Taking too long to heat your space?

Down here in South Florida, we rarely use the heating part of our air conditioning systems. Once in awhile, a cold snap will hit us during the wintertime. Many of us switch on the heat in an attempt to get comfortable. Often times, the heater will not work. But if it does turn on, it is common for folks to call in saying their heater must be damaged. They switch on the heat, and expect the airspace to heat up quickly. If in a few hours the home is not comfortably heated, they conclude that the heating system is not working properly. The truth is, there is another aspect to heating a home for the first time in awhile.

When the heating system is turned on in a home for the first time in awhile, a few things need to happen in order to bring the temperature inside the space up to the desired temperature. The first thing that happens is that the heating coils (elements) are energized and begin to get very hot. The air is then moved across the hot coils thus heating the air. So, in order to bring the temperature up in the home, all of the air in the home must circulate through the air conditioner enough times to reach the desired temperature. As the air is heated and circulates throughout the home, something else happens which is crucial to the equation.

Everything in the home must be heated as well, at least to the temperature set on the thermostat. This includes the walls of the home, furniture, appliances, decor, windows and doors, for example. Virtually every surface the airspace absorbs the heat from the air. This does heat everything inside, but leaves the air cooler than desired. So the air will continue to circulate through the HVAC system and transfer heat into the house and it's wares

When everything in the house has been warmed up sufficiently, the heating system will begin to cycle normally. Now the home should be heated to the temperature selected on the thermostat. This goes the same for commercial air conditioning systems as well. It can take 12-24 hours to bring the temperature under control. We recommend giving the heating system at least 24 hours to heat the property before calling a service out to diagnose any potential problems. If the heating system is still running constantly, and not sufficiently heating your home after 24 hours, you may then have an issue worth seeking professional help for.

There are many reasons why a heating system may not be working correctly. There are other factors aside from the heating system itself which could cause problems. One of there would be insufficient insulation in the home, leaking air ducts, and more. If you would like service or more information on this subject, please visit our website which has service and information for both Residential and Commercial:

Residential: http://www.aircoolfl.com/index.php/en-us/residential/residential-heating-and-ventilation


Commercial: http://www.aircoolfl.com/index.php/en-us/commercial/commercial-heating-and-ventilation

Never try to fix the heating system yourself unless you are a trained professional Electrician and HVAC Technician.

Smell smoke from your heater?

Don't panic yet, there is probably a good harmless reason for this. Before I continue with this explanation, I do wish to make a blanket statement about this situation in the name of safety. If you smell smoke and are not sure if there is a real fire or not, we recommend to be on the safe side and seek help from local Fire Emergency Officials. If yourself or another person cannot verify that there is no fire in your property, call for help. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Heater Coils (Element)

With that being said, I will continue on with a common situation that happens when people turn on their electric heater for the first time in awhile. The air conditioning system has a few types of heating systems. One type is the Heat Pump which works like a traditional air conditioning system, but reverses the flow of the freon. Instead of cooling, heating is produced. Another type of heater is designed to use burning gas to create heat. The type of heating system I am referring to in this post is the Electric Heating System. This system uses electricity to heat metal bars (heating elements) which in turn heats the air as it passes by. This is a very safe and efficient system when operating normally. In some rare cases, fire may result from improper installation, manufacturers defects, and damage to the system etc.. Like I said before, if you are not sure if you have a fire happening than we recommend calling in your local Fire Emergency Officials.

When a person turns on the electric heater for the first time in awhile, it is actually common to smell a bit of a "smokey" smell from the air ducts. So, these metal heating elements sit 95% of the time in the off state. If you live in South Florida with us, than the heater is barely used. As they sit, the elements collect dust and dirt. More dust and dirt build up the longer the heater remains dormant. When the power is switched on, the elements get very hot in order to heat the air. The dirt and dust which has collected begin to "burn-off". We are not talking about an actual fire inside the heater, but rather the smoldering of a thin layer of dust and dirt. It is enough to fill the home with a smokey oder, which is usually a very worrying issue. 

