Thursday, April 18th, 2013
The air conditioning system is commonly run for more than 12 hours on a daily basis. While these machines are built to withstand long, daily use, this doesn’t mean that they are impervious to wear and tear. The internal structure of AC systems is very complicated and is usually sealed. Repairing them is better left in the hands of professionals. But simple maintenance checks can be done by the owners. Early detection of symptoms will prevent serious problems in the AC system. Fortunately, commercial air conditioning companies are here to give you tips on how to maintain your AC system.
Knowing the Symptoms
There are plenty of symptoms that can show that your AC system is not in its best condition. One of this is that your AC system is taking a long time to cool. There are many reasons why the AC system may not be working as well as in the past. There might be faults within the interior distribution system, the evaporator may be blocked by dust and fungi, the condenser might be damaged, and others. Other symptoms that mean you need commercial HVAC system repair include suspicious sounds, excessive heating, start-up failures and others.
Why Maintenance is Important
Commercial air conditioning maintenance is very important not only to keep your place cool and comfortable. Consistent maintenance also means avoiding huge expenses due to irreparable damage. AC replacement can be costly. But this expense can be totally escaped once owners pay more attention to the condition of their ACs. One great way to make sure that your AC systems are working well is by hiring HVAC experts like WC Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, Inc. to do routine checks on your facilities. Not only will professionals be more capable of detecting problems before they worsen, they can also provide quick solutions to all types of issues.
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Monday, November 19th, 2012
There are different types of air conditioners on the market to meet a variety of client needs. This is a simple step by step guide to figuring out what kind of equipment you might need and to judge if the current setup you have is the correct configuration for the size of the building you are handling.
Types of AC Systems
Central Air Conditioning (split system) – Allows even cooling throughout your home but requires air ducts to be already in existence or to be installed.
Portable or Room Air Conditioner – Offers affordable cooling that can be moved easily between rooms as needed but requires a great deal of electricity to keep running and not recommended for large spaces.
Window or In-Wall Air Conditioners – Inexpensive and easy to install. Window units can cool single rooms but are not as easily moved as a portable ac unit. Again, they require a great deal of electricity to operate and are not recommended for large spaces.
Choose the best sized AC Unit for the space.
Size for a Split or Central AC – This unit needs to be considered with great care. A unit that is too large or too small will greatly affect either your physical and/or financial comfort level.
Size for a Portable AC – This type of unit should also be decided after considering a few important considerations.
How do I pick the right unit?
Efficiency
Air conditioners are rated for energy efficiency with a SEER or EER number. (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) Typcially ranging from 8 to as high as 18 on highly efficient central ac units the higher the (S)EER rating the more energy efficient the model is and the lower your cost to operate it.
Reviews
Read reviews on Air Conditioners to see which are highly rated. Checking consumer watch groups and appliance reviewers may save you from making a mistake on a air conditioner that is too noisy or is not as good at cooling.
Other Factors
- How many different fan settings are available? The more settings available the more likely you are to get just the right amount of airflow and perhaps save some energy in the process.
- Does it have an air filter that helps reduce allergens? Your air conditioner is going to be circulating air though your room or house. Reducing allergens can improve your indoor air quality.
- What is the warranty? The warranty length will vary considerably depending upon what type of ac unit you are purchasing. Make sure you have a minimum one year warranty for a portable air conditioner and expect a 5-10 year warranty on a central unit.
- Does it come with a remote control? Believe it or not many people base their AC or thermostat purchase on this!
For more information on choosing the right unit for your needs we recommend calling WC Heating & Air today!
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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012
The reason why upgrading both your FAU and AC is so important is because if you do them seperately you can only get R-22 but if you get a full system upgrade you can get R-410A .
For more than four decades, the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) industry has relied on refrigerant-22, also known as R-22 and sometimes referred to as Freon, as its primary refrigerant. R-22 is the staple of many air conditioners, as it is the heat-transfer agent that extracts heat from inside your house and transfers it outdoors.
However, when fluorocarbons in R-22 were discovered to deteriorate the earth’s ozone layer, an international mandate created a timetable to remove the refrigerant from use. Originally planned as a gradual process culminating in a complete R-22 refrigerant phase out by 2020, the timetable has recently been accelerated in proposals by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce 2012 supplies by more than 40 percent over that of 2011. As with any scarce commodity, uncertainty in the supply chain has caused R-22 prices to spike, and also created shortages and caused stockpiling.
