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Air Conditioning Troubleshooting For Homeowners

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in AC Repair, Cooling Tips, Maintenance.

Air Conditioning TroubleshootingA Homeowner’s Guide To Troubleshooting A/C Equipment Prior To Calling The Repairman

Sometimes even a reliable HVAC service contract through the very best HVAC maintenance firm fails to prevent the need for a bit of rushed homeowner-handled air conditioning troubleshooting. Facts are simple: A well-serviced home A/C system typically runs without a great deal of unexpected complications.

However… Simple accidents and minor process failures do occasionally demand attention.

When you call a quality well-staffed HVAC service center you expect a rapid and often same day response to your home heating or cooling problems. Yet quick service does not always ensure that you will not lose a few hours of work time, or vacation time, or perhaps miss a baseball game you promised to attend.

Thankfully, some of the basic functional problems associated with your typical ducted split-type home air conditioning system can be corrected in record time by you the homeowner. The following tips are not designed to replace scheduled routine HVAC maintenance and service processes. However, this guide will help you check for a quick solution in a tough home cooling or heating situation.

It’s not about trying to save the cost of calling in an A/C repairman. It’s just about avoiding loss time when the problem could be handled by a bit of basic air conditioning troubleshooting.  

** Note **

The following tips are not all-inclusive. Furthermore, we make no effort to evaluate your knack for performing A/C troubleshooting processes. If you do not understand the steps involved in a given process, call someone better qualified for the job.

 

5-Step Simple Air Conditioning Troubleshooting

1) HVAC System Not Cooling

  1. Confirm that the thermostat/controller temperature setting reflects your cooling expectations and that the unit is set to cooling rather than heating or off.
  2. Check and if necessary reset the main HVAC breaker in your home circuit breaker box. Also check the breaker that is typically located near to modern A/C condensing and heating units.
  3. Visually confirm that both the indoor air handler and the outdoor condensing units are physically running.
  4. Visually confirm that the outdoor condensing unit is not frozen over with ice.
  5. Disengage the main HVAC breaker at your home circuit breaker box. Wait at least one hour before restarting. This may force the system to reset itself.

2) Limited or Nonexistent System Airflow

  1. Ensure that all air filters used in any of your HVAC system components are clean. Replace if necessary. If your system is under an A/C maintenance contract, report the issue to the service provider. You may need to install a better grade of filter or isolate the cause for excess dust in your home.
  2. Visually examine any external or internal units for signs of water accumulation in, near or own the exterior or indoor coil enclosure. Ice accumulation on the external Air Conditioning condensing unit is easily to spot. On the inside unit, be it in the attic, basement or crawlspace, hand test for an excessively cold exterior surface.

3) Overflow From the Indoor Air Handler Drain Pan

  1. Remove any clogs blocking the exhaust pipe on the drain pan (See illustration). If there are not in the exhaustExhaust on Air Handler Drain Pan pipe, this homeowner-handled air conditioning troubleshooting secession should be promoted to the professionals. In the mean time, protect your floors and attic by turning the system off.

4) Compressor Fails But Fan Runs or Compressor Starts But Fan Fails

  1. If the compressor fails to start, there is not much the average homeowner can do. The problem can relate to a bad compressor or merely a system that is low on refrigerant. To fix, call your local HVAC service center.
  2. If the condenser fan fails to turn but the compressor starts, the problem may reside in the condenser fan motor. This repair is also beyond the scope of the average homeowner. Call in the pros.

5) Great AirFlow But Poor Cooling

  1. Measure the temperature difference between the air leaving the air handler and the air entering the air handler. Modern high efficiency air conditioning systems typically run with a near 15-degree drop. Older units may show as much as 18 to 20 degrees difference.
  2. Temperature drops that are below the norm indicate that your system is low on refrigerant. Call in a local HVAC service tech to correct the problem.
  3. Temperature drops that greatly exceed the door indicate that the system is suffering a problem with the airflow system. Clean or replace the air filter. If that does not resolve the problem, ensure that the evaporator coils are clean. It that too fails to resolve the problem, clean the blower wheel.
  4. Possible causes also include improper system design and/or installation, an incorrectly sized duct system, or simply a failure to perform routine HVAC maintenance.

Additional Help Via The ACH Study Guides Resource Links

The preceding air conditioning troubleshooting tips are geared toward homeowners who are seeking a quick fix for a simple and basic HVAC heating or cooling issue. Perhaps you need greater details and a move advanced air conditioning and heating tips guide. Have no fear. Check out the American Cooling and Heating consumer literature page. It’s under the Tips menu. There you can find ACH links to News, Certification study guides, and various other A/C related consumer literature.

