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R-22 Alternatives – Need AC Refrigerant Than Can Keep Up With Phoenix Heat

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

R-22 ReplacementAs a result of national ozone layer protection programs, R-22 AC refrigerant, a hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) product, is nearing the final legs of merchandise availability. As of January 1 of 2010, stocking and topping-up with virgin R-22 has been banned. Although the use of reclaimed R-22 is still available up to January 1 of 2015, the pricing for the product lends to greater restraints.

After January 1, 2015, your Phoenix air conditioning installation and AC repair service center will no longer be permitted to stock or top-up your air conditioning system with virgin or reclaimed R-22 AC refrigerant. While homeowners are not being forced to install new AC equipment, they will be required to upgrade to a non-ozone depleting refrigerant.

Unless planning a new and near-future Phoenix AC installation project, any necessary cooling service requirements should involve a switchover to an environmentally safe, cost-effective and readily available modern refrigerant replacement product. The Glendale air conditioning repair and installation experts at American Cooling and Heating provide area residents and business owners with several products capable of dealing with the Phoenix area heat index. For example: R-438A by DuPont performs well against the toughest Arizona heat waves, provides reliable mineral oil compatibility and installs hassle free.

Mounting Pressure Driving the Removal of R-22 Refrigerant Products

 In accordance with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone, all developed countries have agreed to the caps on consumption and production of HCFC products. Although the Montreal Protocol includes various “Critical and Essential Use Exemptions,” home AC refrigerants do not meet any of the phase-out limitations. The supply is drying up. 

In striving to remain current with federal requirements and customer needs, American Cooling and Heating investigates every avenue of R-22 alternative services. Customers need a product that provides the cooling power of R-22, holds up to the Phoenix heat index, and enables technicians to provide a quick and relatively inexpensive change over. It’s a simple rule: Get the R-22 out and install new AC refrigerant efficiently and with the least hassle.

Additional Alternatives to R-22 Refrigerant in Residential Air Conditioning

Eliminate of ozone-depleting substances involves a multitude of options.  Some of the replacement refrigerant products have proven more energy efficient than R-22 refrigerants. By installing the right combination of coolant and equipment, Phoenix homeowners can increase home cooling efficiency by 30% or more. The associated equipment upgrades, such as inverter air conditioning components, can reduce CO2 emissions, boast energy efficiency and decrease the cost of cooling your home.

Along with R-438A, current EPA reviews of R-22 alternatives include: 

  • R-410A      – A mid-range solution that does not deplete the ozone layer but is still      listed as a hydrofluorocarbon that contributes to global warming
  • R-407C      – Listed as an acceptable R-22 substitute in residential AC products but      is not yet available for use in the U.S.

 Don’t Rush, But Avoid the Rush

If your home is running a reliable leak free R-22 solution, you need not rush for immediate system replacement. However, 2015 is just around the corner. Remember: Last minute solutions often involve high-pressure decisions. Tax benefits are still available.

As a recommended Phoenix air conditioning installation center, you can count on the technicians from American Cooling and Heating for clear-cut advise on how to best work these legally required changes into your current heating and cooling needs. Don’t wait for the rush. Now is the time to contact American Cooling and Heating.

 

Cost of Phoenix Air Conditioning Installation

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in AC Installation.

Is It Time To Hire A Professional Phoenix Air Conditioning Installation Company?

The April 2013 valley weather forecast for Phoenix AZ and the surrounding areas, such as Meza, Scottsdale and Buckeye predicts temperatures rising toward the mid-90s by mid-month. Chances of precipitation are hanging near 0% and the humidity has already reached 14%. It’s going to be another long, long cooling season.

Perhaps your current AC system is chugging along rather well. On the other hand, you may already have the Internet open to a Yellow Page listing of local Gilbert AC installation providers. Right now the big word in your mind is Cost.

