Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

How Dirt and Dust Can Lead to Air Conditioning Repair Service

Wednesday, June 26th, 2013

Is your AC clean? Are you comfortable in your home during the summer? Grime, dirt, dust, and other debris can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of your cooling during the summer months. While professional installation can go a long way towards ensuring that your AC provides comfort for you and your family for the years to come, it’s simply not enough to instill confidence about its reliability and performance. By following up your installation with routine preventive maintenance, you can make sure that your AC does not suffer from unnecessary air conditioning repairs and premature replacement costs. Call the Tacoma air conditioning repair techs at Sound Heating today for comprehensive repair services throughout the Greater Puget Sound area.

Let’s look in more detail at some problems that develop as a result of dirt, dust, and other debris.

  • Frozen evaporator coil. Frozen coils are one of the most common issues affecting air conditioners in the summer months. There are several reasons why it can happen in your home, including low refrigerant. But one of the most common reasons is related to a clogged air filter as a result of excessive dirt. When debris builds up on your air filter, it not only no longer performs its function, but also blocks the flow of cool air, which can then buildup inside your air handler.
  • Dirty condenser coils. Your condenser coils are subject to increased levels of debris because of their outdoor location. However, they need to be kept clean in order to function properly.  They play an important role in dissipating the thermal energy drawn from your indoor air into the outside air. But they simply will not be effective if they are caked with debris.
  • Blower motor fault. Dirt and dust are bad for motors. They create friction and reduce the effectiveness of moving parts that often require lubrication to operate. If dirt and debris get inside your blower motor components, then it could shut down, which means that your system cannot operate.

Make sure you take care of any dirt and dust that build up on your air conditioning system. Call Sound Heating today for excellent air conditioning repair services in Tacoma, WA.

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Causes of Inadequate Cooling

Wednesday, June 19th, 2013

During the hottest days of summer, a subpar performance from your air conditioning system can be a serious problem. There are a lot of reasons why your air conditioner may come up short in the cooling department. While you should never attempt to repair any problems with your air conditioning system on your own, understanding a little more about the causes of inadequate cooling can help you avoid making mistakes that can reduce the comfort level in your home. Here are a few examples of reasons that your air conditioning system may fail to provide you with the exceptional service you deserve. Contact the Tacoma air conditioning repair technicians at Sound Heating for more details.

One very common cause of inadequate cooling from air conditioning systems is a very dirty air filter. This is a perfect example of a problem that you yourself can resolve and avoid in order to allow your air conditioning system to operate with the great efficiency and effectiveness you want. As your air conditioner operates and air circulates throughout the system, the airborne pollutants in that air are filtered out on the air filter within your AC. If too much dirt and debris is allowed to build up on this air filter it can create too much airflow resistance in the system. This can lead to frozen coils, excessive wear and tear as well as many other operational issues.

Another reason that your air conditioning system may not be performing properly is due to an improper refrigerant charge. If you hope to get a great performance from your AC it is necessary that it has the right amount of refrigerant in it. If your refrigerant is low, it likely means that there is a leak in your system. You air conditioner does not consume refrigerant, but rather recycles it again and again. If your refrigerant is leaking or if some has escaped during service, we can recharge it to proper levels.

To learn more about some common causes of inadequate cooling, contact the Tacoma air conditioning repair pros at Sound Heating. We’ll answer any questions that you may have to help you get a better cooling performance in your home. Schedule service today.

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Getting the Right Air Conditioning Replacement

Friday, June 14th, 2013

Are you tired of paying for frequent air conditioning repairs? Is your system old and outdated? While you may be tempted to repair your air conditioner again, it’s probably a good idea to consider professional air conditioning replacement. Today’s air conditioners are highly energy efficient and offer performance values that exceed those built over a decade ago. But it’s not only important to get quality equipment. While the SEER rating and projected cooling output looks good on paper, you need professional installation if you want your new AC to work well for years to come. In today’s post, we’d like to discuss what getting the right Bellevue, WA air conditioning replacement means for you.

While all homes are inevitably different, there are some general things to keep in mind when pursuing satisfactory air conditioning replacement.

