Professional Heating & Air Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

3 Reasons to Install a Heat Pump

Friday, August 8th, 2014

It’s the dog days of summer: temperatures in the 90s, coupled with Louisiana humidity. This is the time of year when you count on your air conditioner, but if your system is over 10 years old, requires costly repairs, or is losing efficiency, it may be time to consider replacing your air conditioner in Covington.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to installing a new air conditioning system, and one you may want to consider is a heat pump. Heat pump technology isn’t new, but it is quickly becoming a popular choice among homeowners because of its benefits. A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning specializes in heat pump installation, repair and replacement, so we know very well how a heat pump can benefit you and your home.

What Is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is a device that transfers heat from one location to another. When cooling, the heat pump moves the warm air from your home to the outside, and when heating, the heat pumps pulls in the heat energy surrounding it, and moves it into your home. Heat pumps use a small amount of electricity to work, but nothing compared to electric heat or the electricity needed for a fossil fuel-based system.

What Are the Benefits of a Heat Pump?

Heat pumps have become popular for a few good reasons:

You get both heating and cooling from a heat pump – heat pumps are a 2-in-1 device thanks to a component called a reversal switch. By simply turning the switch, your system will either cool or heat as needed.

Save on energy bills – heat pumps use a very small amount of electricity to operate and no fossil fuels whatsoever. If you’ve been paying for natural gas or oil to heat your home, or expend a great deal of money on electricity to run your AC during the summer, you may see some great savings from installing a heat pump.

Longevity – the average lifespan of a heat pump is 20 years, while the average lifespan of an air conditioning system is 10-12 years. An 8-10 year difference in lifespan can be a huge cost savings for your household.

Heat pumps can be a great choice for your air conditioning. Call A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today and schedule air conditioning service in Covington with one of our experts to see if a heat pump is a good fit for your home.

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What is ENERGY STAR and Why is it Important for my Air Conditioning?

Wednesday, July 30th, 2014

You may have noticed the ENERGY STAR label printed on many products purchased for your home. Not every system gets this distinctive mark, however, so you may not be sure whether it is necessary to look for when purchasing a new air conditioning system. Finding an ENERGY STAR qualified system can help you save money and protect the environment, so we’ve put together a guide to this government-backed certification.

ENERGY STAR Qualified Products Help Protect the Environment

The ENERGY STAR label lets you know that you’ve chosen a system that is efficient enough to receive the approval of the US Environmental Protection Agency. In order to receive this distinguished label, air conditioners must meet a series of conditions including significantly low energy consumption. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants released into the air by home appliances, so ensuring that this label is present on your AC lets you know you’ve done something to benefit the earth.

ENERGY STAR Products Can Save You Money without Reduced Performance

ENERGY STAR air conditioners help you save a lot of money every month on your energy bills since many are over 15% more efficient than conventional models. And even though it seems as though an AC that costs less to run would not have the same features of other systems, ENERGY STAR labeled air conditioners must offer the performance and cooling power that customers want to earn the approval of the EPA.

ENERGY STAR Products Still Require Maintenance

Some people may think that installing an energy-efficient product is enough to maintain efficiency throughout the life of the system. However, any air conditioner needs maintenance to restore efficiency and keep costs low. If you choose an ENERGY STAR qualified product, you should continue to clean the air filter and schedule maintenance once a year.

Check the EnergyGuide label attached to all air conditioning systems in the U.S. to determine whether an air conditioner will save you money every month and help the environment. For air conditioning services in Hammond, call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today!

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What Are the Benefits of Zone Control Systems?

Monday, July 21st, 2014

What is “zone control”? It is a way of setting up the heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system in a home or business to divide the building into multiple “zones” that receive heating and cooling independent of each other. Without zone control, central air conditioning in a home will cool down the entire home when the air comes on. With zone control, only rooms that need cooling will receive it. Zone controls can be part of initial installation of an HVAC system, or specialists can retro-fit an existing system for zoning.

There are a number of important benefits that you will receive from installing a zone control system. To find out more about the zoning services we offer at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning, call us and speak to our specialists. They will give you the important details about how they can set up a zone control system for your home.

