Oct
27
My central air conditioner died at the start of triple digit temperatures. Should I repair or replace?
Filed Under HVAC | 5 Comments
Michelleh asked:
My central air conditioner is 20 years old, although I replaced a $600 part about 3 years ago. Is it time to replace the entire unit and if so, what brands are best in terms of reliability and “energy star” efficiency? Should I use single room units instead? I would be happy without having the whole house cool, if that would be more energy efficient. I live in Pasadena, southern California, if that makes a difference.
Robert
My central air conditioner is 20 years old, although I replaced a $600 part about 3 years ago. Is it time to replace the entire unit and if so, what brands are best in terms of reliability and “energy star” efficiency? Should I use single room units instead? I would be happy without having the whole house cool, if that would be more energy efficient. I live in Pasadena, southern California, if that makes a difference.
Robert
Oct
21
The Basics of Air Conditioners
Filed Under HVAC | Comments Off
Barney Garcia asked:
May be you have had enough of the long, hot summer days. You have been witness to a constant rise in the average temperature over the past few years and you think it is high time you get yourself an air conditioner.
Or may be, you already have an air conditioner, but you find it not to be delivering at its best. You are not too sure about repairing it, and whether it would be worth all that effort and money if you find it not functioning properly after the repairs. So you plan to get yourself a new one.
Trouble is when we buy an air conditioner, or even after we have owned one for years, most of us hardly have a clue about the basics of an air conditioner. So at times we end up investing in a product which is not what we need, or on something which fails to deliver as per our expectations. What we will try in the following part of the article is to help you get a grip of the fundamentals of air conditioners.
The Efficiency
Though very few of us care about the efficiency of an air conditioner, it is actually very critical when it comes to the running cost of an air conditioner. In fact, since investing on an air conditioner is a long term investment, you can actually pay a few hundred extra dollars and still stand to gain in the long rain if you choose a unit with higher efficiency. For example, the models available today in the market would be anything between 20 and 40 percent more efficient than an air conditioner you had bought 10 years back. So if you are contemplating whether to repair your old air conditioner or buy a new one. The latter will be a much wiser option.
Today the most energy efficient air conditioners come with a SEER rating of 13. Even if you go for something lesser than that, say for a SEER 11 or SEER 12 you still stand to save a lot on your electricity bills.
The Capacity
This is another crucial element to your air conditioner buying decision. Know the dimensions, i.e. the length and breadth of the room you are going to install the unit in. multiply the floor area with 25 and the figure you get is close to the number of British Thermal Units your air conditioner needs to have. You can also factor in the windows by adding an extra 1000 BTU for every window.
Ashley
May be you have had enough of the long, hot summer days. You have been witness to a constant rise in the average temperature over the past few years and you think it is high time you get yourself an air conditioner.
Or may be, you already have an air conditioner, but you find it not to be delivering at its best. You are not too sure about repairing it, and whether it would be worth all that effort and money if you find it not functioning properly after the repairs. So you plan to get yourself a new one.
Trouble is when we buy an air conditioner, or even after we have owned one for years, most of us hardly have a clue about the basics of an air conditioner. So at times we end up investing in a product which is not what we need, or on something which fails to deliver as per our expectations. What we will try in the following part of the article is to help you get a grip of the fundamentals of air conditioners.
The Efficiency
Though very few of us care about the efficiency of an air conditioner, it is actually very critical when it comes to the running cost of an air conditioner. In fact, since investing on an air conditioner is a long term investment, you can actually pay a few hundred extra dollars and still stand to gain in the long rain if you choose a unit with higher efficiency. For example, the models available today in the market would be anything between 20 and 40 percent more efficient than an air conditioner you had bought 10 years back. So if you are contemplating whether to repair your old air conditioner or buy a new one. The latter will be a much wiser option.
Today the most energy efficient air conditioners come with a SEER rating of 13. Even if you go for something lesser than that, say for a SEER 11 or SEER 12 you still stand to save a lot on your electricity bills.
