Climate Masters Blog: Posts Tagged ‘St. Augustine’

What to Expect from a Zone Control System Installation

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014

Do you look at your monthly energy bills and think about how much money you could save if you could turn off the cooling to rooms that are routinely unused or unoccupied? Or is someone in your home always under a blanket because it’s too cold in the living room? There’s a solution for all this and more: a zone control system in your St. Augustine home.

What Is a Zone Control System?

A zone control system is a series of motorized dampers that are installed into your ductwork. Each damper is connected to a thermostat that is wired into a single control panel. The dampers open and close as needed to reach the desired temperature you have set. “Zones” can be what you want – separate rooms, separate floors, wings of your home, etc.

What Can I Expect from a Zone Control System?

A zone control system offers multiple benefits:

  • Customized comfort – separating your home into separate zones allows for customized comfort throughout for you and your family.
  • Energy savings – cooling only those areas you choose can save on energy consumed by your system. Rather than cooling an entire home, you can now cool as needed.
  • Reduction in wear-and-tear – with less cooling comes less operation, which is a good thing for your AC. Air conditioners have a specific life expectancy, and the more it runs, the shorter that life can be. A zone control system can go a long way toward reducing the level of wear-and-tear.

Is a Zone Control System Right for Me?

It is always best to work with a trained professional to determine whether or not you stand to benefit from a zone control system, but if your home has one of the following characteristics, you may be a good candidate:

  • You have a multi-level property
  • You have specialized architecture such as wall-to-ceiling windows
  • A finished basement or attic
  • Multiple wings off the central part of your home

Questions? Call Us

A zone control system can offer you great benefits, but only when it works as it should, which is why it’s important to have professional installation for your zone control system in St. Augustine.

Have questions? Call Climate Masters today and schedule a consultation to speak with an expert about how zone control can help you and your home.

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Signs You Need Heat Pump Replacement Services

Friday, July 18th, 2014

Heat pumps are a great cooling option for the St. Augustine weather. But a heat pump that is too old or that needs frequent repairs simply cannot perform as well as it should. Heat pump replacement is an unavoidable service for heat pump owners, but it’s better to replace now than to pay for a series of costly repairs. But how do you know when it’s the right time for heat pump replacement?

The signs that your system needs replacement can be easy to recognize if you know what to look for. If you notice strange noises or a loss in cooling power, you may need repairs. However, if you need several repairs over a short period of time, a whole-system replacement may be more cost-effective than repairing every part individually.

The fact is that an older system is at a greater risk for sudden failure than a newer system. Some problems can be fixed with a couple of repairs, but especially if your system is over ten years old, replacement may be the best option as a new heat pump is much less likely to break down in the middle of summer.

Certain problems may indicate an improperly sized unit that needs replacement. If you have problems with humidity control, for example, or if you notice uneven cooling throughout your home, you may need heat pump replacement sooner than you’d hoped. To avoid these problems with your new system, make sure your technician sizes your home to determine the proper cooling capacity.

Another indication that replacement may be your best option is high energy bills. While these may be a sign that your refrigerant is low or that a part needs repairs, the problem is sometimes irreparable. The best way to keep energy bills low is with regular maintenance by a technician to restore efficiency. However, an older system will lose efficiency over time and may never improve with maintenance. A new system may be more energy efficient and actually help to lower your monthly bills.

If you have high energy bills or need excessive repairs, your best bet may be a new system.

If you require professional heat pump replacement in St. Augustine, call the experts at Climate Masters today to talk to a professional technician.

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Schedule Air Conditioning Maintenance This Summer

Monday, July 7th, 2014

When’s the best time to schedule air conditioning maintenance? Right now! Don’t wait until a part of your AC fails before you call an air conditioning technician to look at your system. Here are some of the ways scheduling once a year maintenance can improve your summer:

  • Reducing the risk of sudden breakdowns.
  • Avoiding a costly premature replacement.
  • Preventing the need for expensive repairs.
  • Reducing seasonal energy bills.
  • Improving the performance of your AC.

