Getting the Most from Your Air Conditioning

Air Conditioner

As the weather heats up outside, your air conditioner will get a real work out keeping your home cool to ensure your family's comfort. As the season approaches, it is important to learn how to save energy by using a programmable thermostat to control the temperature. However, it is also important to make sure you are as comfortable as you desire at the same time. These tips will help you stay comfortable and reduce your energy bills.

Programming the Thermostat

One of the most difficult aspects of a programmable thermostat for your air conditioner is how to set it. Think about the times when you will be home and what the temperature outside will be doing. The first step is to determine the right temperature to meet your needs, which is typically about 78 degrees. Once you have that temperature in mind, use that temperature when you are home and awake. Next, set the hours you are typically sleeping and increase the temperature by a couple of degrees. You won't notice while you sleep, but your cooling bill will! Finally, set the hours when you will be out of the home and set that temperature five to 10 degrees warmer than your desired temperature. Make sure it will return to your desired temperature about half an hour before you return home.

Use Other Appliances

You can save money and keep your home more comfortable by using other appliances in conjunction with your air conditioning unit. For instance, keeping the fan on within your air conditioner, as well as running additional fans in your home, can spread around the cool air and help you stay comfortable without adding on to your energy bills. A dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air can also help make your home comfortable and reduce the strain on your unit as well.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Your air conditioner requires regular maintenance to keep it running at its peak performance. This includes changing your air filter on a regular basis, no less than once every few months. Many manufacturers recommend once a month for filter replacements. It is also important to hire a professional to inspect your unit for any potential problems, including those that aren't yet noticeable to you. If the technician locates any problems, he will be able to fix them before they become a major problem.

Saving energy is an important topic in today's world, but you want to keep your home comfortable in the summer months as well. Installing and properly using a programmable thermostat will ensure your home remains at a suitable temperature without increasing your energy bills. Regular maintenance and the use of other appliances can also work toward these results.

Campbell Appliance Heating And Air Inc

3591 Rocking J Rd

Round Rock, TX 78665

(512) 255-0506

http://www.ac-repair-round-rock.com

The History of Air Conditioning

The warmer months are coming, which means it’s time to fire up the air conditioner. Do you know how this amazingly cool device came to be? Read on to discover the history of air conditioning.

Air Conditioning History

The first crude "air conditioners" were employed by the ancient Egyptians. Reeds soaked in trickling water and hung in the window cooled off the room but also made it more humid, which worked in Egypt's arid climate. But going as far back as 1758, Ben Franklin worked with a chemistry professor at Cambridge University to look into evaporation as a means of cooling.

Then, in 1820, British scientist Michael Faraday compressed and liquefied ammonia, allowing the ammonia to evaporate and using it as a chilling agent. And in 1842, a Florida doctor, John Gorrie, made the first ice using compressors for his patients, since he thought humidity caused disease. But Gorrie saw beyond the ice’s initial application -- he wanted to use the technology to cool buildings, especially in Florida's hot weather. He suspended his man-made ice in a basin above a small room. A pipe above the basin, tied into the chimney, forced hot air out and cool air in. Modern refrigeration is based on Gorrie's principles, and he is considered the inventor of air conditioning.

Electromechanical cooling came about by the hand of Willis Carrier of Buffalo, New York, in 1902. His invention moved cold air through coils cooled with cold water. The air came out chilled, which also allowed for controlling humidity. This process is called evaporative cooling.

A few years later, in 1945, Robert Sherman of Lynn, Massachusetts, invented the first portable air conditioner unit for the window. His unit heated and cooled and humidified and dehumidified the air while filtering it. Sherman’s patent was stolen by a large company, and he never was recognized for his invention in his lifetime.

