Why bother with a yearly Preventive Maintenance Service?

Having a yearly Preventive Maintenance Service on your air conditioning system is a wise thing to do. Note the words, Preventive Maintenance. A yearly maintenance service will prevent many problems during those times when you need your home cooled or heated the most. When done properly, maintaining your system will save you money on energy bills, but just as importantly, a yearly preventive maintenance will help your system last longer with fewer repairs.....

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. This is why, first and foremost, you need a high efficiency air filter. During a Preventive Maintenance, the technician will clean or replace your air filter. Also, 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, and a good air filter is the best friend! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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 dust mites, mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, etc. etc.

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.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner, and a good air filter is the best friend! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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.

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.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner, and a good air filter is the best friend! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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.

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.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner, and a good air filter is the best friend! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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.

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.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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 dust mites, mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, etc. etc.

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.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner, and a good air filter is the best friend! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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 dust mites, mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, etc. etc.

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.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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 dust mites, mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, etc. etc.

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.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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 dust mites, mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, etc. etc.

And, don't forget! Dirt is the biggest enemy of your air conditioner! Giving your air conditioning system an efficient, high MERV rating 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 dust mites, mold, mildew, dust, pet dander, etc. etc.

IT HAS BEEN SAID, EVERYONE HAS A TWIN SOMEWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE. THE CLEANING PRODUCTS COMPANY YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MISSPELLED THEIR NAME AND HERE YOU ARE, ON THE WRONG WEBSITE