If you need a new air conditioning system, the size of the unit is more important than you may think. Sizing an air conditioner does not really refer to the amount of space it takes up. When we talk about sizing an air conditioner for new installation, we are referring to its cooling capacity. The cooling capacity of your new AC system must be just right for your home or else it can require repairs early on and possibly fail prematurely. Professionals take special considerations when sizing an AC; take a look at why.
ACI Northwest Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category
Could Your Air Conditioner Be the Wrong Size for Your Home?
Monday, May 25th, 2015Choose Specialists for Commercial Air Conditioning Services
Monday, May 18th, 2015When is the last time a professional came to your commercial property to service your air conditioner? If it has been a year since your last air commercial HVAC service, now is the time to call a professional for air conditioning maintenance. And if you or the people in your building notice a problem, be sure to call commercial specialists only for any repairs or replacement right away. Commercial air conditioning services should not be left to amateurs or to a company that services only residential units. Here’s a look at why.
3 Benefits of a Ductless Air Conditioner
Monday, May 4th, 2015Is your home one of many without a working duct system built in? Have you recently added on a room to your home that needs air conditioning, or are you using an unconditioned space like a garage or shed as a workshop? If so, a ductless air conditioner may be just right for your home. Ductless air conditioning systems contain all of the same components of a conventional air conditioning system, including an outdoor compressor unit and an indoor air handler. The difference is that indoor air handlers are fixed on the walls and blow air directly into that room. Here are just a few of the benefits of this system.
Is Your Home Prepared for the Warmer Weather Ahead?
Monday, April 27th, 2015When the weather outside is still chilly, it’s difficult to think about the warmer weather ahead. But sooner than you know it, we will be dealing with the heat of summer once more, and you will need your air conditioning system to run smoothly if you want to stay comfortable. The people at ACI Northwest would like to offer a few pieces of advice to those who want to use the lull of springtime (as AC technicians are usually more readily available at this time) to prepare for their homes for the heat of summer.
How to Tell It’s Time for Air Conditioning Replacement
Monday, April 20th, 2015Deciding to give up your older air conditioner and install a new one can be tough, but if you make sure to use professionals for your air conditioning replacement, you can find a new unit that uses little energy and saves you money each month. However, you definitely don’t want to spend money on replacement where repair is a better option. So how do you decide it’s time to replace?
Don’t Wait Too Long: Now Is the Time for an Air Conditioning Maintenance Visit
Monday, April 6th, 2015Air conditioning systems contain multiple complex electro-mechanical parts which can run into trouble at any time. But it’s far less likely that you’ll have to deal with the unexpected air conditioning problem this summer if you take preventive action now. Air conditioning maintenance helps to ensure that your AC system is in top shape for the cooling season, and you may not encounter any problems for the rest of the cooling season.
The Steps of a Maintenance Visit
An air conditioning maintenance visit involves several steps, which we’ll sort into three basic categories: cleaning, adjusting, and inspection.
- Cleaning – Some of the parts will gather dirt and debris over time, especially the outside condenser unit since these components are exposed to the elements. And when these parts become too dirty, the air conditioner can no longer efficiently exchange heat. Cleaning essential components such as the condenser coil makes it so that heat can absorb from the air in your home and effectively release outside.
- Adjusting – You probably ran your air conditioner quite a bit last summer, which means that parts may have become worn down, loose, bent, or otherwise damaged. Making a few adjustments can bring your unit back to peak condition. For example, the technician may use a special comb to straighten bent condenser coils, which can make heat exchange more efficient.
- Inspection – A problem with an air conditioning system may not always make itself known, but a technician can use experience and training to determine whether there is a repair that needs to be completed sometime soon.
Why Now Is the Best Time
Once the air conditioning season begins, it will be difficult to go without a reliable AC system for too long. During a maintenance visit, the technician may discover some issues with your unit, but it’s better to schedule service now than to wait for a major breakdown. Scheduling service on your own time means that you will not have to worry about staying home on a busy day to schedule a lengthy repair. Besides, the upcoming energy savings alone is worth the call for maintenance.
