timboellner
Member
Every summer rolls around and it seems like a lot of people are surprised that their air-conditioning system isn't working, or not working very well.
I don't know how hot it is where you live but it's 100 degrees here in lovely Baltimore today, and has set heat records 4 times in the last 2 weeks.
Couple that with high humidity and you have a recipe for some pretty miserable nights sleep if your a/c system is crap.
I service residential a/c systems and every year see the same old thing.
Memorial day weekend, 96 degrees and some people are turning their a/c on for the first time for summer weather. The stupidity starts here. After all we've had hot weather on and off for a month or so.
Let me tell you that a residential service call during working hours starts with a $115 fee to show up at your door. After that the sky's the limit after diagnosing what's wrong and making repairs. Weekend and after hour rates will require you to practically make a bank loan necessary.
A large percentage of what I see could be avoided if people would use their noodle and put a little TLC into their equipment. You guys are handy enough to arm yourself with a little bit of knowledge and work on something that doesn't have wheels.
Central a/c units are a mechanical system just like a car, motorized bike , or anything else with moving parts that are subject to wear and tear, and Mother Nature's wrath.
If you can build a bike from the ground up, you can take some of that skill and mechanical know-how and take some simple preventative measures to possibly ward off calling in the pro's.
Here's some Do's and Don'ts::::::::::::
1) Change your air filter every 30 days . Make sure it is the right size for your filter rack. Buy a decent pleated filter, ditch the cheapo blue fiberglass ones.
Neglecting to do so will filth up your indoor evaporator coil and blower, it will freeze into a large block of ice, kill the air flow out of your registers and possibly damage your $$$ compressor. It's the single most important thing you can do to save you money and keep old Bessy running for a long time.
2) Clear away overgrown bushes, plants etc from your outdoor unit so it can breathe. Overhanging limbs should be at least 4 feet above the top of the unit to avoid re-circulating hot discharge air. Plants, fences etc should be at least 1 foot away from the sides. Keep clearance for the service access panel so someone can inevitably work on it. Not everyone is thin like me.
3) Periodically take a garden hose and clean that outdoor condenser coil.
The best way is to squirt from the inside out. At least take a look at it see what you may be capable of doing if it a metal louvered jacket surrounds the outside. Some aren't too difficult to remove if you are inclined. Squirt straight down from the top ,working your way to the bottom if that's the best you can do.
A dirty outdoor coil does many bad things to your expensive outdoor unit.
High temperatures, high pressures, high current draw, decreased cooling capacity, and significantly shorter equipment lifespan to name a few.
4) Don't blow lawn clippings from the mower at the outdoor unit.
Don't weed wack the wiring and refrigerant lines.
Don't let your dog wizz on the unit. It literally eats the aluminum fins right off the coil.
5) If you have the ability to clean the drain line do so. Air-conditioners can easily make 10 gallons of condensation in a day in humid climates.
This can make a heck of a mess all over the floor, and really trash a gas or oil furnace if this water runs down through the heat exchanger and electronic components inside.
6) Don't set your thermostat below 70 degrees. You'll freeze the sucker and run it to it's death.
7) Feel your refrigerant lines to get an idea how it's doing.
The larger copper tubing with pipe insulation on it (suction line) should feel cold if you can access an uninsulated spot at either end. It should never have ice on it, or be anything but cold while it's running.
The smaller copper line (liquid line) should feel body temperature or quite warm on a hot day. If it's hot or burns your hand you've got issues to address. The outdoor coil is dirty or refrigerant has been overcharged.
8) Get it looked at by a reputable company every year if you can afford it. At least every 5 years whether you can afford it or not.
They can clean and oil motors and blowers, check refrigerant levels, and give an overall check up. A stitch in time saves nine...
By all means don't run it if you think something is wrong with it. Customers tell me they left it on because they thought it would "fix itself". Ok whatever.
If you have any questions or want advice or specific information P.M. me..
