Recently in Air Conditioning Category

These hot summer days give new (non-political) meaning to the term Red States vs. Blue States.  Here are my definitions.

Red State:  A state in which you find yourself turning red from the heat, even in your own home, because you don't have central AC.  This state is commonly accompanied by an uncontrollable desire to jump into any body of water available.

Blue State: A state in which you keep very cool indoors by cranking up the AC, but you worry that the size of your energy bill will exceed your car payment.  So even though you're comfortable, you feel blue.

And this Red State vs. Blue State divide leads to the big debate: fans vs. central AC.  With your permission, I would like to weigh in on this debate.  

Many energy efficient experts are fan fanatics: they favor ceiling fans and standing fans over AC because of the "cool to cost" ratio.  And there is certainly some truth to this.  If you can't afford central AC right now, installing ceiling fans can make you more comfortable for a lot less.

However, there are some things to consider.  Some ceiling funs use a LOT of electricity.  And conversely, some AC systems are extremely energy efficient.  So don't assume one is better than the other: do your homework, ask a lot of questions, check out the numbers.

You may decide that staying cool and comfortable is one of those "family values" that is worth more than money.

If you're doing new construction with central air conditioning--or if your current central A/C isn't keeping your home cool enough--you should spend some time drinking a soda through a straw.  It could help you make the right decision about what to do.

If you've ever tried to drink through one of those skinny straws (like the Crazy Straws we had when I was a kid), you know that you have to suck a lot harder.  You could wear out your jaws before you quench your thirst!
Something similar often happens with new A/C installations.  Some contractors install  central air with air ducts that are too small.  For example, they might install 16" air ducts when the system requires 18" air ducts.
Does that 2" make a difference?  You better believe it does!  You could end up with a system that just can't keep your house cool.  And, because the system has to work harder to push the air through the smaller ducts--like you trying to suck soda through a skinny straw--your equipment could wear out or break down prematurely.

This actually happens more often than you might think.  Undersized air ducts is one of the leading causes of central A/C equipment failure.  So if your system isn't doing the job, the problem may not be the equipment--it may simply be the size of the air ducts!   

So before you install a new central A/C system--or before you have someone do expensive repairs to your equipment because your house isn't staying cool--ask your contractor if he is sure that the air ducts are the right size.  If they are not...this could be the last straw!

And if you would like for us to check your air ducts, just give us a call.

How well I remember those hot summer days in our house back in the time B.C.A.C. (Before Central Air Conditioning).  

You could work up a sweat just sitting there!  Your skin stuck to furniture--which was just as well because you didn't feel like getting up and doing anything anyway.  You felt like a slug stuck to a hot sidewalk.  You felt like a pile of spaghetti that had been under the warming lights too long at the all-you-can-eat buffet.  

And then there were the hot, cranky kids who were starting to sound like the AFLAC duck on speed (but who could blame them for being cranky?).  Have you tried having quality family time under those conditions?

Sort of makes you wonder how many family arguments across America occur because of the lack of central air.  Talk about an energy drain!  

Everything has its cost, of course, including central air.  But AC is also, to my mind, a wonderful, worthwhile investment in quality of life...and quality of family life.
Which is why I want to remind you, in case you are in the market, that this year you can get a federal tax credit of up to $1,500 for approved, energy-efficient upgrades to your home--and that can include an efficient central air conditioning system.  

Check it out.  Because the tax credit just might make this the right time for you to move from B.C.A.C. to A.C.A.C.

If we told you about an investment that would multiply your money 10 times, would you be interested?  I thought so.

So here's our hot investment tip: the money you spend keeping your AC system maintained can easily save you 10 times your maintenance cost--or more!  Yearly maintenance will lower your utility bill, prevent costly repairs, and extend the life of your equipment.  Quite simply, it's one of the best investments you can make.

