Welcome to my blog! My name is Darren. My friends say that I am boring because I love the HVAC system in my home. I am not an HVAC professional, I just love the gentle hum of my air conditioning system as it gently brings the air in my home to the perfect temperature. When I was a kid, my family couldn't afford air conditioning so I spent many summers sweating away and feeling miserable. I vowed to myself then that when I grew up, I would have the best HVAC system money could buy. I hope you find my HVAC blog useful.
During the summer months, almost all homes in Australia need some variant of an air conditioning system for comfort. HVAC professionals argue that when you neglect the routine maintenance of an AC unit, you run the risk of losing its efficiency as the AC depreciates over time. With a well-maintained AC, you do not have to pay over the top when it comes to utility bills. Here are a few tips to keeping a residential central AC unit in the best shape in preparation for the hot summer months.
Clean Air Conditioner Condenser Unit -- A condenser unit of an AC system is often located outside the house. Before the summer season begins, you can clean the condenser unit thoroughly using a garden hose at low pressure. The condenser fins are the main culprits of dirt accumulation, and thus, the cleaning removes stubborn debris and dust. The power supply to the unit must be shut off before beginning the cleaning process. However, the delicate nature of the fins requires that you be careful when using the garden hose. Further, remove any barriers and obstructions near the condenser such as overgrown grass, weeds, and children's toys.
Check Refrigerant -- When summer is fast approaching, a shrewd homeowner should not be caught off guard regarding cooling preparedness. Many AC users are often concerned if the refrigerant in the unit will sustain them through summer. Notably, a refrigerant absorbs the indoor air and dissipates it outside before the lfresh air is re-circulated into the house. Contrary to popular belief, a refrigerant will never be exhausted like fuel in a car because it is just circulated back and forth within an AC system. However, if the ductwork is porous, then the refrigerant can leak. Some tell-tale signs to look out for might include slow cooling of spaces, huge utility bills, increased condensation in the house, and emission of hot air from ducts during the cooling process. In such cases, an HVAC expert will add more refrigerant and fix leaky areas.
Repair or Replace -- If you are always grappling with huge repair costs, then you might need to think about replacing the entire AC system. Old air conditioners can start to exhibit low cooling efficiency and subsequent runaway energy bills. Furthermore, frequent breakdowns of components will force homeowners to dig deep into their pocket to pay for repairs. HVAC pros have come up with a formula for determining whether an AC needs repair or replacement. Multiplying the age of the AC unit by the repair cost should yield a value below 6,000 dollars for repairing to be viable. Anything beyond this value indicates that the AC is due for replacement. However, your AC technician can advise you accordingly on the options available before the heat wave kicks in.
Share15 September 2017
