Air conditioner maintenance is important. While maintenance can be as simple as replacing the filter every three months, it is sometimes very complicated
The purpose of this article is to share an excellent and very timely article on cleaning and maintenance of air conditioning units. According to its author, air conditioner maintenance involves a lot of steps, which is why many homeowners choose to hire professionals. Dirty and clogged filters need to be replaced or cleaned since they block normal airflow and significantly reduce the unit’s efficiency. Cleaning or replacing the filter can reduce the unit’s energy consumption by up to 15%.
This article also talks about other components like evaporator and condenser coils which collect dirt, even with clean filters. This causes a decrease in airflow and will also insulate the coil, minimizing its ability to absorb heat. Other parts of the air conditioning unit that need maintenance include coil fins, condensate drains and window seals.
With the summer months coming up, HRC Climate Services encourages air conditioner maintenance to insure optimum cooling performance. Utah air conditioning services. ( Newswire.net — June 13, 2016) Spanish Fork , Utah
HRC Climate Services is encouraging homeowners to have their air conditioners checked and maintained now that the warmer months are here. Maintenance on air conditioners is extremely advantageous to homeowners because of the benefits it can offer, especially in the summer. Unless it is brand new, an air conditioner may not be running as efficiently as it is supposed to. Air conditioning units require regular maintenance, and if not maintained, may work less efficiently with time. They may not cool a room as they used to, giving homeowners an uncomfortably hot home during the summer. When they can no longer cool a room with the original amount of energy it used to require, they will work harder to achieve their usual standard. This results in utilizing more energy and can cause a higher utility bill. Even as energy usage increases, the unit will not be able to cool a room the way it used to. Cleaning and maintenance on air conditioning units involve a lot of […]
We also recommend you read our article titled Air Conditioning Repair Services in Southern Maryland. In this article we provide recommendations on what to look for and how to choose a professional air conditioning repair contractor..
Finally, you might want to check out this timely article on Air Conditioner Repair and Replacement. In this article, we describe some of the many technical changes that have occurred in air conditioning repair. For example, as of 2010, manufacturers must use a new kind of refrigerant that’s not an ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon. Plus, we explain some cost/benefit solutions when making a decision to either repair or replace your air conditioning system.
Great customers are taking the time to actually send us emails praising our service. These are customers that make an extra effort and take time out of their busy schedules to write us a personal email thanking us for our professionalism.
Here’s one from Patrick in early July:
“My name is Patrick and I just had to let the supervisor of Ms. Heather know that she was very, very, very professional and kind!!!… when she came to fix my air conditioner unit on July 9 in Clinton, MD. Keep up the Excellent work Ms. Heather. YOU GO GIRLLLLLLL.”
Check out this email we received from Demetrice in Upper Marlboro on July 21:
“I am reaching out to you to inform you that the HVAC service I received on Saturday from Heather was wonderful. From the beginning to the end she showed impeccable ability and professionalism. She quickly assessed our problem and got to work restoring our Air Conditioning to our home. My husband and I were very pleased.
Thank you for the wonderful experience; and if we need our unit serviced again in the future, we know exactly whom to call.”
Marvin in Upper Marlboro also took the time from his busy schedule to send us this awesome email review in late July praising our service:
“I am writing to recognize your HVAC technician Heather for her hard work and diligence in resolving my problem with my HVAC system. After making arrangements with my warranty company to initiate service with your company, Heather was called in to make it her number one priority to solve our problems. She listened when I knew I wasn’t making any sense explaining my problems. She was patient and actually tried different configurations with the system when previous technicians basically looked at it, and said there was nothing they could do.
My family thanks her for her outstanding service and to you for hiring her to represent your company.”
This great email review was received from Dave and Nancy in Leonardtown, MD on 5 August:
“Good morning Stephanie (our super customer service rep). All is well at the moment! Just to let you know that the new Pump-Motor & Holding Tank and associated plumbing installed on 23 July has been working fine and keep up with water demands since we had the new 20 Amp circuit breaker installed on 30 July. The breaker is no longer tripping. We sincerely appreciate everything Jerry’s Plumbing and Heating has done to help us out with this problem. Your Senior Technician, Doug, did and absolutely outstanding job throughout the entire and check-out the pump system. He stood by us all the way until the system was working properly. We will call on your technical assistance for our future plumbing problems. And, we will highly recommend Jerry’s to our neighbors and friends.
Appreciate all your help with this problem.”
Here’s another fantastic review from Bobby C in Waldorf, MD.
“Good morning. I like to express my extreme pleasure with the service I received from Heather. Her professionalism, enthusiasm and love for her job was unlike anyone I have ever seen. Totally impressed! I will definitely recommend Heather/Jerrys to all my family and friends should they require your services. She should be promoted!!!