Reasons to Look Into Zone Control

Energy savings: Because you no longer have to cool down every single room in a house connected to the ventilation system when the AC kicks on, you only need to cool down the rooms that need it. As a result, you will conserve energy and save money on your utility bills. This is especially beneficial if you have a guest room that is frequently empty.
Personal temperature control: If you are used to arguments in your home between people with differing comfort needs (“This house is always too cold!” “No, it’s always too warm!”) then zone control is one of the answers. The different zones in a house have their own thermostats, so people can adjust the temperature in their area to suit their personal comfort level without affecting the rest of the home.
Temperatures to fit each room’s purpose: Your whole house doesn’t need the same level of cooling all the time. Some rooms benefit from warmer temperatures, such as rooms with few windows on the ground floor, or an infant’s room. Other rooms need cooler temperatures, like the kitchen, or a home gym, or a room where wine is stored. Zone control lets you adjust all the rooms so they are cooled “just right.”

When you contact A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning for zone control installation service in Hammond, LA, you’ll also have a company to handle whatever repairs you may need for the new system, as well as regular maintenance. We can help with your whole HVAC system, and our technicians are ready around the clock with 24-hour emergency service.

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When Is the Right Time for Air Conditioning Maintenance?

Wednesday, July 16th, 2014

Air conditioning maintenance is key for keeping your system running efficiently. Typically, the best times of year to schedule maintenance is during the spring and fall. But this doesn’t mean you can only schedule maintenance during these times; the fact is, if you haven’t done maintenance for a long period of time, it is better to schedule maintenance sooner rather than later.

What Are the Benefits of Maintenance?

Routine maintenance has several important benefits for your air conditioning system:

Extends the life of your system – maintenance helps all the parts and components of your air conditioner run optimally. When your system is strained or running inefficiently, this can contribute to premature aging and early wear-and-tear.

Helps lower repair costs – the thorough inspection your system gets during a maintenance appointment means small and developing problems are caught and repaired before they can blossom into big ones that can be costly.

Helps lower energy bills – when your AC operates at its best, it also operates efficiently. An efficient system uses less energy, which, in turn, can lower your energy bills.

Better indoor air quality – a cleaner air conditioner delivers cleaner air throughout your home.

What Happens During a Maintenance Appointment?

A-Professional offers annual and bi-annual maintenance plans. During every appointment, the following occurs:

Monitor refrigerant pressure
Test starter capabilities
Test safety controls
Clean or replace standard air filters
Measure for correct air flow
Tighten electrical connections
Measure volts & amps
Inspect all duct work
Lubricate all moving parts
Adjust thermostat calibration
Clean evaporator coil if accessible
Flush drain lines
Measure temperature difference
Clean outside unit

Is It Time for a Maintenance Appointment?

We may be past spring, but that doesn’t mean you can’t schedule maintenance for your air conditioning system in Hammond, LA. In fact, if you’ve been seeing signs of inefficiency, or suspect you may have a developing issue with your AC, there’s no better time than the present to call us. Call A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today!

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Potential Problems with Your Outdoor Air Conditioning Unit

Tuesday, July 8th, 2014

Most home air conditioners are “split” systems, which means that they consist of an indoor and outdoor unit. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil that removes the heat from your house, and the blower fan to distribute the cooled air. The outdoor unit is often known as the condensers, and it contains the condenser coil, a fan, and the compressor.

The outdoor unit is built sturdy to withstand weather conditions, but sometimes it can suffer from repair needs that will require you call for work from Hammond, LA air conditioning professionals. You can trust to the technicians at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning, and they are available to help you 24 hours a day.

