AC Installation - Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling

Do Portable Air Conditioner Towers Save More Electricity Than a Normal AC Unit?

admin | August 24, 2017

We hear this question a lot: Do portable air conditioners save more electricity—and thus, more money—than standard AC units? And the simple answer to that is, no!

There may be some benefits to portable AC units, but conserving electricity is not one of them.

So, why are standard AC units more efficient?

Portable air conditioner towers are standalone air conditioners that can be moved from room to room. They condense and cool air, and then pump their hot air through an exhaust tube that can be set up to blow out any window. Their main benefit is their convenience. But when it comes to energy efficiency, they’re nowhere near the level of a standard air conditioning installation in St. Louis, MO.

There are several reasons why this is so:

Standard units have higher energy efficiency requirements: The most important reason is that, while standard AC units––such as HVAC units located outside the home, and window units––are highly regulated and have stringent energy efficiency standards they must uphold, portable units are essentially not regulated at all. This means that unless you’re using the very top-of-the-line portable unit, your portable unit simply won’t be engineered well enough to compete with a standard unit in terms of energy efficiency. On average, they use worse parts––aluminum instead of copper tubing—and less efficient systems for cooling—cap-tube evaporator coils rather than expansion valves—and are not built to stand the tests of time and the elements like a standard unit.
Portable ACs do not have efficient heat exhaust: The portable unit’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Because it is indoors, you’re overly reliant on its exhaust setup to pump the hot air its motors make and then extract outdoors, and even then it is creating ambient heat while it cools. Standard units do all their work outdoors. The heat is separated from the cool air and then simply radiates into the air instead of into your house, making them more efficient.
Portable units create negative pressure: Whereas standard AC units circulate in cool air at the same rate they circulate out warm air––meaning there is no pressure added or removed from the rooms it works in––portable ACs create a negative pressure, which causes warm air to be pulled into your home from outside to fill the space left by the air your unit is venting outside. This greatly diminishes its energy efficiency.

Overall, the basic design of a portable system means it just can’t compete with standard AC units. They are only really useful if you live somewhere that’s almost always a habitable temperature and you’re only likely to need AC a few days a year. Otherwise, you’re better off with a standard AC setup.

Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling has been providing air conditioning installation in St. Louis, MO since 1999, and we can help you get the best AC solution for your house. We install and consult, so give us a call if you’re thinking about home cooling.

Understand the Myths About Air Conditioning Before Calling for AC Installation in St. Louis, MO

admin | July 11, 2017

It is important for people to be able to cool off when they are hot. When you need to beat the heat, there are many ways you can go about doing so, including powering up your AC. An air conditioner will definitely keep you cool, but if you want to survive the summer, you’ll want to ensure you know the facts and avoid believing some of the many common myths related to air conditioning.

If you are planning for AC installation in St. Louis, MO this summer, here are a few myths you should know about first:

The bigger the air conditioner, the better: You might have heard that, the bigger the air conditioner, the better it will be at cooling your home and keeping you comfortable when the outside temperature is high. Air conditioners come in different sizes, and there is a particular size that will be perfect for your home. A unit of the right size will keep your home cool, but it won’t leave you with a ridiculously high energy bill every month.
Air filters should only be changed once a year: Your air filter is an important part of your AC unit. Many people believe that you are only supposed to change it once a year, but if you are expecting your unit to run efficiently, you will have to change it much more often. In fact, most air filters need to be changed every three months, if not every month. To avoid having a high energy bill and issues with airflow, you should change your air filter more frequently.
Regular maintenance isn’t necessary: After you first purchase your air conditioner, it can run efficiently for quite a while. You may be under the impression that as long as your unit isn’t making strange noises, emitting strange odors or failing to keep your home cool, maintenance isn’t necessary. Maintenance is actually going to help keep your AC in good working order, so instead of waiting for your unit to break down, you should be having a technician perform regular maintenance on the unit.
Lowering the thermostat will help cool your home: Although lowering the thermostat will help you avoid feeling hot while you are at home, you will also be increasing your energy bill. As most ACs are designed to run at one speed and cut off once they reach the desired temperature, when you set your thermostat too low, your unit will have to run longer. It won’t cool your home any faster, and it could cost you big, so just avoid excessively lowering your thermostat.

Being hot can make a person unhappy, uncomfortable and irritable. When you want to cool off, using an AC to do it is a wise option. You just want to make sure you don’t ignore the facts and believe the myths, because doing so can greatly affect your ability to keep cool on a hot day, and ultimately has a negative impact on your comfort and your wallet.

Do you want to speak to a professional about AC installation in St. Louis, MO? Contact the experts at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today for assistance.

