Recent Posts

R22 Phase Out – Say Bye Bye to Freon

If you haven’t heard about the R22 Phase Out, then this post is for you. This is a very important topic, especially for those who own heating and air units that use R22 refrigerant, typically referred to as Freon. R22 Freon will no longer be available, and will actually be illegal, on January 1, 2020. For this reason, there are important things homeowners and business owners need to know concerning this matter.

We’re going to go over the details of the R22 phase out, why it’s happening, and what it means for you (and me).

What is the R22 Phase Out?

Over 30 years ago the Montreal Protocol was put into affect to cease the production of ozone layer depleting substances. It’s a international agreement to rid the Earth of these substances. It was determined that R22 refrigerant was one of these substances. They stated that Freon was contributing to the depletion of our ozone layer. Chlorine is believed to be the main compound in the refrigerant that causes the most harm to the ozone layer.

Turn AC Off When Not Home: Good Idea?

A common thought and practice by many homeowners is that it’s a good idea to turn the AC off when not at home. After all, if you aren’t home, what’s the point of keeping it cool and comfortable? This does seem to make sense initially and seems like it would save money on the energy bill.

The Department of Energy says that 48% the average American household’s energy consumption is related to their air conditioning system. That’s a lot!

So, let’s look at all of the factors and truly come to a conclusion on the idea of turning our ac system’s off while we are away and if it actually saves us money.

Is It More Efficient to Leave Air Conditioning On?

Turning off the air conditioner for ANY part of the day in the South can feel like a death sentence! This is especially true in the Summer months, which can seem to last for about 8-9 months out of the year.

Closing Vents in Unused Rooms: Good Idea?

I didn’t grow up around HVAC professionals, nor was I one of them. As a child, I remember a common practice was people closing air vents in unused rooms to save money on their electric bill (or gas bill). This always seemed to make sense to me from a common sense perspective. But, does closing off the vents in unused rooms actually help save energy and money? Can closing the vents actually cause problems with the HVAC unit?

In this post I will be answering these questions along with other related questions!

Let’s get to the first question….

Does Closing Vents in Unused Rooms Save Money?

In short, no. Closing air vents in unused rooms actually does not save energy or money. Yes, by closing a vent, air is no longer distributed to that specific area, but that’s likely not what your installed system was designed to do.

What is an AC Condenser Unit?

Have you ever heard the term “ac condenser unit” or just “the condenser unit” when it comes to an air conditioner? You probably have. And you’ve probably wondered which part of the air conditioner system the condenser unit is. In this post I’m going to share this information with you and much more!

Get ready to learn what the ac condenser unit is, how it works, and how much it costs.

First Off, What is an AC Condenser Unit?

To make it simple, the ac unit’s condenser is typically the outdoor section of the ac unit. This will also be true for a heat pump system as well. The condenser section of the ac unit is made up of the ac compressor, ac condenser fan and the ac condenser coil. All of these components are located in the outside section of the air conditioner. Other components, such as the evaporator coil or air handler, will be located with the indoor section of the system.

Let’s get into how the ac condenser actually works and does it’s job.

How to Tell if Home AC Compressor is Bad

Nobody wants to have to face a bad home ac compressor, but it does happen. In this post I’m going to share some signs and symptoms of a bad ac compressor along with some maintenance tips to help prevent the ac compressor from going bad. Replacing an ac compressor is one of the most expensive ac repair jobs out there, so properly maintaining this component is important. If the ac compressor is indeed bad, you will want to decide if you should replace the ac compressor or the whole unit.

First off, let’s get into some of the signs to tell if your home ac compressor is bad.

Symptom #1: Air Conditioner Keeps Tripping the Circuit Breaker

If your air conditioner keeps tripping the circuit breaker, then it might be due to the compressor. When compressors get old and start to go bad they can have a hard time starting. This can result in the compressor drawing more electricity than the circuit breaker limit and it “trips” as a safety precaution. If this is happening consistently do not keep resetting the circuit breaker. Simply contact a HVAC technician to come out and assess the problem.

Replace AC Compressor or Whole Unit?

Replacing an ac compressor can be fairly expensive. It’s one of the most expensive repairs in the air conditioning world. That’s why the Replace AC Compressor or the Whole Unit debate is such a common question. Sometimes, replacing the whole ac unit is the better option.

Think about it.

Let’s say that you have a big car repair that has to get done for the car to operate properly. A transmission for example. Let’s say that repair is going to cost $1,500 – $2,000. The car is old, has high miles, and is only worth around $3,000 – $4,000 (with a working transmission). Would it be wise to consider buying a newer car, with lower miles and the less likely chance to have any major repairs spring up? I think most people would say yes.

But, what if it’s a newer car that is still under warranty? Then the likely response would be to use the warranty to have the repair performed.