Call the AC experts at ACI Northwest for air conditioning maintenance or AC repairs in Coeur d’Alene, ID.
Common Air Conditioning Repairs to Watch Out for
Monday, March 23rd, 2015As we move into the spring season, it’s time to start thinking about the condition of your air conditioner. Though you may not use your air conditioner all that often during the spring, summer is not far off. You definitely don’t want your system to break down in the middle of a hot summer day. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on your air conditioner. Read on for a list of the common air conditioning repair issues to watch out for.
Frozen Coil
The evaporator coil is what is responsible for evaporating refrigerant to absorb heat from the air in the home. If the coil is allowed to get too dirty, or if there is a leak in the refrigerant line, the coil can malfunction and freeze over. Once frozen, the coil is unable to draw heat from the air to cool the home. If you notice ice forming on the coil in your air conditioner, call a professional right away.
Refrigerant Leaks
Refrigerant is the liquid that makes it possible for your air conditioner to remove heat from your home. It is not consumed during the air conditioning process, but is instead endlessly cycled through the system. A refrigerant leak can slowly drain the system of refrigerant, destroying its ability to cool the home. If you notice liquid pooling or dripping around your air conditioner, you might have a refrigerant leak. Call a professional to have a look at your system.
Malfunctioning Compressor
The compressor is the part of your air conditioner that circulates refrigerant through the system. If the compressor malfunctions for whatever reason, it can cause irregular pressure throughout the refrigerant line. This can cause all sorts of problems, including short-cycling, which severely shortens the lifespan of the air conditioner. If your air conditioner is turning on and off rapidly, that means that it’s short-cycling. You may have to have your compressor replaced to restore the system to proper operation.
If you have any questions about air conditioning repair, call ACI Northwest. We provide air conditioning repair services throughout Coeur d’Alene, ID.
3 Common Evaporator Unit Problems
Friday, August 8th, 2014The standard “split” central air conditioning system consists of two units: The outdoor unit is known as the condenser, where the AC releases and vents heat to the outside air. The condenser also contains the vital component of the compressor. The indoor unit is called the evaporator, where the evaporator coil absorbs heat from the air, and a blower fan sends it into the ventilation system to the rooms of the house.
The evaporator unit can run into a number of problems that will reduce the cooling ability of the AC and impair its airflow, possibly leading to a full breakdown. Should you notice any trouble with your air conditioner’s operation, contact a company like ACI Northwest immediately and let our trained technicians handle the issue. For more than 85 years, we have delivered excellent air conditioning repairs in Spokane, WA that has kept customers returning to us.
Three of the More Common Evaporator Unit Problems
- Ice on the evaporator coil: People often shrug off the appearance of a layer of frost along the indoor coil because they assume it’s a natural part of the cooling process. But any ice on the evaporator coil means serious trouble occurring within the system. It could be a refrigerant leak, a clogged air filter, or grime across the coil. Call for technicians to look into the trouble immediately to discover what is wrong, fix it, and then defrost the coil. If left without repair, the ice will continue to grow until it blocks the coil from performing heat exchange.
- Blower motor malfunction: The blower fan is essential both for sending conditioned air into the ventilation system and for running warm air across the evaporator coil to remove its heat. If the blower fan motor starts to fail due to wear, loss of lubrication, or electrical issues, it could cause the blower to stop entirely and prevent the AC from cooling. Major mechanical issues like this always require a technician to fix.
- Clogged air filter: The evaporator unit draws air into it through the return vents, and these vents can carry large amounts of dust, dander, and fibers that may damage the interior of the AC. To prevent these contaminants from entering the evaporator, an air filter traps the particles. But unless the air filter is changed regularly, it will become clogged and eventually begin to impede airflow into the system, leading to excess strain and higher AC bills. Make sure to change the filter once a month during air conditioning season, and call for technicians if a clogged filter has triggered a malfunction inside the AC.
