A hot car in the summer is all but unbearable especially in very hot climates. Many things can go wrong with a car or truck A/C system with the most common being the unit has a low refrigerant charge. Once all other possible problems are eliminated than recharging a system is a easy task that most any home DIY mechanic can do. Refrigerant recharging kits are readily available that anyone can buy to get their A/C back to blowing cold air. Here is a popular recharging kit on Amazon. Interdynamics AFK-11CS Arctic Freeze Ultra Synthetic Recharging Kit with UV Dye and UV Light What Refrigerant Does your Car or Truck Use? There are two types of refrigerant often called Freon that vehicles use R12 and R134. R12 is mainly used in older cars and trucks built before 1995. R134 is used on vehicles built after 1995. If your vehicle was built after 1995 than it more than likley uses R134 as R12 was banned do to environmental concerns. For those who have a vehicle built close the 1995 date a sticker should be located on the system somewhere that displays the refrigerant used or alternatively it can be looked up online.

How to Recharge a Car or Truck Air Conditioner A recharge kit is needed. In this example we are using the Interdynamics AFK-11CS Arctic Freeze Ultra Synthetic Recharging Kit which is a popular R134 option. Be sure to were gloves and eye protection in case of any accidents. A 14oz can of R-134a is in the kit which the top plastic cap needs to be removed. The cap is than screwed onto the bottle. A/C systems have two tubing lines for High Pressure and Low Pressure. Locate the Low Side port on the A/C system. The Low side port will always be on the larger diameter tubing. Next start the engine and turn the air conditioning to Max Cool with the fan set to the highest setting. Check and be sure the compressor is running as it needs to be running to get a charge into the system. You will know if it is running as it will be spinning. Attach the hose from the bottle to the Low Side port. The gauge will show what the charge state of the system is.

Keep in mind overcharging a system can possibly damage components and the unit will not work properly. When adding Freon into the system do it slowly and check the gauge as to get the right amount into the system. The gauge will show Green for Low, Blue for Filled, Yellow for Alert, and Red for a Overcharge. To add more refrigerant squeeze the trigger on the can. Once the unit is charged remove the hose and replace the cap. The unit should now be fully charged. Charging a vehicles air conditioning system is a easy task that most any backyard mechanic can do. As when working on any car problem be sure to wear the correct protective gear. Before charging a unit be sure of what the problem is. If it is only a slow leak than a cheap DIY charge may be a good temporary solution. Also before charging be sure the compressor is running as that may point to a another problem. Iconic One Pro Theme | Now that we’re halfway through the summer your air conditioner may be showing its age.

If it’s not cooling properly, there are some simple things you can check like the filter. Other issues are more serious and may require you to call a pro. Here are some common problems and what to do about them with advice from the experts at Consumer Reports and the Department of Energy.wall ac unit 18000 btu Won’t start at all. fan coil unit and ahuIf your air conditioner won’t start, the compressor and fan controls could be worn out from the system turning on and off too frequently. airforce air conditioning unit sparesIf this is the case, you should call a technician to check the electrical connections.Check your thermostat to make sure it’s set properly and that it’s reading the correct temperature. On but not cooling.

Your refrigerant could be low or leaking. Call a pro to repair any leaks and recharge the system. Not working like it used to. If you have a window unit, the thermostat sensor may be knocked out of position. Carefully bend the wire holding it in place to properly position it.Check your unit’s drain to make sure it isn’t clogged. If it is, carefully pass a stiff wire through it.A clogged filter restricts airflow through the unit decreasing its efficiency and reducing the ability to effectively cool the air. If you haven’t already cleaned your filter this summer, do it now. Warm air is leaking in. Check the window seals around your unit to make sure hot air isn’t getting in or cold air seeping out. If so, reseal around your unit. Top air conditioners from our tests If your air conditioner is a goner, it’s time to get a new one. When buying a window air conditioner, make sure you get the right size air conditioner for your room. Too small and you’ll be uncomfortable, too big and your room will cool too quickly without removing enough moisture from the air, leaving you cold and clammy.

Here’s a top performer for each size we test. Small: GE AEM05LS, $210, a CR Best Buy Medium: LG LW8014ER, $240 Large: LG LW1214ER, $350In our survey of 34,000 of our readers who recently installed central air conditioning, American Standard, Bryant, and Trane logged the fewest repairs. Choosing one of the more reliable brands in our survey can boost the odds that you’ll be comfortable for the rest of the summer. —Mary H.J. Farrell (@mhjfarrell on Twitter) View and compare all Air conditioners ratings.There are many types of air filters on the market these days, but which one is best?  We are often asked the question, do electrostatic air filters work?  The real answer is, it depends.  Electrostatic air filters are washable furnace filters that can be very useful for certain uses, but whether or not they should be used in your house is a much broader question.  If someone in your home suffers from asthma or severe allergies then the answer will likely change.  