How does the R-22 refrigerant phase out affect you? Well, if your air conditioner is at least 10 years old, it likely utilizes R-22. So here are a few realities confronting homeowners who are facing another summer with aging R-22 cooling equipment:
- You can expect to pay more than three times last year’s prices for an R-22 recharge. Even just topping off your system to nurse it through another summer may produce a startling repair bill. If component replacement necessitates a full recharge, cost of R-22 alone could exceed total parts and labor.
- While no one can predict supplies during the R-22 refrigerant phase out, shortages could result in complete unavailability in some regions, especially if a spell of heat waves impacts a wide area. In this scenario, an air conditioner in need of R-22 will be converted into an expensive fan that circulates hot air in your residence.
- You should consider upgrading to a system that utilizes R-410A refrigerant, which is an environmentally friendly replacement for R-22. All HVAC equipment manufactured since 2010 uses R-410A. This state-of-the-art equipment is more efficient, and offers lower operating costs and higher comfort levels than most R-22 cooling systems. Additionally, R-410A units generally offer longer warranties with more comprehensive coverage.
For more information on how the R-22 refrigerant phase out could affect you, contact the experts at WC Heating, Air, and Plumbing Inc.
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Friday, May 25th, 2012
Summer is here and the temperature is begging to rise again, and we’re all finding ourselves using our central air conditioning more and more. Residential air conditioning is something that many of us take for granted, but it’s also something that we wrestle with because of the running costs. We’ve mentioned a couple times in the past a few different ways to help keep cool while keeping the monthly utility bills down, and we figured that today is a good time to revisit these.
Fans. Fans are amazing little devices that don’t require much energy to operate and play a huge role in keeping things cool. Air in motion is naturally cooler than still air, and fans, such as ceiling fans or standing fans, help circulate the cool air throughout the room.
Speaking of ceiling fans, did you know that you can change the direction of rotation to better suite the time of year? For instance, a ceiling fan rotating clockwise will push air down from the ceiling. This is great during the winter when warm air pools at the top, but not so convenient during the warmer summer months. Reversing the direction will cause it to pull air up, dispursing the warm air and replacing it with the cooler air that sits lower. By simply switching the direction, you can see a massive improvement in your monthly bills.
Another great little tip is to close off vents to rooms that you aren’t using. This is especially useful for those of us who live in larger or more open homes. By closing the vents to unused rooms, you are effectively forcing the air through the vents into rooms that you are using, therefore reducing the number of rooms your central heating and air system is trying to cool.
Another great piece of advice is to invest in curtains, especially on the sunny side of your home. Sunlight coming in through windows heats up the air and whatever surface it lands on. By blocking the sunlight with curtains or blinds, you’re preventing the sun from heating the interior and helping keep the cool air in your home cool, which is what we’re all looking to do.
Insulation is also very important to keeping your central air conditioning system running at peak efficiency. Air ducts carry the air throughout your home, and when their lacking insulation, you can find that the cool air traveling through the ducts isn’t so cool when leaving the vents. Wrapping the air ducts with a good layer of insulation can help keep the cool air cool and the warm air warm.
Heating companies will tell you that keeping your AC properly maintenanced is important, and they’re right. Over time, components wear out and need cleaning or replacing. While there are many things you can do on your own to help boost reliability, there are things that only a trained professional can do. Residential air conditioning is something that’s important to all of us, and it’s something that we all want to keep running as well as possible, so be sure to keep up on your annual maintenance – your wallet will thank you.
Give us a call today to schedule a time for one of our highly trained and experienced technicians to come out and help keep your residential air conditioning system up to par. If you can’t remember the last time you’ve had your system maintenanced, than it’s time you did.
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Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
Spring is here and so is the warmer weather. While it’s a nice break from the cold of winter, it’s also a reminder that summer is right around the corner and bringing with it triple digit temperatures again. Before we go to our air conditioning systems for salvation, it’s probably a good idea to make sure they’re up for the task at hand.
