Considering how high temperatures rise during the summer, it is unthinkable to do without air conditioning, let alone one that is malfunctioning and allowing cool air to escape. If you are looking for some measures and tips that you could implement to prevent the cool air circulating your home from escaping, then you are in the right place.

Seek Help From Experienced HVAC Professionals

Typical air duct systems, both residential and commercial, can lose 25-40% of heating and cooling energy. One of the biggest mistakes you can ever make as a homeowner is trying to install an air conditioning unit on your own. Of course, this is a risky prospect, which may cause damage to your appliance or yourself. Air conditioners are generally sophisticated and fragile pieces of machinery that require careful handling. The only way to guarantee proper and safe installation is by enlisting the services of HVAC professionals.

Install Weather Stripping

It is impossible for you to go about your day without walking through doors and opening windows around the house. The weather also varies from time to time. During winter, the doors and windows contract and expand during summer. This is major because of the cool and hot climate, respectively. Ultimately, the doors and windows end up having gaps. It is through this that cool air escapes your home. This is remedied by hiring HVAC professionals to install weather stripping on the gaps in your windows and doors.

Apply Silicone on Gaps and Cracks

Your house may have cracks or gaps; cool air makes use of such openings to escape. The cracks and gaps may be because of wear and tear, plumbing, and electrical installations. The electrical and plumbing openings may be wider than required, which therefore causes more cool air to escape. You may opt to seek the services of HVAC professionals who will help locate the openings and gaps in your home and apply silicone.

Install Rigid Foam Insulation

The fireplace may be the main contributor to the loss of cool air in your home. It may keep you warm during the winter, but it allows cool air to escape during summer. HVAC professionals will assist in conducting a pressure test in your house and point out the areas that contribute to the loss of cool air. The HVAC professionals may install rigid foam insulation in the chimney during summer as it creates an air block.

It is important to follow the above tips to prevent the loss of cool air from escaping your house.

According to the US Department of Energy, 6% of the total electricity supply in the United States goes to power air conditioning units, at an estimated cost of 28 billion. With the power tariff rates going up each year, you may need to ensure that your HVAC system is working efficiently.

Typical air duct systems, both commercial and residential, can lose 25-40% of the heating and cooling energy. The number may be higher for defective or damaged units. You may need to call home air-conditioning services to rectify the issue. Here are seven tips to help you find the right HVAC company for your AC repair.

1. Know Your State’s HVAC Licensing Requirements

Each state has specific guidelines regarding licensure, bonding, and insurance. In Arizona, HVAC professionals need to obtain a license from the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. They have to show four years’ experience in the HVAC specialty and pass a trade and business exam. Request a state license number for the HVAC company and verify it with the local state registry.

2. Understand Your Air Conditioning Needs

Figuring out the work needed within your home can help you pick the right contractors for the job. Are you looking for an expert on heating repair or a technician to install your new AC unit? Knowing your system’s model and maintenance history can help you determine whether the contractor can provide the services you need.

3. Verify Their Credentials

Professional contractors need to have a state contractor’s license number. Additionally, you can check for accreditations from professional bodies such as North American Technical Excellence certifications. Manufacturer’s certifications guarantee that technicians have received the requisite training on installation and repair of a specific brand.

4. Check Their Insurance And Bonding

The State of Arizona requires that all contractors have an active worker’s compensation cover. Insurance protects you from legal or financial liability if any of their technicians sustains injuries while on site. The HVAC company has to hold a cash bond. Bonding protects the contractors financially if any customer files a complaint against them.

5. Request For Written Estimates

Price is a key factor to keep in mind when picking out the right HVAC company. Be wary of service costs that seem too good to be true. To find affordable home air conditioning repair in Tucson, request multiple quotes from different vendors. You can compare the labor costs, job schedules, warranty information, among other details.

6. Inquire About Service Hours

You may require emergency home air conditioning repair services. The right HVAC company should be there for you when you need them. You can verify the contractor’s availability from their website. However, you may receive an additional service charge for work done outside normal service hours.

