Climate Masters Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

My AC Isn’t Working – Could It Be My Thermostat?

Monday, May 25th, 2015

It’s hard not to go into panic mode when your whole home air conditioner breaks down. After all, we’ve all heard about, and possibly lived through, some tough repair jobs, and our minds tend to go to the worst case scenario when a home system needs repair. However, one often overlooked problem is the thermostat. Thermostats aren’t the most complicated components of your AC system, but they are the control center. As such, any problems with your thermostat mean operating issues for your AC. It can be tricky diagnosing a thermostat issue, which is why it’s important to call for an expert. The air conditioning pros at Climate Masters can diagnose and handle just about any air conditioning repair issue you may have, so give us a call as soon as you start experiencing problems.

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Is It Time to Replace Your Commercial Air Conditioner?

Monday, May 4th, 2015

Odds are you’ve been using your commercial air conditioning for a few weeks now, and if you’ve been struggling with it, it may be time to consider replacement. You may be saying to yourself, “it’s still running – doesn’t that mean it’s ok?” The answer to this question may not be entirely clear, so to help you assess whether  it’s time to replace your commercial AC or not, the experts at Climate Masters have provided you with some important factors to consider:

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How Does Air Conditioning Dehumidify My Home?

Monday, April 27th, 2015

We live in St, Augustine, FL, which means that humidity is a constant presence in the summer months (and even some of the fall, winter and spring months as well). High humidity levels make it feel hotter in your home than it actually is, and while you can cool the air, you often need to lower the amount of moisture present as well. The good news is that – by their very nature – air conditioners tend to act as dehumidifiers as well, a process that can be improved even further by installing a dedicated dehumidifier in your system. “How does air conditioning dehumidify my home?” you ask. We’ve included a quick breakdown below.

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A Heat Pump Can Cool, Too?

Monday, April 20th, 2015

If you are unfamiliar with heat pump systems, you may be hard-pressed to believe that anything called a “heat pump” can heat and cool your home in St. Augustine, FL. Not only can a heat pump cool your home, it can do it effectively and efficiently, but to do so requires expert installation and service. The AC professionals at Climate Masters can help you with all your heat pump needs – all you have to do is contact us!

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Don’t Ignore These Signs of Trouble with Your Ductless AC

Friday, March 27th, 2015

By cooling your entire house with just one system, you are able to live comfortably with greater efficiency than you would ever enjoy by using multiple units. For homeowners who don’t necessarily want to cool their entire house to the same temperature, though, a traditional split central air conditioner can be a bit restrictive in its operation. One great option to consider is a ductless air conditioner if you find yourself in this camp.

Ductless air conditioning systems eliminate the need for ductwork entirely by utilizing individual, wall-mounted blowers in order to cool different areas of the home independently of one another. Not only does this allow you to benefit form simple zone-controlled cooling, but the elimination of the ductwork also means that you won’t have to worry about compromised ductwork wasting energy. There are problems which may develop with a ductless AC, though, and Climate Masters suggests that you schedule your ductless AC repairs in Saint Johns at the very first sign of trouble.

If you discover that you are unable to cool a specific area of your home to the desired temperature, but your other zones are properly maintained, then the blower unit servicing that area of your house may be in trouble. Any number of specific issues may be to blame, including a refrigerant leak in the line connected to that blower, or problems with the fan therein. It could also be a problem stemming from a malfunctioning thermostat. Only a professional technician can determine with certainty what the precise nature of the problem is.

You may also notice that your cooling costs are on the rise, even though you are not using your system any differently than normal. While you will obviously see high cooling costs as the temperature outside soars, you should also have an idea of how much, on average, those costs will amount to. If things really seem to be getting out of hand, there may be  problem in the condenser unit. Again, refrigerant leaks may play a role in this problem, or it could be something as simple as clogged air filters. When we complete your ductless air conditioning system repairs, you can count on the problem being resolved entirely.

You must never hesitate to schedule service when you run into problems with your ductless air conditioner. The longer you wait to do so, the more serious any existing problems are likely to become.

Make the right choice, and schedule your ductless AC repairs in Saint Johns with Climate Masters as soon as you suspect that there is something amiss.

