Frequently Asked Questions | Elite Air Heating & Cooling
Serving Montague, Muskegon, Whitehall, Grand Haven, and communities across West Michigan.
About Elite Air
Yes. Elite Air provides emergency HVAC service for everything from a dead AC and refrigerant leaks to a furnace that quits in the middle of a Michigan winter. If something goes wrong, call us at 231-903-2077. We’re here when you need us most.
We serve homes and businesses throughout West Michigan, including Fremont, Fruitport, Grand Haven, Hesperia, Montague, Muskegon, Rothbury, Shelby, Spring Lake, and Whitehall.
Not sure if we cover your address? Check our service area page or give us a call.
Yes. You can get a free HVAC system quote online or request an estimate, and we’ll set up a free consultation. You’ll get an upfront price with no surprise fees.
Yes. We stand behind our work with warranties on installations and repairs. Terms vary by product and service, so ask for details during your consultation. Right now, our ductless mini splits come with a 12-year parts and labor warranty.
Financing
Yes. HVAC financing spreads the cost of a new system into manageable monthly payments. Funding typically covers both equipment and installation, and approval, terms, and rates are subject to approved credit.
Requirements vary by lender, but fair-to-excellent credit (around 690 or higher) generally opens the door to the best rates and promotions. Some lenders that work with contractors accept lower scores, and options like lease-to-own or government loan programs may also be available.
Maintenance Plans
Yes. Our Elite Membership Maintenance Plan keeps your system running efficiently and helps you avoid unexpected breakdowns. Members get priority front-of-the-line service, a reduced diagnostic fee, and a loyalty credit toward repairs, accessories, or a future system replacement.
Each spring and fall visit includes a thermostat check, startup and shutoff testing, a review of your service history, an inspection of your equipment, an electrical and controls check, and a system performance test.
Furnaces & Air Conditioners
Air conditioner sizing isn’t based on square footage alone, but these estimates give you a solid starting point:
- 1,500 sq. ft. home: typically a 2.5-ton unit (30,000 BTUs)
- 2,000 sq. ft. home: typically a 3- to 3.5-ton unit (36,000 to 42,000 BTUs)
- 2,500 sq. ft. home: typically a 3.5- to 4-ton unit (42,000 to 48,000 BTUs)
To find the exact size your home needs, our licensed technicians perform a precise Manual J load calculation. Ceiling height, window efficiency, attic insulation, sun exposure, and the condition of your ductwork all affect the final sizing.
Don’t get caught with an incorrectly sized unit because a contractor failed to measure your home accurately. An oversized or undersized system costs you comfort and money.
SEER2 stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2. It measures how efficiently an air conditioner or heat pump cools your home. The higher the SEER2 rating, the more energy-efficient the system. SEER2 is the newer standard and gives a more accurate picture of real-world performance than the old SEER rating.
AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, shows how effectively a furnace converts fuel into usable heat. A higher number means more of your fuel becomes heat and less is wasted. A 95% AFUE furnace, for example, turns 95 cents of every fuel dollar into heat for your home.
Common causes include:
- The thermostat is set to “fan only”
- The furnace hasn’t fully warmed up yet
- A dirty air filter is restricting airflow
- A problem with the ignition system
If you’ve checked the thermostat and filter and the air is still cold, call Elite Air. A professional heating inspection can quickly pinpoint the issue and get your home warm again.
Low refrigerant, a dirty coil, clogged air filters, or a thermostat issue can all cause warm air. Let the team at Elite Air diagnose the problem and get your West Michigan home cool again.
Ice buildup is usually caused by dirty filters, low refrigerant, or poor airflow. To avoid further damage, turn the system off and call Elite Air for AC repair.
Heat Pumps
A heat pump is a highly efficient system that both heats and cools your home. It moves heat rather than generating it. In winter, it pulls heat from the outside air and moves it indoors. In summer, it reverses the process to keep your home cool.
Yes. A heat pump can serve as your only heating and cooling system. In colder climates like Michigan, many homeowners pair a heat pump with a backup furnace (a dual-fuel system) for maximum efficiency and comfort.
Modern cold-climate heat pumps are designed to run efficiently even when temperatures drop below freezing. In very cold stretches, a supplemental heat source may be recommended, which is why we’ll look at your home and your goals before recommending a system.
HSPF2 stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor 2. It measures how efficiently a heat pump heats your home over a season. Like SEER2 for cooling, a higher HSPF2 means better energy efficiency. HSPF2 is part of updated testing standards that better reflect how systems perform in real homes.
A heat pump uses electricity to move heat, so it works as both a heater and an air conditioner. A gas furnace burns natural gas to generate heat. Heat pumps can be very efficient, especially in milder weather.
Gas furnaces are still popular in Michigan because they deliver very warm air quickly during deep winter cold snaps. We can help you weigh the two (or combine them) based on your home and budget.
Ductless Mini Splits
A ductless mini split is a heating and cooling system that doesn’t need ductwork. It consists of an indoor air-handling unit and an outdoor compressor, and refrigerant carries heat between the two. The result is efficient, zoned comfort for individual rooms or areas.
Absolutely. Mini splits are ideal for older homes in Muskegon, Whitehall, Grand Haven, and other West Michigan communities that don’t have existing ductwork. They deliver efficient heating and cooling without major renovations or structural changes.
Yes. A multi-zone ductless system can heat and cool an entire home. Up to eight indoor air handling units can connect to a single outdoor unit, so each room gets its own temperature control without any ductwork.
Ductless systems are ideal for room additions, sunrooms, garages, and any space without existing ducts. They’re highly energy-efficient, they improve indoor air quality by eliminating dust-collecting ducts, and they give each zone of your home its own temperature control.