Once a year, an air conditioning technician should come to your home to inspect, clean, and adjust some of the components of your air conditioning unit. This is the best way to reduce the risk of a malfunctioning AC this summer. During inspection, the technician will look for any issues that may diminish the performance of your system. If your air conditioner is at risk for any possible issues that may cause you to seek repair in the near future, the technician will recommend the proper services.

Sometimes, the only thing preventing your system from running as efficiently as it should is dirt and dust. A dirty evaporator or condenser coil can prevent your system from cooling your home correctly, while dirty air filters can affect air quality and block the airflow in your system, causing any number of problems with your AC. Scheduling maintenance can give you peace of mind in knowing that your unit will not fail due to a very preventable problem.

The technician will also check for anything in your system that may need to be adjusted. The motors that run the compressor and the fans, for example, often need lubrication to continue running smoothly. The refrigerant in your system may also require an adjustment, as even a slight loss of refrigerant could mean your air conditioning is not cooling your home very efficiently, and only a technician is qualified to handle this fluid.

If you schedule air conditioning maintenance now, you can rest easy knowing your air conditioner isn’t as likely to give you trouble for the rest of the summer.

Climate Masters provides professional air conditioning maintenance in the St. Augustine area. Call us today!

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How Do UV Germicidal Lights Protect My Home?

Friday, June 27th, 2014

If you’ve installed a whole-home air filtration system, you have most likely seen for yourself how clean your indoor air is. Air filtration systems are great, particularly for allergy sufferers, but what about germs and viruses? One of the best ways to manage biological pollutants in your St. Augustine home is with the use of UV germicidal lights. UV lights can eliminate biological microbes from your air conditioning system with incredible efficiency, helping to make your indoor air as clean as possible.

What Are UV Lights?

Used in hospitals, food processing plants and other places that come into contact with biological pollutants, UV lights are light bulbs that produce c-type ultraviolet wavelengths to destroy the DNA of different types of germs, including viruses, bacteria, mold and mildew spores and fungus. UV germicidal lights can kill over 99% of any micro-organisms in the air, making them extremely effective in destroying many particulates that may be in your system.

How Do UV Lights Protect?

The first way, as described above, is by killing the vast majority of bad microorganisms that can be in your indoor air. Other benefits include:

  • Stopping mold and mildew growth
  • Eliminating odors
  • Destroying volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Changing Lamps

UV germicidal lights do require replacement to be effective. When used in conjunction with your air conditioning system, the recommendation is to replace the lights every 2 years, even if the lights are still working.

Dust

While UV germicidal lamps can kill micro-organisms on dust, they cannot filter it out like an air filter or air purifier can.

Light Up Your Health with UV Germicidal Lights

Having truly healthful indoor air can be great for everyone in your home, especially younger children, those with respiratory issues and allergy sufferers. UV germicidal lights can be powerful, and if not installed properly, may not be as beneficial as they should be; this is why we recommend using trained professionals for your UV germicidal light installation in St. Augustine.

Whether you want to add UV lights, or explore other upgrades to your air conditioning system, schedule an appointment with Climate Masters today and work with our trained experts.

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How to Factor Your Air Conditioner into New Construction

Friday, June 20th, 2014

New construction, such as a new room added on to your house, is a big undertaking, and can involve a number of different factors. When you embark upon such a project, it can be easy to overlook certain factors like the air conditioner, which will presumably need to cool the new room with the same efficiency it does the old. This can be trickier than it sounds and without proper preparation, it could cause you quite a few headaches in the process. The good news is that when it comes to new construction, St. Augustine has plenty of professional services that can help you with the specifics. Here’s a few general tips on how to factor your air conditioner into new construction.

