Air Conditioning Frequently Asked Questions:
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Why bother with a yearly Preventive Maintenance
Service?
How do I know what size air conditioner to get?
Which manufacturer makes the best air conditioner?
How do I choose a contractor?
Why is my unit icing-up? I have frost on the coil and
copper tubing.
Why am I getting such little air flow from my
registers?
There's water spilling out of my inside unit, what can I do
about this?
The system is running but the air is not very cold, what's
wrong?
Inside unit is running but the outside unit is not, what's
up?
The system will not run at all, what do you
think?
I have a "Special Question" for The A/C Man, what should
I do?
This is important because heating and air conditioning systems are very
expensive. Another
benefit is that problems can be discovered before serious damage is done,
and they can also be
discovered and appropriate measures taken before a complete breakdown in
the middle of
winter or on a hot, humid day.
Dirt is the biggest enemy of electro-mechanical systems. During a
Preventive Maintenance,
certain parts that can cause trouble when dirty, are cleaned to keep the
system running smoothly
and efficiently.
Some of these parts are, the cooling coil, condensate drain, burners, pilot
lights, and most
importantly, if needed, the flue. The flue is that part that conveys poisonous
combustion
by-products (gases) out the chimney
Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner! Giving your
air conditioning system a good
electrostatic air filter is the best thing you can do for your air conditioner.
A good air filter will
extend the life of your air conditioner because the important parts, like
the blower assembly, the
cooling coil, and other inner parts will stay cleaner, operate more efficiently
and last longer.
And, as a side benefit of having a good air filter, your family and
you will enjoy breathing much
healthier indoor air. Air that will be free of dustmites, mold, mildew,
dust, pet dander, etc. etc.
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How do I know what size air conditioner to
get?
To exactly size an A/C unit for a specific area requires a heat load calculation
which is a bit
complicated and is usually made by a licensed HVAC contractor who is experienced
and
qualified to make these calculations.
A quick and easy rule of thumb to use for sizing an air conditioner
for a room or house is
the square foot method. This formula is used only for a quick approximate
and is based on
certain guidelines regarding insulation R values, shading, ceiling height,
construction materials,
windows, doors, purpose of use and occupancy.
In layman's terms 1 ton of cooling capacity is equal to 12,000BTU of cooling
capacity and 600
square feet of residential living space requires 1 ton of cooling capacity
based on adequate
insulation, 8' ceiling height and tight windows and doors.
To calculate your requirement using this method get the total square footage
of living space and
divide that number by 600. The answer is the number in tons of air conditioning
capacity required.
To convert tonnage to BTU's simply multiply by 12,000.
This general rule of thumb method can be used for approximate sizing of both
central and room
air conditioning equipment.
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Which manufacturer makes the best air
conditioner?
I hesitate to recommend one brand over another so here are a couple of general
guidelines.
Air conditioning is a matured technology so almost all the popular brands
work equally well.
Most of them use parts made by the same manufacturers. The main
considerations then
would be the price, warranty, attractiveness, noise, etc.
Some manufacturers offer a 5 year warranty on all parts while others offer
only 1 year.
Some offer 10 years on the compressor while some offer only 5 years. Some
units are straight
out ugly and will be of no compliment to your landscaping.
Whatever you decide, by far the most important consideration is the contractor
you use. You
may buy the best system in the world but if it is not properly installed,
you will actually be buying
nothing but a big headache for years to come.
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How do I choose a contractor?
Some states require contractors to be licensed. Check with your state
government, and if the
state requires licensing of air conditioning contractors then make sure the
contractor you use
has a license.
Make sure the contractor pulls a permit. A good contractor will have
no objections to pulling
a permit, and with a permit you will have the benefit of a city or county
inspection. If a
contractor tells you that you do not need a permit, check with the local
building dept.
This is a big purchase, so I recommend you get at least three estimates.
This may take a little
work but it will be well worth it.
Before the contractor you choose begins work make sure you get it in writing.
Be sure you get
the warranty in writing, not just for parts but also for labor. Usually,
the parts are warranted by
the manufacturer while the labor is warranted (if any) by the contractor.
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Why is my unit icing-up? I have frost
on the coil and copper tubing.
Why am I getting such little air flow from my registers?
There are several things that can cause frost on your coil and/or reduced
air flow. Anything that
restricts the airflow through the inside unit will cause frost. As
the frost builds up on the coil, the
airflow becomes more and more restricted making the condition worse.......
When the frost is also on the outside pipes next to the compressor, you have
a situation where
damage to the compressor can occur.
1. Extremely dirty air filter restricting the airflow through the inside unit.
2. Extremely dirty (clogged) cooling coil restricting airflow through inside unit.
3. System low on freon, causing coil to freeze up.
4. Check your return grill to make sure that it is not being obstructed.
5. Blower motor overheats and "kicks off" on safety switch.
If you are mechanically inclined, here are a few troubleshooting tips:
The following test is the most important test you can performed on a system
that is running but not
cooling enough. This test can help determine if your system is low
on freon or will uncover several
other problems that can cause your system to malfunction. It will tell
a lot about what is wrong
with the system.
Start by inserting a stem type thermometer in the air supply duct, record
the temperature. Now
take the temperature of the air entering the return air duct. Subtract the
supply temperature from
the return temperature. The temperature difference should be 17 to
22 degrees. Make sure there
is no frost on the coil before performing this test.
A dirty cooling coil is a common cause of "Not Enough Cooling or "Freezing
Up" of the system.
