FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

An air purifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air. These devices are commonly marketed as being beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke.

An air handler, or air handling unit (often abbreviated to AHU), is a device used to condition and circulate air as part of a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. An air handler is usually a large metal box containing a blower, heating or cooling elements, filter racks or chambers, sound attenuators, and dampers. Air handlers usually connect to ductwork that distributes the conditioned air through the building and returns it to the AHU. Sometimes AHUs discharge (supply) and admit (return) air directly to and from the space served without ductwork.

Odor complaints are common. There are many different types of odors and different causes:

• Electrical odor
• Damp and musty odor
• Odor problems can be as serious as a gas leak or as simple as a dirty air filter

Unusual odors could indicate a serious problem and should not be ignored. Contact Us and request a 24 point cooling tune up.

There are several things that can cause frost on your coil and/or reduced air flow. First clean or replace you air filter, ensure return register (the largest one in your home) is not blocked or this will cause frost. Basically, anything that restricts the airflow through the inside unit will cause frost. As the frost builds up on the coil, the airflow becomes more and more restricted making the condition worse. When the frost is also on the outside pipes next to the compressor, you have a situation where damage to the compressor can occur. If you see this, turn off the unit and call for service.

Tripped A/C breaker: Check this first. Find the breaker for the air conditioner or Heat Pump (there will be a seperate breaker for the indoor and outdoor units). Turn it completely "off" even if it appears to be "off", then turn it back on again. If it trips again,
leave it alone and call for service.

Refrigerant problems: Improper air conditioner refrigerant charge - too little, too much, too leaky: an air conditioner system which has lost some (but not most) of its refrigerant will sometimes run too cold at the evaporator coil, leading to coil icing and loss of cool air delivery in the home.

If the filters are clean and the coil ices-up this condition may be present. A service technician will need to evaluate and test the system and if needed, adjust the refrigerant charge.
Low refrigerant level in the air conditioning system: Watch out for refrigerant leaks that lead to a repeat of this problem. An air conditioner or refrigerator is a sealed system that should not normally "use up" refrigerant. If the cooling system is low on refrigerant because it has a leak, it is much smarter to find and fix the leak than to simply keep adding refrigerant. If you keep adding refrigerant to a cooling system you're leaking possible contaminants into the environment as well as wasting money.

Abnormally low output air temperature: A refrigerant leak in an air conditioning system may show up first as abnormally low system output air temperature, followed by rising air temperatures, followed by just plain old warm air coming out of the system, as the amount of refrigerant that has been lost increases.
o Loss of most refrigerant from an air conditioning system means that the cooling coil will not get cool at all.

Abnormally high output air temperature: A service technician will need to evaluate and test the system and if needed, find and fix the refrigerant leak, evacuate the system, and install the proper refrigerant charge.

Don't keep adding refrigerant. Refrigerant leaks should be found and repaired. It may be easier to keep adding refrigerant, and sometimes a refrigerant leak can be hard to find, but a proper repair is to find an fix the refrigerant leak, not just to keep adding refrigerant.

Improper refrigerant charge - too much can also lead to improper air conditioning system operation and in some cases can damage the compressor (called liquid-slugging the air conditioner compressor). A service technician will need to evaluate and test the system and if needed, adjust the refrigerant charge. In this case the cooling coil is probably not going to ice-over, it just won't get cool.

An Air Filtration system removes dust, pollen, spores and smoke. It can also reduce the cost of Furnace and Air Conditioning Maintenance.

The average life of a gas furnace is 15 years. The average life of an air conditioner is 12 years. Regular maintenance helps prolong the life of heating and air conditioning systems.
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Air conditioners and heat pumps will often look identical in design, foot print, etc. A heat pump can be used instead of an air conditioning unit to keep your home comfortable all year long.

During the summer months, a heat pump draws heat out of your home to cool it. In the winter, it draws heat from outside air into your home to warm it (even though air may be cold in the winter, there is heat in the air).

If you are located in an area where the winter temperature is usually 40 degrees or above (like Central Florida), a heat pump can more efficiently heat your home than an electric furnace.
Click here for additional information on A/C & Heat Pumps.

There are several reason that can cause this including the fundamental laws of nature:

• Hot air rises to upstairs rooms
• Sun sets on the western side of house

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There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The frequency of filter changes is driven by how much your HVAC system operates, which is driven by the severity of the seasons.

The best reminder is when you pay your electric bill (monthly). A clogged filter can drastically increase your bill. In some locations (like Central Florida) the cooling system might be in use more than four months of the year – to keep heat and humidity under control. If your house is in such a hot and humid location, you should pay a lot more attention to your filter than in an area where the air conditioning is seldom used. The same logic applies to heating. If the heat is used only on especially cold days during the three or so months of winter, then filters would be checked less often.

Start by checking the HVAC system’s filters at least once a month. Hold the used filter up to the light and compare it to a clean "spare." When light is obscured by captured dust and dirt particles, the old filter should be changed. Keep a record for one year and then replace the filter on that basis. At a minimum, it is always a good idea to change filters at the start of the heating and cooling seasons and then in between according to observed need.
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Although your present furnace or air conditioner may be working, if it is close to 10 years old or more you should consider replacing it with a new high efficiency system. A new heating and air conditioning system could save up to 50 percent on energy costs. While these products save you money on your utility bills, they also offer a better degree of comfort within your home. Click Here for more Information.

At least, change your air filters. You might also consider having your evaporator coil checked for cleanliness. Much of the dust, mites and other debris that build up on the coils are circulated into the air of your home.

If some cooling is taking place but not enough, then the chances are that the system is low on Freon. The only reason a system would need Freon is because the Freon leaked out. If the leak is not sealed before recharging with Freon, the Freon will eventually leak out again. Leak repairs are expensive so if it's a small leak it may be more cost effective to recharge the system every two or three years. Freon recharging is not a do-it-yourself job. As per federal law (EPA), only people certified to handle refrigerant (Freon) are allowed to recharge an air conditioning system.

To exactly size an A/C unit for a specific area requires a heat load calculation which is a bit complicated and is usually made by a licensed HVAC ontractor who is experienced and qualified to make these calculations. A quick and easy rule of thumb to use for sizing an air conditioner for a room or house is the square foot method. This formula is used only for a quick approximate and is based on certain guidelines regarding insulation R values, shading, ceiling height, construction materials, windows, doors, purpose of use and occupancy. In layman's terms 1 ton of cooling capacity is equal to 12,000BTU of cooling capacity and 600 square feet of residential living space requires 1 ton of cooling capacity based on adequate insulation, 8' ceiling height and tight windows and doors. To calculate your requirement using this method get the total square footage of living space and divide that number by 600. The answer is the number in tons of air conditioning capacity required. To convert tonnage to BTU's simply multiply by 12,000. This general rule of thumb method can be used for approximate sizing of both central and room air conditioning equipment.