The Capacity
This is another crucial element to your air conditioner buying decision. Know the dimensions, i.e. the length and breadth of the room you are going to install the unit in. multiply the floor area with 25 and the figure you get is close to the number of British Thermal Units your air conditioner needs to have. You can also factor in the windows by adding an extra 1000 BTU for every window.
Ashley
Oct
21
How much does an air conditioner and furnace cost — including installation?
Filed Under HVAC | 5 Comments
Overthere asked:
Has anyone purchased a new air conditioner and furnace at the same time? There won’t need to be any duct work, just installation. Also, are certain times of year better than others to do this? I have the feeling summer might be a high demand time and therefore more expensive.
BTW, we live in Lafayette, CO and have a 1,200 sq. foot townhouse.
Sam
Has anyone purchased a new air conditioner and furnace at the same time? There won’t need to be any duct work, just installation. Also, are certain times of year better than others to do this? I have the feeling summer might be a high demand time and therefore more expensive.
BTW, we live in Lafayette, CO and have a 1,200 sq. foot townhouse.
Sam
Oct
20
Repair for your Air Conditioner
Filed Under HVAC | Comments Off
Barney Garcia asked:
The kind of problems one generally faces with air conditioners has a lot to do with proper maintenance and cleaning of the air conditioner. If one regularly cleans the grilles of the air conditioner and along with it the filter, then the life and the efficiency of the air conditioner both increase. At times we find that due to deposit of dust and debris inside the filter the ducts get choked and the air conditioner loses much of its effectiveness. This problem can easily be taken care of by just cleaning the filter properly and reinstalling it after it has dried.
The common problems that one encounters with an air conditioner are: – Faulty cooling, – Water pools being collected below the air conditioner, – Abnormal sounds when the unit is switched off, – The thermostat not functioning properly, etc.
Many of these problems can be solved by the owner himself if he is confident about handling the device. Generally one shouldn’t call for professional help for such minor problems as these. An important tool when it comes to the repair of an air conditioner is the instruction manual that comes with it.
Whatever kind of repair you want to carry out, you should always take care to see that the device has been switched off. Generally removing the grille is a simple task but for those units where the fan comes attached to the grille. Care should be taken that you don’t snap any of the wires while trying to pull out the grille. If you have to unscrew any wires make sure that you remember the order they were in. you can use different colored markers for this purpose. If you don’t recall which was where, things can get a bit out of hand.
A problem like water accumulating under the front portion of the air conditioner can be attributed to leaking ducts. The solution is simple – just remove the old duct and replace it with a new one. A tripped fuse can cause the air conditioner to go completely dead. Again this can be fixed by replacing the faulty fuse. Read the manual carefully before you attempt to pull out the old fuse and install the new one.
However, when you think things are beyond your capability you must call a technician trained in dealing with air conditioners. The device is much too expensive for you to fiddle around unknowingly.
Walter
The kind of problems one generally faces with air conditioners has a lot to do with proper maintenance and cleaning of the air conditioner. If one regularly cleans the grilles of the air conditioner and along with it the filter, then the life and the efficiency of the air conditioner both increase. At times we find that due to deposit of dust and debris inside the filter the ducts get choked and the air conditioner loses much of its effectiveness. This problem can easily be taken care of by just cleaning the filter properly and reinstalling it after it has dried.
The common problems that one encounters with an air conditioner are: – Faulty cooling, – Water pools being collected below the air conditioner, – Abnormal sounds when the unit is switched off, – The thermostat not functioning properly, etc.
Many of these problems can be solved by the owner himself if he is confident about handling the device. Generally one shouldn’t call for professional help for such minor problems as these. An important tool when it comes to the repair of an air conditioner is the instruction manual that comes with it.
Whatever kind of repair you want to carry out, you should always take care to see that the device has been switched off. Generally removing the grille is a simple task but for those units where the fan comes attached to the grille. Care should be taken that you don’t snap any of the wires while trying to pull out the grille. If you have to unscrew any wires make sure that you remember the order they were in. you can use different colored markers for this purpose. If you don’t recall which was where, things can get a bit out of hand.