Hot heating coil elements

It is normal to smell this smokey odor after turning on the heater for the first time in a year or more. NOTE: You should certainly never see visible smoke coming out of your air ducts or attic area in general. If you do, call your Local Fire Emergency Officials immediately. So, safety is always first. Typically, opening the windows and doors for an hour or so will get the smokey smell out of your house. This tip was just something to consider if this situation arises. We always recommend safety first, but knowing what we just discussed will help you make the determination if you are safe or not. Feel free to contact AirCool Mechanical Systems Inc if you have any concerns or questions about this topic. Be safe America, and stay warm this winter.

All about the TXV Valve.

The TXV Valve (also known as the Thermal Expansion Valve) is a vital component to higher efficiency air conditioning systems. The TXV valve is typically associated with higher efficiency air conditioning systems because of it's ability to regulate the amount of freon that enters the coil. It changes the amount of freon flow based on the conditions of the cooling needs and environmental variables. It's cousin the Accurator is not as efficient as the TXV because it relies on system pressure dynamics to regulate freon flow. 

Standard TXV Valve

There are always pros and cons to every situation. In this case, the pros seem to outweigh the cons when it comes to energy saving over time. One of the downsides of the TXV could be that it has moving parts, and is a mechanical device. With any component that has moving parts, the possibility for mechanical failure exists. So, many people in the know recommend the standard Accurator system for it's reliability. One must then weigh the risk of mechanical failure repair cost with the savings of having a more efficient system overall. Also consider that both the TXV and the Accurator have small orifices or holes for the freon to pass through which could get clogged or restricted.

The main benefit of the TXV is how it adjusts the freon flow according to the cooling load needed. If perhaps it is very hot outside today, the TXV will open wider to let more freon flow through the evaporator coil. This will increase the cooling capacity of the unit, keeping it in the target efficiency range for the unit. If tomorrow is cooler outside, the TXV will close off more. This will restrict the flow of freon to match the efficiency needed.

Sensing Bulb

This function does more than save you money on power bills, but it also has life preserving effects on other parts of the air conditioning system. For instance, the compressor which pumps the freon through the system is made to specifically pump freon in the gaseous state. Freon, depending on it's temperature and pressure changes from a liquid to a gas in the ac system. It changes back and forth from liquid to gas and back over and over as it cycles through the system. That is actually normal for it's operation. As the freon passes by the evaporator, it is supposed to take in enough heat to turn completely into a gas before returning to the compressor. If the TXV is not regulating correctly or there is no TXV present in the system, there is the possibly of improper or insufficient heat exchange happening in the evaporator coil. This could cause the freon to remain in the liquid state and eventually return to the compressor as a liquid. This will certainly damage the valves inside the compressor. It may take days, months or years for this to occur, but I can assure you that damage is being done to the compressor valves. So, having a properly operating metering device in the ac unit, can protect other components from damage.

Having a TXV installed in your system can also help the technician diagnose problems with the system with greater accuracy. Having a TXV regulating superheat in the system can allow the technicians more accuracy when reading pressures while diagnosing problems. It can be vital to charging the air conditioning system with the correct amount of freon. I have heard that around 70% of all residential ac systems may not be charged correctly. Now there could be many many reasons for this, but having a TXV enables a technician to rule out the metering device as the culprit of an issue such as this.

Another View - TXV Valve

If you are in the market for a high efficiency ac system, you probably will get a unit which already comes with a TXV as part of the system. However, keep in mind that a TXV can be installed in most systems even if they were not originally manufactured with one. The decision must be made by the owner if retrofitting a TXV into their system is worth the cost of the installation.

Most systems sold today will have a TXV already installed, due to changes in efficiency regulation which occurred in January 2006. The minimum requirement is 13 SEER, which would need a TXV to maintain that efficiency in most cooling conditions. While there are many aspects of the air conditioning system which contribute to its operating efficiency, the TXV is one of the significant ones to mention. I hope this helps you understand more about the air conditioning system in general. We want you to be informed in order to make better decisions. Feel free to contact us on our website's Contact Page. Stay tuned for more posts about the world of Air Conditioning.

13 SEER in January 2006

13 SEER in January 2006

13 SEER in January 2006

13 SEER in January 2006

13 SEER in January 2006

Something you shoud know...

I get calls from time to time from clients who have been misled in the past by their previous air conditioning company. One topic in particular seemed to jump out at me, so I figured I would explain this issue in a relatively short post.

