You do not have to out of air this summer.  If you find that you are out of air at at some point in time, just know that it does not have to cost an arm or a leg to have it repaired.  However, you can save yourself more money by maintaining your system regularly and efficiently.  This is what preventative maintenance is all about.

Take a look at my home air conditioner maintenance ebook that you can download now.  It tells you all exactly how to perform your own air conditioner maintenance at home and provides tips and tricks of the trade.  You will also receive bonus videos showing you exactly what I am teaching in the ebook.

You owe it to yourself and your family to learn how to do your own air conditioner maintenance.  You will have one less thing to worry about this summer.

Check out everything in the ebook here.

If air conditioning has indeed become something of a status symbol, people may be taking their air condition home system for granted.  Many people still do not have air conditioning in their homes.

Since air conditioning also helps keep the air dry, particularly if you have a dehumidifier, fungi won’t be able to grow as much. In a humid room, the dust easily combines with the moisture to form indelible dirt in little crevices and indentations on your furniture and decor.  Your home air conditioner prevents this from happening.

Air condition home systems are quite affordable these days.  With the right company and technician, a system can be installed in about half a day.  There is creative financing and even rebates available now for purchasing new systems also.

Most systems come with a warranty for the parts and labor.  Many of these warranties are now lasting up to ten years or more.

Air condition home units are now more efficient as well.  With new laws in place, new systems are not less than 13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) now, which gives a much better efficiency rating than older systems of 10 or less.  Most new home systems are now using the new Puron (410A) refrigerant which is environmentally safer than R22.  Most older systems that use R22 can still be repaired, but if replacement is needed, you will be required to buy a system with Puron.

The bottom line here is to treat you system well with proper maintenance and it could last you many years.

During the warm months of the year, the air around your home may be carrying a lot of dust, pollen and other microscopic organisms plus chemical pollutants from factory and car exhausts. These things present a hazard for people with asthma and pollen allergy. Your heating and air conditioning unit can take a real beating at this time of the year.

Temperatures during summer tend to become unbearable in areas close to the Equator. Elevated temperatures can worsen asthma, allergies, high blood pressure as well as heart ailments. Hot weather exhausts, irritates and lessens the efficiency of a person. This is why air conditioning is such a needed factor in most southern homes today.

Having heating and air conditioning units in your house will allow you to be comfortable in warmer or cooler climates.  However, like any other appliance in your home, they must be maintained.  However, maintaining your air conditioning system does not have to be difficult.  It is something that you could learn to do at home, leaving the big repair jobs to your service technician.  Regular maintenance on your system should be done twice a year.

Keeping the temperature in the house at a pleasant level, helps everyone to relax at home and enjoy their work or hobbies efficiently. Heating and air conditioning units are a necessity in every home.

condensing unit

1. Turning the power of the air conditioning unit on.
2. Setting the thermostat level.
3. Cleaning/replacing the air filter.
4. Cleaning the compressor.
5. Cleaning the condenser.
6. Cleaning the evaporator.

As mentioned, reading your instruction manual carefully will give you an idea how to perform the items above, but specific information can be found in manuals designed for preventative maintenance.

The other type of air conditioner troubleshooting involves the experience and skill of a qualified air conditioning technician. These tasks would include:

1. Repairing the air handler components.
2. Repairing/replacing the compressor.
3. Repairing/replacing the condenser components.
4. Repairing/cleaning the coils.
5. Recharging the unit with refrigerant.

Most of the problems you will detect in your unit will start with clogging up of the air filter  in the unit with dirt. If left unattended, the problem may grow to bigger and more serious proportions that may have you purchasing a replacement for the damaged part.

The moral lesson is “keep your air conditioner clean.” Your primary concern in air conditioner troubleshooting is to prevent dirt from accumulating on the air filter which is the mechanism that traps foreign particles in the air before it is released. If your air filter becomes overloaded with dirt, it will block the air flow to the evaporator and cause the evaporator to freeze up.   This will need repair.

You need to be sensitive to the efficiency of your air conditioner. The first thing you have to look out for is the purity of the air coming out of the unit. The minute you detect that there is no cool air coming from the supply vents you need to check the system operation first.  Then check your air filter to see if it needs replacing.