 

 

Disclaimer:
1. Any HVAC service should only be performed by a licensed, fully trained, and competent
person and/or company.
2. The contents in this article reflect accumulated data from various sources. ACH cannot and
does not accept any legal responsibility to any person in respect of anything or the consequences
of any reader responses, actions or lack of actions associated with reliance upon the whole or any
part of this article and its content. All trademarks, logos, and associated content displayed are the
property of their respective owners.

 

Arizona Home Cooling or 12-Tips For Saving Money On Cooling Costs

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Cooling Tips, Energy Efficient HVAC, Maintenance.

Mesa Air Conditioning At ACHSave Energy and Reduce the Cost of Air Conditioning Your Arizona Home

The cost of Arizona home cooling may well account for forty percent of your 2015 energy bill. But here’s a kicker that you may not realize, especially if you use a yearly averaged energy billing payment plan: Most of the financial outlay for high energy consumption occurs during the blazing heat waves that accompany normal Arizona summers. In fact, the summer cost for cooling the average Arizona home typically accounts for up to seventy percent of your summer energy bill.

But do not despair. By following a few simple yet comfort-efficient methods of home cooling management you can effectively reduce the short-term and the long-term cost of air conditioning your Arizona home.

The following tips are a condensed and/or expanded update of from the cost of air conditioning pages of APS, Arizona’s longest-serving and largest electric provider. Examine them. Determine which ones can fit into your lifestyle while helping you save on AZ home cooling expenses.

Tips That Will Help You Save Money On Arizona Home Cooling Costs

1) Caulk… It’s a major part of prevent lost of internal air temperatures. Two tubes and a cheap caulk gun will handle most household air leaks. Make sure you do the sill plates as well as the windows and door-frames.

2) Bath and Kitchen Exhaust Fans… It seems a simple thought yet it is often overlooked. Unnecessary use of exhaust fans will draw cool air from your home. The loss may be low volume, but in a course of time excess usage of bath and kitchen exhaust fans will increase the cost of air conditioning and thereby amplify your total home cooling bill.

3) Take Control Of Your Thermostat… Bumping the desired temperature by only one degree warmer can reduce your AZ home cooling expenses by up to 3% during summer months. Special tip: By using more room fans and ceiling fans, you can jack the thermostat to 79-degrees and still feel as much as 5-degrees cooler.

4) Dryer Ventilation… Surprise. Your dryer vent may be leaking heat and moisture into your home. Furthermore, if vented through the crawlspace it may be torn and leaking there. To ensure efficient Arizona home cooling, do a routine yearly dryer vent check and fix.

5) Windows… If the air conditioning is running the windows need to be closed. Install blinds or heavy-duty curtains and keep them closed as often as possible.

6) Storm Doors… The freedom to open the main doors and view the world through your storm door will up the cost for cooling your house.

7) Make Better Use of Exhaust Fans… Normal cooking generates heat and moisture. Use the kitchen exhaust for the purpose designed but make sure to flip the off switch when the meal is done cooking.

8) Natural Defrosting… You do know that frozen food will defrost inside of your refrigerator, right? When possible, avoid microwave defrosting. Using natural defrosting will help you get a drop in the cost of air-conditioning your home.

9) Cloths… It may be “passé” but cloths will dry when hung on an outside line in the sun.

10) Consider signing up for an APS Time Advantage Plan (2). Most electric providers offer customers various peak and off-peak hour programs, all designed to help you pull a lower energy bill while maintaining efficient Arizona home cooling.

11) Process Scheduling… Plan your process schedule so that heat-producing chores, including cooking, ironing, drying cloths and more occur during the cooler hours of the day.

12) Home Lighting… Appliances, lights, and even fans in unused rooms can increase your AZ home cooling expenses. When not in use, turn them off.

Bonus Arizona Home Cooling Tip…

For rapid service and a premier low-cost startup of an Arizona air conditioning and heat pump maintenance program, Happy Familycontact American Cooling and Heating. We can set you up on a price-efficient annual or semi-annual system maintenance program that can reduce the cost for cooling your Arizona home while also helping you increase the lifespan of your home HVAC equip.

ACH. We offer the best in reliable service, professional treatment, and technical skills. So act now. Take control of the cost of air conditioning. Get the comfort of peak system performance while reaping the benefits of reduced AZ home cooling expenses.

 

 

 

 

Effective Arizona Air Conditioning Deals With Heat and Humidity

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning Technology, Air Purification, Arizona Air Conditioning Upgrade Sale, Cooling Tips.

AZ Nexia Smart HomeIt’s Hot Outside; I Need Better Arizona Air Conditioning

In the course of time, air conditioning designers learned that effective cooling requires efficient outside ventilation. However, improved techniques in modern building constructions generate an exact opposite effect wherein modern buildings are exclusively air-conditioned in an environment more tightly sealed than ever before in history. Thus before you know it, efforts to eliminate the effects of hot outside air merely create a clammy inside environment.