While they’ll almost undoubtedly turn on and function when we command them, they won’t necessarily be doing it as efficiently as they can, which can cause an unsightly increase in running costs. The summer gets hot, but is it really worth paying all that extra cash every month just so we can stay cool? Luckily, things don’t have to be so black and white; you can have you cake and eat it too with some well played air conditioning maintenance.
Before calling out one of our well trained and highly experienced professionals, there are a few things you can do on your own to help increase overall efficiency, and save you a bit of change in the process. First off, you should make sure that there are no obstructions blocking the air flow to the outside unit. Blocking this will cause the entire system to work harder and harder to move air throughout the home, and can wind up burning out certain components.
Another thing to keep in mind is insulation. Insufficient amounts around the air ducts can let cool air escape before it even reaches the room you’re trying to cool. You can remedy this by wrapping any exposed ducts in some standard insulation from your local hardware store. While we’re on the topic of cooling rooms, it’s also a good idea to close air vents to rooms that you won’t be using or don’t need to cool. This can help decrease running costs and increase overall system lifecycle.
While there are a few things you can do on your own, there are even more cooling services that our trained experts can do. It’s recommended that you have your air conditioning systems maintenanced at least once a year, preferably in spring, so that it’s ready for the summer months. We go through and replace worn out components before they break and begin causing problems, and will clean others before they clog.
We put a lot into our maintenance services, and go above and beyond what you would typically expect from maintenance services. We can because we care, and that’s why we’ve gained ourselves a reputation as the last name in Riverside air conditioning.
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Friday, March 30th, 2012
The weather is starting to warm up, and it’s finally looking like warmth is around the corner. Don’t go breaking out your sun dresses and board shorts just yet, though, we’ve still got a few weeks of wind and chills to get through. Instead, now is the best time to get on that air conditioning maintenance you’ve been putting off.
Just like your car, your air conditioning system has different components and pieces that build up gunk and other nasty bits that need to be cleaned out, less they build up enough to cause something to break. And, just like your car, your AC needs some regular maintenance to keep it running the way it’s intended to. Unlike your car, however, you don’t have to have your air conditioner maintenanced every three months or so – just once a year.
While there are a few things you can do yourself to maintenance your AC, there are many things you won’t even know to look for or won’t have to tools to access. The professionals that come out and look at residential air conditioning are trained and well familiar with the most common components that require cleaning and replacing, and best of all, will be able to get in and out in almost no time at all.
All of this talk about maintenance makes you stop and think about just how much people pay in monthly utility increases who neglect to keep up on their annual maintenance. How much money have we wasted in unnecessarily increased utilities? How much could we have saved if we had kept up with the maintenance? It varies from person to person, depending on how often we use the central air and heating, but if you look at average numbers, it’s safe to assume that each of us could have saved hundreds a year – much more than it would have cost to have the systems maintenanced in the first place.
Air conditioning makes our lives better during the hot summer months, especially down here in sunny Southern California. Nothing makes life better on hot summer days than stepping through your door into a wall of cool, welcoming air. Keeping up on the maintenance allows us to keep our homes cool during the summer and warm during the winter without having to suffer the drastic spike in increased utility bills.
Give us a call today to see how we can help you get your air conditioning system up to par so you can stay cool during the upcoming hot summer months.
The weather is starting to warm up, and it’s finally looking like warmth is around the corner. Don’t go breaking out your sun dresses and board shorts just yet, though, we’ve still got a few weeks of wind and chills to get through. Instead, now is the best time to get on that air conditioning maintenance you’ve been putting off.
Just like your car, your air conditioning system has different components and pieces that build up gunk and other nasty bits that need to be cleaned out, less they build up enough to cause something to break. And, just like your car, your AC needs some regular maintenance to keep it running the way it’s intended to. Unlike your car, however, you don’t have to have your air conditioner maintenanced every three months or so – just once a year.
While there are a few things you can do yourself to maintenance your AC, there are many things you won’t even know to look for or won’t have to tools to access. The professionals that come out and look at residential air conditioning are trained and well familiar with the most common components that require cleaning and replacing, and best of all, will be able to get in and out in almost no time at all.