Air Conditioner Comfort

It's important to note that the first air conditioners used toxic and flammable gases, such as ammonia, methyl chloride, or propane, in their application. The nontoxic, nonflammable chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas Freon was invented in 1928. The most common refrigerant gas used in the US for home and building comfort cooling was R-22, and R-12 was used in automobile air conditioners. Since these are greenhouse gases that have environmental implications, CFCs like R-22 and R-12 are slowly being phased out in favor of more environmentally friendly refrigerants. The emphasis now is also on improving indoor air quality and removing pollutants and allergens through the filtration air conditioning provides.

Its amazing how far we have come on staying comfortable during the hot summer months. Make sure your air conditioner, no matter how old continues to run at peak performance. Call us for ac repair or service today! 

Campbell Appliance Heating And Air Inc

3591 Rocking J Rd

Round Rock, TX 78665

(512) 255-0506

http://www.ac-repair-round-rock.com

The Importance of Air Conditioner Service and Maintenance

Preventative maintenance of your air-conditioning system is inexpensive, while replacement costs are extremely high. It makes sense and saves money to have your AC system serviced on a regular basis. When air conditioners fail due to lack of maintenance, they are likely to stop working at the most inconvenient time. When the system is stressed due to higher than normal use, during hot weather, you will have to tolerate the heat while you wait for a repair technician.

Even when systems are running well, they require regular maintenance. Without periodic maintenance an air conditioner loses about 5% of its original efficiency every year you operate it. Routine maintenance will protect your AC from almost all energy loss. Regular tune-ups will typically keep an AC unit running at 95% of its efficiency at the time of purchase. An annual tune-up will give you a lower electric bill and lower repair costs. The humidity levels in your home will also be reduced.

Tips on Preventative Maintenance

To avoid AC repair calls, air conditioners should be serviced before something goes wrong. Periodic cleaning and maintenance will keep your system running efficiently.

Your AC filter requires monthly replacement. You can also dry vacuum your air-conditioning drain to remove the dirt. An AC repair technician can vacuum the drain with a high pressure vacuum during his annual maintenance visit. This can prevent backup that causes mold to grow in your AC system. It can also prevent water damage to the interior of your home or business.

The air-conditioner coils also need to be cleaned. The power must be turned off first. Next, you can hose the coils down with water. While wearing safety glasses and gloves, spray on commercial air-conditioning cleaner. Wait twenty minutes then rinse the coils thoroughly.

Signs that an Air Conditioner Needs Service

Any one or more of the following conditions indicates a problem with your AC system. Ignoring these conditions or putting off a call for AC repair will only make conditions worse and more costly.

·         The air conditioner is constantly running.

·         The system is failing to cool sufficiently.

·         Despite the thermostat setting, the temperature is on arctic cold.

·         There is no air blowing from the vents.

Top Causes of Air Conditioner Malfunction

Here are some common AC problems that occur inside the house:

1.     Clogged filters cause condensers to malfunction. Filters must be changed once a month.

2.     Dirty air filters can cause condenser fins to clog. Cleaning with fin brushes can get rid of this problem.

3.     Condenser fins may clog when debris accumulates from a dirty air filter. Cleaning the fins with special purpose brushes can eliminate most of this problem.

4.     Low Freon pressure can only be fixed by someone with an EPA license

This is a list of common outdoor AC problems:

1) When the outside condenser fan burns out, an AC serviceman must do the repairs.

2. A malfunctioning contactor may be identified by a loud buzzing sound. Installing a new contactor will fix this problem.

3. Inefficient AC functioning can be caused by melting of the connectors. Unless you are comfortable doing electrical work, you should call a professional to replace the breaker.

Cost of AC System Replacement

Replacing your AC system can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $7,000. When you perform routine maintenance on your AC system, you will substantially lower your electric consumption and you won’t have an enormous amount to pay for a replacement system. Regular Air Conditioning service will save you money on your electric bill throughout the year.

Campbell Appliance Heating And Air Inc
3591 Rocking J Rd
Round Rock, TX 78665
(512) 255-0506
http://www.ac-repair-round-rock.com/

http://www.campbellapplianceheatingandair.com/