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Tag: Arizona Air Conditioning

Air Conditioning Efficiency – Are Attic HVAC Systems Efficient?

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning Technology, Cooling Tips, Home Maintenance.

Trane 2014 HVAC DealsThe Value Of Air Conditioning Your Attic

In a recent report concerning home air conditioning efficiency, the U.S. Department of Energy challenged the wisdom of locating HVAC systems in an unconditioned attic (1). So what brings about this challenge to conventional A/C handling methods? Why would anyone want to air condition a space that is not used for personal comfort? If typical U.S. housing construction involves placing the A/C air-handling unit in unconditioned attic space, what benefits can be achieved by flipping the coin?

Well, live and learn.

According to Energy.Gov, placing components of your home HVAC system within the non-vented control of an unconditioned attic can actually increase heating and cooling-related energy consumption by as much as 10%. Several reasons promote this concept. However air loss due to A/C duct leakage may be the major factor. Current research evidences that duct air leakage often exceeds twenty percent of the regulated airflow. And that, my friend, results in a significant and controllable loss of energy.

The evidence is in: Placing your indoor home HVAC components within a non-vented insulated and conditioned attic or crawlspace can provide a substantial reduction in energy expenditure. Although the attic may not be used as home living space, capturing and retaining the loss air flow results in improved home heating and cooling energy performance. However, fully sealing the attic tends to defy traditional house building codes. And we all know that things that defy tradition trigger an automated human resistance to change. So after years of being directed to construct your home with installed attic ventilation, why should we accept this notion of change?

New Understanding of Air Conditioning Efficiency

Perhaps you are unaware of current construction changes as they relate to the air conditioning industry. However thanks to Building America, since 2006 the practice of constructing vent-free fully insulated attics has been an accepted home construction building code. For over twenty years, the U.S. DOE has sponsored the Building America program as a focus for helping study and promote innovation in residential building construction. The introduction of non-vented attics is just one more successful endeavor. The primary purposes of Building America include promotion of:

  • More affordable energy
  • Greater product reliability
  • Enhance product performance
  • AND Better home comfort.

Along with other various energy-focused products and home design, Building American partners with world-class HVAC industry and HVAC research leaders to raise the standards in home air conditioning and A/C product performance.

Air Conditioning Efficiency Enhanced By Non-Vented Well-Insulated Attics

Ventilation enables moisture as well as warm air to escape from an attic. When attic-installed A/C equipment is not involved in the equation, vented attics with a well-sealed and insulated ceiling decks prove to be very efficient for helping reduce the cost of home air conditioning. However, if HVAC equipment, including air conditioning ductwork, is installed in the vented attic of an Arizona home, the energy consumption of that home may actually increase.

Yet conditions to exist. If your Arizona air conditioning is installed in a home not purposefully constructed for a non-vented attic, updating to new standards can be costly and difficult. For example: standard home roof structures often include slopes that are inadequate for installing attic-wide top plate installation. Furthermore, the typical home attic includes installed flues, hatches, water piping, electrical wiring, and various difficult-to-work-with knee walls and ceilings. Unless your attic can be completely sealed, some measure of air leakage is unavoidable. The result: an increase demand on your heating and cooling system.

Funds spend to increase Arizona air conditioning efficiency may actually increase your problems. It humid air from your living quarters escapes into a non-vented and conditioned attic space, condensation and moisture against the cold roof sheathing may become a potential calamity of accumulated mold and mildew. On the other side of the scale, if inside warm air seeps into a sealed and conditioned home attic it can heat the roof deck and result in an increased winter risk of ice dams.

In conventional vented attics, installed HVAC components are routinely exposed to the current external temperature extremes – extremes that may well increase due to additional complications related to home attics. Insulating and effectively sealing along the roof line of your home can provide better:

  • Energy efficiency and savings
  • Increased moisture resistance
  • Reduced risk of wood rot and mold
  • A more secure storage space
  • And better wind resistance as well as increased fire and rain protection for your entire roof.

American Cooling and Heating – Arizona Air Conditioning Efficiency Experts

Maybe you are not certain about the conditions of your attic installed Arizona A/C equipment. Perhaps comfort in the living quarter is not a problem, yet the cost of staying cool seems out of hand. We can help. Call now for your appointment with a bonded, licensed and insured Arizona HVAC professional. The team at American Cooling and Heating is ready to provide 24/7 A/C repair, A/C replacement, and A/C evaluation.

 

 1) Building American, Top Innovations Hall of Frame Profile

 

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.