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AC System Maintenance Steps: A Basic Overview

Friday, March 13th, 2015

When spring comes around and the weather starts its climb toward the highs of summer, you need to start thinking about preparing your home’s air conditioner for the hot times ahead. ACs in Florida undergo intense work during the long summer seasons, and without maintenance from an HVAC professional to reduce wear and tear, they run the risk of poor performance, energy waste, repair issues, and even a complete breakdown leading to an early replacement. Make sure that you avoid all these problems and sign up for AC system maintenance in Ponte Vedra, FL. Call Climate Masters today and ask about our excellent maintenance program, which will also care for your heating system during the fall.

What AC maintenance entails

Although there are a number of different types of air conditioning systems for homes, they have enough similarities that most technicians will follow the same set up steps when taking care of maintaining them.

First, the technician will check on the outdoor condensing unit and the compressor to see that it has the correct operating pressure. (The compressor is perhaps the most essential component in an AC; if the compressor burns out, often the whole system much be replaced.) The technician will also take care of cleaning the condensate line and drain in the condensing unit and checks on the temperature rise across the condensing coil. If the condensing coil is dirty, the technician will detach it and wash it.

Next, the technician will check on the electrical systems of the AC, tightening any loose connections and looking for correct motor amperage and. This check also includes the thermostat to make sure that it is correctly calibrated and wired to the air conditioner.

After this, the technician will see if there is sufficient refrigerant in the system and replace any missing amount. (In some cases, refrigerant is overcharged, meaning there is too much, and the technician must remove some.)

The maintenance then focuses on the indoor cabinet, and takes care of replacing the air filter, cleaning the air handler, and seeing if the evaporator coil is in good shape. To finish, the technician will lubricate any motors that require it.

If the technician notices a repair issue at any point, he or she will notify you of it and help you arrange to have it fixed. The technician will not attempt to do any repairs unless you approve them.

The maintenance program from Climate Masters will not only keep your air conditioning sytem in great shape, it will also provide you with a 10% discount on repair costs (excluding compressors, filters, or full system replacements).

Contact us today to sign up in Ponte Vedra, FL for AC system maintenance so you will be ready for another summer.

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Is It Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner?

Friday, February 20th, 2015

We may be experiencing cool temperatures for our area, but soon enough the hot weather will return – is your air conditioner good for another cooling season? Air conditioners tend to break on the hottest of days because this is when they work the hardest. No one wants to get the news that he/she needs to replace a broken-down AC in the middle of summer, so if you left off the last cooling season wondering if your AC was going to make it, it’s probably time to call the experts at Climate Masters and schedule an appointment. Not sure if you are seeing the signs? Here are some factors that may mean it’s time for an air conditioning replacement in St. Augustine:

Lots O’Repairs

Did you have to make a number of repairs to keep your air conditioner in operation last summer? Are you looking at making a large repair this spring just to keep it going? At some point repairs can turn into nursing a system along, and those kinds of costs can add up very quickly – sometimes to the cost of a new system.

Age

How old is your current air conditioner? Age does matter when it comes to whole-home cooling systems, and knowing when yours is going to reach, or has reached, maturity, does make a difference.  The average lifespan for a traditional split system AC is 10-12 years; the average lifespan of a heat pump system is about 20 years. As air conditioning systems age, they become more prone to breakdown, and they may not function as efficiently as they should, which can cost you money.

Poor Performance

Today’s air conditioners are highly energy efficient. This is partly due to SEER regulations that changed in 2006 and also partly because of advancements in technology and product development. If your AC is ten years old or older, you may not be seeing the performance you need from it for two reasons: first, it may not have the minimum SEER number now required, which is 13, and second, it may be reaching maturity. Poor performance issues are uneven cooling, inability to cool sufficiently and higher than normal energy bills.

Scheduling replacement of your air conditioning system in St. Augustine now can put get you ahead of the glut of spring service appointments, so call Climate Masters today!

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Two Ways to Get Zone AC

Thursday, February 5th, 2015

Sometimes it can be challenging to make all the areas of your home comfortable with a single thermostat. Certain areas may have more exposure to the sun, making them hotter throughout the day, while other areas may be too cool from a lack of daytime heat gain. But there is a way to tailor the cooling (and heating) throughout your home: zone AC in St. Augustine.

What Is Zone Air Conditioning?

Zone air conditioning, also known as zone control, allows you to divide your home into zones, which can be a single room, a group of rooms or a floor of your house. Each zone has the ability to have its own temperature setting, allowing for customized cooling per zone.

How Can I Get Zone AC?