Warm Regards,
Bobbie”
Our management team recognizes the accomplishment of all our techs, but there is no better recognition then those received from our satisfied customers praising our service. And, for that we thank all our customers!
Without hot water heaters, we would all have to heat water on the stoves to have hot baths; a tedious and time consuming chore, and not a very pleasant thought.
Thankfully, in this day and age, there are appliances that provide us with readily available hot water with just the turn of a faucet. After a trying day, a hot bath may be all that you need to wash the stress away. While many of us appreciate the feeling we get when we take a hot shower, most of us hardly ever think of how this luxury is provided.
Do You Have Questions about Hot Water Heaters?
Call Us Today!
Types of Hot Water Heaters
Most hot water heaters consist of a drum-shaped tank with a stand on the end but, there are tankless versions as well. The tanks hold a reservoir of hot water so that when the faucet is turned on, the hot water is available to meet your needs. Because of their large size and general aesthetic reasons, the heater’s tank is usually kept out of sight, in the laundry, basement, or a special cupboard.
There are three main types of hot water heaters:
Electric Heaters: Electric heaters are powered by electricity and use a thermostat to help them maintain a comfortable temperature. If the water temperature happens to fall below the preset level, the electric current will raise it to the desired level. These tanks tend to be about 93% efficient; the highest among heater models. (See diagram above)
Gas heaters: Gas heaters operate under similar principles as their electric counterparts. The main difference being that, as the name suggests, they utilize gas for energy. Their level of energy efficiency is largely dependent on their age and size. For instance, models made before 1990 tend to be anywhere from 45% 61% energy efficient. Newer models tend to be at least 62% energy efficient.
Tankless water heaters: As the name suggests, these heaters work without the benefit of a water reservoir; instead they heat the water as needed. They are available in both electric and gas models and are typically about 82% energy efficient.
5 Little Known Facts About Hot Water Heaters
Hot water heaters are essential to your total home comfort. However, there is much that we don’t know about them. Take a look at the following 5 facts
Approximately 25% of the energy is used in your home is used to heat your water. Because they use such a large amount of energy, it is important that you purchase a unit that is energy efficient.
Most of your hot water usage comes from doing laundry and taking baths.
The typical hot water heater with a tank lasts anywhere from 10 to 13 years.
Tank water heaters should be drained and filled every 3 months so that they remain in optimum working condition.
Tankless water heaters don’t provide instant hot water when the faucet is turned on.
The Bottom Line on Hot Water Heaters
The hot water heater is an essential appliance for every home. Regardless if you are buying your first water heater or your fourth, knowing the facts about water heaters will help you make an informed decision.
We’ve been in this business for quite some time, and find that a lot of people do not understand the term HVAC. HVAC is a common industry term, but it does not translate very well to consumers. The purpose of this article is to explain HVAC in layman’s terms and also provide some timely and useful information on the air conditioning component in your HVAC system. And, we’ll provide some tips on how to avoid costly upsells you might not need.
HVAC
HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Your HVAC system is one of the most important parts of your home. HVAC includes the three major functions of your home comfort system. A complete system controls humidity, fresh air intake, maintains the quality of the air in your home, heats your home in the winter, and cools your home in the summer.
Air Conditioning
It’s that time of year. Customers are testing their air conditioning units for the long awaited summer months. And, they are calling us to perform service checks to tune up and make minor repairs to maintain their air conditioning systems. So, that’s our focus in this article.
How Does Your Air Conditioner Work: Here is a quick, simple and easy to understand video on how your air conditioner works.
In addition to the three major components mentioned in the video; the compressor, the condensor coil, and the evaporator coil, your air conditioning system relies on ductwork throughout your home to deliver cool air. And, of course, your system relies on freon to complete the cooling process. Please see our recent article on Air Conditioning Repair Tips before calling a professional repair service.
Be aware of scams or upsells.
Sadly, some companies pressure their techs to upsell regardless of the condition of the system. Conversely, some techs try to upsell to customers without the consent of their company. Let take a look at an example. An 84-yr old woman calls a local Plumbing and HVAC company to request preventative maintenance on her air conditioning system. She pays the company $89 for this service.
The company HVAC Tech recommends she replace and upgrade her entire system because its 15-years old and uses an old type of Freon. He estimates the price to be between $6-10,000. Yet, her current system is working just fine. The compressor works, the condensor coil and evaporator coil are both fine and she doesn’t need Freon. Nothing is broke! He promises to give her an exact price the following week. Coincidentally, this same company replaced her heating system about four years ago and she had to finance the cost. And, she’s still making payments on her very limited fixed income. Be careful folks!
Granted, there are a lot of good reasons to upgrade or replace the air conditioning component of your HVAC system, but there are also some bad reasons to make this huge investment. If you’re on a tight budget, it might be a whole lot better to know and understand the basic components of your air conditioning system and have them fixed if and when they break. And, they will break much less often if you take care of your system with yearly preventative maintenance. We, at Jerry’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, strive to meet our customer’s needs, not our own!
