Thursday, July 28th, 2011
We’re all looking to save some money these days, and one of the best ways to do just that is to make the most out of what you already have. Major appliances tend to be a big investment, and aren’t always doable when we may need them. Air conditioners are no different, whether you have a centralized system or a window unit. Today we’re going to go over a few simple steps you can take to help extend the life cycle of our air conditioner and help save some money on monthly bills in the process.
If you don’t have one already, you may want to look into installing a thermostat. Utilizing one will allow you to maintain an even and steady temperature, and if you go with a programmable thermostat, you’ll have the freedom to custom your cooling schedule.
If you’re using a central cooling system, than you’ll want to check your air ducts for leaks and insulation. Any leaks should be sealed and any areas of the air ducts that travel through un-insulated parts of your home should have some king of insulation. You don’t want the air heating up before it has a chance to get out of the air ducts.
Make sure you check and clean your air filters on a monthly basis, cleaning and replacing the filters when necessary. A dirty or clogged air filter causes your whole system to work harder and harder to achieve the same cooling results.
Also be sure to keep the area around the air conditioning unit itself clear of debris and anything else that might block air flow. Generally speaking, you want to keep about a three foot radius around the unit clear. Since most units are kept outside, you’ll want to make sure that there aren’t any bushes or weeds in the immediate vicinity.
And lastly, look into investing in fans. Having ceiling and other fans running during the day will help keep your home cool without using much electricity. All in all, there are a range of steps you can take to not only extend the life cycle of your air conditioner and help keep your monthly bills low in the process.
Tags: Air conditioners, central cooling system, programmable thermostat, replacing the filters
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Thursday, July 21st, 2011
Air conditioners are wonderful inventions. They allow us to stay cool during an otherwise miserably hot summer, and they provide us one of our most granted luxuries. So many of us take our air conditioning systems for granted, but how many of us actually know how these seemingly magical contraptions do the job? It can’t be as simple as just pumping cool air, there has to be more to it. How does it make the air cool to begin with?
How refrigeration works is a very interesting question, and one that we’re all a little curious about. In a nut shell, the whole process works by utilizing a repetitive cycle of condensing and evaporating a gas, one with a low boiling point and that isn’t toxic to humans or animals, while at the same time being relatively safe for the environment.
There are six main components that make your air conditioner, an all refrigeration really, work the way they do. You have the refrigerant, a compressor, an expansion valve, condenser and evaporator coils and a fan. There are obviously more components, but these are the elementary ones that make the whole concept work.
The refrigerant gas is compressed into the condenser coils where the increase in pressure causes the gas to heat up. Once enough pressure is achieved, the gas condenses into a liquid where it is then released through the expansion valve separating the condenser and evaporator coils. The pressure in the evaporator coils is far lower than in the condenser coils, so the liquid refrigerant can now expand and evaporate. Since the temperature of the liquid refrigerant can’t be higher than its boiling temperature, it cools the evaporator coils down to its boiling point, typically somewhere under 0 degrees F.
The pressure in the evaporator coils is lower than the condenser coils because the compressor is pulling the cool gas from the evaporator coils and forcing it into the condenser coils. This is where the fan comes into play, by pushing the cool air from around the evaporator coils into the home. It’s through this repetitive process and the enclosed system the refrigerant is contained in that we’re able to cool our homes and vehicles. It’s actually pretty cool when you learn how it all works.
Tags: air conditioners efficiency, air conditioning systems, condenser coils, evaporator coils, How refrigeration works
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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Programmable thermostats are a wonderful thing. They give us the ability to customize the cooling and heating schedule for our homes, allowing us to keep our homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter without digging deeply into your wallet.
It’s hard to argue with the practically of a programmable thermostat. They provide great energy savings without a hefty price tag – most programmable thermostats fall between $50 and $200, far less than the price to replace a furnace or switching out for more energy efficient appliances.
The whole point of a programmable thermostat is to give you the ability to cool or heat the areas of your home that you want when you want. This has amazing cost saving potential. When you’re away at work all day, you probably don’t need your air conditioner blasting, working overtime in the summer heat to keep your home at a cool temperature. It’s just a waste if you’re not there to enjoy it.
But, at the same time, nobody wants to come home to a home that feels more like an oven. With a programmable thermostat, you can have the AC shut off shortly before or after leaving the house, and kick back on again an hour or so before you get home. Roughly, that’s about 8 hours of cooling saved.
