Proper maintenance is crucial for optimal AC performance. As your AC unit works hard to keep you cool this summer, what issues should you look for? When should you call for AC service, and what can you do to prevent malfunctions, repairs and replacements?
When the temperature rises, use the following guide to keep your AC in top shape. Look for these issues to ensure your AC is performing at top capacity and to prevent major damage or unnecessary repairs. For additional tips, consult with your local AC service.
Check the Thermostat
Do you have a programmable thermostat? It can be tempting to set this device and forget about it for the rest of the season. But it’s a good idea to check this occasionally. Some thermostats require battery replacement. Others may be bumped accidentally, and their settings may get changed. Keep an eye on your thermostat to make sure it is functioning properly, especially if you notice any issues with your AC service. You might not need repairs to the unit. Instead, it might be a simple fix with your thermostat.
Check the Coolant
If your unit is leaking coolant, you need immediate AC service. Keep an eye on your unit so you discover any leaks right away. Look for water pooling around your air conditioner or ice on the evaporator coil. Other signs of leaking coolant are when the unit turns off and on rapidly or makes a hissing noise. Keep in mind that regulations have changed regarding freon, so you may need to replace your unit if you have a coolant leak.
Check the Air Ducts
If you notice that your AC doesn’t seem to be cooling as efficiently as it used to, this may be due to leaky air ducts. You may notice less comfortable surroundings in your home, or higher utility bills. The leaky ducts may be allowing all your cool air to escape rather than make your home cool and comfy. If you suspect that you have leaky air ducts, contact your local AC service for an inspection and repairs. You’ll save money in the long run by creating a more efficient system with tightly sealed air ducts.
Check the Operation
You should have your system inspected by a professional AC service once each cooling season. This service will allow the technician to discover any minor issues before they become major. The technician can clean the unit and tighten and repair anything that requires attention, which will reduce the amount of repairs the unit will need in the future. This consistent service can help extend the life of your AC unit and ensure you have reliable, smooth service all summer long.
Look to the Pros
To keep your AC system in top shape this summer, partner with the professionals at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. Since 1999, we’ve been the area’s go-to source for residential and commercial AC service. Reach out to us today to schedule your next preventative maintenance service. 24-hour emergency service is available!
The air conditioner often doesn’t get quite as much maintenance attention as other areas in your home. After all, it’s only used seasonally, and the main unit is located outside your house, which can make it easy for you to forget about it when you’re performing your regular cleaning tasks. However, it’s important to take some simple maintenance steps to keep your AC operating as smoothly and efficiently as possible, and part of that is changing out your air conditioning filter.
The filter ensures the air coming into your home is free of particles and contaminants, but over time it will start to get clogged up with everything it’s filtered out of the air. This means it’s necessary to change it every now and then. But how do you know when it’s time to change your AC filter? Here’s some information from an AC service in St. Louis, MO to help you out:
The equipment is running hot: If you start to notice the back of the air conditioner unit getting particularly hot, this means it is needing to work too hard to push air through the system. You can relieve some of its burden by replacing or cleaning out the filter, depending on the kind of filter in the system.
Allergies flaring up: Have you started to suffer from more frequent allergy attacks or heightened symptoms of asthma while in the comfort of your own home? If so, there’s a chance the air coming through your air conditioner isn’t being filtered as well as it should be, which is a sign that the filter is getting clogged up with debris. Trust your instincts—if you feel like you’re dealing with heightened symptoms that don’t normally occur, you should check on the condition of your filter.
Home not cooling as efficiently: There could be a variety of reasons why your air conditioning isn’t operating as efficiently as you’re used to, but one of the more common causes of inefficient operation is a clogged filter. If dirt starts to come into contact with the coils, it makes it a bit more difficult for the entire unit to function as designed. The dirtier the filters, the harder the equipment has to work to cool your home, and the more likely it is you’ll be dealing with inefficient cooling.
Higher energy bills: If you keep track of how much you’re paying on your energy bills each month and notice a sudden, significant increase, it could be a result of your filters being clogged, forcing your HVAC equipment to work in overdrive. Again, the general standard is that the dirtier the filter is, the harder the equipment has to work. Keeping the filter clean cuts down on how much the machine works and how much you have to pay for its operation.
Lots of dust: If the areas around the vents in your home seem to be dusty, this is a sign that your filter is no longer effectively removing dust particles from the air before pushing the air into your home. Check the filter, and if it needs to be cleaned or changed, do so immediately.
These are just a few examples of some of the best ways to tell if you need to change your HVAC filter. You can expect to change a filter at least a couple times a year, but it varies based on your system usage and the conditions in your home. We encourage you to contact our AC service in St. Louis, MO with any questions or concerns.
Summer may already be here, but the hottest part of the season is still a few weeks away. If you haven’t already done so, now’s the time to schedule an appointment with an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO to have a technician come out, inspect your home’s air conditioning system and make sure everything is ready to go for the dog days of summer. After all, the weather’s going to become very hot and humid in a hurry, as it is wont to do in the summer months here in Missouri, so you’re going to want to make sure you have reliable cooling for your home once it does!
Here are just a few of the biggest reasons why it’s such a good idea to make sure you take care of your yearly air conditioning checkup before the weather gets especially hot.
Uncover issues in a timely manner
Consider this: As soon as the summer heat arrives in its full intensity, it will be not just an inconvenience if your air conditioning goes out, but a hardship and even a potential safety hazard in some cases.
