Do you have a preventative HVAC maintenance checklist? If you want to keep your AC repair in St. Louis, MO to a minimum, this maintenance is a must. Regular service by a professional technician will help identify problems as early as possible and help prevent further damage down the road.
To properly maintain your commercial HVAC system, use the following checklist. These minor efforts can offer major benefits for your system, your business and your bottom line.
In the Spring and Summer
Inspect: To keep your AC service in St. Louis, MO running optimally, check the major components at the beginning of each warm season. Check all belts and pulleys to ensure they are in good operating condition. Check the refrigerant charge. If this is low, check for leaks. Check lines and pans for proper drainage. Inspect all electrical connections for secure fitting and safe operation. Verify the proper operation of the fan and blower motor. Test thermostat controls and confirm adequate airflow in the system.
Clean: A clean commercial HVAC system will operate more efficiently and require fewer AC repairs in St. Louis, MO. Clean the condenser and evaporator coils. Additionally, lubricate the bearings, motors and other moving parts.
Replace: A clean filter is essential for proper HVAC system operation. Be sure to include filter replacement on your checklist. Replace cooling equipment filters to start the season fresh. If your inspection reveals that belts and pulleys are worn, replace these parts as well.
In the Fall and Winter
Inspect: When cooler weather approaches, repeat many of the inspections you performed to prep for warm weather, but on your heating systems this time. Inspect the belts and pulleys to see if any replacements are needed. Check the lines and pans for good drainage. Inspect all electrical connections. Check the fan and blower motor for proper operation. Additionally, inspect the ignition and burner assembly and the heat exchanger. These major components of your heating system must function properly to provide smooth heating operations for the season. Lastly, confirm thermostats and other controls are in working order.
Lubricate: Make sure your system is well lubricated for the season. Lubricate bearings, motors and other moving parts.
Replace: As with your AC system, your heating system requires proper airflow for optimal functioning. Replace the filter on your heating equipment, and check it regularly throughout the season. If it’s dirty, replace it again.
Professional Service
When was the last time you asked a professional to tune up your HVAC system? Partnering with a professional to complete these maintenance tasks each season is the best way to extend the life of your commercial HVAC system. Your local expert will ensure all tasks are complete and your system is ready for the season ahead.
Contact the Pros
Check off your tasks with Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We’ve been providing top-level commercial AC services and AC repair in St. Louis since 1999. Reach out to us with any questions or to schedule your next maintenance appointment.
If you’ve been suffering frequent furnace breakdowns or have been routinely having to make expensive repairs to your unit, it’s probably time you got the equipment replaced. But before you make the final decision, there are a few things you should consider.
Here is some information from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO to help make your furnace replacement decision a more informed one.
Know if a repair won’t do the trick
Do you really need to replace your furnace altogether? This is a significant investment, so it’s important to be absolutely sure that a full-on replacement is in your best interest. In general, it’ll be a good idea to replace your furnace if it’s more than three quarters through its life expectancy and the repairs you’d need to make would cost more than a third of the cost of replacing it.
Most of the time, there will be a label on the furnace that indicates its manufacturer and installation dates. Furnaces last an average of 15 to 20 years, and maybe another five to 10 if the furnace is a high-quality brand and it has been regularly maintained.
Calculate the efficiency potential
Most standard furnaces today are about 80 percent efficient, meaning about 20 percent of the fuel energy goes up and out through the chimney. However, there are some furnaces that are up to 98.5 percent efficient. The number you’re looking for is the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. Having a super-efficient furnace can add $1,000 to $2,000 to the cost of the furnace, but could also result in some significant savings. Let’s say a 15 percent increase in AFUE saves you approximately $300 per year (if you’re paying about $2,000 per year to heat your home). If the added cost you pay for the furnace is $1,500, the efficiency will have paid for the extra price within five years, meaning you’ll save a significant amount of money if your furnace lasts you a total of 15 to 20 years.
Determine what you can do to lower your heating needs
If you already have a super-efficient furnace or don’t want to make that investment, you could consider adding insulation to your home. Adding insulation to your attic floor or spraying foam along the top of all foundation walls can be a good way to give your home some extra insulation. This is one of the best ways to decrease your heating needs and your reliance on your furnace, which will in turn help to extend your furnace’s lifespan.
Check your ducts
The ducts could be causing some of the inefficiency you experience with your furnace’s operation. You might have air escaping into the attic, basement or crawlspace. Improving the ducts by sealing up gaps and re-insulating them can be a good step to take, as can cleaning the ducts or other components of the HVAC system if they have a significant amount of debris.
For more information, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling to schedule HVAC service in St. Louis, MO.
Duct cleaning has become a popular service in recent years, with many providers of HVAC service in St. Louis, MO and even specialized commercial cleaning services offering it to their customers. But is the service worth investing in?
First, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting when you get your ducts cleaned. Professional duct cleaning involves the use of specialized vacuums, blowers and brushes to clean out every part of your ducts, including intakes, supply and return ducts all throughout your home. The process involves a thorough cleaning of the registers, grilles, fans, air handler, housings, motors and coils in your HVAC system.
There are not any studies that indicate regular duct cleaning improves the air quality or reduces the dust in your home. However, there is plenty of evidence to indicate that a buildup of dust in your HVAC system makes the unit less efficient.
When to invest in duct cleaning
Duct cleaning is not always (or even usually) necessary, and the EPA even says the ducts only need to be cleaned if they or the HVAC unit are contaminated. However, there are some circumstances in which it definitely makes sense to have it done. Here are a few examples of these scenarios:
Renovation: If you recently remodeled or renovated your building, your ductwork could benefit from a cleaning, especially if your home was likely to have had asbestos or lead paint. The remodeling process is likely to have kicked up a significant amount of dust and debris that could find itself lodged inside your HVAC system.