A problem like water accumulating under the front portion of the air conditioner can be attributed to leaking ducts. The solution is simple – just remove the old duct and replace it with a new one. A tripped fuse can cause the air conditioner to go completely dead. Again this can be fixed by replacing the faulty fuse. Read the manual carefully before you attempt to pull out the old fuse and install the new one.
However, when you think things are beyond your capability you must call a technician trained in dealing with air conditioners. The device is much too expensive for you to fiddle around unknowingly.
Walter
Oct
20
New Central Air Conditioners
Filed Under HVAC | Comments Off
Barney Garcia asked:
As the summers get hotter every year, the central air conditioners in our houses have had to work extra time. If your air conditioner is a relatively new one, you can still use it for those extra few hours during the summer. But if it is one which has been installed ages ago, and you should be thinking of getting the unit replaced.
And what you will immediately notice if you go out to look for a new central air conditioning unit these days is the remarkable advancement in technology it has gone through. In fact the changes are so dramatic that if you hadn’t kept yourself up to date about the new innovations, you would find them hard to believe.
The one are where a significant advancement has happened is the efficiency of the units. While previously the units had SEER ratings of anything between 7 and 10 it has now jumped to 13. and SEER 13 has now been made mandatory for all central air conditioners by the US Department of Energy. For those who are not aware of what SEER is, it is the acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. What it measures is the ratio the heat exchanged by your air conditioner to the power it has used for the same. The higher the ratio the more efficient your unit is.
How does it help you having a more efficient air conditioner? The answer is simple. You save more on your electricity bills. The less power your unit uses the less will be your running costs. But then you will ask what the government gains out of you saving money? The fact is, even if the government doesn’t care about how much you save, but they are concerned about the environment and more energy efficient machines will mean less of fossil fuels being used which release greenhouse gases upon being used.
The ductless air conditioners basically are a derivative from the central air conditioning system and the window air conditioning system taking the plusses from both, and removing the restrictions of each. The necessity for inventing this ductless air conditioners can be traced back to a few reasons. First of all, not all houses had the provision for ducts being installed. Even if the house had provisions, installing ducts would be a pretty expensive exercise.
There have been other changes too. One significant change is the programmable thermostats. This allows you to control the temperature of the room even while you are sleeping. Since you can preset the thermostat levels you can have the temperature increased gradually. This saves a lot of energy and your running costs.
Even the fan inside the air conditioner has been made automatic. So it will run only when it needs to. This is another innovative way to save energy. Things have indeed changed.
Chris
As the summers get hotter every year, the central air conditioners in our houses have had to work extra time. If your air conditioner is a relatively new one, you can still use it for those extra few hours during the summer. But if it is one which has been installed ages ago, and you should be thinking of getting the unit replaced.
And what you will immediately notice if you go out to look for a new central air conditioning unit these days is the remarkable advancement in technology it has gone through. In fact the changes are so dramatic that if you hadn’t kept yourself up to date about the new innovations, you would find them hard to believe.
The one are where a significant advancement has happened is the efficiency of the units. While previously the units had SEER ratings of anything between 7 and 10 it has now jumped to 13. and SEER 13 has now been made mandatory for all central air conditioners by the US Department of Energy. For those who are not aware of what SEER is, it is the acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. What it measures is the ratio the heat exchanged by your air conditioner to the power it has used for the same. The higher the ratio the more efficient your unit is.
How does it help you having a more efficient air conditioner? The answer is simple. You save more on your electricity bills. The less power your unit uses the less will be your running costs. But then you will ask what the government gains out of you saving money? The fact is, even if the government doesn’t care about how much you save, but they are concerned about the environment and more energy efficient machines will mean less of fossil fuels being used which release greenhouse gases upon being used.
