What are you looking for? Heat Pump Package UnitsThere are few routine household maintenance chores that pay off more than keeping a maintenance schedule for your air conditioning unit. Not only will you give yourself the best chance at staying cool all summer and avoiding emergency breakdowns, but you’ll also save money on your energy bills. A well maintained AC unit will run more efficiently, use less energy, and cost less money to run. A properly maintained system will also last longer before needing to be replaced. It should be noted that there are some tasks that can be done by the average homeowner, but others should not be performed by anyone who doesn’t have the proper training and a license. If at any time you are uncomfortable with performing maintenance tasks yourself, never hesitate to call on a professional to do it for you. Always observe safety precautions; and before you perform any work on your outdoor unit, ALWAYS shut down the power to the unit at your electrical box first.

Replacing your air conditioner air filter (or cleaning it, if you have a reusable filter) is one of the most important regular AC maintenance chores. It should be done every month during high-use seasons (like summer and winter) and once during the fall and spring. When the filter becomes full of dust, dirt and allergen particles, the air flow will decrease, making your system work harder than it should have to. The air flowing through your system may also become dirtier, dustier, and prone to triggering allergy and asthma symptoms for those residing in the home. Before working on an air conditioner, ALWAYS start by turning off the power to the unit, which can be done at the service disconnect on your outdoor unit or at the main breaker panel of your home. Next, remove the access panel on your condensing unit and see if you see any signs of overheating – melted insulation on wires, blackened or burned-looking wires, and the like. You can also check any electrical connections to make sure they are tight.

If you own an electrical test meter, you can check the capacitors in the unit. Take a look at the contactor switch, and replace it if you see excessive pitting. If you see any of the above problems and do not feel comfortable replacing the parts yourself, always call a local heating and air conditioning expert to do the work for you. Check your thermostat to make sure it’s working properly and keeps your home at the right temperature. gibson air conditioner wall unitIf you have an older, mechanical type thermostat, you may want to consider upgrading to a programmable model.indoor portable ac unit walmart A programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperature higher when no one is home (do not turn the AC off, just up), and cool the house down about 30 minutes before people arrive home for the evening.rheem central air conditioning units reviews

That way you’ll always have a comfortable home waiting for you, and you’ll save energy and money by not having your AC running all day when no one is at home. Turn the power off to your air conditioner unit, and check the fan mounted on the top of the outside condenser unit to make sure it’s still in good condition. Replace the fan blades if there are any cracks or chips visible in one or more of the blades. If you have an older air conditioner unit, the fan motor bearings may need to be oiled regularly as well. Over time leaves, dirt, grass clippings and the like will build up on the outside of the air conditioner unit, decreasing system capacity and reducing air flow. After shutting off the power to the unit, use a garden hose to gently wash out the debris, starting at the top with the hose at about a 45° angle. Do NOT use a power washer, and take care not to bend or damage the delicate fins on the coil. You should also trim any shrubs or other plants back from around your air conditioner to keep from impeding air flow to and from the unit.

Properly maintaining your air conditioning unit will be of great benefit in terms of saving money, saving energy, and keeping you comfortable during the hottest days of the summer. Your local heating and air conditioning company will always be more than happy to help you with any and all of your air conditioning needs. They can also check your air conditioner and perform additional maintenance tasks on an annual basis that will ensure your AC unit performs as efficiently as possible for as many years as possible.If you took a minute to step outside your house in Charlotte this week, you know it’s here… With temps floating into the 90’s for the 8th straight day, you can rest assured that Charlotte air conditioner repair companies are running full steam ahead to keep their customers cool during the heat spell. In a previous article, we discussed the cost to recharge a home air conditioner or heat pump on your Charlotte area central HVAC system, and in this Charlotte HVAC Guide, we are going to look at how many pounds of freon or refrigerant a system can hold.

The general rule amount that can be estimated is in the 2-4 pounds per ton of cooling for your system. Disclaimer: This rule of thumb is VERY general and there are several variables that come into play. My Carrier 3-ton system may use 4-5 pounds, while your Goodman heat pump may use 5-6. The ONLY way to know for sure is to read the label on the side of the unit, and have your installer or service company provide the info for you. As always, we recommend comparison shopping for installation and repairs as often as you can. Just like any other factor in pricing, you may find that 3 Charlotte AC repair contractors have 3 completely different prices for the same product or service. Take a look at the important variables that can affect how many pounds of freon your AC or Heat Pump may need. Probably one of the biggest factors, the size of your home AC or heat pump is going to have a significant effect on the amount of freon it uses on its own, but it will also have a downwind effect on several of the other factors listed below.

For example, a larger condensing unit, needs a larger liquid line on the lineset… which also means more capacity. Length and Size of Copper Lineset The farther distance between the condensing unit and the evaporator coil, means a longer lineset is used to connect the two. Most AC units come from the factory with enough of a charge for the unit, and 15 feet of lineset. Longer distances require additional freon. Larger capacity units also use a larger diameter tubing on the lineset, which will require more freon. SEER Rating, or Operating Efficiency If you have seen a 10 SEER system, you know they are roughly 20-30 inches tall with a 24 inch base. Essentially, a nice, small footprint. A comparable 15 SEER condensing unit may be 4 feet tall, with a 36 inch base, and be 2-3 times the size of the lower efficiency unit. This is due to all the extra coil surface required to generate the higher efficiency cooling, and thus… more freon is needed to fully charge the coil.

It’s common to use a larger evaporator coil with an AC unit. In most cases, it can provide higher efficiency due to the larger coil area. Along with the added coil surface, you may need additional freon capacity to fill it. A split system, where the condensing unit is outside and the air handler, furnace and coil are inside (aka Split) is going to have to accommodate for different coils, linesets, and several other factors that were determined by the installer when the unit was first put into use. A Packaged HVAC System, or “All in One” has everything in one cabinet outside the home. There are no different coil sizes to deal with and the lines connecting everything are self-contained in the same box. Fortunately, most Charlotte AC Contractors are honest and treat customers fairly. If you think you may have been taken advantage of during a recent home ac recharge, make sure you ask them about it and give them a fair chance to explain their pricing and reasons for using the amount of refrigerant they did.