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Author: Rm Harrington

About Rm Harrington Professional HVAC content writer, equally skilled for communicating with A/C technicians, HVAC product engineers or the home/business buyer in need of reliable A/C related details. Most valuable skill: The ability to research, comprehend, evaluate and discuss matters of importance to homeowners and the HVAC community, including technical details, system comparisons and best-choice system applications.

Greenhouse Gases Catch 22, Obama Administration Confronts HFCs

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Climate Change, News.

global warming - greenhouse gases catch 22Next Step Obama Administration Effort To Reduce Greenhouse Gases Catch 22 Problems

Greenhouse gases Catch 22, what are the issues? The battle to reduce climate change has caused many complications in the way Americans and the world perceive the costs of owning and operating air conditioning and refrigerant equipment. And when the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases result in fixes that need fixing, some might question the need for any kind of fix.

I’m not taking sides in the arguments for or against global warming. That’s a different subject. But I do want to point out a simple Catch 22 that climate change experts and the White House rule makers should keep in mind when evoking new laws that force major expenses on homeowners, business owners and the heating and cooling industry as a whole. Replacing a home air conditioning system can be expensive. And no one wants to to hear about HFCs problems three years after the installation..   

Obama Administration and the EPA Battleground

On September 16, 2014 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved into the next phase of the Obama Administrations commitment toward curbing greenhouse gases. Tagged as a “fresh” approach in the ongoing battle to reduce hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), the White House has set focus on a handful of global industries. The goal is twofold:

  1. Educate the private sector concerning the risk of HFCs associated usage in modern refrigerators and air conditioners
  2. Develop and deploy alternative technologies for heating and cooling resources.

Typically defined as stronger than CO2 by as much as 10,000 times, HFCs greenhouse gases are considered a major contributor to worldwide climate change. The products come about in a sort of control greenhouse gases Catch 22 arrangement wherein HFCs chemicals were introduced as a replacement for refrigerant and air-conditioning freon back in the 1990s.

The Catch: Although HFCs products cause no harm to the Earth’s ozone layer they are yet major contributors to climate change. So it’s a solution wherein we fix one thing with something that also ends up needing a fix. But what drives the efforts?

According to the 2013 Climate Analytics reports, not curbing greenhouse gases associated with HFC emission will result in a related climate change problem tripled in size by 2030 (1). On the other hand, corrective reduction in HFC gases bears the hope of decreasing global temperature by ½ degree before 2050. Seems a long wait and lots of work for ½ degree. One can only hope that this fix does not result in yet another threat from a different angle.

In seeking to illustrate the expected result-to-action goals, the Obama Administration confronts HFCs by providing industry and public with the following examples:

  • A reduction in HFC related greenhouse gases such as R-134a as used in refrigerant and air conditioning equipment could produce a 1.5% decrease from greenhouse gases as measured in 2010.
  • Increased management and leak control in supermarkets could eliminate 27-million metric tons of carbon dioxide. This is a per year reduction that can reduce processing costs as well as climate-changing gas emissions.

Greenhouse Gases Catch 22

As defined by Merriam-Webster, the term “Catch 22” pertains to a difficult situation wherein there can be uncovered no simple, easy or possible solution. It’s a “problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem. (2)” Furthermore, any efforts to resolve the problem tend to result in an opposite effect of what is intended.

While I don’t deny the need to address global warming, climate change, and the need for curbing greenhouse gases, I wonder if we are once again getting ready to take on another climate change Catch 22? As in past efforts to management climate control, the answer to that question may be a while in coming. Right now, the EPA plans to publish a new list of approved fluorinated and non-fluorinated chemicals to be used in heating, cooling, refrigerant and other related HFCs dependent industries. So once again the nation will invest in workshops, equipment and upgrades to help the industry move away from HFCs.

Is it just another greenhouse gases Catch 22? Thoughts, views and opinions are welcome.

