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

Common Problems Faced by Commercial Air Conditioning

Friday, May 2nd, 2014

The operation of a commercial air conditioning system is not much different from the systems found inside homes: they use circulating refrigerant, compressors, evaporator and condenser coils, fans, and ductwork. But commercial systems are not only bigger than residential ones, they also undergo a greater amount of work and stress in order to cool down significantly larger spaces and numerous people. This level of continual strain on the system—especially during a heavy and humid Florida summer—will eventually lead to repair issues, no matter how well the system is maintained.

These repairs need commercial HVAC specialists who not only know how to repair the problems of an extensive commercial air conditioner, but also know the local codes that your business must meet. Our team at Climate Masters handles commercial air conditioning in St. Augustine, FL. You can reach them 24 hours a day for the repair service necessary to cool your workplace down and restore comfort to your employees, customers, and clients.

Some problems commercial ACs encounter

Zone thermostat errors: Most commercial air conditioning systems are zone systems, where multiple thermostats control different zones inside a workplace. Depending on the size of your business’s workspace, you may have only one or two zones, or you could have more than twenty. A malfunction in any one of the local thermostats will cause uneven heating and a difficult situation to diagnose. Commercial HVAC experts can solve the problem and find out whether you need thermostat work or some other targeted repair.
Condenser damage: The most popular type of commercial AC is the rooftop package unit. Having the condenser on the roof saves space, but it exposes the condenser to the elements. If debris enters the condenser unit, it can damage the face, dirty the coils, and spread dust and dirt over the motors—all of which can cause problems with performance or eventually a breakdown. Leave the investigation of rooftop units to professionals.
Loss of refrigerant: An enormous amount of refrigerant must course through the lines of a commercial AC system for it to work, and there are numerous places where leaks can occur to allow the refrigerant to escape. Refrigerant loss will not only threaten performance level, it can lead to irreparable damage to the compressor. Commercial specialists will know how to track down the leak locations, seal them, and then recharge the refrigerant to its proper level. Look out for a loss of cooling power as a sign the refrigerant charge is dropping and call for repair technicians immediately.

Neither homeowners nor business owners should delay when it comes to scheduling AC repairs… but the business owner has far more to lose from only an hour of a malfunctioning air conditioning system.

Whenever your company’s comfort is at risk, call Climate Masters for commercial air conditioning in St. Augustine, FL that will resolve the problem.

Tags: Commercial Air Conditioning, St. Augustine
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What Makes Air Conditioning Repair Different from Heat Pump Repair?

Tuesday, April 15th, 2014

If you’ve ever had the operation of a heat pump explained to you, then you’ll know how similar it is to an air conditioner. Essentially, a heat pump works the same as an AC—it cycles chemical refrigerant through an indoor and outdoor set of coils, absorbing heat along one coil and releasing it from the other—but with the major difference that a heat pump can change the direction of its heat exchange. An air conditioning system can only remove heat from indoors and deposit it outdoors; a heat pump can also move heat from outdoors and bring it indoors.

Homeowners are sometimes interested in what makes repairs different between the two systems. We’ll look into this and see where the two stand apart as far as fixing malfunctions.

If you need heat pump or air conditioning repair in St. Augustine, FL, come to the experienced team at Climate Masters, where we’ve worked on both since 1988.

The differences in heat pump and AC repair

For the most part, repairing an air conditioner and a heat pump are similar. The compressors, fans, capacitors, and motors work in the same fashion, and replacing these broken components is identical between the two systems.

One of the big differences is that heat pumps contain a key component that air conditioners lack: a reversing valve. This device is attached to the line exiting the compressor; as refrigerant leaves the compressor, it first enters the reversing valve. Depending on whether the valve is in an excited or relaxed state (whether an electric current is flowing through it or not), the refrigerant will either move first to the outdoor coils or the indoor coils. If the refrigerant goes outdoors first, the heat pump will operate in cooling mode; if the refrigerant goes indoors first, the heat pump will operate in heating mode. Should the reversing valve fail, it must be replaced or the heat pump will remain fixed in one mode. Air conditioners do not need this repair.

Heat pumps can develop frost over either their outdoor or indoor coil due to loss of refrigerant, while an AC will only experience this on its indoor coil. The actual repair work is similar in both cases, however.

Another important repair difference: heat pumps work more per year than ACs. If a heat pump is your only method of heating your home, then it will run in both hot and cold weather. With regular maintenance (and a heat pump does require maintenance twice a year, not once) you shouldn’t have too many repairs, but in general a heat pump will have more repair needs than an AC system.

An important similarity: both need professionals to work on them

No matter what problems afflict your heat pump or air conditioning system, they need a trained technician to fix them. Don’t attempt the work yourself or hand it off to amateurs. For heat pump and air conditioning repair in St. Augustine, FL, you can trust in Climate Masters. We have 24-hour emergency service for your convenience.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, St. Augustine
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What Is Dirty Sock Syndrome?

