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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.

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting For Homeowners

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in AC Repair, Cooling Tips, Maintenance.

Air Conditioning TroubleshootingA Homeowner’s Guide To Troubleshooting A/C Equipment Prior To Calling The Repairman

Sometimes even a reliable HVAC service contract through the very best HVAC maintenance firm fails to prevent the need for a bit of rushed homeowner-handled air conditioning troubleshooting. Facts are simple: A well-serviced home A/C system typically runs without a great deal of unexpected complications.

However… Simple accidents and minor process failures do occasionally demand attention.

When you call a quality well-staffed HVAC service center you expect a rapid and often same day response to your home heating or cooling problems. Yet quick service does not always ensure that you will not lose a few hours of work time, or vacation time, or perhaps miss a baseball game you promised to attend.

Thankfully, some of the basic functional problems associated with your typical ducted split-type home air conditioning system can be corrected in record time by you the homeowner. The following tips are not designed to replace scheduled routine HVAC maintenance and service processes. However, this guide will help you check for a quick solution in a tough home cooling or heating situation.

It’s not about trying to save the cost of calling in an A/C repairman. It’s just about avoiding loss time when the problem could be handled by a bit of basic air conditioning troubleshooting.  

** Note **

The following tips are not all-inclusive. Furthermore, we make no effort to evaluate your knack for performing A/C troubleshooting processes. If you do not understand the steps involved in a given process, call someone better qualified for the job.

 

5-Step Simple Air Conditioning Troubleshooting

1) HVAC System Not Cooling

  1. Confirm that the thermostat/controller temperature setting reflects your cooling expectations and that the unit is set to cooling rather than heating or off.
  2. Check and if necessary reset the main HVAC breaker in your home circuit breaker box. Also check the breaker that is typically located near to modern A/C condensing and heating units.
  3. Visually confirm that both the indoor air handler and the outdoor condensing units are physically running.
  4. Visually confirm that the outdoor condensing unit is not frozen over with ice.
  5. Disengage the main HVAC breaker at your home circuit breaker box. Wait at least one hour before restarting. This may force the system to reset itself.

2) Limited or Nonexistent System Airflow

  1. Ensure that all air filters used in any of your HVAC system components are clean. Replace if necessary. If your system is under an A/C maintenance contract, report the issue to the service provider. You may need to install a better grade of filter or isolate the cause for excess dust in your home.
  2. Visually examine any external or internal units for signs of water accumulation in, near or own the exterior or indoor coil enclosure. Ice accumulation on the external Air Conditioning condensing unit is easily to spot. On the inside unit, be it in the attic, basement or crawlspace, hand test for an excessively cold exterior surface.

3) Overflow From the Indoor Air Handler Drain Pan

  1. Remove any clogs blocking the exhaust pipe on the drain pan (See illustration). If there are not in the exhaustExhaust on Air Handler Drain Pan pipe, this homeowner-handled air conditioning troubleshooting secession should be promoted to the professionals. In the mean time, protect your floors and attic by turning the system off.

4) Compressor Fails But Fan Runs or Compressor Starts But Fan Fails

  1. If the compressor fails to start, there is not much the average homeowner can do. The problem can relate to a bad compressor or merely a system that is low on refrigerant. To fix, call your local HVAC service center.
  2. If the condenser fan fails to turn but the compressor starts, the problem may reside in the condenser fan motor. This repair is also beyond the scope of the average homeowner. Call in the pros.

5) Great AirFlow But Poor Cooling

  1. Measure the temperature difference between the air leaving the air handler and the air entering the air handler. Modern high efficiency air conditioning systems typically run with a near 15-degree drop. Older units may show as much as 18 to 20 degrees difference.
  2. Temperature drops that are below the norm indicate that your system is low on refrigerant. Call in a local HVAC service tech to correct the problem.
  3. Temperature drops that greatly exceed the door indicate that the system is suffering a problem with the airflow system. Clean or replace the air filter. If that does not resolve the problem, ensure that the evaporator coils are clean. It that too fails to resolve the problem, clean the blower wheel.
  4. Possible causes also include improper system design and/or installation, an incorrectly sized duct system, or simply a failure to perform routine HVAC maintenance.