Air conditioning units need to be sized properly to fit the space they’re cooling. If you use a centralized air conditioner, you need to factor in the additional space and determine how that will affect its performance. In some cases, the unit won’t be affected unduly. In other cases, however, it’s going to place additional strain on the unit. You may need to be prepared for higher electric bills and possibly a greater risk of repairs as well. In addition, you’ll need to plan for an extension of your ductwork, allowing the system to reach your new room and cool it properly.

In many cases, an easy solution is to install a new ductless AC unit in the new room. This is a single stand-alone unit, similar to the one you might find in a small apartment or a hotel room. It’s sized to cool that room only, which means your existing system won’t face any additional strain. It also does away with the need for new ducts and other unwieldy components to your new room.

We can plan out every step to get your new space properly set up with an air conditioner, and we won’t rest until you’re completely satisfied. Give us a call today and let us show you what we can do!

For more ideas on how to factor your air conditioner into new construction, St. Augustine residents can turn to the experts at Climate Masters for sound advice.

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What’s Covered in an Air Conditioning Maintenance Session?

Friday, June 13th, 2014

Annual maintenance for an air conditioner is not optional: it is mandatory for the system to last its full lifespan, work efficiently, and avoid surprise breakdowns and repair issues. With a yearly visit from an experienced maintenance technician, an AC will live up to its manufacturer’s promise of years of efficient and effective cooling.

If you haven’t had your air conditioning maintenance in St. Augustine, FL for the year yet, now is a great time to schedule it—you can beat out the rest of the summer heat!

Contact Climate Masters today and ask about signing up for our maintenance program to receive a full inspection and tune-up that will make sure your AC can handle the stresses of a Florida summer.

So what actually happens during maintenance?

The technician who comes to your home will go through a checklist that covers every part of your air conditioning system. Here are some of the major steps involved in regular maintenance:

  • Checking the thermostat. The thermostat’s operation is crucial to making sure that the air conditioning behaves the way it should. The technician will see that the thermostat is calibrated correctly.
  • Cleaning the condensate line and drain. This will ensure that the AC will not start to drip water because of a blocked drainage system.
  • Oversee the electrical system. The technician will make tightenings and adjustments where necessary to ensure that the electrical system is in good shape.
  • Check on the compressor and make sure that its motor amperage is correct. Damage to the compressor is one of the most serious issues and AC can encounter, so this is an especially important step.
  • Check airflow and change the air filter.
  • Looking over the evaporator and condenser coils to see that they are clean and free from damage. The technician will clean the coils if necessary.
  • See that the refrigerant in the system is at its proper charge, and adding the necessary amount if it is not.
  • Lubricating of all mechanical parts that require it. This will reduce the mechanical stress that can lead to motor burn-out and energy-draining operation.

If there are any repairs your system needs, your technician will ask for your approval before starting the work. If you sign up for the maintenance program at Climate Masters, you will receive a 10% discount from the total repair costs; this will also apply to any emergency services. (Some exceptions apply.) The program also delivers you a yearly inspection and tune-up for your heating system, so you will have year-round comfort protection.

For air conditioning maintenance in St. Augustine, FL, look no further than our superb team.

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Air Purifier: When an Air Filter Is Not Enough

Friday, June 6th, 2014

The air filter in your air conditioner does an important job: it helps keep dust and dirt from accumulating in your system. This can improve the air quality in your home, but that is a secondary feature of the built-in air filter. If you need to improve your indoor air quality, the best place to start is with a whole-home air purifier from Climate Masters – your St. Augustine air cleaners.

What Does an Air Purifier Do?

An air purifier takes your indoor air and passes it through stringent filters that capture different types of particles existing in your indoor air. Air purifiers purify the air with this process, filtering the air in your home so that it becomes cleaner.

What Types of Particles Are Captured?