Advice is free.... repairmen aren't
TiM
I don't know how hot it is where you live but it's 100 degrees here in lovely Baltimore today, and has set heat records 4 times in the last 2 weeks.
Couple that with high humidity and you have a recipe for some pretty miserable nights sleep if your a/c system is crap.
I service residential a/c systems and every year see the same old thing.
Memorial day weekend, 96 degrees and some people are turning their a/c on for the first time for summer weather. The stupidity starts here. After all we've had hot weather on and off for a month or so.
Let me tell you that a residential service call during working hours starts with a $115 fee to show up at your door. After that the sky's the limit after diagnosing what's wrong and making repairs. Weekend and after hour rates will require you to practically make a bank loan necessary.
A large percentage of what I see could be avoided if people would use their noodle and put a little TLC into their equipment. You guys are handy enough to arm yourself with a little bit of knowledge and work on something that doesn't have wheels.
Central a/c units are a mechanical system just like a car, motorized bike , or anything else with moving parts that are subject to wear and tear, and Mother Nature's wrath.
If you can build a bike from the ground up, you can take some of that skill and mechanical know-how and take some simple preventative measures to possibly ward off calling in the pro's.
Here's some Do's and Don'ts::::::::::::
1) Change your air filter every 30 days . Make sure it is the right size for your filter rack. Buy a decent pleated filter, ditch the cheapo blue fiberglass ones.
Neglecting to do so will filth up your indoor evaporator coil and blower, it will freeze into a large block of ice, kill the air flow out of your registers and possibly damage your $$$ compressor. It's the single most important thing you can do to save you money and keep old Bessy running for a long time.
2) Clear away overgrown bushes, plants etc from your outdoor unit so it can breathe. Overhanging limbs should be at least 4 feet above the top of the unit to avoid re-circulating hot discharge air. Plants, fences etc should be at least 1 foot away from the sides. Keep clearance for the service access panel so someone can inevitably work on it. Not everyone is thin like me.
3) Periodically take a garden hose and clean that outdoor condenser coil.
The best way is to squirt from the inside out. At least take a look at it see what you may be capable of doing if it a metal louvered jacket surrounds the outside. Some aren't too difficult to remove if you are inclined. Squirt straight down from the top ,working your way to the bottom if that's the best you can do.
A dirty outdoor coil does many bad things to your expensive outdoor unit.
High temperatures, high pressures, high current draw, decreased cooling capacity, and significantly shorter equipment lifespan to name a few.
4) Don't blow lawn clippings from the mower at the outdoor unit.
Don't weed wack the wiring and refrigerant lines.
Don't let your dog wizz on the unit. It literally eats the aluminum fins right off the coil.
5) If you have the ability to clean the drain line do so. Air-conditioners can easily make 10 gallons of condensation in a day in humid climates.
This can make a heck of a mess all over the floor, and really trash a gas or oil furnace if this water runs down through the heat exchanger and electronic components inside.
6) Don't set your thermostat below 70 degrees. You'll freeze the sucker and run it to it's death.
7) Feel your refrigerant lines to get an idea how it's doing.
The larger copper tubing with pipe insulation on it (suction line) should feel cold if you can access an uninsulated spot at either end. It should never have ice on it, or be anything but cold while it's running.
The smaller copper line (liquid line) should feel body temperature or quite warm on a hot day. If it's hot or burns your hand you've got issues to address. The outdoor coil is dirty or refrigerant has been overcharged.
8) Get it looked at by a reputable company every year if you can afford it. At least every 5 years whether you can afford it or not.
They can clean and oil motors and blowers, check refrigerant levels, and give an overall check up. A stitch in time saves nine...
By all means don't run it if you think something is wrong with it. Customers tell me they left it on because they thought it would "fix itself". Ok whatever.
If you have any questions or want advice or specific information P.M. me..
Advice is free.... repairmen aren't
TiM