Additional Help Via The ACH Study Guides Resource Links

The preceding air conditioning troubleshooting tips are geared toward homeowners who are seeking a quick fix for a simple and basic HVAC heating or cooling issue. Perhaps you need greater details and a move advanced air conditioning and heating tips guide. Have no fear. Check out the American Cooling and Heating consumer literature page. It’s under the Tips menu. There you can find ACH links to News, Certification study guides, and various other A/C related consumer literature.

 

 

Disclaimer:
1. Any HVAC service should only be performed by a licensed, fully trained, and competent
person and/or company.
2. The contents in this article reflect accumulated data from various sources. ACH cannot and
does not accept any legal responsibility to any person in respect of anything or the consequences
of any reader responses, actions or lack of actions associated with reliance upon the whole or any
part of this article and its content. All trademarks, logos, and associated content displayed are the
property of their respective owners.

 

Arizona Home Cooling or 12-Tips For Saving Money On Cooling Costs

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Cooling Tips, Energy Efficient HVAC, Maintenance.

Mesa Air Conditioning At ACHSave Energy and Reduce the Cost of Air Conditioning Your Arizona Home

The cost of Arizona home cooling may well account for forty percent of your 2015 energy bill. But here’s a kicker that you may not realize, especially if you use a yearly averaged energy billing payment plan: Most of the financial outlay for high energy consumption occurs during the blazing heat waves that accompany normal Arizona summers. In fact, the summer cost for cooling the average Arizona home typically accounts for up to seventy percent of your summer energy bill.

But do not despair. By following a few simple yet comfort-efficient methods of home cooling management you can effectively reduce the short-term and the long-term cost of air conditioning your Arizona home.

The following tips are a condensed and/or expanded update of from the cost of air conditioning pages of APS, Arizona’s longest-serving and largest electric provider. Examine them. Determine which ones can fit into your lifestyle while helping you save on AZ home cooling expenses.

Tips That Will Help You Save Money On Arizona Home Cooling Costs

1) Caulk… It’s a major part of prevent lost of internal air temperatures. Two tubes and a cheap caulk gun will handle most household air leaks. Make sure you do the sill plates as well as the windows and door-frames.

2) Bath and Kitchen Exhaust Fans… It seems a simple thought yet it is often overlooked. Unnecessary use of exhaust fans will draw cool air from your home. The loss may be low volume, but in a course of time excess usage of bath and kitchen exhaust fans will increase the cost of air conditioning and thereby amplify your total home cooling bill.

3) Take Control Of Your Thermostat… Bumping the desired temperature by only one degree warmer can reduce your AZ home cooling expenses by up to 3% during summer months. Special tip: By using more room fans and ceiling fans, you can jack the thermostat to 79-degrees and still feel as much as 5-degrees cooler.

4) Dryer Ventilation… Surprise. Your dryer vent may be leaking heat and moisture into your home. Furthermore, if vented through the crawlspace it may be torn and leaking there. To ensure efficient Arizona home cooling, do a routine yearly dryer vent check and fix.

5) Windows… If the air conditioning is running the windows need to be closed. Install blinds or heavy-duty curtains and keep them closed as often as possible.

6) Storm Doors… The freedom to open the main doors and view the world through your storm door will up the cost for cooling your house.

7) Make Better Use of Exhaust Fans… Normal cooking generates heat and moisture. Use the kitchen exhaust for the purpose designed but make sure to flip the off switch when the meal is done cooking.

8) Natural Defrosting… You do know that frozen food will defrost inside of your refrigerator, right? When possible, avoid microwave defrosting. Using natural defrosting will help you get a drop in the cost of air-conditioning your home.

9) Cloths… It may be “passé” but cloths will dry when hung on an outside line in the sun.

10) Consider signing up for an APS Time Advantage Plan (2). Most electric providers offer customers various peak and off-peak hour programs, all designed to help you pull a lower energy bill while maintaining efficient Arizona home cooling.

11) Process Scheduling… Plan your process schedule so that heat-producing chores, including cooking, ironing, drying cloths and more occur during the cooler hours of the day.