Five Reasons to Call Our Professionals for AC Installation in St. Louis, MO

admin | May 5, 2017

Now that spring is finally here, folks across the country without air conditioning systems are probably reconsidering that circumstance. It’s going to start getting hot sooner rather than later, and a brand new AC unit is the best way to beat the heat. Once you’ve decided that you want a new AC unit, it’s a great idea to call a professional for AC installation in St. Louis, MO. Here are a few reasons to consider hiring a professional to install your unit, instead of trying to do it yourself:

We know what size unit you need: AC units aren’t one-size-fits-all appliances. They come in all different sizes that fit larger or smaller homes. Although it may seem like it’d be a good idea to just buy the biggest unit possible, it’s not. Units that are too large for the home waste tons of electricity and won’t make your home all that much cooler. Professionals will be able to run a quick test to determine the perfect sized unit based on the square footage of your home.
DIY installation is dangerous: Trying to install your own air conditioning system can be dangerous if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. Air conditioners are complicated appliances, and it’s not too far-fetched to think homeowners are likely to hurt themselves during installation. Our professionals have years of experience installing air conditioners, so you can rest assured we’ll be safe when we’re on the job!
We can save you money: DIY installation can also be dangerous to your wallet. Inexperienced homeowners have a tendency to incorrectly hook up their unit during AC installation in St. Louis, MO. This ultimately leads to needing to call a repairman to correct mistakes. Repairs can be costly and take a while to get done. It’s best to just pay for installation up front. You’ll be able to rest easy knowing your unit is hooked up correctly and expensive repairs shouldn’t be necessary anytime soon.
We guarantee energy efficiency: There’s a higher chance of energy being wasted if AC units aren’t installed correctly. Even the smallest error can end up wasting massive amounts of energy each month. That’s obviously going to result in a higher energy bill. Let us install your AC unit. We’ll install it correctly, ensuring your unit is as energy efficient as possible.
Get to know your repairman: It’s always nice to know whom to call when something goes wrong around the house. After all, there are a lot of things that most homeowners can’t repair without professional help. Your AC unit is no different. Repairs can be extremely complicated and have to be performed by pros. Get to know one of our professionals on a first name basis by hiring him or her to hook up your AC unit on day one!

Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling has years of experience with AC installation in St. Louis, MO. Give us a call today to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members and to set up a time for installation at your home.

Pursue Energy Efficiency with Your Next AC Installation in St. Louis, MO

admin | March 4, 2017

Energy efficiency is not just about modern trends or buzz terms. It is the future of appliances, including AC installation in St. Louis, MO. Investing in energy efficiency offers benefits to the planet and your financial situation. Here is why you should upgrade to an energy efficient heating and cooling system as soon as possible:

Reduce energy expenses: Your HVAC system occupies up to 40 percent of the energy usage in your home or commercial property. If your system runs entirely on electric power, that is a large monthly expense that appears in your mailbox each month. Since the 1970s, modern air conditioners have reduced their energy usage by 30 to 50 percent, depending on model. When you consider how technology keeps evolving, it is easy to see how having the latest developments in heating and cooling technology will ease your expenses.
Smaller size: The days of oversized furnaces and AC units are long over. You can buy smaller, more efficient units that still manage to keep your premises heated or cooled thoroughly. This makes building design easier, and if you upgrade your home system, you could find yourself with extra basement or closet space.
More options for supplemental equipment: Since the overall energy load is lower, upgrading to an energy efficient system makes room for better options. You can add dehumidification devices to reduce the chances of mold growth. Adding radiant heat helps areas in a building or home that tend to develop drafts. These options are also possible because the equipment is smaller, which makes room for additional appliances.
Less maintenance: Efficient appliances tend to wear themselves out slower and require less supervision to work well. That is because they demand less, so even a summer day in the triple digits is no match for their cooling power. Sometimes, you will pay more for a high efficiency system, but you will save money repairing and maintaining it in the long run.
Better technology: HVAC appliances evolve each year not only to fit energy efficiency expectations, but also because they simply improve with innovation. When you invest in efficient appliances, you gain a better working system. The same technology that reduces energy demand also produces improved heating and cooling. You can also add features like remote thermostats so you can lower or raise temperatures while you are away, and add programmable thermostats so you can save even more money.
Improved air quality: A new energy saving HVAC system runs cleaner and improves airflow. The result is better indoor air quality that produces a healthier working environment or home. Customers often report they notice fewer asthma and allergy episodes once they make the transition to new energy-efficient appliances. If you keep up with changing filters, you will enjoy this advantage years after installing your new system.

If you seek energy efficiency in your AC installation in St. Louis, MO, Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling is ready to help you. Call today to arrange for an estimate.

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