Tuesday, April 8th, 2014

What is dirty sock syndrome? You may not have heard of it – at least not as it applies to your HVAC system – but it can definitely impact your home. It refers to parts of your air conditioner which smell, and the issues that smell reflects. Air conditioning maintenance in St. Augustine can usually handle dirty sock syndrome, which is a fairly common problem in systems around here. Our climate is made for it, which means it crops up much more often than you’d think.

The professionals at Climate Masters can handle air conditioning maintenance in St. Augustine, which includes dealing with the causes of this smelly syndrome. Call us today.

Dirty sock syndrome is usually caused by one of two things. The first is the presence of mold, fungus and similar organic compounds within the air conditioner itself. Florida has the humidity to make mold a problem, and when it grows in your air conditioner, it can result in a foul smell that gets blown through you entire house, and this ultimately effects your indoor air quality. A similar effect can be caused by common household odors, such as pet smells, tobacco smoke and smells from rotting food, which will get circulated throughout the house by your system. In both cases, you’re getting a great big stink every time you try to cool your air.

The solution varies depending on the sort. Molds and bacterial growth are fairly easy to treat. A good maintenance session should clear them out of your system, and regular visits will likely keep them out permanently. In-house odors can be a little trickier, but a service technician can help by making recommendations such as circulating fresh air more regularly, or repositioning certain components such as the laundry or a home gymnasium. More extensive corrections can include installing an exhaust hood in your kitchen, setting up a dehumidifier for your home, and rerouting vents so that they don’t circulate the smells so readily.

Dirty sock syndrome can certainly inspire a few chuckles, but it’s no laughing matter, especially when you’re sitting in the middle of the odor. If the odor is more than you can stand, then give us a call today. We’ll have it cleaned up and set your air conditioner back on track!

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenance, St. Augustine
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Preparing Your Air Conditioning Unit for the Summer

Friday, March 28th, 2014

We’ve finally reached spring, and although we may still encounter cold days here in St. Augustine during the next month and a half, the summer will leap upon us before we know it with its infamous Florida heat. You’ll switch on your air conditioning, and probably keep it running all the way through September. Make sure that your AC is ready to do the work.

Climate Masters can assist you with preparing your air conditioning in St. Augustine, FL for the heaviest summer conditions. We have helped St. Johns County since 1988 endure the sun and sweat of Florida summer, and with one call to us you’ll be on your way to bolstering your cooling system for the season.

Some Steps of Summer AC Preparation

The most important stage of preparing an air conditioner for long spells of hot weather is a maintenance visit from a professional HVAC technician. Spring is the usual time to have this done, not only because it preps for the summer, but because it’s usually one of the less busy times for technicians. (During the summer, they have numerous emergency calls to attend to.) Air conditioner maintenance checks will inspect the AC to see that all its systems are operating without impending repair needs. The technician will check that you have the correct level of refrigerant, all electrical connections are tight, and no excess dust or dirt is clogging any of the components.

Maintenance will also catch malfunctions that you may not have noticed yet. This is the next important stage of AC preparation: having any repair needs—even small ones—taken care of right away. You do not want to begin the summer with an air conditioner running with a fault that will impair efficiency and may lead to a break down during one of the hottest days of the season.

Finally, make sure to have your air filter changed out so you’ll have a unit free from any contamination that might either lead to debris entering the AC cabinet of a restriction on airflow. For the rest of the summer, change the filter once a month to maintain the best performance from your cooling system.

Start With Maintenance Now!

Call Climate Masters today and talk to us about our maintenance program. We offer two visits per year, one in the spring for your AC and one in the fall for your heater. A friendly technician can give you more details about how we can ready your air conditioning in St. Augustine, FL for the summer.

Tags: Air Conditioning, St. Augustine
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Why Winter Is a Good Time to Get Air Conditioning Maintenance

Friday, November 8th, 2013

We’re always concerned about air conditioning in St. Augustine, where temperatures run high and the humidity is quite beastly. That can make it tricky to schedule any maintenance or repair, since we need our air conditioners to keep our homes comfortable in the face of outdoor heat. At the same time, however, it’s important to schedule regular maintenance sessions for your HVAC system, in order to keep it functioning as efficiently as possible. It’s usually best to plan for such things in the winter months: from around Thanksgiving until the end of March.

Here’s why winter is a good time to get air conditioning maintenance.