 

Carrier Cor Thermostat Technology – A Competitive Edge In Home Comfort

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning Technology, Carrier Air Conditioning Arizona, Thermostats and Controllers.

Carrier Cor ThermostatCarrier Cor Thermostat Control Ramps Up Carrier Market Share In Smart Thermostat Technology

Leap to the competitive edge in home comfort. Install a Carrier Cor Thermostat in your Arizona home. For more information on Carrier Air Conditioning products in Arizona, contact an American Cooling and Heating professional in your area.

What makes Cor Technology the hands-down choice for Arizona homeowners looking for more energy-efficient air conditioning thermostat technology? Consider the broad overview:

By grabbing hold to the latest in smart technology, the Carrier Cor Thermostat system activates a two-way flow of information between consumers and the equipment that drives home heating and cooling resources. You want quick and easy access to more energy-efficient home air conditioning comfort. You also demand technology that helps reduce the price of cooling via reduced energy consumption. In core features, Cor smart thermostat technology meets your demands. The Cor system provides energy-conscious consumers with: 

  • Fast access to home or office HVAC resources
  • Simplistic and intuitive touch screen controls
  • Remote accessibility
  • Smart setback and intelligent thermostat adaptability
  • Potential reduction in energy expenses that can average 20% saving or better
  • Monthly energy reports
  • An increased sense of self-sufficiency and personal involvement in global clean energy solutions
  • AND more.

And, as though the front-end benefits of controlled heating and cooling can’t win you over, Carrier links the Cor’s primary advantage over existing thermostat technology to user access to detailed energy usage reports. Made available through a associated iPad compatible app, the Cor system technology generates monthly statistics custom-designed to help the homeowner understand the real-time savings associated with personalized thermostat management. 

Furthermore, a month-by-month comparison reports provides community assessments that enable Arizona air conditioning customers to examine how their energy consumption rate differs from that of neighbors who are also using the Carrier Cor Thermostat system. The Cor iPad app is more than a basic tracking tool. It is an app designed by a company noted for expertise in home environmental controls. The advantage is yours and it kicks butt over the competing smart thermostat technology.

Carrier Cor App and Expert Tips To Improve Your Air Conditioning Efficiency

If the app provided no more than the monthly reports, homeowners could use it to save moment on the cost of Arizona air conditioning. Yet, Carrier has ensured that Cor Thermostats customers receive even more benefits from the app. Cor™ Insights examines your neighbors cooling system performance and settings and makes personalized suggestions for how to best reap performance in a given home. The system can provide minute-by-minute breakdown reports that cover: 

  • HVAC-system cycling
  • Humidity
  • Temperature
  • Thermostat settings
  • AND more.

Best of all, you don’t have to be standing before the on-screen display to reap the benefits of a Carrier Cor thermostat system. The smartphone app mimics the on-screen display of your home Cor smart technology thermostat system.

Professional Carrier Cor Smart Thermostat Installation in Arizona

Ok. A super cool technology is by nature governed by sensitive electronic equipment. It’s powerful, efficient, effective, and sensitive. Some less effective and less-efficient smart thermostat systems may be suitable for installation by the customer. Carrier recommends that a professional heating and cooling expert install the Cor technology thermostat. Don’t risk burning out the electronics. For immediate information, support or installation, contact Arizona’s premier HVAC resource, American Cooling and Heating.

 

 

Arizona Air Conditioning Mold Prevention – Minimize AC Mold Growth

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Purification, Arizona Air Conditioning Installation.

Air Conditioning Mold – Critical Growth Requirements

Air Conditioning molds and mildew are classified as fungi. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, extensive mold contamination can trigger allergic reactions, asthma episodes, infections and various other respiratory complications (1). Mold and mildew are also capable of causing serious structural damage to your home. Affected floor joists and other exposed timbers can rot, warp or crack due to moisture that tends to cultivate fungi growth.

Current reports from the FSEC Education Center define and identify nearly 100,000 species of fungi (2). But don’t panic. Fungi in general are ubiquitous to our environment. As such, humans are constantly exposed to the associated risk. Yet for healthy humans with a normally functional immune system, serious complications caused by exposure to common fungi are uncommon. However… Children, the elderly, and people who already suffer from asthmatic or allergic conditions may experience serious complications when exposed to excessive growth of fungi.

