Thursday 28 August 2014

The Real Meaning of Expert Air Conditioning Services

There is nothing better than the cool comfort of your air conditioned home when the sun is blazing away outside. From your window, you can see the flowers wilting, soil caking up, and dry lines of heat spiraling upwards. You feel sad for the flowers, but thank your lucky stars for the cool comfort that you have indoors. And nothing, absolutely nothing can lure you out of your home when the angry sun is scorching outside.

Well, you may not feel so lucky if your air conditioner decides to take rest for some time!

If you are not in the habit of maintaining your cooling system, you are sure to experience this situation sooner or later. Periodic cleaning and maintenance is critical for your air condition system’s health. Problems occur when dirt, dust and debris accumulate. Plus the ducts may develop leaks or may get clogged due to long periods of use. These are typical problems that occur when periodic cleaning does not take place.

If you find it difficult to remember to get the periodic cleaning done, the best thing to do is to hire a professional to do the job. Tie up with a HVAC contractor in your neighborhood and you can rest assured that your air conditioner will not let you down.

Services Rendered by a Good HVAC Contractor

A good professional agency will have experienced technicians to deliver periodic maintenance services. Here is a list of services a good contractor will provide. He will,
  1. Evaluate the air conditioners, checking the size of the system, its layout and features
  2. Survey and report the services required
  3. Check  the duct system
  4. Inspect the insulation
  5. Check for air leaks and fix them
  6. Measure the air flow in the ducts
  7. Inspect the drains and the drain pipes
  8. Check and lubricate the moving parts
  9. Test the airflow and static pressure
  10. Inspect the system controls and the thermostat
  11. Educate homeowners on cleaning indoor coils and filters
  12. Provide alerts on any part that shows signs of weakening
  13. Educate on the benefits of programmable thermostats and appropriate models of air conditioning based on the size of the house
  14. Carry out the maintenance activities periodically and on time
These are expert air conditioner maintenance services that only a professional HVAC technician can offer. He will also guide you on the annual energy cost and the cost of a new operating system, if he sees the need to replace your existing system. In addition to these, you will also benefit from his experience when it comes to conserving energy and minimizing operation expenses.

Once you build a good relationship with him, customer satisfaction will take priority over service costs. So, here is your peace of mind! No more worries and stress about the periodic cleaning and maintenance of your air conditioner. Your contractor will look after it and the fee you will pay him will be worth every penny spent.

Go ahead and make the decision. Start looking for a good HVAC technician and you are sure to find one near you. Your friends could be of great help in your search, so move on and start your first towards that important peace.

Friday 15 August 2014

HVAC Troubleshooting Tips for Homeowners

Not all HVAC problems need professional technicians to fix them. You can actually save a lot of money with some basic DIYs. All you need is to be willing to be ready to grease your hands a bit and keep your eyes and ears open. If you have potted around with the screw driver and wires before, you may just as well enjoy these little troubleshooting tips.

Here are three common problems that you may encounter and their suggested solutions.

The Air Conditioner does not Turn On

If your air conditioner does not start, the first thing you need to check is whether there is power supply to the unit. Many technicians have rushed on calls just to find that the power supply to the unit was turned off. If you find the switch off, you need to just put it on to start your system.
If your central air conditioning unit stops working on a hot day, there are chances that there has been a trip in the high-pressure limit switch. Resetting the tripped switch with a simple push of the button in the compressor's access panel can solve the problem.

Lastly, check the thermostat settings. They may be off and you may not know it!

The System does not Cool Enough

If you find that your air conditioner is losing its cooling capacity, it could mean that the system is undercharged. It would do a great deal of good to remember that your system’s efficiency and performance is greatest when the charge in the refrigerant matches with the manufacturer's specification. This means that the system will not be overcharged or under charged. Just pick up the manual that accompanied your system. The manufacturer’s instructions will explain how to keep the refrigerant properly charged.

If your system is taking longer to cool the indoors than before, it could mean that there is dirt built up on your air filter, evaporator coil , condenser coil, or in any other place within the unit.

First, you need to check the air filter to see if it is dirty. Simply cleaning the filter, or changing it, does the trick. This problem will not occur if you are in the habit of cleaning the filter every month. If this is not the case and if you have not had your system cleaned for a year, you need to call a professional to clean up your system.

The air conditioner often Turns Off and On

The first to check is if there is dirt build-up which is causing the unit to perform inefficiently. For this, a thorough cleaning by a professional is required.

However, another possibility would be a blockage in the air that flows to the condenser unit outside. Ensure that no shrubs or plants are large enough to hinder this flow. If they are, trim them out to avoid such problems in the future. If any of these tips don’t work, there may be a bigger problem. Now you will need to call the technician to fix it.