You’ll have less need of the unit. We get our share of warm days in the winter – certainly more than cities further north – but they’re comparatively few and far between. Most temperatures average in the high 50s, which is enough to do without an air conditioner for the time it takes to perform maintenance on it. Winter tends to be drier than summer too, which means the repairman won’t have to deal with rain while trying to do his job.
Less demand. When an air conditioning unit breaks down in the summertime, service technicians need to deal with it immediately lest their clients’ homes turn into furnaces. That puts a high demand on their services, which means you may need to wait for a while before a technician can schedule a maintenance session for you. Demand is much less high in the winter, and you can likely find service technician much more readily.
Summertime takes its toll. With your air conditioner running all day every day during the summer months, it’s bound to generate a lot of wear and tear. A maintenance session in the winter can take stock of all that, and plan to address it in a timely fashion well before next summer rolls around. This helps extend the air conditioner’s lifespan and reduce the risk of more extensive repairs.

If you know why winter is a good time to get air conditioning maintenance, call upon Climate Masters for help. We can repair and maintain all kinds of air conditioning in St. Augustine, so don’t hesitate to contact us today!

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenance, St. Augustine
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How Long Does It Take to Install An Air Conditioner?

Thursday, October 17th, 2013

Here in St. Augustine, air conditioning installation can take on an air of urgency. Our warm and humid summers can be unbearable without a reliable means of cooling the air, and even the winters can be warm enough to merit the use of a reliable air conditioning system. In that environment, it’s very reasonable to ask “how long does it take to install an air conditioner?” The answer of course, is that it depends on the specific circumstances involved and the nature of the unit in question.

In most cases, installation can take place within a day or so. This assumes that the weather is clear, and that no major alterations need to be made to your home. The technician will arrive, prepare for work by laying coverings over your floors and furnishings, remove your existing unit, install the new one and ensure that it’s functioning before declaring victory. A professional will explain all of the steps to you, then undertake them with courtesy and professionalism, making sure that everything is in its proper place.

That rough timetable assumes that you’re replacing an existing unit with a similar unit, or that your installation won’t involve any additional work. Sometimes, however, it does. For example, you may need to have ductwork installed in a home that doesn’t currently feature any, or you want to install a geothermal system and need to provide time to dig trenches for the tubing. In that case, it may take a longer period of time than a simpler operation.

No matter what the specifics, however, you should always get an estimate from your service technician about the price involved and the time it will take. Once you have a schedule in hand, you can plan for the installation with greater confidence, and let the technician work with a better idea of what exactly is going to be involved.

In St. Augustine, air conditioning installation service is the purveyance of Climate Masters. We can tell you how long it takes to install an air conditioner, and provide an estimate as to the costs before we begin.

Contact us today to set up an appointment.

Tags: Air Conditioning Installation, St. Augustine
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How Can Dust and Dirt Cause a Need for Air Conditioning Repairs?

Monday, September 30th, 2013

After a long, hot summer in Florida, your air conditioning system might have accumulated a bit of dust and dirt. Even if you’ve regularly changed your AC’s air filter (something you should do once a month during the peak season), some debris can slip into your ducts or into the air conditioner cabinets. Aside from decreasing the quality of air in your home, an accumulation of dust and dirt can cause the need for professional repairs. For quality air conditioning repair, St. Augustine, FL, residents can turn to the experts at Climate Masters. If dirt is giving your AC grief, we can offer a solution. Contact us today for an appointment.

The ways dust and dirt can cause the need for repairs include:

Dirty condenser or evaporator coils: The two coils in your air conditioning system—the condenser outside and the evaporator inside—are vital for the heat exchange that cools your home. If they become dirty, they will lose their ability to absorb and release heat. You may experience a rise in temperature, and your air conditioner will overwork itself to compensate. Cleaning the coils is a difficult process that requires cutting and sealing the refrigerant line, and should be left to trained technicians.

Inefficient blower motor: The blower motor that distributes air and helps with heat absorption will start to work at lower efficiency if it becomes too dirty. This reduces airflow and could increase your electrical usage by 50%. The motor must be cleaned, or perhaps replaced if the problem has persisted too long.

Clogged air filter: The air filter does the job of trapping dust and dirt and any other airborne contaminants from getting into the interior components of your AC. Without regular changing, an excessively clogged filter will require professional attention because it will impede the flow of air and heighten the risk of extreme damage to motors, fans, and the compressor.

One of the best ways to keep your air conditioner free from dust and dirt is to schedule regular maintenance with an experienced HVAC company. Climate Masters offers an excellent maintenance program that gives you two annual check-ups, one for your AC and one for your heater. We aim to give you complete customer satisfaction, so if you want maintenance or air conditioning repair in St. Augustine, FL, make us your first choice.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, St. Augustine
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Why Consider Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioning?