 

 

 

 

1) Climate Analytics, All Publications, 09/17/2014

2) Merriam-Webster, Catch 22, noun, often in caps

 

 

Arizona Home Maintenance – Installing a Trane Air Conditioning System

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in AC Service, Home Maintenance.

Being an Arizona Home Maintenance Expert Doesn’t Make Me an Air Conditioning Technician

Arizona home maintenance is time consuming and sometimes difficult but it can also be rewarding and even therapeutic. However, taking on a home handyman job that is outside my comfort zone leaves me feeling frustrated and overworked. Success in such home ventures is about knowing when to act on your own versus when to hire a professional. Sometimes the line gets blurred and I end up tackling a home repair or home upgrade project that exceeds my desire for personal involvement. Installing HVAC equipment falls into the category of no can do and no want to do.

Perhaps you too are the do-it-yourself type. Or maybe you just know a great local handyman. You’re thinking pickup a great deal on a scratch-n-dent heat pump system from the local salvage yard and get it installed for near to nothing. The local Arizona home maintenance man even has experience installing an air handler – did it once for his brother-in-law. But more than likely he is also operating without insurance, adequate bonded funds, or even an Arizona HVAC service license.

Here’s the big scoop on handyman services and A/C installation: If your next home improvement project involves the installation of a Trane Air Conditioning system or any other type of heating and cooling equipment, think long and hard before you eliminate the value of hiring an Arizona HVAC professional installation team. Don’t risk a voided Trane AC warranty, sloppy work, or a future house fire.

Home Maintenance Is One Thing; Installing AC Is Another

Avoiding the trained air conditioning service dealers in Arizona is a bad decision. I’m no stranger to handyman work, plumbing installation, electrical projects or any other construction task. When working in areas in which I lack experience, I know how to do the homework that enables safe, reliable and efficient project management and project completion. I can install and wire a new in-wall oven, a security system, and even an outdoor whirlpool. I can add insulation to the walls, lay brick, and even remove, resize and replace windows and doors.

However, when it comes to heat pumps, furnace systems and air handlers, I am lost. If the work only involved the mechanics and the electronics of the task, installing a new Trane Air Conditioning system would be a project I can handle. But:

  • What about the problem of right sizing the unit to fit my home floor plan and square footage?
  • Where should I locate the registers and is the existing ductwork sufficient for use with new and improved air-conditioning components?
  • What if mold is already present? How do I work with it?
  • Can I mix and match old and new HVAC equipment or should I do a full upgrade?

And what about the model and brand choices? Even if I decide to go Trane on all equipment, which unit or combination of units will most efficiently and effectively fit the exact needs of my home? The options seem endless. For example: Do I go with a:

  1. Trane XR95 with a 95% energy efficient furnace rating at 60,000 btu and with a Trane cased aluminum indoor coil. And a Trane XR13 2.5 ton air conditioner
  2. Trane XV95 with a 97% efficiency 2-stage furnace and a variable speed blower that pumps out 60,000 / 40,000 btu. With a Trane XR15 2.5 ton 15-SEER air conditioner for cooling.
  3. Or does either of the above options even apply to my 2500 square foot, 2-story home?

Even if I had the equipment to perform the right load test and make certain I get the right A/C system for my Arizona home, I still have to consider what options need to be included. Looking at things such as added safety controls, advanced thermostat efficiency, and extended Trane Air Conditioning warranty options seems to make the demand for research endless. I want energy efficient heating and cooling equipment that is sufficient but not wasteful. As such, I buy Trane because of the Trane history for quality and service. But I also pay attention to support and warranty coverage.

If while handling my own home maintenance, I short-circuit the air handler, will the Trane warranty cover the A/C installation errors of a home handyman? No? I think installing a Trane Air Conditioning system is better if left in the hands of an insured, bonded and licensed Arizona HVAC professional.

 

 

Trane Air Conditioning Healthcare Solutions Increase Home Cooling Efficiency

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Handlers, Energy Efficient HVAC.