The ductless air conditioners basically are a derivative from the central air conditioning system and the window air conditioning system taking the plusses from both, and removing the restrictions of each. The necessity for inventing this ductless air conditioners can be traced back to a few reasons. First of all, not all houses had the provision for ducts being installed. Even if the house had provisions, installing ducts would be a pretty expensive exercise.
There have been other changes too. One significant change is the programmable thermostats. This allows you to control the temperature of the room even while you are sleeping. Since you can preset the thermostat levels you can have the temperature increased gradually. This saves a lot of energy and your running costs.
Even the fan inside the air conditioner has been made automatic. So it will run only when it needs to. This is another innovative way to save energy. Things have indeed changed.
Chris
Oct
18
Air Conditioners Make the South Livable
Filed Under HVAC | Comments Off
Susan Slobac asked:
Living in the Southern United States can be lovely. Consider the live oaks, flowering magnolias and dogwoods. These are able to thrive in the south due to the favorable climate, with mild wet winters, and long, hot and humid summers. These summer weather patterns might be suitable for plants, but they can wreak havoc on people’s comfort levels. Give yourself the gift of enjoyment no matter what the weather dishes up by obtaining a portable air conditioner.
One benefit you will receive from a portable air conditioner is that you can move it from room to room in your home. Rolling casters on the bottom help you smoothly move it, and in this way you can have cooling air anywhere you need it. Have a nice, cool kitchen or dining room to have your morning coffee, then move it to your home office to get your work done in comfort, and finish by placing it in your bedroom for an air-cooled night of restful sleep. A portable air conditioner can also be used in covered outdoor situations as well. Now you can enjoy a screened-in porch in August in pleasure, or an afternoon working in the garage in satisfaction, with soothing cool air wafting about you.
Another advantage given to you by the use of a portable air conditioner is that it freshens the air wherever you place it. Many portable air conditioners come with filters that help remove particles like pollen, dust and pet dander from the air.
People living in the South know how uncomfortable high humidity days can be. You get up and take a shower, and in a few minutes you are drenched and feel like you need to take another shower, all due to the excessive humidity. These unpleasant side effects of high humidity are a thing of the past if you own a portable air conditioner. These units also offer dehumidifying features, some of which need only infrequent emptying of the reservoirs. This helps take the water out of the air in your room of choice, and it helps you to stay dry, cool and comfortable.
Unlike some older window-mounted permanent air conditioners, portable air conditioners run in a very quiet manner. This is important if you are using it in an area where you are trying to get work done or sleep.
It is also important to consider the energy usage of an air conditioner. Some units take the water extracted from the air and use it to cool the air conditioning unit, which helps it run more mechanically and cost efficiently.
A portable air conditioner can be a summer saver if you live in the South, so invest in your comfort today.
Bernice
Living in the Southern United States can be lovely. Consider the live oaks, flowering magnolias and dogwoods. These are able to thrive in the south due to the favorable climate, with mild wet winters, and long, hot and humid summers. These summer weather patterns might be suitable for plants, but they can wreak havoc on people’s comfort levels. Give yourself the gift of enjoyment no matter what the weather dishes up by obtaining a portable air conditioner.
One benefit you will receive from a portable air conditioner is that you can move it from room to room in your home. Rolling casters on the bottom help you smoothly move it, and in this way you can have cooling air anywhere you need it. Have a nice, cool kitchen or dining room to have your morning coffee, then move it to your home office to get your work done in comfort, and finish by placing it in your bedroom for an air-cooled night of restful sleep. A portable air conditioner can also be used in covered outdoor situations as well. Now you can enjoy a screened-in porch in August in pleasure, or an afternoon working in the garage in satisfaction, with soothing cool air wafting about you.
Another advantage given to you by the use of a portable air conditioner is that it freshens the air wherever you place it. Many portable air conditioners come with filters that help remove particles like pollen, dust and pet dander from the air.
People living in the South know how uncomfortable high humidity days can be. You get up and take a shower, and in a few minutes you are drenched and feel like you need to take another shower, all due to the excessive humidity. These unpleasant side effects of high humidity are a thing of the past if you own a portable air conditioner. These units also offer dehumidifying features, some of which need only infrequent emptying of the reservoirs. This helps take the water out of the air in your room of choice, and it helps you to stay dry, cool and comfortable.