Some Issues You May Experience With the Condenser

Damage to the fan: The fan inside the condenser is responsible for drawing air across the refrigerant coil and causing it to release its heat to the outdoors. The fan also vents that heat out of the top of the condenser. Debris can sometimes enter the condenser and cause damage to the fan, leading to bent blades or a broken fan belt, and this will hamper the proper cooling operation of the system and could cause serious mechanical damage inside the condenser. Call for repairs as soon as you hear odd noises from the outdoor cabinet.
Compressor “seizing”: The compressor it the most important component in an AC: if it fails, there is no air conditioning—period. The compressor works in the fashion of a piston motor, and dust and dirt along the moving parts or a loss of lubrication can cause the compressor to become “tight,” and eventually seize up and stop working. This might even lead to compressor burnout, which is one of the most expensive repairs for an air conditioner possible. At the first side of the compressor encountering difficulties, call for professional repairs.
Leaking refrigerant: Refrigerant runs through the whole AC system, but leaks along the line are most likely to occur in the condenser, where the line connects to the compressor. Loss of refrigerant will cause the AC to lose its conditioning power, and the change in pressure throughout the cooling system will cause severe damage and lead to the compressor overheating. At the first sign of refrigerant loss (hissing sounds, ice on the evaporator coil, a drop in cooling), bring in trained technicians.

At A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning, we take pride in how we deliver the quality service that customers would expect from a large company, but with the personal attention of a small business. Whatever issues you may encounter with your air conditioning system, you can trust our experienced and friendly staff to solve the troubles. Call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning for professional Hammond air conditioning service.

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3 Causes of Strange Noises with Your Air Conditioning

Thursday, June 26th, 2014

When you hear a sound coming from your AC, never ignore it – it most likely signals the development of a problem with your air conditioning system in Hammond. There are a lot of different reasons why and how your air conditioner can start making strange noises, but there are a few types of repairs that are fairly easy to identify simply by listening:

Hissing – a hissing sound can be indicative of two possible things: a refrigerant leak inside the air conditioning system or a leak coming from the compressor. Both will need to be repaired, preferably by a trained professional, as both these types of repairs typically get worse over time and may cause damage to your system.

Clunking or banging – a clunking or banging noise can indicate that something has come loose somewhere in the system, and many times this can be the fan or components of the fan, such as a fan blade. It’s important to repair a loose component quickly as it can cause damage to other parts of your air conditioner, particularly if it is hitting something during operation.

Screeching/Screaming sound – a screeching or screaming sound can be a big warning sign that the pressure inside your compressor is too high. This can be a dangerous situation, and requires that you turn off your air conditioner immediately and have it checked by a trained professional.

Normal Noises

There are normal operational noises that your air conditioner will make, so it’s good to know what these sounds are:

Whirring – as your AC begins a new cycle, you may hear it whirr; this is most likely from the fan beginning to spin and is not an issue.

Popping sound – every now and then you may hear a popping sound come through your air ducts; this is probably the metalwork in the ducts either expanding or contracting from the temperature

Thump at shut-off – when your air conditioner cycles down, it may create a small thumping noise; this is normal with many systems. If, however, you hear a number of thumps or consistent thumping, it may be time for a specialist to take a look.

Is Your AC Making Strange Noises? Give Us a Call

As the owner of your air conditioning system, you know what sounds normal and what doesn’t, and unfortunately, most strange noises coming from your air conditioner usually mean there’s a problem that needs to be fixed. Don’t ignore an abnormal noise coming from your AC, even if it still seems to be working fine. As soon as you start to hear something “off” with your air conditioning, call A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning and schedule air conditioning service in Hammond with one of our experts to take a look.

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What Does a Technician Do During an Air Conditioning Maintenance Call?

Monday, June 23rd, 2014

Regular maintenance for your air conditioning system should be scheduled once per year. The best time to have the work done is during the spring before the summer heat and work crunch arrives—but it’s never too late to get started, and during the early summer is still a find time to have a skilled technician come to your home and inspect your AC, clean it, and provide the necessary adjustments and tune-ups that will make sure it works at top level for another year.

If you aren’t enrolled in a program for air conditioning maintenance in Hammond, LA yet, call up A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today. Our maintenance program will handle all your AC’s needs (and your heater’s as well for the winter) and provide other excellent benefits.

What You Can Expect During Air Conditioning Maintenance

A maintenance session for an air conditioner consists of a checklist of inspections and adjustments that cover all aspects of a cooling system. If the technician finds a specific issue that need works, he or she will either take care of it or arrange a repair session if it is too large to handle during maintenance.