Arizona Trane Air HandlersTrane Air Conditioning Healthcare Solutions – Innovation Commercial and Industrial Upgrades

Trane Air Conditioning healthcare solutions seem ever on the move. The array of new heating and cooling benefits touch both the commercial and the industrial HVAC marketplace. We see it year after year. Some school, medical center, or industrial site reaps renewed and extended benefits from the A/C innovations incorporated into Trane commercial products. For example:

  • St. Lucie county school district recently linked with Trane for a new chiller plant upgrade. Benefits of the new system include energy savings and better air-chiller efficiency.
  • Hardin Medical Center used Trane Air Conditioning healthcare solutions to upgrade cooling equipment to the tune of a 25-percent reduction in energy and operating costs. Administrators at the Center define the upgrades as cost-efficient while also improving the comfort/satisfaction ratio with patients, physicians and medical staff members.
  • The ASHE Annual Conference reveals even more Trane High Performance solutions.
  • Jefferson Medical Center (WJMC) called on Trane CDQ™ desiccant dehumidification technology to assure precise temperature and humidity control in the CyberKnife™ robotic surgery system (1). CDQ™ is designed for facilities requiring lower dew point settings. The system can increase cooling coil capacity by 20-300 percent.

But how quickly does a commercial or industrial A/C solution get into the Trane residential Air Conditioning delivery system?

Effects of Commercial Trane HVAC Equipment On Residential A/C Customers

Back in July 2014, a Trane news brief “Trane Showcases High Performance Solutions for the Healthcare Market at ASHE Annual Conference” announced several products and services designed to help healthcare providers improve customer care and support. The changes include three primary components:

  1. The Performance Climate Changer
  2. The Trane Wireless Comm
  3. AND a unique partnership between Trane and Fellon-McCord.

Sounds nifty, but how do these Trane/Ingersoll Rand commercial air conditioning products and air conditioning product reliability promises relate to residential heating and cooling customers? Well… Let’s consider for a moment the purpose and features of the Trane Performance Climate Changer™ (PCC):

Crafted to deliver better indoor air quality, energy efficiency and occupant comfort over a wider range of applications than what is available via previous products, the Trane Performance Climate Changer™ air handler systems enable better cost-control and business budget management. Furthermore, the PCC air handler delivers optimized airflow throughout the entire HVAC system. Constructed with double-wall casing panels and high-performance foam insulation, the units can be tailor designed to fit a specific application. The superior casing design reduces air leakage and wasted energy consumption. Some configurations even feature SDDPtm fan arrays. But…

The units are designed for commercial applications. Homes don’t need these high-performance HVAC systems. Yet every business product eventually changes the daily lifestyle of the human creature. For example: Popular Mechanics reports that the first discovery of the cooling effects associated with liquid evaporation took place in 1758. Yet it was 1902 before Willis Carrier invented his Apparatus for Treating Air. Twelve years later air conditioning finally reached the residential environment. By the 1950s, home air conditioning was defined as “just another way to keep up with the Joneses.”

Maybe we don’t need a home version of the Trane Performance Climate Changer™. But whenever corporate entities introduce new technology into the business world, eventually the average homeowner will prosper from that technology. For years,  Trane Air Conditioning healthcare solutions have helped the company find better ways to serve the residential HVAC marketplace. It’s the kind of technology I want when cooling my home. Who knows how much of the PCC technology will eventually help reduce my home heating and cooling bill. Ask your Arizona AC service center to help you make sure you don’t miss out on the benefits of Trane HVAC technology.

Get more information on Trane residential High-Efficiency Air Handlers.

American Cooling and Heating Serving Arizona

Licensed Bonded Insured:

  • AZROC K79 license 183933 Residential, Commercial, Industrial, HVAC and Refrigeration Contractor.
  • AZROC KB2 license 238225 Residential, Commercial General Contractor.
  • TDLR TACLA21146C Residential, Commercial, Industrial, HVAC and Refrigeration Contractor.