Unlike some older window-mounted permanent air conditioners, portable air conditioners run in a very quiet manner. This is important if you are using it in an area where you are trying to get work done or sleep.
It is also important to consider the energy usage of an air conditioner. Some units take the water extracted from the air and use it to cool the air conditioning unit, which helps it run more mechanically and cost efficiently.
A portable air conditioner can be a summer saver if you live in the South, so invest in your comfort today.
Bernice
Oct
16
bmm12 asked:
A bird laid a nest under our window air conditioner and before we realized the eggs hatched so we left the nest and are waiting for the birds to leave. We covered the ac inside with plastic just to make sure nothing came in. Recently there has been a large amount of very small bugs inside the plastic and all over the air conditioner. Does anyone know what they are? How to get rid of them? I thought maybe bird mites but I read that they are invisible to the naked eye.
Holly
A bird laid a nest under our window air conditioner and before we realized the eggs hatched so we left the nest and are waiting for the birds to leave. We covered the ac inside with plastic just to make sure nothing came in. Recently there has been a large amount of very small bugs inside the plastic and all over the air conditioner. Does anyone know what they are? How to get rid of them? I thought maybe bird mites but I read that they are invisible to the naked eye.
Holly
Oct
13
dougaa asked:
I have a Sharp air conditioner which has a remote control to turn it on and off. Is there something I can connect to my telephone so I can call my house and cause the remote control’s “on” signal to be sent to the air conditioner?
I have a Sharp air conditioner which has a remote control to turn it on and off. Is there something I can connect to my telephone so I can call my house and cause the remote control’s “on” signal to be sent to the air conditioner?
Because the air conditioner is electronic, it loses all its settings if the power is disconnected. That means a power switch won’t work. It has to be done as the remote control would, sending infrared.
Mary
Oct
12
Mold is growing on the wall under my window air conditioner. Why and what should I do?
Filed Under HVAC | 6 Comments
sickofmold asked:
We usually run the window air conditioner only at night. After we were gone for an especially humid weekend (and thus obviously not using the air conditioner), we came home and noticed that the inside wall underneath the air conditioner is bubbling out and growing orangish-colored mold. I don’t know if it was there before the weekend or not. I’m wondering if the air conditioner could be causing the mold or if it’s another problem with the window or maybe even the crawl space in our basement that’s kind of below that spot. What should I do?
Caroline
We usually run the window air conditioner only at night. After we were gone for an especially humid weekend (and thus obviously not using the air conditioner), we came home and noticed that the inside wall underneath the air conditioner is bubbling out and growing orangish-colored mold. I don’t know if it was there before the weekend or not. I’m wondering if the air conditioner could be causing the mold or if it’s another problem with the window or maybe even the crawl space in our basement that’s kind of below that spot. What should I do?
Caroline
Oct
8
Split Air Conditioners the Best Bet For Your Home or Office
Filed Under HVAC | Comments Off
Daniel Millions asked:
If you are planning for an air conditioner in your home or office, you can buy the best one from the market out of a wide range of models and types available. There are different types of air conditioners available in the Canadian or U.S market today and you can pick the one that suits your building or room or your budget. Split air conditioners are used in offices and homes and a lot of retail places and workplace buildings use split A/Cs because of their superior size. These units can be located effortlessly outdoors like behind the building or on the rooftop.
Due to the tremendous competition in the market, every air conditioner brand fritters millions of money to explore for an ideal new air conditioner that also saves electricity bills. Nowadays, there are fans with the units which moves in coordination with the rotation of the air conditioner. Nearly every company now uses fragrances and dehumidifiers in their air conditioners to offer their customers an extra application every summer.