Here are some of the basic steps that occur on each visit:

Check refrigerant level and pressure: The technician will see that your AC has sufficient refrigerant and that it is at the correct pressure so it will not damage the other components.
Electrical tests: To ensure that the system is not in danger of electrical malfunctions (the most common cause of AC repairs), the technician will check the volts and amps. This part of maintenance will also involve tightening electrical connections if necessary.
Clean the indoor and outdoor coils: To see that the air conditioner can properly absorb and release heat, the technician will clean any dirt, dust, and grime from the two coils.
Lubricate motors and other moving parts: This step is necessary to reduce the level of stress in the motors and other components that can lead to inefficient AC performance and eventual repair needs. The technician will pay specific attention to the compressor motor and moving parts, which are essential for cooling performance and which are expensive to replace should they fail.
Clear condensate lines: The condensate pans move the excess moisture from condensation, and the technicians will see that these lines are clear and no blockage is occurring.
Thermostat calibration: The thermostat must read the temperatures correctly in order to run the AC effectively. The technician will handle any recalibration needed in the unit.

There are more steps than this, but these are the major checks and adjustments that a professional will take care of to see that you have an AC working in its best shape.

A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning offers air conditioning maintenance in Hammond, LA that comes with a 10% discount on parts and labor, 24-hour emergency service, priority customer scheduling, and $30 off service call charges. Make us your choice for AC service this summer and every summer after.

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Hissing Sounds from Your Air Conditioning: What They Mean

Monday, June 16th, 2014

An air conditioner, when operating normally, makes a predictable series of sounds: fans whirring, the compressor humming, and the occasional sound of condensate drainage. When another sound interrupts this pattern, it usually indicates that the AC needs to have professionals look into it and see if it requires repairs. Grinding and groaning sounds can point toward motors undergoing excess stress, clanging that a fan belt has come loose or a fan blade is bent, and clicking that a capacitor is about to fail.

In this post, we’ll address one sound in particular. It isn’t as loud and noticeable as some of the others, but it can warn of a problem as bad if not worse. When you hear a hissing noise from either cabinet of your AC, it means you probably have refrigerant escaping… and that requires professionals to perform air conditioning repair in Hammond, LA on the double, before your cooling system sustains serious damage that may even lead to requiring a replacement. Look to A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning for the work you need, when you need it.

The Problems of Leaking Refrigerant

The refrigerant (sometimes called “Freon”) inside an AC is responsible for carrying out heat exchange. To do this properly, it must remain at a set level, known as a “charge,” that is balanced for a specific air conditioner. Refrigerant does not dissipate under normal circumstances, but the charge can start to drop if the AC develops leaks.

When the charge lowers, the air conditioner will start to lose its ability to absorb heat along the evaporator coil. The refrigerant in the coil will remain cold, and this will trigger the condensate moisture along the coil to freeze. The presence of ice will further restrict heat absorption, and even more ice will develop, leading to a cycle that will eventually conclude with a solid block of ice across the coil and a complete end of the cooling cycle.

Even more worrisome: a drop in refrigerant charge will cause an imbalance inside the air conditioner that will damage the components. The compressor—the most vital piece of machinery in an AC—can overheat and burn out due to a lowered refrigerant charge. A burnt-out compressor will have to be replaced, or even the whole air conditioner with it… the most expensive “repair” of all.

You do not want leaking refrigerant to continue for any longer than necessary. At the first hissing noise, or the moment after you spot ice forming along the evaporator coil, call for professional air conditioning repair in Hammond, LA. A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning is available 24 hours a day to bring you the skilled work that will keep your AC cooling your home all summer long.

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3 Common Problems with Air Conditioner Fans

Monday, June 16th, 2014

Fans are an important part of your air conditioner’s system, particularly for the air flow and heat release process. Like other independent components of your air conditioning system, the fans can encounter problems, too, potentially leading to other issues with your system. Issues with your fans can have their own set of warning signs, something we’ve seen many times with air conditioning repairs in Covington. To help you pinpoint whether or not have an issue with one of your air conditioning system’s fans, our A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning experts have put together some information for you on your AC’s fans.