  • Sizing. To be effective, your new AC needs to be the right size for your home. If necessary, your HVAC technician will perform a load calculation during the installation process to make sure that your new AC matches your home. The BTU output and tonnage need to match the volume of air in your living space. While this is only an estimate, and there is some leeway on either side of the estimate, it’s important to get right the first time. If your new AC is too small, then it may overwork itself unnecessarily; if it’s too large, then it may short-cycle frequently.
  • Quality. There is no lack of equipment on the air conditioning market. When you’re selecting a new air conditioning system to replace your old one, you need to make sure that it’s of high quality. York air conditioners offer unparalleled performance and energy efficiency. York heating and cooling systems are world-renowned for their reliability, and their residential models are no exception. If you want to get your air conditioning replacement right, then look for a quality brand name like York.

The most important aspect of your new air conditioning replacement system, however, is the quality of the installer. Make sure that you hire a reputable Bellevue, WA air conditioning contractor who has high standards of excellence. Call Sound Heating & Air Conditioning today for excellent air conditioning services in Bellevue, WA.

 

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Air Conditioning: How To Prepare Your Air Conditioner For Summer

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

As the temperature slowly begins to rise in Tacoma, WA, it’s finally starting to feel like spring, and fairly soon we’ll be well into the cooling season. Now is a great time to ensure that your AC works well. If you haven’t already fired it up, then make sure you do before too long. Discovering any issues early can prevent headaches later on. Our customers often want to know how they should prepare their AC systems for the upcoming summer. While there are various types of cooling systems on the market, there are some general actions to take if you want to maximize your AC’s performance this year. For more information, or to schedule excellent Tacoma, WA air conditioning services, call Sound Heating & Air Conditioning today!

  • Enroll in a preventive maintenance program. Prevention is the key to lasting performance. If you want to ensure that your air conditioner can thrive during even the hottest temperatures, make sure you enroll in a maintenance program, if you haven’t already. There’s no substitute for professional care. With professional inspection, cleaning, and tune-ups, your AC will be in good hands for the years to come.
  • Change your air filter on a regular basis. We can’t emphasize this simple task enough. Far too many air conditioning systems have been ruined as a result of neglecting this key duty. By regularly changing your air filter, you are making sure that your system components are fully protected against particles of air that enter your home. Also, when an air filter becomes clogged or dirty, it can begin to impede airflow, which can reduce the performance and energy efficiency of your system, and may even cause system damage.
  • Install a programmable thermostat. This cost-effective upgrade can help you save on your energy bill during the cooling season. It will also give you a way to schedule temperature changes that match your work schedule, so that you can save energy without sacrificing your comfort.

These are just a few of the things you can do to get prepared for the cooling season this summer. For more information, or to schedule exceptional Tacoma air conditioning services, call the experts at Sound Heating & Air Conditioning today!

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Air Conditioning Tip: When to Schedule Spring Maintenance for Your AC System?

Monday, March 11th, 2013

At Sound Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer comprehensive air conditioning maintenance service in Tacoma, WA. One of the main services we offer is an annual tune-up for your air conditioner or heat pump. It is a good idea to schedule this service in the spring, before the hot weather gets here and when you have to use your air conditioning system the most. This helps to ensure that any known issues are handled before your turn on your AC so that your system doesn’t break down in the middle of a heat wave.

During one of these routine tune-ups, here are some of the basic tasks that our technicians will provide:

  • Clean condenser coil
  • Check and tighten electrical connections
  • Check for oil and refrigerant leaks
  • Test safety features and efficiency levels
  • Inspect blower belt
  • Inspect expansion valve and coil temperatures
  • Replace or clean air filter
  • Check refrigerant level and charge if necessary
  • Check condensate drain for clogs
  • Lubricate moving parts as needed

In addition to these basic tasks, we also give advice on how to properly operate your air conditioning system, including the thermostat. We can also show you how to do basic maintenance tasks and keep your system clean. We give customers who sign our service contract priority service under certain conditions, including your agreement to operate the AC system according to our instructions. It’s also important that you notify us as soon as you notice anything unusual about your air conditioner, whether it’s a strange noise or poor performance.

Another reason to schedule tune-ups in the spring is that it will help to ensure that your AC system is working at optimal efficiency levels. If not our Tacoma air conditioning specialists can give some tips or pinpoint areas of improvement, such as installing a programmable thermostat or insulating parts of your home.

Call Sound Heating & Air Conditioning for your next Tacoma, WA air conditioning service and tune-up!