Mold: If you discovered mold growing inside your ductwork, you should have your ducts and HVAC system cleaned, as this is one circumstance in which the air quality in your home can absolutely suffer. Mold releases spores into the air that trigger symptoms of asthma and other breathing conditions. It also can damage areas on which it grows, and cause an unpleasant, musty smell throughout your home.
Animals: By this, we don’t mean pets. If you have discovered signs of an animal infestation in your ductwork, especially if there’s any nesting happening in your ducts or HVAC system, it’s important to have those animals removed and then clean out the system, and figure out a way to prevent it from happening again.
Contaminants: If you regularly notice debris such as pet hair, dust or other contaminants being released into the room or frequently notice an unpleasant smell emanating from your ducts, then your ductwork may benefit from a good cleaning.
Illness: If someone in your family suffers from unexplained respiratory illnesses or asthmatic symptoms, you could benefit from a duct cleaning at your home.
These are just a few scenarios in which it makes sense to seek out duct cleaning services from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO. To learn more about the various repair, maintenance and cleaning services we offer, we encourage you to contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
The air ducts in your home carry air from your heating and cooling system to every single room, keeping you comfortable all year long, no matter the season. This air circulates through the ducts several times each day—the very same air that runs through those spaces gets pushed into your living area for you to breathe. Therefore, it only makes sense for you to want those ducts (and the air) to be as clean as possible.
Air duct cleaning services help you remove dust and other contaminants located inside your ductwork. Professionals use powerful vacuums to suck out that debris, keeping it from being pushed back into your living spaces.
Here are just a few of the benefits of air duct cleaning from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO:
Cleaner living spaces: By having your air ducts cleaned, you can be sure the dust from those ducts won’t end up scattered on your bedding, floors, furniture and walls. This will reduce the amount of cleaning you’ll have to do yourself throughout your home to keep it looking good.
Reduced air contaminants: Air ducts don’t just contain dust—they’re also breeding grounds for various contaminants and microorganisms like bacteria, mildew, mold spores, pollen, pet dander and other toxins. If you have anyone in your home who suffers from any sort of respiratory condition such as asthma or allergies, these particles will make life even worse for them. Therefore, getting your air ducts cleaned regularly will help you live healthier and keep those contaminants out of your air.
Fresher air: The air ducts collect smells and odors resulting from household cleaning products, pets, paint fumes, food preparation, tobacco use, mold and just about anything else you can imagine. Every time the furnace or air conditioner runs, those odors will be pushed throughout your house. Over time, this can cause the ducts themselves to build up an unpleasant, musty smell. Cleaning the ducts get rid of all the particles that trap those odors in place, which means you’ll have a fresher, better smelling home that you can enjoy each day.
Air efficiency: If your ductwork and registers have lots of dust, grime and debris built up in them, there’s a good chance it’s restricting the amount of air you’re actually getting from your air conditioner or furnace. This means your system is likely working much harder than it should need to in order to get your home to your desired temperature. This decreased efficiency will result in higher energy bills. Therefore, getting your air ducts and registers clean and free of this buildup will help you get more cost-effective, environmentally friendly performance out of your HVAC system.
These are just a few of the benefits associated with getting air duct cleanings from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO. For more information about how you can benefit from cleaner air in your home, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Now that we’re preparing to enter the hottest part of the year, the last thing you want to have happen is an air conditioner breakdown. Unfortunately, air conditioners tend to break down right at the worst possible times, when the heat and humidity are unbearable, largely because that’s the time of year that places the greatest strain on them.
You can avoid many of the more expensive and involved forms of air conditioner repair simply by keeping up with preventative maintenance. However, there are some problems that will force you to call a professional to come and provide you with air conditioner repair in St. Louis, MO. Here are a few of those most common issues:
Bad wiring: Bad wiring is usually a problem with installation. Shoddy wiring is often the result of using uncertified installation professionals to set up your air conditioning, and can be hazardous if left unresolved for long periods of time. In certain circumstances, it could cause fires to break out in your system, but at the very least it will prevent the system from running smoothly, possibly causing power to go in and out or your circuit breaker to regularly trip. The wiring might have other issues that have caused it to wear down over time.
Outside fan not spinning: The outside fan takes the heat from inside your home and pushes it outside. If the fan isn’t spinning properly or otherwise working, you won’t get the heat transfer that is so important in cooling your home. This could cause the compressor in your air conditioning unit to overheat and cause the safety feature to trip. There’s also the chance it could cause some expensive damage to your compressor. So if you experience problems with the fan in the outside unit not working properly, you should have a service professional take a look at the unit as soon as possible.
Low refrigerant: The Freon refrigerant in your unit cools the air inside your air conditioning system. Lower levels of refrigerant could potentially indicate there’s a leak in the system, or some other problem to address. If you need to replace your refrigerant regularly, the leak issue becomes even more likely. You should have a service professional come and find the leak and repair it immediately.
The coil freezes: Frozen coils in an air conditioning unit usually indicate there’s an issue with the airflow, such as problems with clogged air filters or buildups of debris in the return air ducts. There’s also a chance it could be a sign of low refrigerant, but you should check the other issues first.
House not getting cool: There are many issues that could cause your air conditioning to simply not work properly or efficiently, so to figure out the root cause, you’ll need to have a technician come and look over the system.
For more information about the most common air conditioner problems and when you need air conditioner repair in St. Louis, MO, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today.