7. Read Online Reviews

Reputation is also a crucial factor to look consider. You can read reviews about their services on the Better Business Bureau, Google, and Yelp websites. Their social media pages may also provide intel on the quality of service to expect.

HVAC units contribute immensely to the health and comfort of your home. You may need to find a reputable HVAC company to carry out the installation, repairs, and inspections to ensure the unit is in good working order. For HVAC services in Tucson, AZ, reach out to Ultra Air.

Around 75% of U.S. homes have air conditioners. These AC units use 6% of all electricity produced nationwide. With AC units being this common it’s important to have a reasonable resource about them, and at the top of this list is knowing whether you need to get a new AC unit or just repair your existing one.

While it is costly to get a brand-new AC unit when your existing one develops faults, many people do this not knowing that they can simply repair their current one. On the flip side, while technically everything can get repaired, it’s important to know when to just let go.

When to Replace Your AC Unit

Here’s a checklist you can use to know when to replace your unit instead of trying to get it repaired:

• If it’s over 15 years old, it may be old enough to discard in favor of a new one. When it gets old, just like everything else, it will start to have a new problem more often — a solenoid today, a compressor after two weeks, and so on. Keeping a unit that has gone past its lifespan will inevitably become more expensive in the long run.
• If you start seeing more dust in your home, this means that your system is not running efficiently enough to ventilate the house well and reduce the dust and dander in the air. Higher humidity levels are also a sign of an AC unit on its last legs.
• You’re hearing strange noises like grinding and squealing. If there’s no animal living within your vents, strange noises may indicate that something is off with your unit, usually due to age.
• You start smelling unusual odors which may be dust burning, mold growing in your ducts, wires melting in and around your AC unit, or something else.
• Your energy bills get higher and higher, meaning that something is consuming more energy than used to be the case. While regular maintenance helps lengthen the lifespan of your unit, it reaches a point when nothing more can be done for it.
• Finally, if the cost of a repair gets high, approximately more than 50% of the cost of replacing it, it makes financial sense to get a new AC unit.

If you’re not getting what you need from your AC unit, you should replace it, but only once you’ve made sure that it’s not possible or financially viable to keep it. Old is gold for sure, but sometimes old AC units are just mold; use your discretion and an expert’s assistance to make the final call.

The hotter temperatures get, the harder your AC unit has to work to keep the sweat off your brow while you’re indoors. During the hot summer months, it’s crucial to have a unit that is working efficiently because a single stage AC unit system will start and stop up to 72 times during a 24-hour period during peak season. Set your unit up for great performance by making sure to remedy the following common HVAC problems as they arise.

Dirty Filters

While most filters are designed to be changed once every three months, you may need to change them more often if your home has kids, pets, and high traffic in general. During summer, it will also need to be changed more regularly because it will be working in overdrive for the most part.

Low Levels of Refrigerant

Your refrigerant levels can be low for one of two reasons: either there is a leak of the fluid, or not enough of it was added when the system was installed. Because constant refilling will get expensive over time, the best thing to do is to contact HVAC professionals if you suspect a leak.

High Electricity Bills

While your electricity bills will likely be higher in summer, it won’t only be because you’re using the system a lot more often, but due to any of a number of issues including a faulty thermostat, all of which can be repaired by HVAC professionals.

Inadequate Cooling

Hot spots during summer mean that your system is not cooling the entire house well. For a new house, it may be that you bought a lower capacity system that is not adequate for the size of your house but if you’ve lived in the house for years without a problem, you need to get HVAC professionals to look at your system and let you know what exactly the problem is.

Shutting Off

This is also called short cycling, and it is when your system keeps shutting off then turning back on. If left for a long time, this may damage your compressor or other parts of your AC and leave you with an even bigger and more expensive problem. The cause may be an electrical issue or a clogged air filter, so always address each problem as it arises to avoid the issues snowballing.