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Your AC and Your Energy Recovery Ventilator

Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

As a Tacoma homeowner with an air conditioning system, you know that it costs plenty to keep your home cool and comfortable in the summer. It is an expense you are willing to pay for the comfort and overall health of your family, but if you are like most homeowners, you would do anything to lower your monthly electric bills where possible.

One way to make your air conditioning system a little more efficient is to install an energy recovery ventilator. Read on to learn what energy recovery ventilator is and how it works alongside your AC system to reduce energy loss and improve indoor comfort control.

What Is an energy recovery ventilator?

Not to be confused with a heat recovery ventilator, an energy recovery ventilator is a mechanical device that transfers heat and water vapor between the incoming (i.e. outside) air and outgoing air being moved by your ventilation system.

The main difference between an energy recovery ventilator and a heat recovery ventilator is that the former transfers both heat and moisture, while the latter transfers only heat.

What Does an energy recovery ventilator Do?

What does that transfer mean for your Tacoma air conditioning system? Well, in the hot summer months, your air conditioner pulls in warm air from the outside, cools it and then blasts it into your home, while exhausting warm air to the outside.

What an energy recovery ventilator does is make that process a little easier for the air conditioner to handle by transferring heat from the warm air coming in to the exhaust air that the AC is blowing out of the house. The incoming air therefore has to be cooled less, which means your AC doesn’t have to work as hard, which means less electricity is used.

Many users of energy recovery ventilator systems report that the moisture exchange also makes the air in their homes feel “fresher,” rather than the stale feel that air conditioning can sometimes produce.

So, if you would like to increase efficiency and reduce the cost of running your Tacoma AC system, consider an energy recovery ventilator as one possible solution. Call Sound Heating & Air Conditioning today to learn more!

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Air Conditioning Question: What Are Thermostatic Expansion Valves?

Monday, August 13th, 2012

The thermostatic expansion valve, sometimes known as a TEX, TEV or TXV, is a critical piece to influence the efficiency of air conditioning and refrigeration units.  A tiny sensor controlling the evaporating phase of process, the valve can have a big effect.

Cool air is manufactured by a rapid movement of a refrigerant between liquid and gaseous states.  Compound chemicals that are able to do this at a low temperature are compressed and expanded, absorbing and releasing heat at different points along the way.  The TEV controls the flow of the refrigerant into the evaporator coils according to the temperatures of the various ingredients.

Cool Air 101

To condition air, the refrigerant, most often freon or another fast acting, low temp compound, evaporates into a gas that runs through a coil and absorbs heat.  Passing through a compressor, the freon condenses under pressure back into a liquid again and releases the heat, becoming cool enough to chill a party.

Too much freon in the evaporator tube and the pressure is not low enough to expand to gas and absorb heat, working inefficiently for no gain.  Too little freon and the conversion is also ineffective by not reaching the density needed to condense.

There are four types of valves with different benefits for different types of cooling environments.  With its ability to adjust minutely to changing conditions, the thermal expansion valve creates the perfect mixture of pressure and freon for more complicated systems.

At the Starting Gate

An interactive device, the valve senses the evaporator pressure and temperature and adjusts the flow of the refrigerant so as to maintain a given “superheat”, the differ­ence between the refrigerant vapor temperature and its sat­uration temperature.  By controlling superheat, the TEV keeps nearly the entire evaporator surface active while not permit­ting liquid refrigerant to return to the compressor.

Some valves operate on an electrical impulse from sensors that can measure the temperatures.  Others are open all the time.  The thermostatic expansion valve actually utilizes the pressure between the two sections to open or close itself, regulating flow based on the very same pressure it is designed to moderate.

Like the buildings they comfort, central air conditioning systems in Tacoma are varied and diverse.  For more information about air conditioning or to schedule a service call, contact Sound Heating & Air Conditioning today!

 

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Air Conditioning Guide: Things You Should Never Do To Your Air Conditioner

Monday, August 6th, 2012

Whether it’s a large central system on the side of the house or a small unit in the window, with proper care and maintenance, your Olympia air conditioner should last for a decade or two.  Sometimes, however, people can do simple things which, in retrospect, should have obviously been avoided.