Installing new central air conditioning can get expensive. Even on low-priced units, you may have to replace certain supplemental components such as ductwork, internal vents or even the air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR) field services pipe. With each additional component, the cost of materials increases. With each additional component, the price of installation also increases.

Air conditioning service prices vary from state to state and city to city. This article presents an overview of general pricing for the installation of central air conditioning systems. However, the closing statements focus on pricing Phoenix AC installation projects.

Central Air Conditioning Installation Cost: An Overview

Although no two AC installations are exactly alike, many similarities exit. Thus the primary procedures remain constant for all home or small business AC projects. However, the individual processes vary in relationship to pre-existing conditions and building size. For example: Pre-existing forced hot air heating ductwork may eliminate excess installation materials and labor. Whereas installation in a new home will likely require the installation of ducts, ACR pipe and perhaps even some custom landscaping. 

According to the 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics the median pay for educated, trained and qualified heating, AC and refrigeration mechanics and installers hovered around $20.50 per hour. When dealing with companies that promote quality services above discount pricing, expect that they will also be paying for the top skilled, field technicians. Yet you must always remember that up-front pricing for quality work always come back in lifetime savings.

AC installation is not a DIY project. It requires special equipment and should be installed according to industry standards as developed by the US Energy Conservation department. On a national average, installing a central air conditioning unit will range from $2650 up to $15000 plus.

American Cooling And Heating Is Your Home Comfort Solution In Arizona

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Cooling And Heating

Your Gilbert area AC contractor should adhere to the following cooling unit installation standards: 

  • Install a doorway for access to the evaporator coil for cleaning and maintenance
  • Ensure adequate space for the indoor components of installation, maintenance and system repair
  • Use efficient duct-sizing methodology
  • Whenever possible, avoid installing ductwork in the attic
  • Use proper duct sealing methods, including heaver insulation for attic ducts
  • Right-counts the register and return air requirements
  • Ensures that airflow to condensing units are not hindered by nearby objects
  • Positions the external unit for best performance, best noise control and best safety practices
  • Uses an exact refrigerant charge.

Breaking Out the Specifics of Costs

The pricing for a new central air condition installation includes 4 primary points of payment: 

  1. Contractor – Oversees the entire project
  2. Subcontractor – Provides any necessary sub-licensed services
  3. Labor – Cleanup detail and technician assistance
  4. Materials – Ranging from the primary unit to the necessary recovering machine.

Phoenix Area Pricing For Central Air Conditioning Installation

Pricing the exact cost for installing AC in any given home must be based upon critical details as listed above. However, Phoenix prices typically run a bit below the national average. For example: A 16-SEER, 4-ton indoor and outdoor Meza AC installation would touch on $9000. But when pricing for your home or business, you can’t go by unit size and SEER ratings alone.

You don’t want a unit that is too small or a unit that is too large. Make certain that your Phoenix AC Installation Professional is licensed, insured, bonded and up-to-date on current AC sizing practices. Doing things right can help you save as much as thirty percent on your yearly cooling bill. You need an AC contractor who wants to do the job right, knows how to do the job right and cares enough about customer satisfaction to ensure that the job is done right.

For fast, 24-hour air conditioning and heat pump installation and services, call American Cooling and Heating today.

 

 

 

 

The Rising Price of R-22 Refrigerant: Not The Only Reason You Should Replace Your Outdated Air Conditioning System

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

Around this time of year, Phoenix area residents and businesses start receiving flyers pertaining to Glendale, Scottsdale and Mesa air conditioning installation services. Many of these papers will mention the rising price and scarcity of R-22 refrigerant. Sometimes such sales literature can trigger memories – memories of last year’s amplified cooling bill or how hot it got in spite of the labors of your aged central AC system or of how much it costs for Freon replacement in that leaky upstairs unit.

