Replacing your air conditioner is a big step, involving considerable expense and requiring the services of a trained technician to install properly. It’s often the last thing a homeowner wants to think about, especially in the height of our Hammond, LA summers. But replacing an air conditioner can be a good thing, provided that the conditions are right for such a move. “Does my air conditioner need to be replaced?” you ask. Here’s a quick guide to help you make that decision.
Professional Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Hammond’
Does My Air Conditioner Need to Be Replaced?
Monday, July 6th, 2015The Purpose of Refrigerant in Your AC System
Monday, June 29th, 2015Many homeowners know that air conditioners run on refrigerant: chemicals that facilitate a heat exchange between the air inside your home and the air outside your home. The specific refrigerant depends on the exact model of air conditioner, and you need precise amounts in order to facilitate the process of cooling the air. Here in Hammond, LA, that makes your refrigerant vital to keeping your home cool and comfortable during our sultry Southern summers. It helps a great deal to fully understand the purpose of refrigerant in your AC system, and how that can be affected when it starts to run low.
Recirculated, Not Consumed
Unlike the gas in your car, refrigerant is not consumed by the air conditioner. In fact, it theoretically exists within a closed system, and will never leak at all. It first passes through a condenser array, where heat is pulled from it and a great deal of pressure applied. That shifts the refrigerant to a pressurized liquid state, where it enters the evaporator coils in a set amount. There, it shifts back into a gas, pulling heat from the air around the coils as a result. The cool air is blown into your home and the refrigerant returns to the condenser array.
Trouble Comes from Leaks
As we said, theoretically, the system is never supposed to leak. But leaks can occur for a number of different reasons, and when they do, the balance of the system is thrown off. The refrigerant can’t cool the air as effectively and your system has to work much harder to do its job: increasing the risk of more serious breakdowns in the future.
Luckily, the experts at A Professional Heating & Air Conditioning Services can seal any leak and recharge your refrigerant levels to their optimum state. Pick up the phone and call us today!
Common Problems with Ducts
Monday, June 22nd, 2015Your central air conditioner relies upon a series of ducts to do its job. They branch out from the centralized unit through unseen places in your home, like crawlspaces in the walls and your attic, and carry conditioned air out to various rooms through a series of vents. They’re designed to function without trouble, but like any other appliance, they sometimes run into problems. When they do, it pays to contact a seasoned professional to get them taken care of. Considering the heat of our summers here in Hammond, LA, common problems with ducts can end up costly you an uncommonly large amount of money in higher monthly bills if you aren’t careful.
What Kinds of Indoor Air Cleaners Are Available?
Monday, June 15th, 2015Here in Hammond, LA, the heat and humidity of our summers can lead to significant indoor air quality questions. High humidity breeds mold and bacteria, in addition to that clammy uncomfortable feeling that makes your body think it’s much hotter than it actually is. A good air conditioner can counteract some of this, but it can’t account for the proliferation of germs in your household and in any case it needs to work much harder to do its job when the indoor air quality is low. You can counteract this by upgrading your system with an air cleaner of some stripe, installed by a professional and working alongside your air condition. What kinds of indoor air cleaners are available? We’ve written down a few of the more common models.
Common Signs of Air Conditioning Trouble
Monday, June 8th, 2015When your air conditioner breaks down in Hammond, LA, you can feel it immediately. Our summers are too hot and humid to let such incidents pass, and unless you get a trained technician in there quickly, your household will be at the mercy of our stifling temperatures. Only a skilled professional should address an air conditioning repair issue – amateurs might make the problem worse and the presence of potentially toxic refrigerants may pose a safety risk as well – but you can help out by spotting the signs of air conditioning trouble as early as possible. Doing so may help you stop a big problem while it’s still small and save you a great deal of money as well as a day without an air conditioner. Generally speaking, anything out of the ordinary should be reported, but more specifically, look for these signs:
Are Heat Pumps Right for My Home?
Monday, June 1st, 2015We’re all used to traditional central air conditioning systems, and for the most part, they do a very good job. But they’re not the only type of system out there, and if you live in Hammond, LA, they might not even be the best system for you. Heat pumps, in particular, make an attractive alternative to traditional systems, and if you’re looking to consolidate heating and cooling into one set. Heat pumps work very well in our sultry southern climate, but are they right for your home? Here’s a quick primer to help you decide.
Why Should I Worry About Short Cycling With My Air Conditioning?
Monday, May 25th, 2015If you’ve had to deal with air conditioning repair, you may have heard the term “short cycling” before. It’s a condition whereby your unit turns off and on again very quickly, sometimes without adequately cooling the house and often with far more frequency than is proper. This is of especial concern as we gear up for summer here in Hammond, LA, because you’re going to need your air conditioning when the temperatures hit triple digits. Short cycling can be caused by anything from low refrigerant levels to a system that’s too powerful for the space it’s supposed to cool. But why should you worry about short cycling with your air conditioning?
Zone Control Systems or Centralized Systems?
Monday, May 18th, 2015Our summers come full of heat and humidity in Hammond, LA, and you need a reliable air conditioner if you want to survive the high temperatures in comfort and style. While most people think of air conditioners as centralized units blowing air throughout the home via a series of ducts, there are other options available. Zone control systems, which divide your home into separate sections via a series of vales and coils, make an attractive addition to a standard air conditioning system, and offer a number of benefits for those who choose to install them. It does, however, represent a significant up-front cost, and before you invest you need to know that such a system is right for you. Zone control systems or centralized systems? Here are a few factors to consider when making your decision.
How Does My Air Conditioning System Work?
Monday, May 11th, 2015Air conditioners are one of the unsung heroes of your household, delivering cool comfortable air for a very reasonable price. Summers in Hammond, LA, would be insufferable without them, and yet we rarely pay attention to them until they suffer a breakdown. Anytime there’s trouble with your AC, you should call in a trained professional immediately, but it may help to understand how the system functions on the most basic level. That can help you spot signs of trouble more readily and respond to trouble sooner rather than later. “How does my air conditioning system work?” you ask. We’ve provided a quick outline below.
Do You Need an Air Conditioning Maintenance Visit?
Monday, April 20th, 2015If you plan to run your air conditioning system this season (and let’s face it; it is very difficult to get by without it) air conditioning maintenance is a must. Many homeowners decide not to schedule maintenance every year, and still others are not even aware of this vital service. But without it, your air conditioner may run into trouble at some point in the season, and you may notice that your energy bills get worse and worse.