Monday, August 19th, 2013

Now is a great time to invest in a new St. Augustine, FL air conditioning installation. There is a great variety of air conditioning systems on the market to choose from, and you are bound to find one that first your home and personal cooling habits. Make sure that you explore your options before making any decisions. One great alternative to a traditional cooling system is a ductless mini split air conditioning system. Contact Climate Masters Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today to learn more about the benefits that this type of AC has to offer.

A ductless mini split installation is an outstanding option for homeowners looking to avoid the cost of a ductwork installation, or for those home that simply cannot accommodate bulky ductwork. A ductless mini split features an outdoor unit, like a split central air conditioner. Rather than use a ducted forced air distribution system to distribute cooled air throughout your home, though, ductless mini splits utilize individual, wall mounted blowers. All that is needed to connect these inner and outer components is a simple conduit containing power and refrigerant lines. This makes a ductless mini split the perfect option for homes without preexisting ductwork.

Plus, because ductless mini splits eliminate the need for ductwork, they also eliminate the energy loss that is often associated with ductwork. When air ducts are properly installed and professionally maintained they can be quite effective. They are also almost entirely hidden from view, though, and many homeowners may not even realize that there is a problem with their ductwork. When you cool your home with a ductless mini split, you do not need to worry about this inefficiency. Plus, the individual air handlers employed by ductless mini splits make zone controlled cooling simple. This is another way you can cool your home more efficiently by going ductless.

To learn more about why you should consider a St. Augustine, FL ductless mini split installation, call Climate Masters today. We’ll help you cool your home with the efficiency and reliability you deserve this summer. Contact us any time to speak with one of qualified air conditioning technicians.

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Common Air Conditioning Problems

Monday, August 12th, 2013

When you live in a hot climate, your air conditioning system is one of the most important aspects of your home. That is why it is so important to protect the condition of your air conditioning system. By scheduling a professional St. Augustine, FL air conditioning installation and routine maintenance service, you can keep your air conditioning system operating as reliably as possible. Of course, no matter how great your air conditioning system may be, there is always a chance that you are going to experience some operational issues. Here are a few examples of common St. Augustine, FL air conditioning problems that Climate Masters Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. frequently deals with.

One of the most common service calls we receive is about an air conditioning system that simply will not turn on. Like most issues that you may encounter with your air conditioning system, this particular problem has many possible causes. You should always rule out simple user error first. It sounds silly, but make sure that your thermostat is, in fact, set to ‘cool’. If it is on the heat setting, your problems can be resolved with the flip of a switch. If this is not the issue, check your circuit breaker. It is possible that a power surge tripped the breaker, and you just need to reset it at your breaker box. If there is no obvious cause of the problem, contact your professional St. Augustine, FL air conditioning technician immediately.

Another common problem that we deal with is an air conditioner that will not blow cool air, or any air at all. If warm air is coming from your air conditioner, there are a few different issues you may be experiencing. Your condenser coils may be frozen up due to dirt and debris buildup. It is also possible that you have a refrigerant leak. If your AC won’t blow air at all, a fan belt may have broken or the motor may be inoperable. Only a qualified technician can determine the exact cause of the problem.

It is important to remember that any single problem with your air conditioning system may have many different potential causes. That is why it is so important that you work with an experienced, qualified professional. Call Climate Masters today to learn more.

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The Importance of Air Conditioning Maintenance

Monday, August 5th, 2013

As anyone that has lived here throughout the summer months can attest to, your air conditioning system is going to get some pretty heavy usage during the cooling season. Is your system ready to take on the challenge that lies ahead? In order to get the most reliable, efficient performance possible from your air conditioning system, it is important to schedule routine service with your St. Augustine, FL air conditioning maintenance technicians at Climate Masters Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Call today to get the outstanding, consistent performance that you deserve form your AC.

Your air conditioner, no matter how great the quality of the product, is still a mechanical system. Like any other mechanical system, it is going to incur some general wear and tear during operation. There is nothing you can do to avoid this altogether, but you can limit any issues caused by this wear and tear. When you allow a qualified St. Augustine, FL air conditioning maintenance technician the opportunity to thoroughly inspect and tune up your system, you are helping to protect the condition of that system.

While general wear and tear is inevitable, it can actually lead to serious systemic damages if it goes unaddressed. There are a lot of individual components within your air conditioning system, and if even one of these components of the system is unable to operate properly, there is no way that you can expect the rest of the system to be unaffected. Your system will have to work harder than it ought to in order to cool your home, and this increases the risk of damage.

By scheduling routine air conditioning maintenance, you can also get a more efficient and affordable performance from your home cooling system. The less work that your system has to do in order to cool your home, the less money it will cost to do so. Routine inspection and maintenance will help you keep comfortable while saving money in the process.

To schedule professional St. Augustine, FL air conditioning maintenance service that you can really count on, call the pros at Climate Masters today. You deserve to cool your home with total confidence and great efficiency. Our skilled technicians can help you achieve that goal.

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