Aside from routinely changing the filter, do not attempt to repair an AC on your own. Always call for professionally trained air conditioning repair in Spokane, WA from an experienced company with a long history. ACI Northwest is here for your cooling and heating needs, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Why Consider Ductless Air Conditioning?
Wednesday, July 30th, 2014Ductless air conditioning is a great cooling option that is often overlooked by homeowners. Many homes come equipped with ducts that join with an air conditioning system to provide cool air. But sometimes, homes don’t have any pre-existing ductwork, or a homeowner may choose to add a new room in which extending the ductwork may be cumbersome.
Ductless air conditioning systems provide homeowners another option for air conditioning in Coeur d’Alene. Instead of using ducts to distribute air, ductless systems use multiple indoor air handlers at various locations throughout the home. The indoor air handlers do the job of the indoor evaporator unit of conventional systems, but also distribute cool air into the rooms directly. While these systems may be more expensive than central air conditioning systems, the benefits may be worth the cost.
- No Major Renovations Required: Ductwork installation creates an unwanted disturbance for many homeowners. Besides, many homes cannot accommodate ductwork due to the layout of the home. Ductless installation only requires a small hole be drilled into the wall for the refrigerant line.
- Eliminate Duct Loss: Unfortunately, a lot of energy is often lost in many ducted systems due to leaks, holes, and poorly installed ducts with loose connections. This means that most homeowners lose money cooling an unoccupied area of the house like the attic, a problem you’ll never have when you go ductless.
- Higher SEER: The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), which you can find printed on the EnergyGuide label of all air conditioners, can help you determine how efficient your air conditioner is and how much money you’ll save every month. Ductless air conditioners have significantly higher SEERs than many other systems, meaning you’ll pay a lot less than homeowners with central air.
- Zone Control: Another reason to consider ductless air conditioning is zone control. Each indoor air handler is controlled by its own thermostat, which allows you to vary the temperature throughout the house according to each person’s temperature needs. You can also save money by shutting off the AC in unoccupied areas of the home.
To hear from an expert about the benefits of ductless air conditioning in Coeur d’Alene, call ACI Northwest today!
Upgrades That Can Make Your AC More Energy Efficient
Friday, July 25th, 2014Many homeowners will do anything possible to lower their energy bills. But when you turn off your air conditioner or raise the temperature to save money, you give up your family’s comfort. Fortunately, there are other ways to save on cooling costs this summer without making your family feel the heat.
There are a few simple ways to make your AC more energy efficient, such as cleaning the air filters once a month and scheduling maintenance with an air conditioning technician. Dirty air filters can block airflow, causing your AC to run longer. An air conditioning maintenance technician can clean the components of your system for increased efficiency.
But another great way to increase the efficiency of your AC is by calling a technician to install money-saving upgrades for your system. A new programmable thermostat or zone control system may be the most enjoyable way for you to take advantage of the increased efficiency of your air conditioner this summer.
Thermostat Options
One upgrade you might consider is a digital, programmable thermostat. Manual thermostats are occasionally difficult to read which means your temperature reading is often inaccurate, raising your energy bills. If the temperature is even one or two degrees lower than you needed it to be, it can cause your bills to be significantly higher.
Digital, programmable thermostats have a clear display, so you’ll never set the temperature higher or lower than you want. Furthermore, you can program your digital thermostat to adjust the temperature throughout the day to save money when you are not home or during peak hours. For example, you can set the AC to switch on twenty minutes before you arrive home to avoid spending money on your AC bill when you’re not there.
Zone Control Systems
Another energy-saving upgrade is a zone control system. Zone control allows you the opportunity to choose the temperature in various areas of your home. If your family members rarely use every room at once, zone control is a great opportunity to save money by raising the temperature in unoccupied rooms while keeping others cool.
If you want air conditioning upgrades in Coeur d’Alene, call the professionals at ACI Northwest today!