Yes. Clean the filters monthly, and schedule professional service once a year to check refrigerant levels, clean the coils, and inspect the electrical components. Schedule your ductless mini split tune-up with Elite Air.
Water Heaters
Yes. Our licensed team installs, replaces, repairs, and maintains tank and tankless water heaters from all major brands. Before any replacement, we take a detailed inventory of your home’s water system and run the calculations to make sure the new unit is the right size for your household.
A traditional storage tank heater holds 20 to 80 gallons of water and keeps it hot around the clock, even when no one is using it. It’s the most affordable and popular option, typically lasts 10 to 15 years, and is relatively easy to install.
A tankless water heater heats water only when you turn on a faucet, so there’s no tank to store, maintain, or leak. Tankless units are much more compact, mount on a wall, and can last 20 years or longer with proper maintenance.
In many cases, yes. A tank holds a fixed amount of hot water, so a busy household that runs back-to-back showers, laundry, and dishes can drain it and be left waiting for it to recover. A tankless system heats water on demand, so there’s no tank to run out, and you only pay to heat the water you actually use.
The key is sizing.
Tankless units have a limited flow rate, so a larger household needs a properly sized unit, or a second point-of-use unit for a high-demand area like the kitchen, laundry room, or bathroom. We’ll calculate your household’s demand and recommend the right setup.
A point-of-use water heater is a small, on-demand unit installed close to a single fixture or area of your home, such as a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room, instead of heating water for the whole house.
Because it sits right where the hot water is needed, you get hot water faster and waste less water waiting for it to arrive. It can also work alongside a main tank or tankless system, taking pressure off your primary water heater so a busy household doesn’t overwhelm it.
A point-of-use unit is a great fit when:
- You have a large household that runs several hot water fixtures at once
- A bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room sits far from your main water heater
- You’ve added a room or addition and don’t want to overload your existing system
- You want hot water faster at one specific fixture
Not sure whether it’s right for your home? We’ll look at your layout and hot water habits and recommend the best solution.
For many homeowners, yes. A tankless system costs more up front than a tank model, but because it only heats water on demand, it can save you hundreds of dollars a year on energy and typically pays for itself over the long haul.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating accounts for about 20 percent of a home’s energy use, so choosing the right unit makes a real difference. Add in the longer lifespan and the smaller footprint, and the value adds up.
Common warning signs include a leaking tank, rust on the outside of the unit, a faulty pilot light, sediment buildup inside the tank, a broken anode rod, or a stuck valve. If your water heater is more than 10 years old and starting to act up, it may be time to compare repair costs against replacement.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality describes the cleanliness and health of the air inside your home. Good IAQ matters for your comfort, respiratory health, and overall well-being, especially if anyone in your household has allergies, asthma, or other respiratory conditions.
Everything from dust to humidity to your HVAC system itself. Common sources of indoor pollutants include:
- Dust, pet dander, and pollen
- Mold and mildew
- Household cleaning products
- Tobacco smoke
- Poor ventilation
- Combustion appliances (gas stoves, furnaces)
- Dirty air ducts or clogged filters
Often, yes. Michigan homes are sealed up tight in the colder months to keep the heat in, and that traps pollutants inside. It’s a smart time to schedule an IAQ checkup with Elite Air.
Oil-to-Gas Conversion
Yes. Oil-to-gas conversion is one of our specialties. We’ll walk you through the process, and we can also perform an energy audit to help you find more ways to lower your energy use.
- Cleaner burn: natural gas produces fewer carbon emissions than oil.
- Lower costs: the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that natural gas heating costs households significantly less per season than oil.
- Convenience: no more scheduling oil deliveries or worrying about running low.
Most conversions take two to three days, depending on the scope of the work. We work around your schedule, and financing is available with approved credit. Call for a free consultation.
Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heating warms your home from the ground up using pipes or electric panels installed beneath the floor. The heat radiates upward and warms the objects and people in the room, so the warmth is even, and your floors feel comfortable instead of icy.
All the components are hidden beneath the floor, so there are no radiators or vents taking up living space. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that hydronic radiant heating can be more efficient than forced-air systems, which can lose energy through leaky ducts. Radiant systems also don’t stir up dust the way forced air does, which is a plus for indoor air quality.
- Electric radiant heat uses heat-producing cables under the floor. It works best as supplemental heat and is popular in bathrooms and home additions.
- Hydronic radiant heat circulates water from a boiler or water heater through PEX piping and can heat your whole home.
No. Radiant heat works with hardwood, vinyl, and other floor coverings, not just tile.
Yes. If you have a cold spot or a mechanical failure, we use thermal technology to pinpoint the problem with minimal impact on your flooring. We always explain the plan and the cost before starting a repair.
Air Ducts
Warning signs include higher utility bills, rooms that are hard to heat or cool, uneven temperatures from room to room, and kinked or tangled flexible ducts.
The U.S. Department of Energy finds that leaky ducts can reduce your system’s efficiency by up to 30 percent. Leaks can also pull dust, moisture, and pests into your air supply, which is bad news for allergies and asthma.
Yes. We can test your ducts to measure air loss, then patch and insulate them or recommend replacement if the loss is excessive. We offer free consultations and upfront estimates for replacement, and financing is available with approved credit.
Yes. We install high-quality, well-insulated ductwork for new construction and home additions, and we regularly work alongside other contractors so the system fits your design.
Yes. Your ductwork is included when we inspect, clean, and tune up your HVAC system, which helps with efficiency, indoor air quality, and system lifespan.