As a general rule, electrostatic air filters cannot even come close to the filtration power of a high quality anti-allergen filter from 3M or Honeywell, but that doesn’t mean you should rule them out altogether.  Those of you who read our articles regularly, know that we are a small, U.S. Veteran-Owned HVAC company in Southern California, and pride ourselves in giving people honest, straight answers to their questions.  In this article, we will discuss what an electrostatic air filter is, how it works, the pros and cons of using one and whether or not washable furnace filters would work for your home. Electrostatic air filters are washable air filters that theoretically never need to be replaced.  I say ‘theoretically’ because I have a hard time believing that something that is subjected to dirt and debris regularly will work indefinitely, but that is the standard claim.  The idea is that instead of replacing your electrostatic air filter at regular intervals like you would a conventional air filter, you take them out back and wash them off with a hose about once a month.  

This is a handy trick if you are sick of spending money on conventional air filters, but do electrostatic air filters work?  They do work, but the question is do they work as well as a conventional air filter? For more information on conventional air filters and how often you should change them, take a look at: Air Conditioning Filter Change – How Often Should I Do It? These washable furnace filters work by having multiple layers of vented metal which the air passes through.  As the air passes through the first layer of filtration, the air molecules are positively charged by the friction between the air and the filter.  The now positively charged air molecules attach themselves to the next few layers as they pass through the rest of the filter.  Think about it as working kind of like walking across the carpet with your socks on and then touching a door knob – the process of walking across the carpet charges you with static electricity which is then released when you touch a grounded surface like a door knob.  

Only instead of your socks scooting across a carpet, it is the air scooting across your air filter that creates a charge and traps dust particles in the air filter.  For more information on electrostatics, try this short vintage physics video – it’s worth a look: Electrostatics – How Electrostatic Air Filters Filter Air. One of the most attractive parts of washable air filters is the fact that you never have to buy a new one.  This is definitely a plus, I mean who wants to buy a new air filter every few months?  Even if you opt for the cheaper air filters that run you 50 cents each (which I do not recommend), you still have to go through the hassle of buying them and replacing them on a regular basis and who wants to deal with that? The other appealing part about using electrostatic air filters is the price.  If you are buying high quality air filters then you may be spending $15 every few months which adds up to around $60 each and every year.  Now even though this might not break the bank, it can add up over time.  

Washable furnace filters cost around $50 to $60 each but never have to be replaced, meaning that they pay for themselves in the first year of their use.  You can’t argue with the cost of these filters, so it may be an option to keep in mind. I have to say that the cons of an electrostatic air filter far outweigh the pros, in my opinion.  There are several problems with a washable air filter, ranging from how effectively they filter your air to how often they have to be washed.  Some of these problems are a matter of preference, but some can’t be argued with and should be kept in mind before making your decision: Electrostatic air filters can only filter so much.  One of the problems with electrostatic filtration is that it relies on static electricity to operate.  What I mean by this is that static electricity is powerful enough to filter small, lighter dust particles out of the air but what about larger dust and dirt particles?  Unfortunately, this is one of the areas that electrostatic filtration falls short in.  

An electrostatic air filter will never be able to filter as well as a high quality HEPA filter or even a moderate 1200 MPR filter (micro particle performance rating).  These filters are designed to filter out everything down to a certain specification size and are good at what they do.  If you have someone in your house who suffers from asthma or bad allergies, then I’d definitely recommend you avoid washable furnace filters and instead opt for a high-filtration replaceable filter with at least a 1400 MPR.  For more information on this, take a look at: How to Reduce Asthma Symptoms and How Your Air Conditioner Can Help. Other problems with electrostatic air filters include: Just food for thought before investing in a washable air filter.  For information on how to prevent mold and whether or not you need to have your air ducts cleaned, take a look at these helpful articles: Should I Have My Air Ducts Cleaned? How Do You Prevent Mold? It depends on what you mean by ‘work.’  

They do remove some dust particles from your air, but overall I do not recommend electrostatic air filters for home use.  Electrostatic air filters are an interesting technology but they just won’t work as well as a 3M 1600 MPR and they never will.  The nasty stuff that is in your air needs to be removed for the health of you, your family and your air conditioner.  A disposable filter allows you to do this, then throw this nastiness into the garbage where it belongs.  In the end, although they are a great idea in principle they just won’t filter your air as well as a conventional air filter will.  If you add in the hassle of having to spend 20 minutes a month washing it, then you just aren’t coming out ahead in the long run.  For more information on washable furnace filters and other related topics, visit our air conditioning blog.  If something a contractor is telling you doesn’t seem quite right, consider using our Online Air Conditioning Consultation Service – we’d be happy to answer any questions that you might have.