However, removing the internal moisture quickly eliminates the “clammy” effect, reduces molds, and makes for a cleaner inside living environment. It’s what we call the “Arizona Effect,” wherein a 90-degree Arizona day can feel terrific even though a humid 90-degree day on the east coast feels wretched.

Conventional home cooling systems employ two primary functions of air conditioning:

  1. Latent Cooling — The systems capacity to remove moisture from the air within a given area of space.
  2. Sensible Cooling — The systems capacity to lower the temperature of a given area of space.

To understand these two principles we must first explain the distinction between latent heat and sensible heat. But let’s avoid all the tech jargon. Therefore:

Latent heat refers to heat that generates a change of state within a substance or object without forcing a change in temperature within the given substance or object. For example: even while boiling, water maintains a consistent temperature of 100-degree C. Adding latent heat forces the water to continue boiling yet never induces a change in the water’s core temperature.

Conversely, sensible heat produces a direct effect upon the temperature of a given substance or object. When sensible heat is applied, the temperature of the object or substance increases. When the source of heat is removed, the temperature of the object or substance decreases.

Thus the total efficiency or “total capacity” of your home air conditioning system is measured by combining its effective use of latent and sensible heat.

Factors That Influence The Latent Cooling Load of Your Arizona A/C System

Since removal of moisture is the core purpose for introducing Latent Cooling into the function of your air conditioning system, objects associated with the generation of moisture become the primary factors of influence. Thus primary causes include:

  • Appliances and equipment such as refrigerators, washers and more
  • Infiltration of external air via cracks, doors and windows
  • People and pets.

Common Factors That Influence Your Arizona Home A/C Sensible Cooling Load

Although some of the factors pertinent to latent cooling can also influence your home Arizona air conditioning systems sensible cooling load, the factors associated with sensible cooling is extensively larger. For example:

  • Attic space, roofs and the ceilings beneath induce temperature-changing effects throughout your home
  • External facing glass such as on doors and windows which not only conduct contact heat and cool but also permit direct sunlight to enter your home
  • Exterior walls and any other structure formats that make direct contact with external heat and cold
  • Mechanically induced ventilation air
  • People and pets
  • Appliances, equipment, and indoors lighting
  • Air infiltration via cracks, open crawl spaces, doors, windows, and the comings and goings of household members
  • A/C duct-work that travels through unconditioned regions of the home
  • Even internal room partitions influence your home air conditioning systems’ sensible cooling efficiency.

Just because it’s hot outside doesn’t mean that you need a new A/C installation. However, just because it’s not hot outside today doesn’t mean that your Arizona home air conditioning is functioning as an efficient unit. You don’t have to live with a moist and clammy inside environment. For a free in-home HVAC performance checkup, call American Cooling and Heating today. Units on-sale today.

Efficient Arizona air conditioning deals with heat and humidity.

 

Arizona AC Energy Consumption Exceeds National Average

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Arizona Air Conditioning Installation, Climate Change, Cooling Tips.

Global Warming Plot Of NASA GISS DataRising Arizona Temperatures Increase Arizona AC Energy Consumption To Twenty-Five Percent

From the U.S. Energy Information Administrations “Quick Facts” report concerning the Arizona state profile: 25-percent of the Arizona home energy consumption goes into home air conditioning (1). That’s four times the national average for energy usage directed into home cooling. On the plus side, heating Arizona households require less energy than the national average. In fact, the yearly average energy usage in Arizona homes runs at 26% less Btu of energy per home than does the typical U.S. home.

Then comes another negative side. The bulk of the consumed household energy goes toward Arizona AC equipment, equipment that typically operates from electricity, a relatively expensive means of creating energy. Furthermore, the typical Arizona household puts out around $1,700 per year on electricity. That’s roughly 14,000 kilowatt-hours consumed per home. According to the EIA report, more than 90% of Arizona households reap the benefits of installed and functional air conditioning — and 86% of those units are central AC systems.

Note that the expenses and energy consumption is averaged based upon an average Arizona home square footage of 1,798 feet. Larger homes require more cooling performance at a higher rate of energy consumption.

What Rising Temperatures Means To Your AC Lifespan

If purchased as a reputable manufacturer’s brand name and installed by a reputable and experienced HVAC installation company, you can expect 15 to 20 years lifespan from a central air conditioning system (2). But it is not just about the type of equipment and the quality of the installation. Usage and maintenance also play a major role in the lifespan of your home cooling system. And the say the least: Arizona AC usage leaps high above the national average.

Battling year after year of exceptionally smoking summers accelerates the rate of wear and tear on any home cooling system. However, you can help reduce the labors of the unit.

It begins by making certain that your unit is right-sized for your Arizona home. Ask your Arizona home AC expert about two-stage air conditioning system. Due to less on-and-off cycling, the two stage units tend to last longer than other type central units.