12) Home Lighting… Appliances, lights, and even fans in unused rooms can increase your AZ home cooling expenses. When not in use, turn them off.

Bonus Arizona Home Cooling Tip…

For rapid service and a premier low-cost startup of an Arizona air conditioning and heat pump maintenance program, Happy Familycontact American Cooling and Heating. We can set you up on a price-efficient annual or semi-annual system maintenance program that can reduce the cost for cooling your Arizona home while also helping you increase the lifespan of your home HVAC equip.

ACH. We offer the best in reliable service, professional treatment, and technical skills. So act now. Take control of the cost of air conditioning. Get the comfort of peak system performance while reaping the benefits of reduced AZ home cooling expenses.

 

 

 

 

Reasonable AC Installation Phoenix AZ Homes

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in AC Installation, AC Replacement.

Trane Air Conditioners And Heat Pump Units In AZPhoenix AZ Resources For Reasonable AC Installation

If someone says, “Define the core components of reasonable AC installation,” the wise homeowner conceives a mixed response wherein “Reasonable” means right priced for the quality, the product, and the required services. There is a difference between shoddy components and cost-efficient components. There is a distinction between substandard HVAC equipment and just-the-right-unit for the purpose. And there is a valuable division between lazy, careless technicians and in skilled technical air conditioning installation professionals.

So it seems that the concept of “reasonable pricing” for a new or replacement heat pump installation or A/C system should exclude a focus on “cheap.” Now that doesn’t mean that “rational AC pricing” means “expensive” pricing. It merely eliminates time and money wasted on price comparisons that fail to match product-to-product, warranty-to-warranty, service-to-service, and reliability-to-reliability. 

Definition of Reasonable AC Installation Sometimes Distorted By Unlicensed Operators

In conclusion to a 2015 drive to eliminate unlicensed contractor work in the state of Arizona, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROCK) successfully netted 30 offenders (1). Two of the unlicensed operators are already lised on AZ ROC’s “Top Most Wanted List.” In total:  

  • Nine offenders were arrested
  • Five offenders were cited for criminal and civil offenses
  • AND 16 received AZ ROC warnings for advertising without being in possession of a proper Arizona contractor’s license.

Note: Advertisements placed by the guilty parties covered false business cards, private websites, and adds on Craigslist.

One of the offenders, specifically known for performing poor work and taking money without completing the jobs already faced nine prior complaints. At the time of arrest, he was also facing four outstanding Warrants. Another of the offenders was picked up for scamming an 86-year-old woman out of $26,000. Thankfully, most of these unlicensed construction contractors were involved in work dealing with roofing, pool services and other home improvement tasks.

Yet the fact remains: Too many unskilled and untrained people are actively affecting the Phoenix concept of “sensible A/C installation pricing” (2). From false advertisement to shoddy and incomplete work, the danger of mistaking “cheap” for “reasonable” cannot be denied. They are in every profession: unlicensed amateurs seeking to mislead innocent homeowners faulted only for looking for the best deal. 

American Cooling and Heating: A Real HVAC Contractor With Reasonable AC Installation Pricing  

You want quality products, superior quality, reliable service and “reasonable pricing.” American Cooling and Heating understands what it takes to battle desert temperatures, and we know how to do it using the most cost-effective HVAC installation game plan.

Keeping you comfortable is our business. The ACH service guarantee begins with a “Free” onsite appraisal. Our schedule is flexible, for the estimate and for the installation. We handle the whole nine yards, including filing your warranty paperwork and registering your new heat pump or air conditioning system according to the manufacturer’s specs.

And we understand the true meaning of “realistic A/C installation pricing.” This means that we are competitive with any legitimate Phoenix AZ HVAC sales and service center. And then, we go the extra mile. We offer professional in-home behavior and attitude, from wearing booties to protect your flooring to using temp attic boards to save from harm your ceilings. And it is all followed up by a full and complete after-market cleanup. And don’t forget our American Cooling and Heating lifetime A/C installation labor warranty.

Air conditioning condensers and heat pumps on sale today. So stop burning energy. ACH does “reasonable AC installation” in Phoenix, Tucson and many other regions within the Valley. Call now…. 