Some examples:

  • Don’t block the air intake–air is vital to the process, so laying anything over the unit (a towel or clothes to dry) will significantly strain the motor.  Always make sure there is enough clearance.
  • Don’t block the vents–likewise in a home, it is easy to move a sofa or lay an area rug over a grate in the floor or cover an unsightly vent in the wall with a pretty painting.
  • Don’t just set a unit in the window and trust the sash to hold it in place–make sure it is fastened properly according to the directions;
  • Don’t think it will run forever without cleaning the fins, vents and changing the filter at least once a cooling season;
  • Don’t bury the condensate drain in the ground–in central units it is vital that the drain is left with a clear flow away from the house;
  • Don’t install the central unit on the ground–there are pre-made pads or mix up a little concrete
  • Don’t steam clean or use hot water to clean the fins–damage and corrosion can easily be caused by the heat; flush with warm water or spray.
  • Don’t remove the overload relay to force continuous running–VERY dangerous and a guarantee of damage.

Your Olympia  air conditioner is a pretty reliable device, but a little attention goes a long way to ensure years of comfort. To schedule a maintenance appointment today, give Sound Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

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AC Tip: Cooling Coil or Evaporator Coil Diagnosis & Repair for Air Conditioners

Monday, July 23rd, 2012

Inside the air handler of your Seattle air conditioning system is a cooling coil or evaporator coil. From a home cooling perspective, this is where the magic happens: where the actual cooling occurs. So, if there is a problem with the cooling or evaporator coil, you will notice a decrease in the performance of your AC system.

You may notice that the air flow has slowed significantly or even stopped, even though you can hear the air handler running. You may also notice that the air isn’t as cool as it used to be or should be. Aside from having a house that is not cool enough, this can also cause problems like high electricity bills or damage to other parts of the air conditioner. Use this quick guide to start diagnosing and repairing the problem.

Diagnosis

For starters, just try to get a good look at the cooling coil. Some problems are obvious enough upon visual inspection that no further diagnostics or major repair is necessary.

If you are able to see the cooling coil, look for things like:

  • Dirt and debris
  • Mold
  • Staining that indicates a refrigerant leak
  • Ice or frost
  • Damaged fins on the coil

Repair

Any of these could be the culprit that is degrading the performance of your Seattle AC system. Some of these you can take care of pretty simply on your own – if there is obvious debris that you can remove safely, do so – but for most repairs you will want to call in a licensed technician. Especially if the problem is something potentially hazardous like mold growth or a refrigerant leak, you don’t want to take the risk. Let a professional from Sound Heating & Air Conditioning who is trained in safely and effectively repairing the problem take care of it, so that your home can be comfortable again.

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AC Question: Can I Choose Environmentally Friendly Coolants?

Monday, July 16th, 2012

Air conditioners are indispensable in many parts of the country, but their environmental impact has long been a source of controversy. In particular, the coolants that were used in the earliest air conditioners, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have done quite a bit of damage to the Earth’s protective ozone layer.

When this affect was discovered, countries all over the world acted to have them phased out of production and use in air conditioning. While CFCs have not been produced since 1995, there are still many air conditioning units functioning today that use CFCs. As these units wear out, of course, the CFCs will gradually disappear from use altogether.

Another type of coolant that is commonly used in air conditioners is hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). These have a slightly lower environmental impact than their cousin CFCs, but they are still not ideal in terms of preserving the ozone layer and impeding the progress of global warming. HCFCs are gradually being phased out as well, and they will no longer be produced at all by 2030.

However, it is still possible to buy air conditioners that use HCFCs as a coolant, and if you can avoid this, you should. HCFCs are not nearly as environmentally friendly as some of the other options on the market, and if you are concerned about the effect that these types of chemicals can have on our environment, it is best to steer clear of air conditioners that use HCFCs.

So what coolants are considered environmentally friendly? Well, there are actually two options in this regard. The first are hydroflourocarbons (HFCs). Although they are quite similar to CFCs and HCFCs, HFCs do not contain chlorine and so do not do the type of damage that their predecessors were capable of. You can find air conditioners that use HFCs relatively easily by looking for an “ozone friendly” label on the box.

Refrigerant blends are also becoming a more and more popular environmentally friendly coolant solution for air conditioners as well. Although these types of coolants typically cost more to produce and so can drive up the cost of the air conditioners that use them, they should begin to come down in price as they are more widely adopted across the industry. Just as with HFCs, look for the “ozone friendly” label to identify air conditioners that use refrigerant blends as coolants. For more information about how to choose an air conditioning system in Puyallup, give Sound Heating & Air Conditioning a call today!

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