Freon - What's the deal???

Do air conditioning systems use-up freon like cars use-up gasoline?

From time to time a client will call in and tell us that their freon is running low again in their air conditioner, and could we come out and re-fill it for them. They explain that they cannot get a hold of their regular ac company, and decided to give us a try this time. They say that their company is happy to come re-fill the freon for them, and gives them a reasonable price, can we beat it. I then reply that we may not be able to beat the price, but we can certainly beat them in honesty. Then I go on to explain what I am about to cover below:

THE MYTH: Freon is used up slowly similar to gasoline in a car, and needs to be replenished from time to time.

THE TRUTH: False, totally false.

The reality is that if the air conditioning system is operating normally with no leaks, then the freon should not need to be replenished at all. The freon circulates through the ac system via copper piping, evaporator and condenser coils. If all of these parts are not leaking, then the freon cannot escape. Technically, the freon in an air conditioning system should last "forever". There are a few exceptions to this, but none would require re-filling the freon periodically. If you need to replenish freon into your ac system, you most likely have a leak in the system.

AC coil leaking freon.

Why would a reputable ac company not imform their client that they ma have a leak, and continue to put freon in the system from time to time? We cannot answer for them, but I can tell you a few things to consider.

1. Freon is very expensive, and the companies usually mark-up the freon in order to make a small profit on it.
2. There is usually a service call charge for the job, where the companies can make some additional money.
3. Just getting into the door and checking out the system, can expose other issues with the system. (A chance to make more money on a repair)
4. Repairing the leak would end the ability to benefit from reasons 1-3.

Crack in a copper freon line

So, keep in mind that if you need freon added to your system, you may have a leak. Any reputable air conditioning company should offer to do a Freon Leak Search in order to determine where the leak is coming from, and what is required to fix it. If you are not being presented this option, it may be a good idea to find out why. If you want an honest diagnosis, you can always call AirCool at 305-254-8330. We always present honest and reliable findings to our clients, so they can fix their problems once and for all. Best of luck with your cooling systems, and remember that AirCool is always on your side.

Save More $$$$$

Heat Recovery Units

Ex. Heat Recovery Unit

Here's another way for you to save money on your energy bills. This solution has been around for many years, but has faded in popularity due to it not being promoted by the major power companies for various reasons. This solution allows you to utilize the heat created by your AC compressor to heat the water in your home or business. Unlike other systems, this requires a very low amount of energy to function.

Your AC compressor runs every time your AC runs to cool your space. What happens is the hot freon is piped into the Heat Recovery Unit. Your AC is running anyway, why not transfer some of the heat that is normally removed by the condenser coil into your water? This Recovery unit has the water for the home piped to it as well. These two piping systems are coiled together so that the water picks up the heat from the freon line. There is a small water pump inside the Recovery System which supplements the flow of the water. This is the only energy "consumed" to make the system work.

Heat Recovery System Diagram

With this system in operation, the water heater only needs to supplement the Recovery Unit and in turn uses only a fraction of the energy it normally uses. The water heater being one of the main energy users of a home, is barely needed to heat the water. This effect WILL save you big money on energy bills. It is a very simple system with minimal moving parts and rarely needs servicing.

One aspect to keep in mind is that installing this system requires a modification of the freon lines inside the condensing unit. This is something you would want to check out with the manufacturer of your AC system. Sometimes modifications like this can void manufacturers warranties. Also, you may need to have a plumber extend the main water line out to the AC condenser unit area.

Cut-Away of Heat Recovery

Just another option for you to save money on power bills. This may not be a possible solution for everyone. However, it will greatly benefit anyone who is able to implement it. Please let us know if you have any questions about this system, we are happy to help. Best of luck on saving money, we're here for you 24/7. Stay tuned for more posts about making your home or business more energy efficient.

P.S.  For more information on saving energy with your air conditioning system, visit our page on Preventative Maintenance.

What sets AirCool apart from other A/C companies??

So, recently we had a situation arise with a new client of ours. After a month of enjoying their new air conditioning system, they noticed a problem. The equipment stopped working for no apparent reason at all. They notified us of the issue, and we immediately dispatched one of our technicians to the home. One of the things that sets us apart is how we handle an issue for a client. We consider these types of situations "Emergencies", and always do our best to get someone out immediately to resolve the issue.