All of this talk about maintenance makes you stop and think about just how much people pay in monthly utility increases who neglect to keep up on their annual maintenance. How much money have we wasted in unnecessarily increased utilities? How much could we have saved if we had kept up with the maintenance? It varies from person to person, depending on how often we use the central air and heating, but if you look at average numbers, it’s safe to assume that each of us could have saved hundreds a year – much more than it would have cost to have the systems maintenanced in the first place.
Air conditioning makes our lives better during the hot summer months, especially down here in sunny Southern California. Nothing makes life better on hot summer days than stepping through your door into a wall of cool, welcoming air. Keeping up on the maintenance allows us to keep our homes cool during the summer and warm during the winter without having to suffer the drastic spike in increased utility bills.
Give us a call today to see how we can help you get your air conditioning system up to par so you can stay cool during the upcoming hot summer months.
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Tuesday, March 27th, 2012
Central air conditioning is something that we all love to use during the hot summer months. This year, unlike years past, this summer has seemed to come early, with beautiful days and warming temperatures creeping their way out of the woodwork. With the rising temperatures comes the increase in air conditioning throughout the land, and with it increased utility bills in an economy in which we’re all looking to save as much as possible.
Typically we find ourselves fighting with using the AC and having to pay the increased utility bills. We often times come to some sort of balance, sacrificing a slight raise in monthly utility costs for increased comfort throughout the hot season. This year, though, we find many of us being forced to think more of the costs than the benefits. Because of this, now is the best time to take advantage of air conditioning services and maintenance.
When getting your central air conditioning system up to par, there’re a few things to keep in mind. First off, there are a few things you may be able to do on your own, such as changing out air filters and ensuring that there is nothing blocking the outside unit. However, there is a lot of little maintenance work that you won’t be able to do on your own unless you are well versed in the industry. For the majority of us out there, the best option is in air conditioning companies.
Air conditioning companies utilize and employ HVAC technicians which determine the overall strength of the company. Here at WC Heating and Air, we ensure that every last one of our technicians are highly trained and experienced, carrying all the qualifications and certifications necessary to ensure a more-than-excellent job.
Having a HVAC technician come out to take a look and maintenance your central air conditioning system ensures that worn out components are repaired or replaced, allowing for increased product life cycle. Not only does regular annual maintenance help the equipment last longer, it helps ensure they run like new for longer, often years longer, than otherwise.
If you haven’t had your central air maintenanced in the last year, then you can find yourself having to pay unnecessarily high monthly utility bills. This increase isn’t just once, but continues to grow as time passes, making regular maintenance pay for itself in monthly savings. Give us a call today to see how we can help get your air conditioning system back up to par before the real hot season hits.
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Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
Anyone who lives even remotely close to Corona knows that it can get pretty hot. The entire county, and all of Southern California, is known for its hot summers – which makes us all want to crank up the AC and not let it stop. Nobody wants to pay for the increased utility bills, though, that come along with cranking up the AC or the heater and just letting it run. Where here today to let you know that in Corona, heating and air conditioning doesn’t have to increase your utility bills through the roof while you’re staying comfortable.
A little preventative maintenance can go a long way in regards keeping your equipment running at peak efficiency. Air conditioning and heating maintenance services is something that shouldn’t be neglected – doing so can and will cause utility bills and the running cost of the appliances in question. In both AC and heating systems, parts tend to wear out and need replacing; others require cleaning while others still require lubrication. Letting these components wear out to the point of breaking can wind up requiring an expensive repair, or even worse, a complete replacement.
Standard maintenance on air conditioning systems is typically performed during the spring when the need for the system hasn’t yet begun to rise. However, with the unseasonably warm winter we’ve had, it stand to reason that we will be in need of our beloved air conditioning systems sooner this year than in years past.
Replacing an entire air conditioning or heating system is expensive and an inconvenience. Instead of letting your air conditioning and heating systems to the point where they need replacing, keep up on the annual maintenance to help ensure your equipment last for years to come while running like they were new. The money saved on equipment replacements and repairs will more than pay for the minute cost of routine maintenance, making it worth every penny invested.
This winter has been more like fall or spring than an actual winter, which means that we will be seeing a need for our air conditioners again sooner this year than in years past. There’s been less of a need for heaters these past several months, which means that this upcoming summer will be more demanding on our central air conditioning systems, both for residents and businesses alike.
