Heed These Common End-of-Season AC Needs

September 9th, 2019

outdoor-ac-unitsThe official end of summer is near, and while you may be ready to welcome cooler temperatures outside soon as well as the chance to stop using your air conditioner as often, this is no time to forget about your air conditioner, or its repair needs.

Hopefully, you had maintenance done at the beginning of the season and didn’t experience any major cooling system catastrophes over the summer. If you didn’t schedule maintenance this year, not to worry, it’s not too late! It’s only too late if you have an aging system that’s completely broken down and has no hope for repairs.

That said, whether you had professional maintenance done or not, there are some needs that can crop up at the end of the season that require your attention. They include the following:

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No, Your Cooling System Shouldn’t Make THAT Noise

August 26th, 2019

woman-covering-her-earsHave you ever heard someone say that it’s okay for an air conditioner to operate louder on a muggy day, because it’s “working harder?” Unfortunately, even if it was an HVAC technician that told you this, it’s just not true. Nor does a grinding noise mean that your system is just “warming up.”

Take our word for it, these silly claims are not right.

Air conditioners are built to operate as quietly as possible. In fact, the only sounds you should hear coming from a functional air conditioner is the sound of the air “wooshing” through your vents, and the hum of the compressor outside. True, these not be “quiet” sounds to you, but in relation to the noises that we’re about to describe below, they’re pretty minor.

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Can Better Indoor Air Quality Help Your AC?

August 12th, 2019

hvac-vent-on-wallThe short answer to this is “yes.” But don’t worry, we’ll elaborate below.

There are many factors that contribute to good indoor air quality. Yes, the temperature of your home is one aspect, but when we talk about indoor air quality, we’re talking about the presence (or absence) of contaminants, allergens, and pollutants, as well as how stale your air may be, and the relative humidity levels in your home. Today we’re going to talk about that last point.

Humidity is the excess moisture that tags along with high summer temperatures. This moisture makes us uncomfortable, for starters. The only way to lower that humidity is to lower the temperature. So, you turn on your AC system and set it to the lowest possible temperature, making it work harder and harder as summer progresses.

Is this really the right way to handle it though? If you worked to improve your indoor air quality by getting a system that handled humidity the right way, could you help your air conditioner out? Yes! Keep reading to learn more.

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Is It Ever Too Late for AC Maintenance?

July 29th, 2019

tech-working-on-ac-systemThe short answer to this is “no.” It’s important that you have maintenance done for your air conditioner every year (or every 6 months, in the case of a heat pump) but frequency and consistency are more important than what time of the year you have it done.

The next most common question we get about maintenance is “Is it really worth it? What does this service actually do for my air conditioner, anyway?”

We totally understand the inquiry. So, we want to share what actually happens during a maintenance tune-up. This way you can feel informed and confident that your investment in maintenance is a good one.

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How to Choose the Best HVAC Company for the Job

July 15th, 2019

contractors-standing-side-by-sideIt’s that time of year again—there are two seasons where HVAC professionals are the busiest. Winter, and summertime.

With summer here now, it’s the most common time we’ll get called for urgent repair sand services—perhaps even a “quick” replacement (spoiler alert: no air conditioner replacement should ever be rushed).

As the temperatures start soaring upward, it is inevitable that homeowners will run into cooling system problems, especially if their systems are aging or have not been maintained properly. As such, we understand the urgency when something goes awry with your cooling system. You want help and you want it fast! So, you choose the most immediately available HVAC company and give them a call.

What if we told you that was the wrong approach?

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Poor Installation Can Lead to These Ductless Problems

July 1st, 2019

ductless-unit-with-remote-controlDuctless systems have been increasingly growing in popularity, and for good reason. Rather than operating through a network of ducts connected to an indoor air handler and evaporator unit, ductless units break up the indoor unit and blower fans to distribute air through handlers that operate independently of each other—meaning the temperature settings can be different for each air handler.

This makes ductless systems operate much more efficiently than a standard central air conditioner, which is forced to cool your entire home, even if you don’t need conditioned air in your entire home at the time. There are a number of benefits to the installation of these systems—but there can also be drawbacks if you don’t have yours professionally installed.