Signs of Potential Fan Problems

Fans can be noisy when something is on the fritz. A couple of typical noises to look for might be:

A clunking sound – which can indicate a loose or bent fan blade hitting or banging the inside of your outdoor unit
A screeching sound – which can indicate a worn-out fan belt

Another symptom can come in the form of performance:

Decrease in air flow coming into your property
Warm air blowing into your property

Lastly you may have a problem with a fan if your air conditioner develops ice.

3 Most Common Fan Problems

Fans have several components, including wiring. Here are 3 of the more common problem areas when it comes to your air conditioner’s fans:

Motor Issues

Motors turn the fans’ blades, so if the motor of a fan is faulty, the fan won’t turn as needed. The fans’ motors are electric, and can fail due to burn out, overheating or problems with internal wiring. Typically this can be fixed by replacing the motor.

Electrical Problems

As we touched on above, each fan has its own motor; each motor is tied to your system’s electricity, but it also has wiring within it to make the motor run. Over time, wires can fray, become loose or disconnect; these things can cause the motor to run unevenly or not at all, possibly putting strain on your whole air conditioning system.

Problems with the Fan Blades

The blades on your fans are metal and can bend or break, particularly on the outdoor unit; they can also come loose from operation. If a blade is bent, it can hit other components around it as it spins, potentially causing damage. Loose and broken fan blades can be quite hazardous to your system, too, particularly if they disengage from the fan itself. Depending on what kind of shape they are in, bent, broken or loose fan blades may need to be replaced.

Don’t Ignore Fan Problems

The fans in your system are key components in the air flow and heat release/cooling process of your AC; if one of the fans is malfunctioning, it can cause a potentially bigger problem in your air conditioner down the road. Think you may have a fan problem? Call A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning to help you with your air conditioning repair in Covington.

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Why Should I Consider Installing A Dehumidifier?

Monday, June 9th, 2014

Louisiana is known for muggy summers, and anybody who has lived here for a year or more knows how unpleasant the weather can become when the humidity climbs over 60%. An air conditioning system can offer some relief from humidity, since the action of evaporation that ACs use to extract heat from the air also draws in moisture. However, this is not the primary function of air conditioning systems, and for the high humidity of Louisiana, they are rarely up to the task of providing relief from damp days. (Anything above 60% humidity is too much for an air conditioner to handle.)

This is why we at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning recommend that when you have air conditioning installation in Hammond, LA, you also add a dehumidifier to the system. There are many advantages to this choice beyond achieving superior comfort during the summer.

Adding a Dehumidifier?

A dedicated dehumidifier works something like a small air conditioner. A fan draws in humid air and then passes it through coils cooled with refrigerant, and the evaporation pulls moisture from the air along with the heat. The moisture drips into a reservoir, and a reheater restores the air to its initial temperature (this way a dehumidifier will not make the air from your AC too cold). The reservoir in most dehumidifiers removes the excess water through a drain. A humidistat gives you control over the amount of moisture the dehumidifier removes from the air.

Aside from making you feel more comfortable (the less moisture in the air, the easier it is for your body to lose heat through perspiration), a dehumidifier will help you save money because you will no longer need to run the AC as often.

Lowering the humidity in a house has a beneficial effect on health: high humidity is linked to respiratory troubles, and it also encourages the growth of mold and mildew that will have a negative impact on the air you breathe.

High levels of moisture will cause damage to furnishings, walls, and floors, so a dehumidifier will also do the job of protecting your home.

Look For Professional Installation

You should always have professionals for your air conditioning installation in Hammond, LA. Make sure you retain them to perform the dehumidifier installation as well. A dehumidifier must be sized correctly to work with your AC and neither dry out your home too much or leave it too damp.

A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning has indoor air quality specialists who are ready to help you find the right system for your new AC installation. We also handle repair and maintenance to keep your new dehumidifier and air conditioner working in prime condition for many years.

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