The flexibility just doesn’t extend to timing when your AC turns on or off, you can also program specific sections of your home to be ignored, such as a guest room. It doesn’t really make much sense to pay to have a room cooled or heated when you’re not even using it. Cutting areas like these out of the equation helps the areas of your home you want cool to get there faster and keep more money in your wallet at the end of the month.
There are a good deal of benefits to having a programmable thermostat, the main point of which is the overall savings and more efficient use of power. But, while a programmable thermostat can help reduce monthly bills, it is no replacement for an old or warn down system, so make sure that you keep up to date on your system maintenance and cleanings. Combined, you’ll find yourself staying cool this summer and warm this winter all while still having money in your pocket.
Tags: Air conditioning, energy efficient appliances, programmable thermostat, Temecula air conditioning
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Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
A dirty air filter is the #1 reason for most HVAC system failures. A dirty air filter doesn’t allow air to pass through it so easily, if at all, and causes additional strain on the fan motor for the air handler. Over time the strain builds up and can cause the air handler motor to fail, causing your system to overheat and ultimately suffer the same fate.
Before it slowly chokes your air conditioning system, a dirty air filter will increase your utility and power bills. Since it’s preventing proper air flow, it’s forcing your fan motor to work harder to achieve the same results, eating up more and more power in the process.
As if eating up money and slowly killing your air conditioning system wasn’t enough, a dirty air filter actually causes air ducts inside your home to get dirty faster. With the buildup of dust and debris comes more opportunity for mold and bacteria to grow, ultimately lowering the overall quality of the air inside your home, as well as possibly having an effect on your overall health.
The point is, there are several reasons why you should keep on top of your air filter. Make sure it is cleaned regularly. Not only will it help increase the overall lifespan of your system, but it will help keep your bills down.
Tags: air conditioning system, air filter, dirty air filter, HVAC system
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Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
That’s right, guys, we’ve partnered up with Costco to take care of all of the HVAC sales and installations for their customers, allowing us to bring our outstanding level of service and expertise to even more local residents and businesses than ever before!
We’re rather happy about this, and quite excited, too. They (Costco) had the chance to partner with any of a thousand different heating and air conditioning companies, but they chose us – and for good reasons. We’re part of the Southern California Edison Rebate Program, providing our customers with up to a $2,000.00 rebate with installation of an energy efficient system. Not only are we part of the program, but we’re a Platinum Level member, one of only 5 in the state.
Once you stop to think about it, it’s not really too much of a mystery why Costco wanted to partner with us.
Tags: air conditioning maintenanced, heating and air conditioning companies, HVAC service, qualified contractor
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Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
When it comes to air conditioning maintenance, there are a couple things you can do at home to keep your AC unit running smoothly. Doing so will help keep your air conditioning system in good working condition and extend the time between necessary tune ups and service repairs.
First of all, you’ll want to make sure that there isn’t anything obstructing the air flow into condensing unit located outside. When air flow is obstructed by leaves, lawn furniture or anything that can prevent air flow, it makes the whole system work harder and increases the chances of individual components within the compressing unity failing and needing replacing.
Secondly, you’ll want to make sure that all of the access panels are properly secured. Rodents and other animals may try to get in for shelter or in search of food and cause some serious damage.
Change any filters regularly. A dirty air filter reduces air flow, increases chances of overheating and component failure. Disposable filters should be replaced, while electronic or electrostatic filters should be cleaned at least once every couple months.
Last, but definitely not least, be sure to have your entire system checked twice a year. Once before summer hits to make sure your air conditioning is clean and up for the challenge that summer brings and again in the fall, to make sure your heater is more than capable of keeping you and your loved ones warm come the dark and cold months of winter.
Tags: AC unit, air conditioning maintenance, air filter, air flow
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Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
Wow, June already. Where has the time gone?
Summer’s here, whether we like it or not, and now we’re stuck having to deal with it yet another year in a row. Luckily, we’ve been posting the last couple weeks on ways to stay cool without breaking the bank this summer, and keeping with that theme, we’re here today with some extra tips and tricks to help keep your home cool this summer without sending your utility bills through the roof.
Close unused air vents. Summer’s here, and that means AC’s all around are switching on. By closing air vents in rooms that aren’t used too often, you can focus the cool air into areas of your home that you’re actually in. No use cooling areas of your home you’re not even in!