Air purifiers are designed to capture:

  • Dirt
  • Dust
  • Allergens (pollen, pet dander)
  • Smoke
  • Mold spores
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses

Understanding MERV Numbers

Just as an air conditioning system comes with a SEER number, a whole-home air purifier comes with its own number, too, called a MERV number. MERV stands for minimum efficiency reporting value, and it measures the level of efficiency at which an air filter functions. The MERV scale starts at 1 and ends at 16, with 16 being the most efficient. Our minimal MERV recommendation when choosing an air purifier is 8.

Why Install an Air Purifier?

There are several reasons our customers install whole-home air purifiers:

  • Helps relieve allergy symptoms
  • Helps relieve asthma symptoms
  • Increases overall indoor air quality
  • Further reduces the presence of dust and dirt

What Types of Air Purifiers Are Available?

There are several types of whole-home air purifiers from which to choose:

  • High Efficiency Filters –high efficiency filters are great at removing pollutants from the air, such as allergens, smoke and pet dander.  However, it is important to have a professional install a high efficiency filter as some may constrict air flow in your system.
  • Electronic – using an electrostatic field, an electronic filter pushes particles into a confined space with a fan, electronically charges them, then attracts the particles using an opposite electrical charge. These filters are highly efficient and require fairly minimal maintenance.
  • UV Germicidal Lights – UV germicidal lights use a safe amount of ultraviolet radiation to destroy biological pollutants in your air conditioning system. UV germicidal lights are excellent for destroying microbes, mold and mildew spores, and harmful bacteria and viruses. However, UV lights do not have a filter, so they do not help eradicate dirt and dust

Looking to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality? Call an Expert

For over 25 years, customers have turned to Climate Masters to be their St. Augustine air cleaners. If you are looking to improve your air quality with a whole-home air purifier, call Climate Masters today!

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How Does Zone Air Conditioning Work with Ducts?

Friday, May 30th, 2014

Central air conditioning is a wonderful invention, but it does come with an inherent flaw: when the AC turns on, every room in a home that is linked to the ventilation system receives the cooled air. Even rooms that don’t need them, like an empty guest room. Rooms that need cooling, but not as much, like a baby’s bedroom, still receive the same level of cooling as the rest of the house. People who have different comfort levels will feel uncomfortable while other people will feel just right.

There is a way to get around this problem, and that’s with zone control. You don’t have to put in a new AC to enjoy the advantages of zone air conditioning in St. Augustine, FL. With the right installers, such as those at Climate Masters, a new zone control system will fit right into your ductwork. This basic retro-fit will provide you with a new level of comfort and energy savings.

Here’s how zone control works with your existing ductwork

When installers come to your home to provide you with a zone control system, they access the ventilation shafts that lead to each of the “zones” of your house. (You decide how many zones you want. It can be as simple as “upstairs” and “downstairs” or as intricate as every individual room that is linked to the ductwork.) The technicians fit a damper into the duct, which can open and close. The damper forms a tight seal so they can effectively cut off flow to the zone.

Each of these dampers then connects to a zone thermostat, which controls that damper. This is important, because it permits individuals in the house to control the temperature wherever they are located. Each of these new local thermostats then connect to a central control panel, which gives you full access to each of the zones from a single location. You can program them for maximum energy savings.

Have professionals on the retro-fit work

This all may sound like difficult work—and it is indeed complex. However, in the hands of experts, the job will go fast and you will soon enjoy the comfort and the savings of a zone control system. Don’t attempt to do this work on your own, nor delegate it to an amateur who makes claims about performing the installation “cheap.” The work will be cheap… just not in the way you want.

We have years of experience doing this work, and we have all the necessary equipment on hand to take care of it quickly and effectively.

Call Climate Masters to find out how we can fit your current HVAC system to deliver zone air conditioning to your home in St. Augustine, FL.

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What Does the ENERGY STAR Sticker Mean?

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

When you are looking for an air conditioning replacement in St. Augustine, FL to prepare for another heavy Florida summer, you will come across a slew of statistics, brand names, types, and sizes that may start to feel overwhelming. Among all this data, you will also spy a sticker on many air conditioning units: a blue background with a white five-pointed star and the capital letters (always capital) ENERGY STAR. This looks important… but what does it mean?