For many homeowners, the memories will trigger action. Some will make a phone call. Others, with all good intentions of follow-up, will slip the flyer on top the stack in a bedroom vanity whatnot shelf. Perhaps you will keep it closer by adding it to the pile of future-reads that you keep near the computer desk. In either event thrifty homeowners recognize the truths relayed via the flyer. If your AC is over ten years old, there is good reason for making contact with a Phoenix AC installation professional.

Right now that ancient Phoenix sky may be overcast and that blazing afternoon sun isn’t baking your roof and steaming the inside of your Glendale home. Government restrictions concerning the production of Freon (R-22 refrigerant) haven’t yet forced you to take advantage of energy-efficient air conditioning technologies now offer by Amana, Carrier and other top brand designers of heating and cooling equipment. And perhaps thoughts of making it just one more season hinder your response to a change that may be much more valuable than you think.

Here are a few reasons why the rising price of Freon should not be your only decision-making measuring stick. 

Prices Just Keep On Rising

U.S. government plans to phase out ozone depleting chemicals such as R-22 refrigerant are right on schedule. Over the last six months, Freon prices have climbed at an unprecedented speed. Production is on the decrease; panic buying is on the increase. The price of R-22 refrigerant is up by four times what it was just six months ago.

The push for settling the issue is near its end. By 2015, the government expects and demands a 90% reduction in the production of Freon. Meantime, the price of the replacement product, R410a, continues to drop. In the end result, Freon will cease to be available. Air conditioners installed before 2010 will experience Freon shortages, increased repair costs and the certainty of a future forced-replacement of the cooling system.

New Energy Standards and Increased Comfort at a Lower Cost

Ok. You don’t like Uncle Sam forcing your hand. No one does. But for the moment, why not lay the Freon issue aside. Here is an even better reason for calling in a Phoenix AC installation expert: 

  • Cost Effectiveness.

The best investments are often the most costly. Modern AC technology includes energy-efficient solutions designed to reduce your cooling cost, increase your personal at-home comfort level, and help protect the environment even when the systems are operating.

Here is an example from the extreme side of how new air conditioning technology can reduce energy expenses. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) a new DEVAP air conditioner process designed to combine desiccant-based dehumidification with indirect evaporative cooling can actually reduce the cost of industrial cooling by up to 81%. According to the project managers, even areas with dry climates such as Phoenix Arizona can benefit from the power of this new technology.

For now, DEVAP may not yet be an option for Phoenix homeowners. Yet the very technology that brings it into play is already working on your behalf. Using the free energy savings calculator available via the U.S. Small Business Administration, here is an example of what a Phoenix homeowner can save by installing an energy efficient central AC system. The following figures are based upon installing a new 2.5 ton 13.0 SEER energy efficient system.

Energy Ratings for AC Installation

In the summary, the bottom line relates to a percentage of the retail purchase price of the unit itself. The life-cycle energy savings amounts to nearly 25,000 KWh of electrical costs. The Net life-cycle savings pump out at $1,768. The value of the investment is obvious. 

Other Considerations

1) Avoid “dry charged” R-22 units. Although the original costs of such discount units may come in cheaper than an energy-star air conditioning system, they are not compliant with the regulations that demand forced upgrade to R-410a systems 

2) Slow leaks can develop in R-410a air conditioners as well as in R-22 refrigerant units, however the time is near when Freon just won’t be available. In the meanwhile, that yearly R-22 recharge is costing more and more.

3) Add ceiling fans to your home. Moving air tends to cool better than stale air. A few well-placed ceiling fans provide a low-cost reduction to your energy bill.

American Cooling and Heating

As a Phoenix AC installation professional, American Cooling and Heating is licensed, bonded and insured for residential, commercial and industrial HVAC and refrigeration services in the following areas: 

  • Glendale
  • Mesa
  • Scotsdale
  • And other Phoenix areas.

Accredition includes:

  • NATE
  • ACCA
  • And the Arizona BBB.