 

 

1) http://www.trane.com/content/dam/Trane/Commercial/global/markets/healthcare/casestudies/CASE_West_Jefferson_Medical_Center.pdf

 

 

Arizona Air Conditioning Mold Prevention – Minimize AC Mold Growth

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Purification, Arizona Air Conditioning Installation.

Air Conditioning Mold – Critical Growth Requirements

Air Conditioning molds and mildew are classified as fungi. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, extensive mold contamination can trigger allergic reactions, asthma episodes, infections and various other respiratory complications (1). Mold and mildew are also capable of causing serious structural damage to your home. Affected floor joists and other exposed timbers can rot, warp or crack due to moisture that tends to cultivate fungi growth.

Current reports from the FSEC Education Center define and identify nearly 100,000 species of fungi (2). But don’t panic. Fungi in general are ubiquitous to our environment. As such, humans are constantly exposed to the associated risk. Yet for healthy humans with a normally functional immune system, serious complications caused by exposure to common fungi are uncommon. However… Children, the elderly, and people who already suffer from asthmatic or allergic conditions may experience serious complications when exposed to excessive growth of fungi.

A/C Mold – Critical Growth Requirements

Whether in your heating and cooling system or due to some other source of accumulated moisture, mold growth springs forth when the following four components come together:

TIP! Standing water around your air handler unit can cause mold accumulation and expansion. If the problem persists, contact your ACH Arizona heating and cooling service center.
  1. Mold spores are available
  2. Food for the spores is available
  3. Environmental temperatures suit spore growth
  4. And moisture accumulates.

Fungi spores range in size from 3 to 40 microns – compare to the size of human hair, which ranges from 100-150 microns. Because mold spores are ubiquitous, there is no cost-effective method for complete elimination of the colonies. Any time all three of the other components for growth are available, the food supply can consist of nearly any organic substance.

Because mold grows best in temperatures that are comfortable to humans, the battle to eliminate spores is even more complicated. Yet even temperatures near to freezing cannot deter the growth of certain molds. However, one component of the growth requirement can often be controlled by human initiative. You defensive actions can help regulate the presence of moisture that accumulates in your Arizona home and Arizona air conditioning system.

Various species of fungi may respond to different levels of moisture, but the majority of mold species require relative humidity levels of 70% or better. Thus air conditioning mold prevent involves controlling where and how cool air is disbursed. On the good side: Human beings typically prefer an environment that is far below the 70% moisture threshold. Key point in air conditioning mold prevention: Reducing the availability of moisture is the best strategy for removing and killing active mold growth colonies.

3 Practices That Aid In Your Air Conditioning Mold Prevention Efforts

•Arizona Air Conditioning Operation: Keep the fan system set on AUTO. When an A/C blower runs without ceasing, the moisture that accumulates on the cooling evaporator ends up blowing back into your home. Relative humidity increases. Dehumidification decreases. Moisture accumulates. If, when even in AUTO, your HVAC blower motor continues to run long after the compressor has shut down, contact your Arizona A/C service center. A qualified tech can often disable this feature.

TIP! When water condenses on your air conditioner, it drips into a pan and drains into the external environment. If this drain gets clogged, your home can accumulate mold-inducing moisture.

•Arizona Air Conditioning Selection: When options permit, or when necessity demands that you purchase a new Arizona home air conditioning system, choose equipment that makes us of a variable speed air handler. Demand optional features designed so that you can set the unit to a mode designed for enhanced moisture removal.

• Arizona Air Conditioner Sizing: Right-size your cooling equipment. Oversizing results in poor humidity management. Short on-cycles hinder moisture removal. For more information on A/C sizing and efficiency, read: Energy Efficient Central Air Conditioning.

 

 

 

 

1) http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/children/indoorair/mold/index.php

2) http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/buildings/basics/moldgrowth.htm

Energy Efficient Air Conditioning; Central Air Conditioning

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Arizona Air Conditioning Installation, Energy Efficient HVAC.