Before you call a company for air conditioning repair, there are a few things you can try on your own. While many air conditioning repairs require a professional, homeowners can troubleshoot some common home air conditioning problems themselves.
First of all, and to avoid troubleshooting, please read this important article on Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance. It provides some great tips on how to preserve your current air conditioning system and prevent the higher costs associated with air conditioning repair and replacement.
If troubleshooting become an issue, here’s a link to an excellent article on Angie’s List on Troubleshooting Common Air Conditioning Problems. This article addresses four common air conditioning repair problems and recommends what you can do if: 1. Your air condenser isn’t running; 2. You have inadequate cooling; 3. Your air conditioning unit is running, but doesn’t cool; and, 4. Your air unit repeatedly shuts off. And, finally they provide advice on when to call a professional.
We also recommend you read our article titled Air Conditioning Repair Services in Southern Maryland. In this article we provide recommendations on what to look for and how to choose a professional air conditioning repair contractor should you have the need to do so.
Finally, you might want to check out this timely article on Air Conditioner Repair and Replacement. In this article, we describe some of the many technical changes that have occurred in air conditioning repair. For example, as of 2010, manufacturers must use a new kind of refrigerant that’s not an ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon. Plus, we explain some cost/benefit solutions when making a decision to either repair or replace your air conditioning system.
In review, this article is intended to provide you some answers and resolution to common air conditioning repair problems. As a homeowner, there are several options that you can try yourself. First of all, we always recommend that annual air conditioning preventive maintenance will help you avoid expensive repairs in the first place. Finally, should repair or replacement become issues, it’s always best to be an informed consumer.
The four major advantages of a geothermal heating and cooling system are: 1.) reduced heating and cooling costs; 2.) low life-cycle costs; 3.) positive environment impact; and 4.) potential Federal and State tax credits.
A geothermal heat pump functions like a conventional heat pump, by using high-pressure refrigerant to capture and move heat between indoors and out. The difference is that conventional systems gather their heat—and get rid of it—through the outside air. By comparison, a geothermal heating and cooling system transfers heat through long loops of liquid-filled pipe buried in the ground.
Reduced Heating and Cooling Costs
Homeowners should realize a reduction of 30 to 70 percent in their overall heating and cooling costs with a geothermal heating and cooling system. Geothermal systems have the capability of capturing reclaimed heat during heating and cooling modes and using it to heat domestic water. This application can reduce the water heating cost of a four-person household by 50 to 60 percent. In the winter, the geothermal heating and cooling system pulls heat from the earth into the house or building and in the summer, the system removes heat from the house or building by dumping it into the ground.
Low Life-Cycle Costs
A study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that geothermal systems have the lowest life-cycle cost of all heating and cooling systems currently on the market. Lower maintenance costs and longer life expectancy of geothermal units should certainly be taken into consideration when determining true savings. You can expect your geothermal system to provide an average of 20 to 24 years of reliable comfort and savings. In comparison, the average life cycle of a conventional system is 13 to 15 years.
Positive Environmental Impact
Furthermore, geothermal systems have a positive impact on the environment since they burn no fossil fuels and operate on a modest amount of electricity. According to the United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal systems are the most environmentally friendly way to heat and cool your home. They do not emit greenhouse gasses, which are known to contribute to environmental air pollution. Flammable fossil fuels are not used to operate geothermal units. Because there is no combustion, there is no chance of explosion, hazardous fumes or risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Tax Credits
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act adopted in October 2008 allows for a 30% tax credit for costs associated with ENERGY STAR qualified geothermal heat pumps, as noted in section 25D of the Internal Revenue Code. The credit applies to geothermal equipment placed in service through December 31, 2016. The credit is equal to 30% of the total system cost.
Furthermore, HB 1186 (May 22, 2012) allowed Maryland to become the first state in the country to make the energy generated by GHC technologies eligible for the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) as a Tier 1 renewable source. GHC system owners are also eligible for Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). See more here: Geothermal Heating and Cooling (Maryland Energy Administration).
In summary, there are some very significant advantage to geothermal heating and cooling systems. Cost savings alone can help offset what can be a high price to install this type of system. If you are interested in learning more about geothermal heating and cooling, please use the source links we provide below.
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The purpose of this article is to share an excellent and very timely article on cleaning and maintenance of air conditioning units. According to its author, air conditioner maintenance involves a lot of steps, which is why many homeowners choose to hire professionals. Dirty and clogged filters need to be replaced or cleaned since they block normal airflow and significantly reduce the unit’s efficiency. Cleaning or replacing the filter can reduce the unit’s energy consumption by up to 15%.