So how do you make sure you're getting your money's worth on a maintenance call?  An average maintenance visit should cost about $100, and your contractor should:

•    Clean coils, both indoors and outdoors.
•    Check for proper airflow.
•    Check the thermostat setting.
•    Check the refrigerant pressure.
•    Check all electrical connections.
•    Lubricate all moving parts (especially important in older AC systems where the bearings may not be sealed).

If you're dealing with an air conditioning service company for the first time, you can protect yourself by asking for a copy of their license and insurance certificates, and by checking references.

But, no matter what the stock market does, don't miss out on this investment!

In this blog, we frequently give advice that will actually help you avoid calling heating and AC contractors like ourselves.

It's not that we don't like to stay busy.  We do.  But we don't like having to charge people for repairs that were really unnecessary, or for something they could have done themselves.

But with this post, we are encouraging you to call your AC contractor, at least once a year, to get your central AC system inspected and maintained (twice a year if the same system is also used for heating).

This is not about creating busywork for contractors.  In fact, at Heritage, we don't make much on maintenance calls, but we know how important they are.  

With rising utility bills, it's more important than ever to keep your AC running efficiently, smoothly, and economically.  And regular AC maintenance will not only maximize your energy savings, it will also help prevent problems and extend the life of your equipment.  It will pay for itself, over and over again.  

In our next blog post, we'll tell how to make sure you are getting your money's worth with your AC maintenance call.

Airplane pilots know that going through a pre-flight checklist can keep them from crashing and burning.

Likewise, going through this simple pre-season checklist with your AC can keep your system from crashing and burning when the weather heats up.  

•    Make sure nothing is blocking the airflow around the unit.  Clean away leaves and debris.  Remove any winter coverings.  But if you decide to open the unit, remember to disconnect the power.
•    Check/replace the batteries.  
•    Check/replace the air filter.  Dirty filters cause a host of problems.  They slow your system down, make it less efficient, lead to more repairs, and shorten the life of your equipment.  
•    Test-drive your system while it's still mild.  If you wait until it's hot to crank up your AC, and then it breaks down, you'll be uncomfortable waiting for service.  Do a test run of your system before summer.   

Your AC contractor will probably be happy to help you out with any of these things--but he'll have to charge you.  And the truth is, you can do these things yourself and cut down on repair costs.  

Remember that airplane pilot: he never skips the pre-flight checklist.

If your AC is aging, we've got good news: 2009 and 2010 will be very good years to get a new system.  The federal government is offering up to $1,500 in tax credit for energy-efficient upgrades to your home--such as new insulation, windows, heating, or air conditioning.  

Here's how it works.  The credits are worth 30 percent of the cost of the upgrades, up to $1500.  For example, if you spend $5,000 on eligible air conditioning, you can get $1500 back.  

If your AC is not old (less than 10 years), you can use the tax credit to upgrade your windows or insulation.   (In fact, if your windows or insulation are not up to snuff, you should probably start there first--no matter what an AC contractor might say.  You don't want to invest in new, energy-efficient AC only to find out that your energy bill stays high because your windows and insulation are "leaky.")  

But if your AC is more than 10 years old, you should look into this.  You can do something to save energy and protect the environment, and Uncle Sam will do something for you!  To learn more, visit http://www.energystar.gov and search for "Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency."

Maybe you've heard the old saying, "For lack of a horseshoe the horse was lost, for lack of a horse, the rider was lost, for lack of a rider the battle was lost."  

We see something like this as we service AC systems in New Hampshire.  People often end up losing their AC system--or incur needless, expensive repairs--simply because they overlooked the small things.

So what's the "horseshoe" for your AC system?  It's the filter!  You should change your AC filter every one to two months (depending on usage).  Otherwise, your system begins to "run dirty," and this has several negative results.  You breathe dirtier air.  Your energy bill is higher (because your system has to work harder to push air through the dirty filter).  And over time, running with a dirty filter can lead to more repairs and even shorten the life of your equipment.

Remember:  "For lack of a clean filter the AC was lost."

(NOTE: You might not hear this advice from some AC contractors--because it's not always in their interest to tell you.  But it is in your interest to hear it!)