We’ve covered some unique ductless repair needs below. These can happen even with proper installation, but they’re a lot more likely if the install is done by an inexperienced amateur.

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Should Your Business Use a Rooftop Unit?

June 17th, 2019

rooftop-air-conditioning-unitsAs summer quickly approaches, there are probably many things for you to focus on with your business, such as ensuring that your customers, employees, and/or tenants are satisfied, and that your building is a comfortable space.

Wait, you haven’t been concerned about that last point? We get it—this isn’t usually something that’s at top of mind for business owners or managers, however it is important. An uncomfortable commercial space can lead to a host of problems, not the least of which is a significant business interruption.

There are a number of things you can do in your business or commercial building to ensure comfort, and one of the biggest players in this is an effective and efficient air conditioning system. Whether you were already considering replacing your soon or are curious about your options, this is the blog post for you, as rooftop units are well worth your consideration.

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Funny Cooling System Noises to Never Ignore

June 3rd, 2019

air-conditioning-unit-with-toolsDid you know that summertime is the most likely season for your AC system to call it quits, or at least experience problems? It makes sense when you think about it—it’s getting much heavier use than it does in spring or fall. And all mechanical systems experience wear and tear.

The good news is, you can typically avoid surprise repairs or sudden AC breakdowns, with routine professional maintenance. This gives our technicians an opportunity to uncover any signs of malfunction or repair needs. It also gives us the chance to comprehensively clean out the system to ensure it’s functioning as it should.

Even if you are diligent about maintenance, however, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the sounds you should, and should not, be hearing come from your air conditioning system. The following noises, in fact? They indicate something is very wrong inside your cooling system.

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AC Maintenance: It’s Not Too Late to Schedule Your Tune-Up!

May 20th, 2019

air-conditioning-unit-with-tools-on-top

May is nearly over, and temperatures are already rising. Did you forget to schedule air conditioning maintenance? Is it too late? Maybe you should just skip it, not that you’re going to need your air conditioner on a daily basis.

Don’t do this!

Skipping maintenance altogether can be detrimental to the functionality and efficiency of your cooling system, and in the absence of a total system breakdown, it’s never too late to get your air conditioner tuned up. This truly is a case of “it’s better late than never,” and there are many benefits to maintenance. There are also a number of advantages to being part of our maintenance program—more on that below.

Keep reading to learn more!

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What to Do with an AC System That Won’t Cool

May 6th, 2019
Woman sitting on couch cooling off with a fan, indicating need for HVAC repair service.

First, we’ll start with what not to do. Please do not look up an online tutorial on how to fix your air conditioner and attempt repairs on your own. The problem is, an air conditioner that won’t cool may be acting this way for a number of different reasons, and only a trained and experienced professional can accurately diagnose what the problem is. HVAC installations and repairs should always be done by certified technicians to avoid costly errors. It’s important to call certified HVAC technicians for AC repair and servicing to ensure your system is properly and safely restored (though, we will get into possible causes below).

What should you do when your AC system won’t cool properly?

  • Check thermostat settings and confirm it’s set to “cool” with a lower setpoint than room temperature.
  • Replace or clean the air filter to ensure good airflow.
  • Clear debris and vegetation around the outdoor condenser unit.
  • If airflow is weak or cooling is inconsistent, suspect clogged coils or ducts.
  • Low refrigerant (due to a leak) often causes cooling loss and risks compressor damage.
  • Schedule a professional inspection for refrigerant, compressor, or electrical issues.

Our team is committed to providing dependable service in every HVAC installation and repair, ensuring you receive reliable and professional support from start to finish.

A lack of cooling coming from your AC is obviously an urgent problem though, particularly as we progress closer to summer. So what should you do if you notice this problem? Give our pros a call for prompt AC repair and servicing by qualified HVAC technicians! Scheduling maintenance visits regularly can help you avoid major repairs and ensure your system is ready for the season. In the meantime, keep reading to learn more about what causes this problem. You might also find it helpful to go through our AC troubleshooting checklist before calling, to rule out any basic issues.

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