There are two ways to establish zone cooling in your home:

  • Install a ductless air conditioning system
  • Install a zone control system into your existing ductwork

Ductless AC

A ductless air conditioning system automatically offers you zone control because of the way the system operates: an outdoor unit contains the compressor and condenser, and individual indoor blowers that mount to walls or ceilings. Each blower operates separately, allowing you to set a temperature per blower.

Zone Control System

If you already have a ducted AC system, the way to attain zone cooling is to hire a professional to install a zone control system in your ductwork. This type of system uses motorized dampers to control the flow of air coming through the supply ducts. Before installation, you determine the zones; then the motorized dampers are installed and connected to a main control panel. The zones you’ve chosen are each equipped with a thermostat that is also connected to the control panel. The control panel is responsible for opening and closing the motorized dampers as needed to maintain the temperatures in the various zones.

Zone control can help with energy efficiency and comfort level, and reduce the level of stress on your air conditioning system.

All installations should be handled by a professional, so if you are interested in zone AC for your St. Augustine home, call the experts at Climate Masters today.

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The Benefits of Ductless Mini Splits

Monday, October 27th, 2014

Fall is a great time of year to install a new air conditioning system as our warm temperatures have cooled. There are a lot of choices available for homeowners when it comes to cooling your home, and one type of system you may want to consider is ductless air conditioning in Hastings. Since 1988, Climate Masters has installed multiple types of air conditioning systems, including ductless ones, so if you are ready for a new AC system, call us today.

How Does a Ductless System Work?

A ductless system has an outdoor unit that houses the condenser and compressor, and individual indoor blowers that distribute the cool air. The indoor blowers are about 35” long and can be mounted flush against walls or hung from ceilings. The blowers are connected to the outdoor unit via a small conduit that is installed in an exterior wall. This conduit holds the refrigerant line, power cord and condensate drain pipe. When an indoor blower is turned on, the cooling cycle begins and the refrigerant begins to flow. A fan, coils and filter are housed in each blower. A single outdoor unit can support up to 4 indoor blowers.

What Are the Benefits of a Ductless System?

Here are some of the benefits a ductless system can offer you:

  • Heating and cooling – a ductless system that uses heat pump technology can offer your home both heating and cooling in a single device.
  • Energy efficient – each indoor blower operates independently. This allows you to cool only the areas that need it, which can greatly reduce your energy usage.
  • Customized comfort – each blower can be set at its own temperature, which allows you to create zone control.
  • Easy expansion – because a ductless system does not need ductwork, it can be very easy to expand the system to other rooms in your home, or to an addition onto your home.

As we head toward cooler weather, having a system that can offer you both heating and cooling may be a great fit for your home.

Call Climate Masters today and make an appointment to discuss how ductless air conditioning can work for you and your home in Hastings.

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How Does a Heat Pump Differ from a Traditional AC?

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

When you need a new cooling system, there are a lot of factors to take into account. Of course, the initial cost is a major concern for many homeowners. However, the cost of operation, efficiency, and any additional features may be of equal concern. While you can purchase extremely efficient traditional central air conditioners, one type of system that may actually give you a little more bang for your buck is a heat pump. While the name sounds as though it is a heating system, a heat pump is actually a very efficient heating and cooling system.

Essentially, there are very few differences between a traditional AC and a heat pump. Heat pumps take advantage of the same refrigeration cycle, in which refrigerant, a chemical blend that easily converts from a liquid to a gas and vice versa, moves through the indoor and outdoor unit. As it changes from a gas to a liquid at the outdoor condenser unit, it releases heat into the air. As it changes from liquid to gas indoors, it absorbs heat from your home. A fan then blows cool air through the ductwork. This process continues until the home is cooled to the proper temperature.

In fact, heat pumps have all of the components of a traditional air conditioner but with one addition, the reversal valve. With most air conditioners, the refrigerant can only move in one direction. However, the reversing valve of a heat pump activates when you switch your thermostat to “heat” mode, allowing the flow of refrigerant to change direction. Now, instead of absorbing heat from the inside to move outdoors, it pulls heat from the outside to warm indoor air. In some climates, an additional heating source is needed to supplement the heat pump if there is not enough heat in the outside air. But this is unnecessary in Ponte Vedra.

Heat pumps have cooling efficiencies that are comparable to other air conditioners, and are very efficient for heating. This is because it takes less energy to move heat from place to place than to generate heat.

When you decide it’s time for heat pump installation in Ponte Vedra, call the professional technicians at Climate Masters today.

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