You will be in a good position to keep your house cool during summer if you can diagnose problems with your system as they arise, and even fix the minor ones yourself or call a professional to help you out.

The sun is blaring, the humidity is through the roof, and your air conditioner is on its highest setting. So why does it still feel like you are in the middle of the Amazon rain forest? While we tend to see our air conditioners as infallible, there are many situations where they may not be working to their full potential, especially on the hottest days. For example, a single stage AC unit system can start and stop up to 72 times during a 24-hour period during peak season. Below are reasons why your AC may be blowing hot air, and when it’s time to contact HVAC services.

The Thermostat

We’ve all been there, especially in hotel rooms. You crank the unit and instead of receiving an arctic blast, you get a rush of hot, suffocating air. While this could be a number of issues, it may be as simple as making sure the thermostat is set correctly. Checking the settings on your unit is the first (and easiest) step, so be sure it is set to ‘cool’ before contacting HVAC services.

Dirty Air Filter

Let’s face it — sometimes it’s easy to forget that an AC unit needs to be cleaned regularly. A dirty air filter may seem like a small issue; however, it can lead to bigger problems such as a clogged evaporator coil. When an evaporator coil gets clogged, your cool, comfortable oasis turns into a sauna in an instant. Unfortunately, frozen evaporator coils do not equal frozen air, but cause your unit to blow hot air or stop working completely. Changing the air filter may fix the problem, but if your coil continues to freeze be sure to contact HVAC services.

Refrigerant

Refrigerant is what makes your AC tick, and if it is over or undercharged, you could run into big problems. Be sure to contact trained HVAC services to determine if you have a refrigerant leak. If your AC sounds like a haunted house, is blowing hot air, or there’s ice on your refrigerant line, then it definitely needs some AC TLC.

The best way to prevent problems with your AC unit is regular maintenance. While there are some things you can do yourself such as keeping the air filter clean, only professionals can provide regular tune-ups to make sure your AC is in top form. Contact your local HVAC services today to guarantee you stay cool as a cucumber.

Changing your HVAC unit’s air filter is an important part of your home’s maintenance. There are numerous reasons that you should change this filter regularly, including the following:

Manage Energy Bills

Changing your HVAC unit’s air filter regularly will help you keep your energy bills as low as possible. When you don’t change your air filter, it’s more difficult for your HVAC system to function correctly. This decreases its efficiency and increases your power bill. Around 75% of U.S. homes have air conditioners. Home air conditioners use around 6% of the total electricity produced nationwide. Keeping your air filter clean can help limit the amount of energy your unit utilizes. An HVAC company can visit your home, evaluate your entire system, and help suggest ways to decrease your energy bills.

Reduce Allergens

Changing your air filter regularly will help limit the number of allergens in your home. This is especially important if you or anyone in your home is allergic to pet dander or dust mites, as your air filter helps remove these particles from the air. If you aren’t sure how to change the air filter on your own, contact your local HVAC company and ask them to do so. They may also be able to make additional recommendations for reducing the allergens in your home.

Protect Your HVAC Unit

If you don’t change your air filter regularly, over time, it causes extra wear and tear on your HVAC unit. Your ducts will be dirtier, and the unit itself will have to work significantly harder to keep your home at the same temperature. Changing your air filter regularly helps protect your HVAC unit from wear and tear, extending its life. The HVAC company can likely set you up on a plan where they’ll come visit your home and clean your ducts, change your filter, and perform other basic maintenance tasks, helping protect your HVAC unit from damage.

Taking the time to change your HVAC unit’s air filter on a regular schedule helps keep the unit working correctly, lowers the amount of wear and tear, and decreases the allergens in your home’s air. If you aren’t sure how to change this filter on your own, contact a local HVAC company to make a maintenance appointment today. These talented technicians can help get you set up on a regular maintenance schedule, dramatically extending the life of your home’s HVAC system.