With this in mind, now is the perfect time to have one of our skilled and highly trained technicians come take a look at your air conditioning systems. From air conditioning in Corona to heating in San Diego, we’ve got you covered on all your maintenance and related needs.
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Friday, January 13th, 2012
If you’ve read any of our blog posts, you know that we’re pretty big on keeping your heating and air conditioning systems up to par with the annual maintenance. One thing we haven’t really talked about that much, though, is how one goes about choosing the right heating and air conditioning system for their home. The weather outside can be downright frightful, and, as this winter has shown us, somewhat unpredictable, further emphasizing the need for the right HVAC system.
In today’s world, one of the first things one should look at when purchasing a new heating and air system is the overall energy efficiency. In the past years, the individual components of both heating and air conditioning weren’t as efficient with the energy they use as today’s models, so chances are any new model available at local heating and air conditioning companies will be more efficient than the model currently installed in one’s home. This does not mean, however, that any model will do. There are two major factors determining the type of heating and air system one needs – the size of the home in question and the weather of the region it resides in.
The size of the home is pretty important when choosing the heating and air services, especially when it comes to getting the right fit for one’s home. For a larger the home, the more powerful components are going to need to be installed to achieve the desired heating and cooling results, while a smaller home doesn’t need such heavy-duty equipment.
The average weather for the region also plays a big role in deciding which model type and power consumption level desired for the new heating and air systems. For instance, if the weather is relatively warm throughout the year with little variation, than it would make sense to have system who’s components are more on the small end, since they won’t have to be doing much heating or cooling throughout the year. If, however, the region experiences hot summers and cold, long winters, than a more powerful and beefier system may want to be purchased instead.
There are a few other factors involved that can help determine the overall power level of the desired systems, including how shaded the home is and how much sunlight it lets into the home. To get the best advice and the best results for your specific home, it’d be best to talk to the pros here at our shop. From central heating in Winchester to air conditioning in LA, we’ve got you covered.
There are many options available when it comes to energy efficient equipment and components for one’s heating and air conditioning systems – why not let the pros help you figure out which would be the best fit for your home? We’ll save you time, money, and the frustration that comes with trying to figure all of this stuff out on one’s own.
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Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Prolonging the life of our heating and air conditioning systems is something that we all want to do, especially since times are tough and we’re all looking for new ways to save money. Replacing or upgrading a heating or air conditioning system can be a pricey endeavor, so it makes sense that more and more people are taking the time to keep their heating and air conditioning systems up to par on the maintenance.
It’s maintenance that really keeps both business and residential heating systems running smoothly and efficiently during the cold winter months. Neglect or poor maintenance can, and often does, lead to obsolete and dysfunctional systems. Individual components ware out and need replacing while others need added lubrication and annual cleaning. Your average resident won’t know how to go about making these necessary maintenance work, and most of the time won’t even know that there is work that needs to be done.
Our heating systems, along with our cooling systems, are machines and need regular maintenance just like any other machine. Take your car, for example – you wouldn’t let it go for a year without an oil change, unless you were looking for a car that doesn’t run. The same holds true for heaters and air conditioners.
Yes, maintenance is truly the way to go about prolonging the life of our heating and air conditioning systems. Not only will the maintenance help prolong the life cycle of our equipment, it will also help with keeping monthly utility bills down. A well-maintenanced system runs more efficiently and with less power usage, allowing us to keep our homes at a comfortable temperature throughout every season of the year without having to pay out the nose for it.
Not all of the maintenance has to be done by a professional central heating company, there are a few things everyone can do to help prolong their systems lifecycle and reduce their monthly bills. For instance, keeping up on replacing the air filters will go a long way. They tend to clog relatively quickly, so keeping them cleaning and replaced will go a long way. Another great thing we can all do is ensure that there are no bushes or other obstacles obstructing the outdoor units.
While there are things we can all do to help keep up on the maintenance, the best way to really ensure your system runs smoothly for years to come is to have it looked at by the trained and professional hands of our HVAC experts. We have the tools and know-how to ensure that the job is done right the first time, ensuring that we all have peace of mind when it comes to our heating and air conditioning systems.
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