AC Technician Tips

How to Know If You Have a Faulty Air Conditioner

Date: December 5, 2017 Author: cdoelle Comments: 1 Reply

If you’ve ever had an air conditioning system break, you know how horrible and uncomfortable it can be. Taking a shower is useless and sleeping comfortably is almost impossible.

You want to head off this trouble before it happens. Each home varies depending on the actual insulation values, duct work conditions, location of the home with respect to sun exposure, individual user operations, current system design, age, and efficiency of the equipment. Taking all of that into consideration, here are some ways you can determine if your air conditioner may be on its way out.

Symptoms

  • Your digital thermostat’s display is blank or has lost power
  • You hear unusual noises coming from your equipment
  • Water is leaking from your indoor unit (Attic units can leak and cause water stains on the ceiling)

Are you still having trouble? There are some other things you can do to quickly determine if your air conditioning unit isn’t working properly.

Check the Temperature

Does it feel hot in your house? Make sure your thermostat is set to Air Conditioning Mode. If it’s two or more degrees warmer in your home than your thermostat setting, the air conditioner should be working. If it’s not, you may have a problem. Sometimes air conditioners can have trouble keeping up if it’s hotter than 93 degrees outside, but most of the time it should be able to maintain your home within a couple of degrees of your setting.

Feel the Air

If you still think something may be wrong with your system, check the air coming out of the supply vents. If the outdoor unit is running and the thermostat is in Air Conditioning Mode, you should feel cold air. If there is considerably less air than normal coming out of the vents, or if the air is warm, there may be an issue. If the outdoor unit is running and there is no air coming out of the vents, this is also a problem.

If this happens, your evaporator coils may be iced over. Be sure to cut off the unit so that it can thaw before a technician arrives.

Change Your Filters

Before you decide to call a technician, check your air filters. Dirty air filters can cause all sorts of problems. Replacing a dirty air filter may fix the issue. Change your filters regularly and keep your system well maintained to extend its life.

HVAC Warning Signs

Date: October 24, 2017 Author: Sandi Barksdale Comments: Leave a reply

Most people don’t think about their HVAC unit until its broken, which is too late.  Here are five helpful warning signs that your unit may need servicing by a certified heating and cooling technician.

It’s Not Cooling:

The most obvious sign that your HVAC needs help is that it’s not cooling. Your HVAC technician will check for the three primary causes:

Evaporation coils: They may be clogged, if there clogged with dirt the system will not cool properly and you’ll be hot.

Leaking refrigerant: Your technician will have to run a test to locate the source of the leak and fix it for your system to start operating at its full capacity.

Leaking ducts: If you have a leak in your duct, the cold air that should be keeping you cool is spilling into the attic, between walls, or outside your home.

Making Weird Noises:  

The cause of unwelcome noises could be a loose fan, screws that need to be tightened, clogged coil fins or parts that need lubrication.

Your Bill Goes Suddenly Up:

Your electric costs should be about the same this month as they were in the same month a year ago. If you notice a big change, chances are something is wrong with your HVAC system.

It Smells funny:

If you notice a foul odor coming from your vents, you could be experiencing a problem which results from bacterial growth within the HVAC system vents.

It’s Leaking:

If you notice any discolored circles on your ceiling, dripping or puddling near your unit, you have a problem. The cause for the leak could be an overflowing pan, clogged filter or backed up condensate line.

If you notice any of these problems with your system, it’s time to call a certified technician.

Hire a Licensed Air Conditioning Company Part III

Date: May 30, 2017 Author: cdoelle Comments: Leave a reply
heating, air conditioning, certified

 

Why You Should Always Hire a Licensed Air Conditioning Company

Part III

Welcome to the Part III of our look at why you should hire a licensed air conditioning company.

Insurance

Insurance and Bonding.  There are risks involved when repairing or replacing an HVAC system. Because of that, you need to be protected. A licensed company will have the right state and local licenses. Additionally they will be bonded and insured.

An important factor in choosing the correct company is insurance coverage. Liability and coverage for your home, property, as well as your family, are provided by hiring a licensed company. Your homeowner’s insurance policy will not cover work done by an unlicensed company.

Bonding provides protection on top of a company guarantee. A surety bond is provided to cover job incompletion, poor workmanship, improper permits, or if a technician does not pay workers or vendors.  Most licensing boards require that contractors are bonded before applying for their license.

Permits Rules and Regulations. Local professionals know the latest requirements for your area. There are a number of rules and regulations, such as building codes, inspections, and permits required that HVAC companies must follow when installing or repairing a unit. The average homeowners are unaware of these requirements, however, a licensed company will know and follow them. Hiring the right company will reduce the chance that you’ll run into problems.

