Hot House? AC & Home Check List

Most have experienced that dreadful day when their air conditioner says “enough – no more.”

Who should read this article?

Having problems now or feel it’s just around the corner? Is your HVAC older than 8 years? Been taking it all for granted? Thermostat won’t go below 80º? Feel like your power bill is way too high? Have no clue about your attic insulation. You need to read this article.

AC problems escalate quickly as do repair costs. Being proactive will save hundreds to thousands. I’ll explain the basics here, but always remember heating and cooling is a complex endeavor that requires training and licensed professionals.

Warning: Do not attempt to service the unit yourself. Turning the power off still leaves you at risk of electrocution. HVACS use large storage capacitors for starting and running. Disconnecting power has no effect on the fully charged capacitors. These electronic components are like super batteries only they discharge their full voltage at once.

Getting True Help

A host of predatory companies will charge top money when your AC stops. That’s not us. Sure, we’re a contractor, but we find being upfront and treating you like family is the only way to do business. You may even find the solution to your problem here, so let’s talk air conditioners.

1.       Red flags hinting problems aren’t far off

2.       Checklist for fixing common problems

3.       Power company’s worst enemy: insulation

4.       Replace, Repair and Maintain

Luckily, at AllPhaseNow.com we have 24/7 emergency repair service, maintenance plans and free consultations. Being a full service company, we look at all aspects. In a lot of cases, your existing HVAC is fine and other factors like insufficient attic insulation or duct work are the culprit. It could be as simple as repairing a refrigerant leak.

Signs Your Air Conditioner May Be on Borrowed Time

Most common telltale signs you may be headed for trouble.

·         Continual Service Calls
·         Continually Adding Refrigerant
·         Unit running 24/7
·         Freezing up
·         Not being able to reduce the temperature by at least 6º
·         Unable to get home below 80º
·         Airflow is not that cold
·         Volume of airflow is barely noticeable
·         Extremely high electric bills
·         Temperature variations from room to room or between floors
·         Scraping or banging noises from outside condenser
·         Increasingly loud or revving sounds emanating from condenser
·         Banging or screeching noises from the blower unit inside the house
·         Unusual odors emitting into living space

As a rule, these usually indicate problems with your air conditioner. However, we have an entire checklist you should check first.  As other problems could be the main or a contributing factor.

AC Checklist

Some of these can be DIY. Others require a professional. We’re more than happy to schedule a free consultation, rule out all problems and if you need it, check each and every point for you. With the expertise to rule out all problems, HVAC and beyond, feel confident and the utmost trust we’ll only do what’s best for you.

Clean air filter

Air filters have guides on how often they should be replaced. Typically, 1 – 3 months. However, factors like large families and pets hasten this process. Dirty clogged filters permanently degrade performance and can cause units to freeze short term.

Properly attached cover or face plate

Did you correctly reattach the cover when last changing the filter? Sensors prevent most units from running when it fails to detect the cover. Typically, this presents itself right away. However, an “almost” attached cover can trick the sensors, loosen and detach days later.

Good attic insulation

Can’t get the thermostat below 80º? Attic temperatures reach 170º.  Attic insulation is critical to the comfort of your home. Hot air always rises, right? Not always. Hot air seeks cooler air and expands. Poor insulation does little stopping super heated 170º air permeating into your living spaces.  Sometimes referred to as “80 Degree Syndrome.” The thermostat can’t get any lower. It’s a losing battle.

Before even looking at replacing your air conditioner, it’s very important to get your attic’s insulation to a sufficient level.

Attic Sufficiently Vented

Working attic ventilation is vital. Compare it to cracking a window in your vehicle on a hot summer day. Ridge vents, rafter vents (soffit and gable) and attic fans are most common. Covered over attic vents trap hot humid air. Absorbing ever more heat and humidity degrades and ultimately damages insulation and roofing shingles. It’s important air flow unhindered with nothing blocking the flow.

Proper Duct Work

Badly positioned and overextended ducts result in low airflow. Common duct problems range from too many registers (“vents”) off one duct to resistance from too many turns, banks, bends and other issues. An unbalanced system such as this results in weak airflow. Weak airflow is almost as bad as no air conditioning at all.

Insulated Attic Ducts

Air ducts are made from metal. If the metal isn’t insulated, the cold air is warming back up in the 170 degree attic before it gets to you. It’s important every duct and connection point be covered in insulation.

Vent and Register Placement

Vents return air back to the HVAC for cooling. It’s critical that the air flow continue to circulate to reduce the temperature of the air. Without a return vent, large areas of uncirculated air continue to build. This is a common problem where additions have been made to the home.

Working Fuse

Have you had a really bad lightning storm just before you noticed problems? It could be that the fuse on the outside condenser has taken a hit. This is an easy fix.

Clear Area Around Condenser

The outside condenser must be kept clear of grass, weeds and other debris. This critical component cools the air. Debris and weeds blocking airflow to the condenser impair this process and shorten the product lifespan. Having a professional remove the condenser’s housing and properly cleaning out debris has been known to make significant performance impacts.

Condenser Placement

The condenser should always be level, at least 1” from the exterior wall, several feet from a dryer vent and 4” of spacing between multiple units. All of these factors will limit not only the performance but also the lifespan.

Insulation

Most homes have insufficient attic insulation. Power companies love this. You are paying them hundreds you could be putting in your pocket. The problem:

•          Natural settling and depredation
•          Gravity
•          Pressure from stored items and foot traffic
•          Insufficient job from the start

These and other factors make popular insulations used around the Atlanta area on average only 25% effective vs. when first installed. In these situations, additional insulation needs to be added. This is a cost effective way to save hundreds and extend the life of your existing HVAC if not too late. We have solutions for both adding to and replacing your attic insulation with a far superior product.

Another secret power companies don’t want you to know about is something new called radiant barrier. We use Copperflect which has a long lifespan and insulates against heat coming into the attic. This innovative product can drop you average summer attic from 170º to 90º. Imagine the load that takes off your air conditioner and the end results.

Repair, Replace or Maintain

You can keep up with all this if want or you can let us do all the worrying and upkeep. Try our free consultation to see where you’re heating and cooling is at. Like our friendly and licensed staff? We’ll set up a scheduled maintenance and service plan. Check out the various options.