The quality of our heating and cooling services and workmanship is 100% guaranteed. Triple digit temperatures in the valley do not condemn you to eternal triple digit utility bills. Call today.

 

Central AC Comparisons Are Not The Most Important Component of Air Conditioning Your Phoenix Home

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

Guaranteed AC SatisficationBefore pricing a new air conditioning system for your home or business, your Glendale AC Installation specialists must perform three primary steps. First, he or she will visit your site, take measurements concerning heating and cooling floor space, and then examine the current condition of your HVAC ductwork and structural layout. Second, he or she will discuss with you the specifics of AC installation, your expectations concerning enhanced indoor air quality, and any possibilities concerning future structural expansions. Lastly, your Phoenix area heating and air conditioning professional will get down to system specifics.

Measuring Central AC Performance

Aside from personal experience, no company can specifically class one brand of central cooling system as better than another. Amana, Carrier, Goodman, Rheem or Trane all provide quality heating and cooling products in both mid-range and high-performance categories. These same companies also provide enhanced units regulated by more energy-efficient control systems, advanced air-filtration systems and customized AC technology.

The performance of any local central air conditioning system is enhanced or hindered by: 

  • The size and structural condition of your home or business
  • The state-of-maintenance and sizing of existing ductwork
  • The climate in and around Phoenix
  • And any additional loads that may come to bear upon the unit.  

This makes accurate comparative AC testing nearly impossible. Each situation must be assessed according to site-specific conditions.

Green Living AC Comparisons

Some AC comparison issues focus on green living. As a recognized performance-efficiency Phoenix AC repair and installation expert, your American Cooling and Heating representative may also suggest certain central air models based upon current Green Building Resource Guides. But you must remember that too great a focus on energy efficient central air systems can reflect the same consequences as a hybrid car. Without the proper balance of all components of the problem, going “super” green may actually cause you to lose money.

It’s really quiet simple: If replacing an older and less efficient AC, you come out a saver. Yet upgrading merely for the sake of going green is not necessarily a winning situation. The U.S. government provides access to SEER (Seasonal Energy-Efficiency Rating) for all makes and models of central air conditioning systems. This makes for a reliable comparative indicator of expected service and efficiency. But this addresses the expectations of the unit rather than the overall specific benefits to the homeowner or the business owner. 

Reputable AC Installation Centers 

Hiring a reputable Glendale air conditioning installation specialist proves to be the best path to selecting a reliable, energy-efficient and dependable central air system. This does not mean that your Phoenix area American Cooling and Heating representative would avoid suggesting a particular brand as the ideal solution for your home or business. A current model of Carrier may offer some minor distinctions that make it a bit more “perfect” for your individual heating and cooling needs. Likewise, Amana may, at the moment of discussion, offer better pricing than a comparable Trane AC system. Or perhaps the current Trane warranty provides a temporary bonus over Carrier. Informing you of such details is the job and the duty of your AC&H service professional.

So how do you compare Phoenix air conditioning service centers? Look for one that provides free estimates, arrives on time and knows the answers to the following questions: 

  • Can I save any money by upgrading the insulation in my home or office?
  • How can I benefit from the present Congressional “fiscal cliff” tax credits?
  • Why are some of your service prices higher or lower than other estimates I have received?
  • Am I comparing apples to apples?
  • What is the CAZ test and how does it affect the efficiency of my central heating and cooling system?
  • Which air filter is best for my purposed system?
  • What does the new “Regional Standards” concept have to do with my cooling expenses?
  • Should I be worried about formicary corrosion?
  • What does ASHRAE Standard 62.2 have to do with indoor air quality and does it pertain to me?
  • What does Testing and Balancing have to do with installing air conditioning systems?
  • Should I be concerned about carbon monoxide?
  • Does air filtration really make a difference?
  • Why is moisture control so important to the cost of heating and cooling?
  • Do I need to worry about any mold issues?
  • Does preventive maintenance really increase my savings, and do you offer a preventive maintenance program?
  • After the install, what can I do to help reduce the energy costs without loosing comfort?
  • Why are you suggesting this particular brand, model and SEER rating?