Replace incandescent bulbs. If you haven’t already replaced your incandescent light bulbs with their more energy efficient fluorescent counterpart, than it’s probably time you did. Traditional light bulbs generate a good amount of heat, working against your air conditioner, whereas the newer fluorescent bulbs not only use less energy, but generate less heat in the process.
AC System Maintenance. Like all pieces of machinery, your air conditioner needs some TLC from time to time. The longer your AC goes without a tune up, the harder it has to work and the less energy efficient it becomes. Today’s equipment and systems are pretty efficient compared to a few years ago, but that’s only true if they’re maintained. Don’t let your AC go too long without a tune up.
Tags: AC System Maintenance, AC unit, Air conditioning, air quality
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Thursday, May 26th, 2011
Attics are, for those of us who have them, typically the last thing on our minds, unless we’re digging out the Christmas lights. While they may not always be on our mind, they should never be forgotten, especially when it comes to keeping your home cool and your energy bills down this summer.
Attics tend to be pretty decent heat syncs. Heat has a natural propensity to rise, so attics tend to get really hot on sunny summer days, even hotter than outdoors! So, the first step to keeping that hot air from finding its way back into your home is to make sure the attic is properly insulated and sealed from the rest of the house.
The second step is to look into an attic fan. Using vents to draw in cool air and force out the hot air, an attic fan can do wonders for keeping your house cool this summer. Since your AC won’t have to work so hard to keep your home comfortably cool, you’re monthly bills won’t get out of hand.
Attics play a big role in the overall temperature of your house, and should be treated as such.
Tags: Air Conditioing, attic fan, Temecula air conditioning, temperature of your house
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Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
Summers down here in Sunny Southern California tend to be a bit on the hot side. Alright, perhaps a lot of the hot side. All the more reason to know some great tips and tricks for keeping the summer heat out of your home and outside where it belongs.
- Close the blinds on sunny days. Light beaming in through a window heats the surface of whatever it touches inside your home. You can combat this by closing the blinds or curtains to keep out excess sunlight.
- Use appliances that generate heat sparingly. This includes the dishwasher, oven or stove and the dryer as the main guys. The less you use any heat generating appliances, the less heat you’ll have to deal with inside your home this summer. A great idea for this is to use them more at night when it’s cooler, and the excess heat won’t be so noticeable.
- Turn the AC off at night. Take advantage of the cooler nights and open some windows in place of running the AC. The less you run the AC, the lower your electric bill will be.
- Keep your air filters clean. Even a slightly dirty air filter can cause your AC to work overtime moving around the same amount of air, which costs you money!
- Set your AC higher. A higher temperature on your AC’s thermostat can make a big difference on your monthly bills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, raising the temperature your AC’s set to by 1 degree can mean a savings of 7% on your electric bill.
Everything add up, and every little bit counts. Do your part this summer to help keep your expenses down and your wallet full.
Tags: AC’s thermostat, air conditioners efficiency, Environmental Protection Agency, HVAC installation
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Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
A fair question, to say the least. It’s probably a safe bet to say that most of us have some kind of heating and air conditioning system in our homes, what with the hot southern California summers and deceptively cold winters. Most heating and cooling systems are built to last a while, but not forever. Since one of the last things on our minds is when to replace or upgrade our heating and cooling systems, we decided to take care of this question here on our blog.
So, when should you go about replacing your heating and cooling system? Well, we may not be able to give you a set date, but we can give you a list of some of the signs that your system is nearing its last leg.
First off, if your heat pump or air conditioner is 10 years old, than it’s time to look into replacing it. Even if the components themselves are in good working condition, the system is not nearly as energy efficient as the new ones today, so upgrading to a more energy efficient system can save you bundles on your monthly utility bills.
Another good sign to keep an eye out for is how often your equipment needs maintenance or repairs. If things are breaking more and more often, that it’s probably a good idea to upgrade. Same with if your energy bills have been creeping up. The older a system gets, the less efficient they begin to run and the higher your energy bill gets.
Having uneven cooling or heating throughout your home is another sign that it may be time to think about getting a new system, or at the very least, having your current system looked at and maintenance.
Either way, with the continued advancements in technology, it’s probably a good idea to look into having your system upgraded at least every decade – the money saved in utility bills alone would be more than worth it.
Tags: air conditioner, air conditioning system, heating and cooling systems, indoor air quality
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