Involved Risks!

Here are just a few examples of just a few things that could happen if you do not hire licensed air conditioning technician.

  • Down the road, you decide to sell your home not knowing the proper codes or not having filed the correct permits can be an expensive issue. This will result in extra expense and delay the sale of your home.
  • You could have a fire due to faulty wiring.
  • Drain lines and float switches not installed to code could cause flooding and damage to your system.

Would your insurance cover it if not done by a licensed professional? Do you want to take that risk?

Continued Service

With a licensed company, you’ll have a peace of mind that any HVAC service you need will be done effectively and efficiently and they will offer continued service. Oftentimes, the person that offers the “best deal” quite frankly does not survive in the long run.  Unlicensed technicians cut corners and lack the skills and expertise to get the job done correctly. Some of them even moonlight as magicians.  When something goes wrong they disappear!  Instead, choose a licensed company that provides long-lasting solutions, and are there when you need them.

Hire a Licensed Air Conditioning Company Part II

Date: May 18, 2017 Author: cdoelle Comments: Leave a reply
heating, air conditioning, certified

 

Why You Should Always Hire a Licensed Air Conditioning Company

Part II

 

Welcome to the Part II of our look at why you should hire a licensed air conditioning company.

More on Knowledge

Professional have their Ducts in a row! Duct work is one of the most important parts of your air conditioning system. Professional ducting is essential to you home’s efficiency and clean, healthy air quality. Improper duct work will increase the risk of air leakage, mold, and an overworked system. 

System types. HVAC systems work differently depending on where you may live. When it comes to air conditioning systems weather, climate, humidity and the size of your home are very important factors to consider. A local, licensed technician will know and understand these factors and how they affect your system and air quality.

Warranties and Guarantees

Warranties. Protect yourself, protect your warranty!  Manufacturers may void the warranty if an unlicensed technician works on your system.  A qualified technician will gladly display his or her license number and will not hesitate to provide it immediately upon request. When in doubt, ask!

Guarantee. If you are a do-it-yourself-er or are thinking of hiring an unlicensed technician, consider this – Not only will your system’s warranty potentially be void, work not done by a professional does not come with guarantees. Your air conditioning system is one of the most expensive components and vital organs in your home. Licensed air conditioning companies offer guarantees.  In addition, bonding is required by most licensing boards prior to application. We will discuss bonding and what it provides for your peace of mind further in part III.

Before calling the number that you see on the sign that just popped up at the end of your street, weigh the risks! In Part III we will discuss the importance of insurance, bonding and additional risks involved in not hiring a license air conditioning company.

 

Hire a Licensed Air Conditioning Company Part I

Date: May 3, 2017 Author: cdoelle Comments: Leave a reply
heating, air conditioning, certified

Why You Should Always Hire a Licensed Air Conditioning Company

Part I

We’ve all seen these “bandit signs” out there promoting a discounted service.  We came across this one the other day for an AC company and it brings to mind some horror stories of people out there offering cheaper. As we have seen time and again, cheaper is often not cheaper or better.

As a homeowner, hiring a technician to work on your air conditioner is a reality that will have to be faced at some point. It is important to hire a licensed technician to work on your system. Below are a few of some important factors to consider when deciding who to hire.

Training and knowledge.  

Licensed air conditioning technicians have the experience, advanced training, and certifications. In contrast, unlicensed individuals lack the knowledge to protect your investment. They cut corners by not going through the proper training and licensing requirements. Not having the certifications saves them money, consequently costing you money in the end.

Size Matters!  Licensed technicians understand this! Bigger is not always better! Installing the wrong sized system is a common problem. An air conditioner does two important jobs: temperature control & removing moisture. Removing moisture requires the system to operate for a prescribed amount of time. An oversized air conditioner will not run for the adequate amount of time to permit moisture and temperature control. Over the course of a day, an oversized air conditioner will have more start-ups and shutdowns.  Consequently, this will result in reducing the lifespan of your system. Your system will lose energy efficiency and moisture is left in the air.  Moisture leads to mold and is a serious concern.A licensed air conditioning technician will possess the training, the tools and knowledge to ensure the system for your home is correct.

Refrigeration levels.  When you hire an unlicensed person, often times the system will have incorrect amounts of refrigerant levels from the start. This will affect the performance of your system, result in higher utility bills, and unnecessary wear and tear on your system, thus reducing its lifespan. Refrigerants are dangerous, care must be taken when handling them. Licensed technicians are trained to determine the correct levels and have the knowledge to safely work with them.

 

Look for Part II soon.