Adhering to regular maintenance will keep your air conditioning running reliably all year long, so you won’t have to worry about becoming extremely uncomfortable if your air conditioning dies during a heat wave. You’ll also be able to uncover any potential issues with your AC system early on, before they become more serious problems, which means you can avoid more extensive (and costly) repairs and a potential emergency call to an HVAC technician.
Extend the useful life of your air conditioning
Regular maintenance of your air conditioning and your HVAC system as a whole does not just mean it’ll keep working reliably when you need it; it also ensures your air conditioning will continue working effectively and efficiently for years to come. A well-maintained AC unit can be expected to last much longer than a unit that gets neglected, which saves you money in the long run, as you won’t have to worry about replacement for quite a bit longer than you otherwise would.
Cut down on your energy consumption
A well-maintained air conditioning unit also operates more efficiently than a unit that gets neglected. This is especially important during the hotter parts of the year, when your air conditioner is already running more often. You don’t want to make the unit’s job any harder than it needs to be. Cleaning out the filters, lubricating the parts, inspecting the coolant and making sure all the parts are in good operating condition cuts down on how much energy it takes to run the unit and cool the home. This, in turn, reduces your overall carbon footprint, which is much better for the environment, and also cuts down on how much money you can expect to pay for your cooling bills each month.
These are just a few examples of some of the biggest benefits that come with getting your AC checked out by an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO. Contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today for more information or to schedule an appointment!
Upgrading your HVAC system is a large undertaking, and one of the best ways to ensure that you are getting the most out of your investment is by installing an energy efficient HVAC system. Your local HVAC service in St. Louis, MO is here to tell you about just a few of the many benefits that upgrading your HVAC to a new energy efficient system can provide:
Substantial savings: One of the most rewarding benefits of an energy efficient HVAC system is the money you will be able to save on your utility bills. Because these advanced systems are able to store the energy needed to heat and cool your home, your unit won’t have to run constantly to provide the desired temperatures. Upgrading your system can help you save up to 30 percent or more on your energy bills each year.
Extend the life of your system: This improvement in efficiency can also be beneficial for preserving the condition of the system itself. If your system is able to utilize stored energy to maintain the desired output, the risk of overexertion is significantly reduced. In combination with regularly scheduled preventative maintenance, this will help to keep operation costs down. Improved operation also means that you will be able to get more life from your system than you would with a standard system.
Good for the environment: One of the many improved features of modern energy efficient HVAC systems are the sound-absorbing materials that help the unit to run more quietly. Overall, an investment in a new system will help to drastically reduce your noise and environmental pollution levels while lowering your home’s carbon footprint.
Improved airflow: A high energy efficiency HVAC system will also help to improve the airflow within your house. Although this might not be something that you think about all the time, poor airflow from an aged system can affect the health of those living in the home. With improved airflow, the temperatures will always remain where you need them, and your family will be able to enjoy clean, healthy air in the home on a regular basis.
In addition to all of these advantages, an energy efficient system will also be well worth the investment if you decide to sell your home in the near future, as the upgrade can boost the value of your property. To learn more about all of the incentives that a new energy efficient HVAC system offers, give us a call at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. Our HVAC service in St. Louis, MO has specialized in providing high-quality HVAC installation and related services for the past two decades. It is our mission to make sure you are always comfortable in your home, which is why we strive to find the system that is best suited for the needs of your family. Contact us today to schedule your appointment so you can start taking advantage of the benefits of your upgraded system right away. We look forward to helping you soon!
A new air conditioning system is a big investment, which means you’ll want to make absolutely sure that you are selecting the right one for your home. Your search for the best system will be impacted by several different factors, and it is important to know these beforehand to ensure you are able to find the right match. Follow along with this guide for help with understanding some of the most important criteria to consider before your next air conditioning installation in St. Louis, MO.
The size and age of your home
When searching for the right air conditioning system, it is vital that you find one that is properly matched with your home’s needs. If a system is too small for your home, it will run constantly in an effort to keep up with the demand for the desired temperatures. When a system is too large, energy will be wasted needlessly, as the air conditioning will cycle on and off with higher frequency. Even with a newer energy-efficient model, the effectiveness of your system could be negated. If your home is on the larger side but you have made numerous energy-efficient improvements over the years, such as upgrading the insulation or installing new windows, you might be able to use a smaller system, as less energy will be required to cool your house.
Calculating the right size
In order to make sure you are on the right track with your air conditioner search, you can get a general idea of what size you might need by calculating how many British thermal units per hour (BTU/h) are needed for your home, with 12,000 BTU/h equal to 1 ton of cooling.
Assuming that you would need a bare minimum of 20 BTU/h per square foot to effectively cool your home, you can multiply this number by the total square footage of your entire home to get a general idea of the capacity your system will need. The precise number of actual BTU/h that your future air conditioner needs will also be affected by other elements, such as the climate, the habits and preferences of your family and the overall energy efficiency of your home, and your HVAC contractor will be able to help determine the correct match before installation.
Your energy costs are directly related to your air conditioner’s ability to cool your home efficiently, making it all the more important to find the right match before choosing the system you want for your air conditioning installation in St. Louis, MO. Ultimately, a poorly matched system could add unnecessary expenses, while also hindering your family’s comfort. Here at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling, we understand what is at stake with each air conditioning installation, and with more than 20 years of experience, you can trust us to help you find the system that is right for you. Give us a call to schedule your consultation today so our knowledgeable team can get to work on your new air conditioning installation in St. Louis, MO right away.