 

 

  1. 1)      http://www.azroc.gov/rocnews/releases/20150630%20-%20Statewide%20ULE%20Sting%20Operation.pdf
  2. 2)      http://www.azroc.gov/wanted/violations.html

Effective Arizona Air Conditioning Deals With Heat and Humidity

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning Technology, Air Purification, Arizona Air Conditioning Upgrade Sale, Cooling Tips.

AZ Nexia Smart HomeIt’s Hot Outside; I Need Better Arizona Air Conditioning

In the course of time, air conditioning designers learned that effective cooling requires efficient outside ventilation. However, improved techniques in modern building constructions generate an exact opposite effect wherein modern buildings are exclusively air-conditioned in an environment more tightly sealed than ever before in history. Thus before you know it, efforts to eliminate the effects of hot outside air merely create a clammy inside environment.

However, removing the internal moisture quickly eliminates the “clammy” effect, reduces molds, and makes for a cleaner inside living environment. It’s what we call the “Arizona Effect,” wherein a 90-degree Arizona day can feel terrific even though a humid 90-degree day on the east coast feels wretched.

Conventional home cooling systems employ two primary functions of air conditioning:

  1. Latent Cooling — The systems capacity to remove moisture from the air within a given area of space.
  2. Sensible Cooling — The systems capacity to lower the temperature of a given area of space.

To understand these two principles we must first explain the distinction between latent heat and sensible heat. But let’s avoid all the tech jargon. Therefore:

Latent heat refers to heat that generates a change of state within a substance or object without forcing a change in temperature within the given substance or object. For example: even while boiling, water maintains a consistent temperature of 100-degree C. Adding latent heat forces the water to continue boiling yet never induces a change in the water’s core temperature.

Conversely, sensible heat produces a direct effect upon the temperature of a given substance or object. When sensible heat is applied, the temperature of the object or substance increases. When the source of heat is removed, the temperature of the object or substance decreases.

Thus the total efficiency or “total capacity” of your home air conditioning system is measured by combining its effective use of latent and sensible heat.

Factors That Influence The Latent Cooling Load of Your Arizona A/C System

Since removal of moisture is the core purpose for introducing Latent Cooling into the function of your air conditioning system, objects associated with the generation of moisture become the primary factors of influence. Thus primary causes include:

  • Appliances and equipment such as refrigerators, washers and more
  • Infiltration of external air via cracks, doors and windows
  • People and pets.

Common Factors That Influence Your Arizona Home A/C Sensible Cooling Load

Although some of the factors pertinent to latent cooling can also influence your home Arizona air conditioning systems sensible cooling load, the factors associated with sensible cooling is extensively larger. For example:

  • Attic space, roofs and the ceilings beneath induce temperature-changing effects throughout your home
  • External facing glass such as on doors and windows which not only conduct contact heat and cool but also permit direct sunlight to enter your home
  • Exterior walls and any other structure formats that make direct contact with external heat and cold
  • Mechanically induced ventilation air
  • People and pets
  • Appliances, equipment, and indoors lighting
  • Air infiltration via cracks, open crawl spaces, doors, windows, and the comings and goings of household members
  • A/C duct-work that travels through unconditioned regions of the home
  • Even internal room partitions influence your home air conditioning systems’ sensible cooling efficiency.

Just because it’s hot outside doesn’t mean that you need a new A/C installation. However, just because it’s not hot outside today doesn’t mean that your Arizona home air conditioning is functioning as an efficient unit. You don’t have to live with a moist and clammy inside environment. For a free in-home HVAC performance checkup, call American Cooling and Heating today. Units on-sale today.

Efficient Arizona air conditioning deals with heat and humidity.

 

Gilbert Arizona Neighborhood Party Permit – What You Need

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Arizona Local, People.

Gilbert Arizona Neighborhood Party PermitComplications of Planning a Gilbert Arizona Block Neighborhood Party Event

Hosting a neighborhood block party may involve much more than a phone call, a group discussion at the air-conditioned pool house, and the cost of supplies. It’s the distinction between a public party and a private party. It’s the distinction between a local event that involves a cookout and a neighborhood Wiffle ballgame versus road closures, portable rest rooms, major fireworks and a Gilbert Arizona neighborhood party permit.