You can check to see if the coil is dirty by removing the filter and looking
at the underside of the
coil with a flashlight. Sometimes a mirror will help you see under
the coil.
You can determine if the blower motor is kicking off on overload by setting
the thermostat to
"fan=ON" and listening to the blower run. If the motor kicks off after
a while, then you have a bad
motor. It may take a half-hour or more before the motor overheats and
knocks on overload........
In addition, you can feel the body of the motor to see if it is extremely
hot. Be careful when you
touch the motor as they get very hot. Also, turn the power to the unit
off before performing this test.
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There's water spilling out of my inside unit,
what can I do about this?
If you do not see ice build-up on the larger copper tubing (covered with
a black, spongee insulation)
when you run your system, then you probably have a clogged drain line.
A clogged drain line is usually caused by algae build-up inside the drain
line. And yes, there is
something you can do to prevent this condition. Algae is a living plant
and will grow in your drain
line until it clogs the line.
The air handler provides a cool, damp environment for development of molds
and mildew and if
left untreated these growths can spread into your ductwork. If only
moderate to light buildup is
present then there are chemical disinfectants specifically designed for use
in air handlers that will
kill the existing mold and mildew and control new growth.......
These disinfectants are safe and very effective and are applied by simply
spraying into the filter
intake and by placing "Algae Strips" directly in the drain pan. If
the coil has mold or mildew
present then it also should be treated. Make sure that the face of
the cooling or evaporator coil
is clean so that air can pass through freely.
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Procedure for cleaning the drain line:
The drain should be made of plastic. If it's black plastic, then you
can pull it apart at a connection
point. If it's PVC (white) then you may have to cut it and after cleaning,
re-connect it with a
coupling. You can get a coupling at any hardware store. Whatever
you do, DO NOT TRY TO
DISCONNECT ANY COPPER LINES!
Contractors usually use high pressure gas to blow out the drain line. But,
you can clean the drain
yourself by disconnecting the drain line at the unit and forcing water, from
your garden hose,
through the drain line.
I had one person tell me he blew it out with his mouth…..Yuck, but It
worked! When disconnecting
the drain line, keep a bucket nearby as trapped water may come out of it.
Don't worry, It will drip
out with very little pressure.
Or, if you have a shop-vac, you can connect it to the drain line where it
terminates outside the house,
next to the outside unit. Attach the vacuum's hose to the drain line
using tape and vacuum for 10 or
15 minutes. After cleaning the drain line, drop an Algae Strip in the
drain pan to prevent any
further growth.
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The system is running but the air is not very
cold, what's wrong?
If some cooling is taking place but not enough, then the chances are that
the system is low on freon.
The only reason a system would need freon is because the freon leaked out.
If the leak is not sealed
before recharging with freon, the freon will eventually leak out again......
Leak repairs are expensive so if it's a small leak it may be more cost effective
to recharge the system
every two or three years. Freon recharging is not a do-it-yourself
job. As per federal law (EPA),
only people certified to handle refrigerant (freon) are allowed to recharge
an air conditioning system.
Outside Unit Is Dirty Or Air Around Outside Unit Is Blocked:
Visually check the coil of the outside unit to make sure that it is not
excessively dirty or blocked. If
the coil is dirty you can flush it with a garden hose. Keep water clear
of electricals.
Compressor burnt out or locked, or not running for some other reason:
If the fan on the outside unit is running but you do not hear the sound of
the compressor running ,
then the compressor is malfunctioning. This would be a very serious
problem requiring an a/c
contractor.
Air Return is sucking in hot air:
If you have an air return duct in a hot area such as an attic or garage,
make sure that this duct is
not broken, split, or disconnected and sucking in hot air.
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Inside unit is running but the outside unit
is not, what's up?
Tripped A/C breaker: Check this first. Find the breaker for the air
conditioner. Turn it completely
"off" even if it appears to be "off", then turn it back on again. If
it trips again, leave it alone and call
your contractor.
Thermostat wiring broken: Check the thermostat wires by the outside
unit. This is the small cable
with small wires going into the outside unit. Many times I have seen
this cable broken or cut by
lawn mowers or kids playing, or even by the dog.
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The system will not run at all, what do you
think?
The most common reason that a system will not run is because of a loss of
power. In most every
situation an air conditioning system is protected electrically by a breaker
or fuse which is located
somewhere in the power supply lines upstream from both the air handler and
condenser units.
This breaker is designed to provide over current protection and prevent
electrical damage to your
equipment.
Find this breaker, turn it completely "off" even if it appears to be "off",
then turn it back on again.
If it trips again, leave it alone and call your contractor.
The second most common reason for a system not to respond when called for,
is problems in the
low voltage (24v) control circuit. This circuit is comprised of the
controllers and relays that send
signals to the components in your system to perform specific functions like
heating, cooling and fan
only.
The most common problems are found in the thermostat connections and with
failure of the
transformer. If you are mechanically inclined, you can change your
thermostat yourself in most
cases because the various wires coming to your thermostat are color coded
and you simply hook up the appropriate color wire to
the terminal for that color on the thermostat.
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I have a "Special Question" for The A/C Man, what should I do?
The A/C Man was getting so many questions, it became impossible to continue
to answer individual questions.
We had to discontinue this service several years ago. However, we have
this page to help answer some
of the most frequently asked questions.
If you are ordering an air filter, we would be happy to answer any questions
you may have in this regard.
Simply email us at
http://www.oxyclean.com
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