. Make sure that there is nothing obstructing proper air flow on your outdoor unit (air conditioners and heat pumps). Shrubs and bushes can block and restrict airflow to outside units and snow can drift against outdoor heat pump coils.

4. Check your electric fuses or breakers. As you certainly know, your HVAC system uses electric power to do its job. Your load center has fuses or circuit breakers. One or more provides power to the HVAC system. You might have one for the furnace and another for the air conditioner. For a heat pump, one is usually provided for each separate piece of heat pump equipment; one for the air handler and one for the outside unit if you have a split system, for example. If the fuse is blown or the breaker has “flipped” to the “off” position, you can play with the thermostat for an extended amount of time and you won’t accomplish anything!
This is another one of our favorites because it’s a little frustrating for the homeowner when they realize they just paid for a service call to have a tech flip a switch on a circuit breaker.

 However, if you reset a circuit breaker or replace a fuse and it immediately trips or blows—Give us a call and we’ll take care of you.

5. Another common mishap that occurs is that the homeowner finds that soon after replacement of the dirty filters, the unit isn’t functioning as it’s suppose to. Don’t fret, simple go back and check that the system’s fan door is installed properly. Many heaters have a door interlock switch. Your furnace probably will not begin operating until the access door is tightly in. Others simply will not work well if the access panel is allowing air to bypass the unit.

So you’ve tried all these tips and your unit is still not fuctioning, give us a call and we’ll get one of our service experts at your door to remdey your HVAC problem. Mention our website tips and you’ll even get a 10% discount on your service for trying.

Yes, but make sure you keep clearance for proper airflow.

Please contact Tully Mechanical at 208-388-8559 to schedule a free in home estimate.

There are a great deal of factors that go into the appropriate sizing and specifications of your new HVAC system. A few of those are the square footage of your home, insulation, window surface and configuration, geographic location of your home, duct sizing and arrangement. We also factor in your ultimate goal for your space and try to meet those as best as we can. Tully’s will provide a free in home estimate that will get you the results you desire and need.

It is important that new or replacement equipment is not sized by "Rule of Thumb" or by duplicating the existing equipment capacity. The only accurate way to determine the correct capacity of heating and air conditioning equipment for your home is to have a load calculation performed on your home. There is a specific method available to all dealers to do this calculation. This will give your dealer the heat gain and heat loss design data for your home. These figures can then be used to select the appropriately sized air conditioning or heating system for your home, based on equipment-performance data.
Many factors determine the size (capacity) system your home requires. Some of these are:

• square feet to be cooled and heated
• climate
• humidity
• number of windows
• insulation factors
• which direction your home faces
• heat producing appliances, and
• the number of people who will be in the home

Some important issues to address are:

• Oversized air conditioning system
• When you’re a/c sytem is oversized for your space it will not remove sufficeint moisture from the air inside due to short cycling. This also creates a space that is quilckly cooled, however, the unit  does not run long enough to remove the humidity. Your space then feels stuffy and uncomfortable. An oversized unit rarly provides the ability to gain adequate control of your home’s climate. Your electric consumption will also be higher than with a properly sized unit.
• Oversized furnace
• The issues are quite similar to that of an oversized air conditioning system. The run time of the furnace is very short which creates an uncomfortable air stratification and less air filtration. The internal working components become vulnerable to wear and tear due to the frequent on and off cycling mode.
• Undersized air conditioning  and furnace. On the hottest and on the coldest day, an undersized unit will not cool or heat your home adequaetly. 

Replacement of your indoor coil and air handler is highly recommended when replacing your outdoor unit. These componenst are integral to the closed refrigerant loop and together determine the capacity and effiency of your system. There could also be particles trapped in the indoor system that blocks airflow therby reducing effeciency. You could end up paying more in the future when you do want to replace youir indoor system, which would require opening the closed refrigeration system again. We advise that it is usually best to do a whole system replacement because your less likely to face service issues in the future.

A matched system is important for a several reasons:
1. It provides comfort- when all the components are properly sized at your home you canb cointrol how much heating and cooling yuou desire for your comfort level.
2. Performance- a properly sized matched system enables every component to perform as designed, meaning proper cycle times are maintained, humidity is controlled, and system sound is minimized.
3. Efficiency-  Most systems people buy are too large for their homes, meaning they pay to heat and cool space that isn’t even there. A matched system outlined by a dealer who has completed a load calculation for your home provides just the right amount of heating and cooling you need so you get the most value for your utility dollar.

The basic principle of a variable speed fan is that its capable of spinning at different speeds depending on the heating and cooling needs of your space. Typically, they operate at lower speeds, delivering a steady, reliable stream of warm or cool air to your space. Its able to control humidity level, system noise and utility cost. In extreme conditions the fan will speed up to meet the demands of very hot and very cold days.
Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about new refrigerants. Is it something for me to consider when purchasing a new system?
Your decision for a new system should not be based on the refrigerant they use. In accordance with the Clean Air Act, refrigerants CANNOT be vented into the atmosphere. They are to be reclaimed, recycled and reuse.
Units using the current refrigerant, R-22, will always be serviced with R-22. They will not need to be changed to a different refrigerant. The scheduled phased-out of R-22 allows for plenty of refrigerant to be available to service all cooling units and heat pumps that use R-22 for the life of the equipment. We do offer limited lines of high efficiency comfort systems using R-410A refrigerant. Our gradual introduction of these products has allowed servicers in the field the opportunity to adapt to the required installation and service techniques, to ensure homeowners continue to receive the comfort and value they have chosen.
As we transition into the use of a new refrigerant, we encourage homeowners to maintain their focus on purchasing energy efficient home comfort products that best meet their comfort needs. This promotes the continued efforts by you and us to reduce our energy consumption and improve our environment.

The industry sound rating numbers are complicated and often difficult to understand. Sound rating is just one of these areas. A difference of 6 decibels (such as between 72 dB and 78 dB) is technically a four-fold increase in compressor sound when rating air conditioners or heat pump units. However, it takes a difference of 10 decibels to double the loudness. It is also noted that it takes approximately 3 decibels for the average human ear to discern any difference in loudness at all. In many cases, the sound rating isn't as significant a determiner of sound difference to listeners as is the sound characteristics or quality. One type of sound with a lower sound power rating may be more offensive to a homeowner than another with a higher sound power rating. There are other important considerations, such as location, when considering the effects of sound. Our overall product line offers homeowners significant choices.

Each split system cooling unit has a nominal SEER rating. This rating can be increased with the upgrade of the indoor unit. The SEER rating of a system is derived based on the combination of equipment installed in the home. The outdoor equipment (geothermal or air conditioner), as well as the indoor equipment (evaporator coil and furnace, or air handler), play a vital role in the rating.

A limited warranty covers specific parts (i.e. compressor, coil, electronics, etc.); therefore, the warranty language limits it. Extended warranties are generally purchased in addition to the limited warranty. Extended warranties cover all parts and may also include the labor for the service call. An extended warranty protects you from unexpected and unbudgeted service calls for the duration of the warranty.

Please call the office for details.

Covering the unit is not necessary. Air conditioners are manufactured to withstand all possible climate changes. In fact, rain helps keep your unit clean. Of course, because heat pumps run all year long, they should never be covered.