More tips…

  • Chose an established, reliable and experienced Arizona AC installation company
  • Follow up with routine maintenance
  • Change the air filter before it becomes a problem
  • Take care of your outside condensing unit
  • Schedule an annual maintenance plan with your local dealer.

 Climate Change Affecting Arizona AC Lifespan

According to the 2013 State of Arizona Hazard Mitigation Plan Risk Assessment, the on-going effects of climate change are evoking increased temperatures throughout the American southwest. Arizona is no exception. Since 1895, summer temperatures have been on the rise, topping the 20th century average summer after summer throughout this century. 100-plus degree days come more and more often. The 1981-2010 maximum July temperature in Phoenix and surrounding areas comes in at 110-plus.

Yet metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona remains among the fastest-growing urban regions in the U.S.. This adds to theLiving with asthma cover increase in temperatures. By the year 2000, the nighttime minimum central Phoenix temperature was up by 9 degrees F. All of it comes together in a cascading effect that impacts animal, plants and humans, which in turn means that more and more demand is placed on your in-home Arizona AC system.

But rolling back the effects of climate change is going to be a long slow process. In the mean time, you still need to stay cool. So take care of existing air conditioning system, and when the repairs begin to outweigh the value of the unit, call American Cooling and Heating for an immediate and cost-effective cooling system replacement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat Pump And AC Systems

Free Trane Air Conditioning Consumer Brochures, Product Comparisons and Spec Sheets

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in AC Installation, Buying Tips, Cooling Tips, Repair or Replace.

Trane Air Conditioning TroubleshootingWhether searching for new Trane air conditioning products or merely seeking a reliable Arizona Trane A/C service center, you need access to trustworthy consumer brochures, specification sheets, and product guidelines. Some of this critical decision-making information is available directly from Trane. Tech reports and product reviews also provide important bits of knowledge, as do local and national product review websites. To locate a quality Arizona cooling and heating service and repair center, look toward both the Arizona BBB and national HVAC craftsmen membership centers. Both offer various advice and guidance.

 

But, for your local convenience, the research and legwork is already completed. Throughout the pages of American Cooling and Heating, you can find:

 

  • Detailed spec sheets on all major brands of heating and cooling equipment, including Trane heat pumps and other Trane air conditioning units
  • A sorted list of facts, answers and questions
  • An HVAC Glossary
  • Multiple videos on Amana, Carrier, Goodman, Rheem, Trane, York and others
  • A full collection of HVAC-related consumer literature and product brochures
  • Assorted reports on the history of heating and cooling in American and the world
  • Numerous consumer-pertinent articles that cover A/C related current events that affect local and national regulation of heating and cooling resources
  • AND more, including tips sheets, maintenance guides, and a few notes on persons of interest within the air conditioning industry.

 

As a potential customer of ACH in Arizona, you deserve all that we can offer. Whether having a new air conditioning unit installed or seeking reasonably priced air conditioning repairs, you need a company that makes the customer’s home comfort a major component of the sale, the service and the installation. Quality service providers do not rush in with a mess of suggestions, recommendations, and promises. Arizona homeowners understand the dangers of a failed air conditioning system and they are wise enough to understand the dangers of making a rushed decision during the HVAC buying process.

 

American Cooling and Heating offers new and existing customers an extensive library of images, text and video explanations that can help Arizona residents make informed AC buying decisions. From air handlers to heat pumps and from air conditioning condensing units to home air filters, you got questions and ACH has answers.

 

Arizona Without Working Air Conditioning, Wide Open and Hot!

 

Let’s be honest, Arizona gets hot and muggy! As a homeowner the last thing you need to be dealing with is an air conditioning unit that’s showing signs of giving out on you. Unfortunately these things happen. So, what can you do when you’re considering servicing your heating and cooling unit or purchasing a new one?

 

You’ve heard of Trane and if you live in Arizona you have likely heard of American Cooling and Heating. We have a stellar reputation for providing only the best services and products in the Arizona cooling and heating marketplace. When it comes to getting A/C home products, you want service that comes with long life, reliability and a reputation for lingering quality.

 

Get 24/7 on-hand answers from the ACH free Trane air conditioning information resource center, or just pick up a phone and get immediate answers from trained and experience technicians.

 

  • If you need model performance comparisons, ACH can help
  • Looking for parts, ACH has what you need
  • Need pricing for a new Arizona A/C installation project, ACH offers 24/7 free estimates.

 

Next time you need an air conditioning system or a heating unit installed or repaired, check out American Cooling and Heating. We carry a complete line of air conditioning condensing units, heat pumps, thermostats and other HVAC equipment. Come now – and bring all of your Arizona A/C and heating expectations.

 

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