According to regulations listed under the Gilbert AZ “Special Event Permit Application (1),” hosting a public neighborhood block party means you must provide local authorities with extended information concerning:

  • Music Arrangements
  • Stage and Settings
  • Special Lighting
  • Temporary Structures
  • Concessions and Vendor Arrangements
  • Power and Energy Provisions
  • Barricade Plans
  • Trash and Sanitation Management
  • Temporary Fencing Arrangements
  • Special Provisions Concerning Food and Water
  • Safety and Medical Provisions
  • Traffic Control
  • Alcohol Regulations
  • AND… A Host of Other Tidbits Concerning Your Planned Block Party.

Not A Residents-Only Gilbert Arizona Neighborhood Block Party

So when do you need a permit for your neighborhood party? The basic distinctions are as follows:

  • If the party is open to the general public, it is not intended for neighbors only
  • If the party is advertised outside the purposed neighborhood, it is not for local residents only
  • If the block party requires closure of major streets, it is not for neighborhood residents only.

Thus any Gilbert neighborhood block party not localized to a handful of homeowners who share refreshments, outdoor fun, and indoor cooling between no more than two or three homes will likely require a permit. And it’s not just a just a one day get together. Therefore before applying for your Gilbert Arizona neighborhood block party permit, consider some common questions and answers:

1) Can We Have Band Music?

Bands are fully permissible, but entertainment that demands auxiliary amplifying equipment means possible noise disturbances that exceed the perimeters of the neighborhood. To pass permit requirements, your plans for band music must meet Gilbert AZ Municipal Code Sections 42-65.

2) Can We Barricade A Public Street?

Neighborhood block parties typically involve vendors, tents and special traffic control. By taking out a Gilbert special event permit, you can be authorized to close a local public street. This means that the city must re-route fire and police emergency vehicles. Thus closure of your street must be approved in advance of the party. Arterial streets with two or more lanes may not be closed. Furthermore, streets with bus stops or speed limits exceeding 24 miles per hour may not be closed.

3) In The Event Alcohol Is Served At The Party, Is Drinking In The Street Permissible?

Public drinking of alcohol in the street is not permissible.

4) Must We Disclose The Nature Of Our Gilbert Neighborhood Block Party?

To acquire a Gilbert AZ special event permit, you must not only define the purpose of your neighborhood block party, but you must also provide:

  • An estimated count for expected attendance
  • A statement concerning plans for the sale or consumption of alcohol, including specific beverages
  • The nature of any planned amplified sounds
  • Plans concerning the sale of foods and services
  • And any history concerning previously held block parties.

5) Can I Do This On My Own?

Before your Gilbert Arizona neighborhood block party permit will be issued, 80% of all residents, businesses, leasers, and property owners within the affected barricade area must sign approval on the associated Resident Petition. And that, my friend, is only on the legal side of the project. The workload of such an even far exceeds the capacity of a single homeowner. Managing the event, collecting debris and trash, setting up generators, dealing with the high local temperatures, and providing restroom facilities mark only a small part of the task.

Block Party Fun In The Cool

According to AZ-Central, Gilbert enjoyed 82 neighborhood block parties in October of 2014 (2). Many took place during Halloween. Although town spokespeople believe that block parties contribute to community safety, permits are a necessity to ensure managed city resources. If you plan to crank up a party in your area, getting your Gilbert AZ neighborhood block party permit will require a five-day notice.

Don’t go in half prepared. Gilbert neighborhood block party permits help you and your neighbors have safe fun while networking, making friends, and sharing in personal growth. But when a block party opens up to the public, the function makes a huge shift in focus. Opportunities for linking up and networking still abound, but the spotlight is no longer on local friendships with residents only.

Pulling off a public block party will keep you busy, make you tired, and generate lots of need for rest, recoup and a place to get out of the heat. It’s a time when your Gilbert home air conditioning system gets worked and worked hard.

A call now to American Cooling and Heating can help ensure that your AC is ready when you are.      

 

 

  1. Gilbert Arizona Special Event Planning Application
  2. October block parties in Gilbert AZ

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