A/C Mold – Critical Growth Requirements

Whether in your heating and cooling system or due to some other source of accumulated moisture, mold growth springs forth when the following four components come together:

TIP! Standing water around your air handler unit can cause mold accumulation and expansion. If the problem persists, contact your ACH Arizona heating and cooling service center.
  1. Mold spores are available
  2. Food for the spores is available
  3. Environmental temperatures suit spore growth
  4. And moisture accumulates.

Fungi spores range in size from 3 to 40 microns – compare to the size of human hair, which ranges from 100-150 microns. Because mold spores are ubiquitous, there is no cost-effective method for complete elimination of the colonies. Any time all three of the other components for growth are available, the food supply can consist of nearly any organic substance.

Because mold grows best in temperatures that are comfortable to humans, the battle to eliminate spores is even more complicated. Yet even temperatures near to freezing cannot deter the growth of certain molds. However, one component of the growth requirement can often be controlled by human initiative. You defensive actions can help regulate the presence of moisture that accumulates in your Arizona home and Arizona air conditioning system.

Various species of fungi may respond to different levels of moisture, but the majority of mold species require relative humidity levels of 70% or better. Thus air conditioning mold prevent involves controlling where and how cool air is disbursed. On the good side: Human beings typically prefer an environment that is far below the 70% moisture threshold. Key point in air conditioning mold prevention: Reducing the availability of moisture is the best strategy for removing and killing active mold growth colonies.

3 Practices That Aid In Your Air Conditioning Mold Prevention Efforts

•Arizona Air Conditioning Operation: Keep the fan system set on AUTO. When an A/C blower runs without ceasing, the moisture that accumulates on the cooling evaporator ends up blowing back into your home. Relative humidity increases. Dehumidification decreases. Moisture accumulates. If, when even in AUTO, your HVAC blower motor continues to run long after the compressor has shut down, contact your Arizona A/C service center. A qualified tech can often disable this feature.

TIP! When water condenses on your air conditioner, it drips into a pan and drains into the external environment. If this drain gets clogged, your home can accumulate mold-inducing moisture.

•Arizona Air Conditioning Selection: When options permit, or when necessity demands that you purchase a new Arizona home air conditioning system, choose equipment that makes us of a variable speed air handler. Demand optional features designed so that you can set the unit to a mode designed for enhanced moisture removal.

• Arizona Air Conditioner Sizing: Right-size your cooling equipment. Oversizing results in poor humidity management. Short on-cycles hinder moisture removal. For more information on A/C sizing and efficiency, read: Energy Efficient Central Air Conditioning.

 

 

 

 

1) http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/children/indoorair/mold/index.php

2) http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/buildings/basics/moldgrowth.htm

AC Repair In AZ

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting In Arizona – Resolving Common AC Problems

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in AC Repair, Air Conditioning.

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting For The Arizona Home Handyman

Air conditioning troubleshooting can sometimes be very simple, but if your problem dips into the core of HVAC functionality, consider hiring out the task to a licensed Arizona A/C professional. Basic air conditioning repairs are rather inexpensive; and if the problem requires extensive heating and cooling equipment replacement, you won’t waste money on guesswork solutions.

However, the Arizona homArizona Air Conditioning Troubleshootinge handyman can resolve some common heating and cooling problems without need of equipment expertise. You start by recognizing that various HVAC failures often link to the same type of system malfunction. This A/C troubleshooting tip sheet addresses the simplistic side of heating and cooling troubleshooting and repair.

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting of Basic Cold Air Issues

When home A/C systems fail to deliver cold air, Arizona homeowners get excited. This country is no place for faulty air conditioning equipment. So let’s look at the basic problems that can keep your cooling system from delivering cool air. The list is divided into two categories:

  1. Inside the House
  2. AND Outside the House.
TIP! If your home gets hot in the Arizona summer temperatures and you’d like to reduce the demand on your air conditioning equipment,  consider installing an insulated metal roof system. It reflects the heat right back up into the sky, allowing your home to gain less heat on sunny days.

A/C Troubleshooting Inside the House

1) Clogged filter

A clogged air filter is simple to fix, yet remains a common in-home heating and cooling complication. Although most homeowners can easily change the heating and cooling filter system, they often tend to neglect simple filter maintenance. Yet a clogged air conditioning filter chokes the airflow through the condenser fins associated with the inside furnace. When your system cannot “breath,” the coil freezes over. To prevent filter clogging, clean or replace your system filter at least once a month.