Central A/C, The Core Of Energy Efficient Air Conditioning

According to the “Energy Saver 101 Infographic” on home cooling from Energy Gov, high-efficiency home air conditioning systems, when coupled with other energy saving actions, can reduce your A/C energy consumption by 20 to 50 percent (1). Considering that American homeowners as a group spend over $11 billion per year for home cooling, updating an over-used and under-equipped HVAC system is worth a long, hard look at cost versus energy efficient air conditioning.

Central Air Conditioning – A Brief System Comparison

Modern home cooling systems come in various shapes and sizes that are functional according to four basic styling: 1) Room or Space systems, 2) Ductless Mini-Split units, 3) Evaporative Cooler Systems, and 4) Central A/C Systems. Cost wise pertaining to original investment expenses, window or room systems come in least expensive whereas the ductless Mini-Split system comes in as most expensive. The comparison pricing includes unit cost plus installation costs. The following breakdown views pros, cons, and other aspects of the primary home cooling systems:

— Room Systems – Room units are popular, available as portable or stationary, inexpensive, and have a life span of 10 to 15 years.

TIP! Learn more energy efficient air conditioning. Visit and download the ENERGY STAR Guide. It provides information for homeowners to learn more about how they can save money while still keeping their home comfortable all year round, so it is a worthy ready.

— Evaporative Cooler Units – Designed to cool outdoor air by circulating it through evaporated water, “Swamp” coolers come in second lowest in price and include an average installation cost similar to that of standard central air conditioning. Evaporative units work well in arid climates but are suited for areas with high humidity. They also tend to require more frequent maintenance than other types of cooling systems. Average life span is 15-20 years.

— Central Air Conditioning – Using a system of whole-home ducts and registers, a central A/C system provides reliable, energy efficient air conditioning throughout your home. The units are quiet, convenient to operate, and less expensive that a ductless mini-split system. For homes not already equipped with the necessary ductwork, installing central air can be somewhat expensive. However, the central cooling systems typically out perform window units and other types of zone-specific cooling units. Life span averages 15 to 20 years.

— Ductless Mini-Split Units — Designed as wall mounted, ductless zoned air conditioning systems, the Mini-Split A/C device is easy to install yet more considerably more expensive than Central A/C. They function in a ductless environment, thus eliminating the need for installing duct work in homes that lack the basics of central cooling layout. Under the right circumstances, installing a highly efficient ductless system makes good sense. But in a home already equipped for central cooling, you should avoid the extra expense. Life span of a ductless mini-split A/C unit is 12 to 15 years.

Energy Efficient Air Conditioning

TIP! The correct HVAC system should have sealed air ducts to minimize heating or cooling loss as air travels to different rooms. Every room is different, and the heating or cooling requirements vary. Make sure your installer covers all the bases.

Modern central A/C systems consume 20-40 percent less energy than a unit that is over 10 years old. They provide much better energy efficient air conditioning than do room A/C units and they don’t take up internal living space or deteriorate the curb appeal of your Arizona home. With over twenty years in business serving the Arizona community, American Cooling and Heating can help you determine the best system for meeting your home cooling needs.

New residential A/C standards have now been in effect since January of 2006. All modern central air systems are required to provide a minimum of 13-SEER cooling efficiency. But for most homes, going a bit higher is well worth a bit of additional startup expense. The trained and certified HVAC techs at American Cooling and Heating will make sure your get a right-sized unit designed specifically for your home and the existing circumstances. Our installation team will ensure that your Phoenix AC installation:

  • Allows sufficient room for indoor maintenance, service and repairs
  • Is supported by an adequate duct/register system
  • Includes proper sealing of all ducts and registry joints
  • A cleared area around the outdoors condensing unit
  • Is fully charged with the exact factory-recommended refrigerant
  • Meets the industry standards for duct-sizing methodology
  • Is properly sized for your home.

 

Make contact today: For a free estimate on how to reap the best pricing on Central Air Conditioning in Arizona.

 

 

1) http://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-saver-101-infographic-home-cooling

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