The installation of a split type air conditioner is normally higher than the regular ones; however they tend to be extra power proficient in the long run. The savings on the electricity bills will quickly pick up the installation cost. In split types, the compressors are placed inside the unit which makes these types less noisy. It is good to buy air conditioners of some reputed brand from the market as other cheaper brands may consume more electricity and also they don’t carry a warranty period.
Good care and periodic maintenance of the air conditioner can save you hundreds of dollars. If you take good care and undertake periodic maintenance, your machine will work in the most excellent condition for a long time. No one wishes to buy an air conditioner too often.
The maintenance features are usually neglected by the owners. The air conditioners are heavy machines that sometimes deceive the owners. When the machine is giving out cool air, you may think that everything is fine. However, the air conditioner may be losing its energy efficiency year after year. So, you need to evaluate the energy efficiency of the unit every year in order to reduce your electricity costs.
Air conditioning has become a necessity in humid and hot climates. Almost every office and middle class homes are installing air conditioning units. Air conditioners are indispensable to improve the working conditions of an office. This also helps to advance productivity of your employees. Many factories, industries, laboratories etc need massive air conditioning due to the large amount of heat air produced inside the place. Central air conditioning is the ideal choice for such massive buildings.
When making a choice, the cost of the air conditioner plays a vital role. But, you need to consider some technical information like power consumption, tonnage of the air conditioner and other mechanical aspects as well. Firstly, you should know the size of the area or the room to be air conditioned. This helps you to select the appropriate tonnage of the air conditioner. Tonnage of air conditioners is offered in 0.60, 0.75, 1.5, 1, and 2 tons for window or split air conditioning units. The cost of the air conditioners varies with the brand, type and tonnage.
Cody
If you are planning for an air conditioner in your home or office, you can buy the best one from the market out of a wide range of models and types available. There are different types of air conditioners available in the Canadian or U.S market today and you can pick the one that suits your building or room or your budget. Split air conditioners are used in offices and homes and a lot of retail places and workplace buildings use split A/Cs because of their superior size. These units can be located effortlessly outdoors like behind the building or on the rooftop.
Due to the tremendous competition in the market, every air conditioner brand fritters millions of money to explore for an ideal new air conditioner that also saves electricity bills. Nowadays, there are fans with the units which moves in coordination with the rotation of the air conditioner. Nearly every company now uses fragrances and dehumidifiers in their air conditioners to offer their customers an extra application every summer.
The installation of a split type air conditioner is normally higher than the regular ones; however they tend to be extra power proficient in the long run. The savings on the electricity bills will quickly pick up the installation cost. In split types, the compressors are placed inside the unit which makes these types less noisy. It is good to buy air conditioners of some reputed brand from the market as other cheaper brands may consume more electricity and also they don’t carry a warranty period.
Good care and periodic maintenance of the air conditioner can save you hundreds of dollars. If you take good care and undertake periodic maintenance, your machine will work in the most excellent condition for a long time. No one wishes to buy an air conditioner too often.
The maintenance features are usually neglected by the owners. The air conditioners are heavy machines that sometimes deceive the owners. When the machine is giving out cool air, you may think that everything is fine. However, the air conditioner may be losing its energy efficiency year after year. So, you need to evaluate the energy efficiency of the unit every year in order to reduce your electricity costs.
Air conditioning has become a necessity in humid and hot climates. Almost every office and middle class homes are installing air conditioning units. Air conditioners are indispensable to improve the working conditions of an office. This also helps to advance productivity of your employees. Many factories, industries, laboratories etc need massive air conditioning due to the large amount of heat air produced inside the place. Central air conditioning is the ideal choice for such massive buildings.
When making a choice, the cost of the air conditioner plays a vital role. But, you need to consider some technical information like power consumption, tonnage of the air conditioner and other mechanical aspects as well. Firstly, you should know the size of the area or the room to be air conditioned. This helps you to select the appropriate tonnage of the air conditioner. Tonnage of air conditioners is offered in 0.60, 0.75, 1.5, 1, and 2 tons for window or split air conditioning units. The cost of the air conditioners varies with the brand, type and tonnage.
Cody