If a dirty filter causes your unit to freeze up, replace or clean the filter and then thaw the unit by powering down for several hours or until the ice melts. Tip it. Remember: A/C equipment does not cool the home but rather it removes the heated air from inside the home. When your air conditioning system pulls the steamy Arizona air out of your home, it sifts that air through the coolant-filled condenser fins, resulting in hot air displaced by cold air.

TIP! The best Arizona HVAC contractors provide a number for emergency services that are available to call 24 hours of the day.  Don’t get caught without help during a weekend heatwave.

2. Clogged Condenser Fins

On the slightly more complex side of air conditioning troubleshooting, the inside condenser fins can also become clogged with debris. This is typically due to inadequate care of the filter system, but can also be a direct result of a passing Arizona dust storm and an improperly sealed home. Regardless of the cause, cleaning the condenser fins becomes a necessary repair process. Although some homeowners have been known to use a toothbrush as a cleaning tool, specially designed “fin brushes” will do a better job with less risk of damage to the fins.

3. Low Coolant

Low A/C coolant implies significant equipment problems. To check the coolant level, pickup a set of pressure gauges and measure setting according to the documentation of your unit. However, if you are tempted to do some backdoor buying to recharge your leaky unit, don’t go there. First off: Your air conditioning system is designed as a self-contained cooling system. This means that leaks are not normal. Second, to buy and work with A/C coolant legally, you need an EPA license. So call your local Arizona A/C Repair center. The cost for repairing the leak and recharging the system will vary, but here is a basic price guideline:

  • $ 50 – Typical HVAC home service call* (Often applied to the cost of system repair)
  • $120 – Typical flat-price covering first 3 pounds of coolant*
  • $ 50 – Base price per pound for anything over 3 pounds*

Variable expenses include the time involved for tracking down and repairing the leak as well as the cost of replacement parts. For example: A new evaporator coil can start around $350*, and the repair can get rather expensive. Yet it only takes a few years of yearly freon cap-offs to exceed the price of a permanent repair. So why be uncomfortable when a repair is the best way to handle any form of air conditioning coolant leak?

TIP! If you are buying a new HVAC unit, make sure that the one you choose fits your home. American Cooling and Heating will inspect your home and your duct work before they install a new unit.

4. Condenser Fan Motor

If all else is set correctly, including the inside thermostat, yet the inside unit fails to come on, check the condenser fan motor. Some problems are as simple as loose wires. But even if the wire connections are burned, the average Arizona home handyman can handle the repair.

 

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting Outside Your Home

1. Lack of Power

Before checking any other possibilities, ensure that power is reaching your outside A/C condensing unit. Start by checking the breakers both at the mains and at the breaker box located adjacent to your outside system. In the event that a breaker is melted, fused or reveals a loose wire, call an electrician. Even if you can replace a breaker on your own, home and personal safety demands that you uncover the cause of the failure.

2. Faulty Contactor

When standing near your outside air conditioning equipment, do you hear a loud buzzing noise. If so, consider replacing the unit contactor. The process is as follows:

  1. Cut power to the system
  2. Remove the cover panel located on the backside of the condensing unit
  3. Restore power and locate, without touching any components, the source of the buzzing noise (Typically the contactor has the appearance of a piston enclosed in a box)
  4. Turn the power back off
  5. Use an Ohm-meter to ensure that the flow of electricity has ceased
  6. Remove the contractor
  7. Mark the wire leads and then disconnect
  8. Install a new contactor
  9. Reconnect the wires
  10. Re-assemble the cover
  11. Restore system power.
TIP! Before hiring any HVAC company to install, maintain or repair your Arizona home unit, ask for evidence of insurance.

3. Outside Condenser Fan

For safety purposes, it might be better if you hire a local A/C service professional to service your outside unit. The process of determining the functionality of your outside condenser fan is beyond the scope of this article. However, assuming that you have the electrical expertise to test the fan, replacement, if necessary, is very simple. Just:

  1. Disable power to the system
  2. Remove the top component of the outside A/C housing
  3. Label the wires attached to the system fan, and then disconnect the fan
  4. Clean the connections
  5. Re-assemble the unit replacing the faulty fan with a new fan f. Restore power.
TIP! For top deals on Arizona air conditioning installation and equipment, contact American Cooling and Heating.  And remember, Air Conditioning Troubleshooting is sometimes simple and sometimes difficult.

 

 

* All prices are based upon 2014 industry averages and may vary from region to region.

 

Disclaimer:

  1. Maintenance must be performed by an authorized American Cooling and Heating HVAC technician.
  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.

 

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