You need to do two kinds of computation to get the total amount of air conditioning cost you will have to shoulder by installing air conditioning in your house.

The first type of air conditioning cost has to do with the actual cost of the equipment plus the cost of installation. This will vary depending on whether you want a centralized system or just a window unit. The basic cost of a window-type and a portable spot cooler is anywhere between $200.00 to $900.00. For a centralized system you need duct work. It is much better to get them installed while you are building your house because then the cost of installing ducts will be absorbed into the construction expenses. Otherwise, you have to pay anywhere between $3,000.00 to $6,000.00 to have the duct work  installed in a finished house. Given the considerable expense, you should take extra measures to ensure that the unit you will be getting will perform as expected. Consult your technician with regards to this matter.

The next type of expense you will incur is the air conditioning cost involved in running the unit. This will depend greatly on whether you chose the right unit for the size of the area you want to cool. In this matter, as mentioned, seek technical advice. You will need to select an air conditioning unit with the appropriate energy efficiency and cooling capacity. Having discussed this with the people who are installing your air condition, based on the cooling capacity of the unit, you have to estimate how many hours a week you will need to keep the unit running. Multiplying this figure by your power rates you can more or less approximate how much you will be spending for power for your cool air weekly. There are sites on the internet which will compute this for you. You need to specify that area you live in for the calculation to be done correctly.

Evidently air conditioning cost isn’t something that should catch you off-guard. If you take the trouble to determine your expected expenses first, you can make the correct decision about what size of unit and what type of installation you can afford.

Here are some points about air conditioning troubleshooting:

1. If your air conditioning unit refuses to start, check to see if the power is on or check to make sure the thermostat switch is on to make it start.
2. If your unit runs but does not emit cool air then the technician will probably check the Compressor.
3. If the cooling time of your unit is too short with the result that it turns itself on and off abruptly the defect may be in the compressor/condenser.
4. A weak air flow across the unit may be due to a dirt filter or a defective blower fan.
5. If your unit keeps tripping the fuses the defect may be in the compressor.

Because most of the troubles seen in air conditioning troubleshooting are caused by the dirt inside, keeping your air conditioner clean inside and out regularly is necessary for prolonging the life of its parts and of the whole unit. If you have ever noticed how quickly an electric fan gets grimy, you can understand that your air conditioner will need to be cleaned at regular intervals, the more the better. This means, probably once every 3 months for particularly polluted areas.

Whenever you use your air conditioner be sensitive to how efficient it is working. The slightest deterioration in the quality of the air can indicate that it is due for cleaning. The frequency of cleaning will depend on how much you use it because the dirt inside the air conditioner usually comes off from the filter which traps the foreign particles in the air prior to emitting it.

It is important to understand that the sizing of your air conditioner greatly impacts many factors.  Considering these factors in air conditioner sizing when replacing your unit can save you money and frustration in the long run.

Many people do not understand the sizing requirements for cooling a house.   The typical calculation for air conditioner sizing to a home is approximately one ton for every five hundred square feet of living space.  In most two-story houses you would benefit by having two systems, one for each floor.   With just one system on the bottom floor, trying to cool the upstairs efficiently could be driving up your energy costs.

Another factor of incorrect air conditioner sizing impacts the utility cost of operating your system.  It costs more per day to keep your system running more often in order to cool a larger space.  If your system is undersized then your house will not cool to the proper temperature on hot days.  Your system could run continuously in order to cool your house simply because it is not adequate for the square footage.  This could cause a more frequent need for repairs due to the system not shutting off or cycling properly.

By comparison, if your system is oversized it could cause your air conditioner to over cycle which means it will turn off and on too frequently.  By not running long enough, the system cannot properly dehumidify your home.  This could cause poor air quality and excessive humidity inside the home.

To summarize, the important aspects of correct air conditioner sizing are energy costs, performance, air cooling and air quality.  All of these items need to be considered when purchasing a home with an existing unit, or upgrading your air conditioner system.

Most people do not think about their home air conditioning system until it is too late and not working.  There are a few things to know that can save you money and frustration if you take the time to learn about your air conditioner.

One of the first things to do is be aware of the sounds coming from your system.  Usually a banging or clanking noise coming from the air handler or condensing unit could be a warning sign that a possible problem is present.  If you pay attention you can recognize easily what the abnormal sounds are and catch them in time before the system shuts down completely.