Quality installation is even more important than the quality of the installed AC unit. Rather than being associated with defective components and short-lived parts, most early-life problems with air conditioning systems can be directly back-traced to shoddy installation workmanship. Before buying your Phoenix central air system, contract a skilled and experienced contractor, one who really cares about reputation and customer service. Contact American Cooling and Heating.

 

 

Cashing In On 2013 Tax Credit Rebates For Phoenix AC Installation

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

2013 Tax Credit for AC InstallationAlthough your air conditioning unit may have to work harder due to extreme temperatures and extended summers, the cost of a Phoenix AC installation compares well with the national average. No matter where you live, the installation price for cooling services always boils down to unit size, quality of the purchased unit and any special circumstances concerning the layout and needs of your home.  

Without having the full details of your home or business, including size of structure, age of structure and other critical data, it is impossible to provide exact AC installation pricing. However, the average costs to install a central air conditioner can range from $2,500 to $15,000. In Phoenix, the typical costs a bit below average, ranging from $2,000 to $11,000. For personal reference, consider $9,000 a ballpark figure for a 4-ton indoor and outdoor 16-seer electric system, installed.  

The cost breakout works as follows: 

  • Contractor – Deals with the primary assessment of the home and with the overseeing of the AC installation process
  • Subcontractor – Performs any special services (electrical wiring, custom ductwork and such) for which the contractor is not licensed
  • Labor – Available for assisting the contractor and subcontractor
  • Material – Additional components and tools such as AC refrigerant, recovery machine, new ductwork, clamps and more
  • Tonnage of the unit – Depends upon the size of the structure, number of windows, quality of the insulation and other factors.

American Cooling and Heating is a fully qualified Phoenix AC contractor, equipped to handle every detail of the installation, including any tasks that would normally be assigned to a subcontractor. This assures that your home or business air conditioning project receives personal services from start to finish. 

Reducing the Overall Expenses

You can reduce the costs of AC installation in several ways. It starts by choosing a reputable Phoenix air conditioning installation professional. When searching for a company to handle your heating and cooling needs, demand knowledgeable technicians with the skill to do the job right the first time every time. Avoid any pricing scheme that falls too far below the national average. And remember: A poorly installed AC unit may save funds on the front-end but result in multiple hidden costs that only show up during normal system operation and maintenance.

The best costs savings involve five primary points: 

  • Size the central AC unit correctly
  • Stick with a full-service heating and cooling professional
  • Make sure the unit is installed correctly
  • Take advantage of seasonal discounts
  • Claim you 2013 Tax Credit Rebate. 

Claiming the 2013 Tax Credit Rebate

It was New Year’s Day when Congress approved reinstatement of several popular tax breaks. Both individuals and small businesses benefit from the legislative package. One extension, the “25C Tax Credit”, involves returns for homeowners who install energy efficient appliances in existing homes.

On January 2, 2013 the presiding President of the U.S.A. signed that legislation into law. Here is a partial listing of products include in the details of the plan: 

  • HVAC Components
  • Insulation
  • Home Roofing, Including Metal & Asphalt Materials
  • Non-Solar Water Heaters
  • Doors and Windows.

The credit, set at 10% of costs up to $500, expires on December 31, 2013. Specific energy efficiency levels apply. To get full details and to understand exactly how this program can reduce Phoenix air conditioning installation expenses, view the materials posted at the Database of State Incentives for Renewable & Efficiency (DSIRE).

If you need further help, the experts at Phoenix AC installer American Cooling and Heating can be reached at: (602) 734-5422. Get AC repair, AC replacement, and a choice from popular brands such as Amana, Carrier, Lennox and Trane. Skilled technicians are on hand now to answer your call.

 

 

 

 

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