Happy Friday EVERYONE! …. It is definitely 5 o’clock somewhere!
Severely clogged coils!
As we continue through this series, I hope that you will begin to see how important it is to properly maintain your air conditioning and heating system. When I am out helping customers with replacing their old, broken ac equipment, I am often asked, “How often should I have my system serviced?”. Each situation is different depending on levels of dust, pet dander, and other factors. But, generally speaking, we recommend having your system tuned up every 6 months. A good rule of thumb is before summer and before winter.
Another great question about preventive maintenance is, “What is done?” I am not going to lay out in detail each item, but I will give you a general overview. This way, you will know what to expect.
• Inspect the condenser coil
• Test and adjust operating pressures
• Test starting capabilities
• Inspect the blower assembly
• Test and check safety controls
• Clean the condensate drain
• Test the voltage of the motors
• Test the amp draws on the motors
• Lubricate necessary moving parts
• Check thermostat for proper operation
• Check for proper air flow
• Measure the temperature difference at the return vs. the supply
• Check the expansion valve
• Inspect and spray evaporator with cleaner (when accessible)
• Test in a/c and/or heat mode
• Check all electrical connections
• Check all capacitors
• Clean the air handler coil
• Check mechanical components for vibration or rubbing
• Winter – check heat exchangers or electric heat strips and amps – (depending on equipment)
In addition to these items, our service technicians may recommend additional services to keep your unit running at its maximum efficiency. This can include cleaning the blower wheel, cleaning the condenser coil with a chemical, and adding condensate treatments to reduce algae growth.
Loose connections were the cause of this electrical fire.
All of these items are important to the overall care of your air conditioning and heating system. Two of these items really stands out to me. The reason is because it is a matter of life and death. The first one is “Check all electrical connections.” If the electrical connections are not tight, it is possible for an electrical fire to occur. The second one is if you have a furnace, “Check heat exchangers (for those with furnances). If you have any holes or cracks in the heat exchanger, your family could be in serious danger from carbon monoxide poisoning.
On a side note, carbon monoxide detectors are relatively inexpensive. In doing a Google search, I found that these can be purchased from $15.49 – $49.99. If you have one already, be sure that your batteries have not died.
So, what does a “PM” (aka, preventive maintenance, tune-up, winter start-up, summer start-up) cost? Right now, if you want to have us to a winter start-up, it costs $89.00 per unit (residential customers only). If you would like to join our “Discount Club”, you get a winter start-up, and a summer start-up for $159 for the first unit and $129 for each additional unit. (SPOILER ALERT …. lock in your price now, because there is a rumor going around that this is going to have to be increased next year.)
It looks like we are going to have some great weather this weekend. If you get a chance, go out and enjoy Charleston SC. We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful area that has so much to do.
TGIF!!
Since the LYRIC’s app is on your cell phone, adjustments to the temperature can be made remotely. This is a feature that Honeywell does have on its other wifi thermostats.
I know that this is a few days early, but next weekend is the 4th of July weekend, and I know that no one is going to want to do this. So, take care of it this weekend. Change that filter! It is so important to the efficiency and life of your ac unit.
If your unit looks like this, it may be time to consider a replacement. Currently, we have a PRESEASON SALE on replacement air conditioning and heating systems. We have 4 unit installs set up for this coming week! We have definitely been blessed with work!
She just bought her home a few months ago. She had a home inspector come out and he gave the home a thumbs up. Then, she started having issues with her system and called Arctic Air to come out and fix the problem. The hvac system in her home was 5 years old. Why would a big name a/c have holes in the evaporator coil? I would bet money on a bad installation. Instead of fighting a losing battle, she decided to replace her old unit with a new YORK unit. The YORK unit has been properly installed.
You can have a job done GOOD, FAST or CHEAP … pick ANY two. Bottom line is, if you settle for a cheap option, make sure that installation is done correctly. The up front cost may be cheaper, but the long term cost could be devastating! Don’t fall victim to this ploy.
The first is your basic “Inexpensive” Filter. They usually are in a cardboard frame, blue or white in color. These filters are make of something that looks like a heavy concentration of spider webs… and, you can see through them. This is not one of my favorite filters because it let’s too many of the particles through… and hence, a very low MERV rating. Change these EVERY month without fail!
3M makes the Filtrete line of air filters. Basically, the higher the number the more allergens are trapped. The Filtrete 1900 is a 3 month filter. They also have two higher levels which are the Filtrete 2200 and 2400.
Purolator makes the Purofied line of air filters. The Purofied filter is a 6 month filter.