Take a walk outside to your condensing unit and notice if it is shaking or vibrating.  This could be caused by a fan blade being out of balance.  An unbalanced fan blade can cost more money in repairs for a fan motor or even a refrigerant leak if not addressed in time.  The fan blade can actually break off and go into your condensing coil which holds your refrigerant.  If the coil is too damaged it will have to be replaced.

If you notice a burning or hot smell coming from your supply vents or air handler, it may be indicative of a blower motor going out.  If the blower motor stops working it will cause your system to freeze up and there will be no air flow or cooling in your home air conditioning system.  If your fan motor goes out in the condensing unit outside, this will cause the compressor to run harder and overheat requiring repair.  Additional repairs could be more costly if not caught in time.

It is smart to prevent repairs if possible on your home air conditioning system by maintaining it with a preventative maintenance twice a year.

If your system is not cooling you will want to first check a few things out before calling a service technician.  For instance, if there is no display at the digital thermostat, you will want to check your breaker to see if the breaker has been tripped.  If this has happened, try resetting the breaker and restarting the system.  If the breaker trips again you will need to leave the system off and call a service technician.

If the breaker has not been tripped there is a possibility that your drain line has been clogged.  Keeping your drain line clean is a very important part of preventative maintenance on your system.  If you are familiar with performing your own preventative maintenance at home, you will know how to properly clean the drain line.  If you are not familiar with cleaning a drain line then you will need to call a service technician.

If no air is coming out of the supply vents, there is a possibility that your blower motor which is located within the air handler is not operating.  A central air conditioning troubleshooting method for this is to go to the air handler and listen for the blower motor to be humming normally.  There may be a burning smell coming from the air handler which could be indicative of a bad blower motor.  If this is the case, then turn the power off and call a service technician.

Sometimes the display is on at the thermostat for cooling, but there is warm air coming from the supply vent.  Another tip for central air conditioning troubleshooting is to check the condensing unit outside to see if the fan blade is turning.  If the fan blade is not turning even though you can hear the compressor operating, then turn the power off and contact a service technician.  This is most likely the cause of a bad fan motor which will need to be replaced.  If the fan blade is turning but you feel cold air coming out of the top of the condensing unit this may mean that your compressor is not operating.  Again, you will need a service technician for this repair.

These items are listed here to give you an overview of simple diagnostic things you can do at home before having to call a service technician to perform repairs.  By checking these items first when symptoms arise you may be able to alleviate the need for a service call.

As you may know, there are many parts to a home air conditioning unit.  Many people are familiar with some of those parts, but are not aware of the primary parts responsible for cooling your house.  There are many things that can go wrong with an air conditioner.  Catching things early can keep costs down and limit the time that you are without air or heat.

One of the parts responsible for turning on and off your system is the thermostat.  For your home air conditioning unit to properly maintain temperature it must begin with the thermostat.  Keeping your thermostat at a regular temperature on a constant basis is the recommended process  to minimize excessive energy costs.  The optimum temperature recommendation is 78 degrees for cooling and 68 degrees for heating.

The air handler which is usually located in the garage, attic or closet is an important piece of the home air conditioning unit.  Air flow and air quality are coming from the air handler part of the unit.  Proper cleaning and maintenance of the evaporator coil and blower wheel in the air handler will help keep air flow and air quality at its peak.

The air filter needs to be replaced frequently in order to allow proper air flow to the evaporator coil within the air handler.  Excessive dirt on your filter could cause restriction in air flow to the evaporator itself.  This could cause the system to freeze resulting in a service call for repair.  Pleated air filters should be replaced every three months.  Other less expensive filters should be changed once a month.

The condensing unit is located outside and is accompanied by a drain line.  This drain line needs to be cleaned regularly.  If it is not cleaned, water could back up into the air handler and create water damage if not serviced in a timely manner.   Your compressor is located inside the condensing unit and must be properly maintained with cleaning twice a year.  If it is not cleaned regularly your compressor could be damaged.  This is the heart of your system so it is imperative that you keep it running efficiently.

These components are the main parts of your air conditioning unit that should be observed and maintained.  Making yourself aware of these parts and the recommended servicing required will undoubtedly help keep your system running and your energy costs down.