Spring is here, morels are up and the Royals are playing ball: With the crazy spikes in temperatures we have already seen, it is a good reminder that the hot and humid summer is not far behind. Unfortunately, many AC systems go months or years without professional service. Many times, we do not get called until your system has stopped working.
Spring maintenance can help ensure that your system is operating at its best and help eliminate some emergency calls on the hottest days of the year. We run many calls every year due to dirty filters and dirty condenser coils. A spring tune up and properly serviced system can ensure your system’s refrigerant charge is correct, condenser coil and air filter are clean, which ensure proper air flow and system efficiency.
Clean coil: Over time evaporator and condenser coils build up dust, dirt and especially in our area cotton from the cottonwood trees. This build up prevents the system from properly transferring heat which result in higher utility bills and less comfort in your home. When a coil goes without maintenance for an extended period the result can be the system not working at all. Sometimes this is a simple fix by performing a thorough general service, but it can also lead to more severe issues like a failed compressor which can lead to a complete system replacement.
Air flow: When I was brought up in this industry, I thought that “air flow is everything.” The systems installed in your house were designed with very specific air flow calculations in mind. Air conditioning systems are designed to move between 350 and 400 cfm per ton. Dirty air filters, restricted ductwork, or improper blower speed settings can cause a significant reduction in CFM. When we have low air flow it will decrease the efficiency of the system significantly, it will affect the operating pressures of the refrigerant system and can be extreme enough for the system to freeze up and ultimately stop working. Even with an industry that is constantly changing it’s minimum efficiency standards, the types of refrigerants we use and the way our systems operate; the one thing that has not changed is that “air flow is everything”.
Refrigerant charge: After coils have been cleaned and filters have been replaced the final critical step is checking the refrigerant charge. Whether your system has the old R-22, not so old R-410a, or one of the new AL2 “454b” refrigerants, correct charge is crucial. An overcharged or undercharged system will affect the overall efficiency and capacity of the system. Symptoms of an improperly charged AC unit are not keeping up with temperature set points, high utility bills, noisy compressors, frozen lines, or the system not operating at all.
Comfort: We all want to be comfortable in our homes and after proper service we still have issues like high humidity, stale air, or the biggest complaint I hear – hot second floor. There are many solutions from add-on components like UV lights, better air filter systems, or mechanical zone control for which I have seen an increasing need. In many cases of an uncomfortable second floor, we can add mechanical zone control that consists of installing powered dampers in the first and second floor ductwork. We then install an additional thermostat on the second floor, when the first-floor thermostat has satisfied that damper closes, the system continues to run and forces the full capacity of the system to the second floor until it reaches the desired temperature. In my 25+ years experience in this industry no other addition to a system has made a bigger impact to the comfort of a house than zone control.
Whether you currently have an existing company or you would like us to come out and service your system, I hope I have helped you understand your heating and cooling system a little better. We are right around the corner and happy to help with any service, repair, replacement, or second opinions you may need for your HVAC system.