If you have a professional installer working with you (and you should), he or she will help you understand the complexities of air conditioner models to find the right one for your home. The ENERGY STAR label will play a part of this, and chances are high that you’ll end up with a system with this sticker on it. We’ll explain why.

If the installer at your side is from Climate Masters, you can rest easy that you are receiving experienced and qualified service from one of the best heating and cooling contractors in St. Johns County.

The ENERGY STAR program

The ENERGY STAR label indicates that an appliance meets the standards set by the ENERGY STAR program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the authority of the Clean Air Act, established ENERGY STAR as a voluntary program in 1992 to help homes and businesses save money with energy-efficient appliances and protect the environment from damaging emissions. Manufacturers of appliances can choose to submit their product to the scrutiny of the program. If an appliance meets a set of regulations for energy efficiency and low negative environmental impact, it receives the label as a sign of approval.

The regulations differ depending on the appliance. With air conditioners, a system must have non-proprietary technology to achieve its efficiency (i.e., no single company can have a monopoly on energy efficiency), contain features that customers in general demand, and return on investment on its installation after only a few years if it costs more than a non-qualifying system.

A very specific AC requirement for the ENERGY STAR label is its minimum SEER. This is an energy-efficiency rating, and the higher the number, the less electricity the air conditioner wastes as it cools. To meet the ENERGY STAR program requirements, an air conditioner must have at least 14.5 SEER, easily verifiable through testing.

If you see the ENERGY STAR label on an air conditioner, you can feel confident that it is a safe, beneficial, and non-wasteful unit that will save money for you… provided it’s actually the right unit for your home. This is why you need to have professional assistance, since the ENERGY STAR label isn’t the only important criteria. Let the technician guide you toward the AC that will combine efficiency, environmental friendliness, and effective cooling.

Call our experts in air conditioning replacement in St. Augustine, FL today to get started with an excellent new AC installation for the summer.

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Stages of Ductless Air Conditioning Installation

Friday, May 16th, 2014

Ductless mini split heat pumps are becoming an increasingly popular option for home comfort. Because they work without the need for space-consuming ventilation shafts, they permit greater freedom for new construction. They also offer an alternative to inefficient window air conditioning units for older homes that lack ductwork. Since they are heat pumps, they work ideally as air conditioners during the summer and effectively as heaters during the winter.

The work installing a ductless mini split is not as difficult as you might imagine, but it still is a task that should remain in the hands of trained professionals. The stages below are not meant as a guide to help you install ductless air conditioning in St. Augustine, FL (it would require many pages to give you the ability to perform even a poor job) but to give you a sense of the sort of work involved. Rely on experienced professionals for this job: call Climate Masters, where we’ve installed air conditioning of all types since 1988.

Ductless mini split heat pump installation stages

  • First: The installers place wall mounts for the individual blowers in rooms throughout the house, and drill holes through the wall to the outside.
  • Second: The blower units are placed and secured to the mounts, and the installers run lines from blower for electrical power, condensate drainage, and refrigeration circulation. The installers take special caution to make sure there are no leaks that might get between the back of the blower and the wall.
  • Third: The outdoor condenser/evaporator unit is secured in place, and the lines from the blowers are hooked up to it. The technicians make certain that there are no loose connections or breaks in the line through a series of leak checks.
  • Fourth: The outdoor unit is connected to the home’s electrical power.
  • Fifth: The installers perform a full-system check to see that the heat pump works and is matched correctly to the voltage of the home, and that it works in both heating and cooling modes. They will not consider the job finished until they are certain that the new ductless system lives up to your expectations.

We handle all the stages of the life of a ductless system, from planning the installation to yearly maintenance to repairs.

Installing ductless air conditioning in St. Augustine, FL may be the best comfort solution for your home. To find out more, call Climate Masters today and speak to one of our ductless AC specialists.

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