When our tech arrived at the home, he began to diagnose the problem with the equipment. Every once in awhile, there arises a "stumper" of an issue. The technician was able to get the system cooling again. Because of the particular situation with this system, he knew that there was something else going on in the electrical system. But, amazingly the equipment checked out fine. He ended the call, and the unit ran well for two more days.

Then it happened again, unfortunately. We promptly visited the residence and again got the system running. Another thing that sets us apart is being honest with the clients. We notified them of the situation, and assured them that the problem will be resolved eventually. We never run from issues that may arise, we always do everything possible to be accessible to the client. Low and behold it happened another time shortly after that visit, and we went there and restored cooling for them at 7:30pm. Both the client and us knew that the unit would probably quit again, but if it would give them a few hours of cooling it was worth it to us.

Needless to say after replacing nearly every component associated with the issue, there was only one more thing we could do to diagnose the problem. This ended up being the culprit. The finding amazed us all, and ended up being a learning experience. Turns out, an animal was frequenting the residence at night. It had chewed some of the wiring in a part of the attic which was inaccessible to a person. Also when we checked that wiring, it checked out fine with no shorts. The wires had been chewed bare and must have been close to each other, but not touching. When the animal would pass by, he must have been brushing against the wires, causing them to short at that moment. This would cause the ac system to fail.

The only way we found it was by replacing the wires that run through that part of the attic. We found no problem with them, but did it just in case because you couldn't see them. What also sets us apart is the fact that we will stay true to the client if an issue may arise, and provide a solution as expeditiously as possible. Most companies see these as a nuisance, but we see them as opportunities to build a stronger bond between us and the client. Because even though there are few problems, we believe how we handle them is part of what sets us apart from the others.

Stay Cool South Florida

Save $$$ with these air conditioning tips.

Every little bit helps, so here's a few things to keep in mind:

• One of the most important tips is to change your air filter once a month, or sooner if necessary. I discuss this in more detail in an earlier blog post: click here to view air filter blog. This is important to ensure that your family is breathing clean air, and that your system is not being overworked or damaged.
• Turn on your ceiling fans in the summertime to help stay cooler. Make sure that your fans are spinning in the correct direction. During the summer, the fans should be put on “forward”.  In this mode, the fan blades should be spinning in a counter-clockwise direction. On the base of the fan, there should be a switch that reverses the direction.
• Do not let the inside of your house get uncomfortably hot. The air conditioner cannot cool it down in a reasonable amount of time. AC systems are designed to supply about 20° of cooling, so 100° air would only be brought down to about 80°. 
• It is not unheard of for an ac system to freeze up. If this happens to you, turn off the system promptly and place the FAN switch on "On". The ice will slowly begin to melt. Place some towels and or bowls under the unit as some of the water may drip under the unit. You can then call a professional. The technician will not have to return to your home, as the ice has already melted by the time they get there.
• A system check-up can save you money by exposing potential problems with the system before they become major problems. Another way to help prevent problems is through a Preventative Maintenance Agreement.
• Help prevent heat from entering your home by using drapes, blinds or tinting. Especially on the sides of the house which face the sun. For instance, in the morning you will want to close the east facing blinds. Then in the afternoon, you will want to close the west facing blinds. Keep in mind that using light colored shades can help reflect the heat causing light. Doing this will help you save money over time.
• The outside unit can benefit from shade, so feel free to plant trees and bushes near to it. Keep in mind that the unit needs to be able to flow air freely, so you do not want to restrict it from doing so. Proper shade of an air conditioning system can increase efficiency by nearly 10%. You also never want to block access to the unit for repair people.
• Be aware of heat producing appliances and lighting. Most appliances in the home produce heat as a byproduct. To make sure your ac system is working properly, never place heat producing appliances or strong lights near the Thermostat. This can give the system false temperature readings, and affect the efficiency of the system. The thermostast would then think it is hotter than it really is, and waste energy trying to cool unneccessarily.

I hope these tips give you a better understanding of how to save money. Some are simple, but all are very important to know if saving money is a top priority. Thanks for your time, and take care for now.