It's Summer Air Conditioning Tune-Up Time!!!

When it's hot don't lose your cool, call AirCool for a system Tune-up. The florida sun is relentless in the summer. One way to stay ahead of the game is to give your air conditioning system a "Tune-up". This helps to identify and head-off potential problems with your system. Sometimes replacing a smaller part, or having your evaporator coil cleaned can save you from expensive repairs later. This is the purpose of the system Tune-up. Why wait until your unit breaks down?

Special Summer Price - Call Today

Call today to schedule your system Tune-up and stay ahead of the game. Just click the picture today to find out more about our special. You can always call us anytime.

305-254-8330

Our helpful and polite staff will take care of you. Stay cool with AirCool.

Is insulation really necessary?

Whether you live in a hot or a cold climate, insulating your home can be one of the most significant measures to take in saving on energy costs. Being in the South Florida area, this really matters during the hot summer months. When your air conditioning system is battling the heat of the day, it will run longer than it should and cycle faster. All this means more electricity used, driving up your power bill. Since heat is basically invisible, it is often neglected as an influence in the performance of an air conditioning system. The problem is usually found after the equipment has been checked meticulously, and the heat problem persists. This is understandable since it can be costly to add insulation to a home. Verifying that the unit is operating perfectly first is the responsible way to go.

The Harvard School of Public Health declares that over 46 million homes across the country are under-insulated. This means that untold millions of dollars are being wasted away through the windows, walls and ceilings of many homes. Insulation also allows the air conditioning system to attain it's operating efficiency, saving you money. A 16 SEER system may perform like a 13 SEER system if the home has insufficient insulation. Again, this will show up as an increase in energy usage.

All in all, we believe the attic and windows are a prime place to start. This is assuming you have addressed any issues with air escaping or entering the home through cracks, crevases and spaces between windows and under doors. Having the heat of the day infiltrate the home through the attic and windows can make an air conditioning system never cool the home to the temperature set on the thermostat. The system will cool fine at night, but in the middle of the day it will not be able to keep up with the heat entering the home. If this is happening to you, you may need insulation added to or installed in your attic. Tinting your windows or locating trees and bushes by exterior windows can make a significant difference as well. Not to mention, the older slatted or Jalousie windows must be changed based on the fact that they may never completely seal the home off from the outside air.

Jalousie Windows

Slatted Windows

One way to determine if your home needs insulating is to have a professional asses your home. A thorough inspection along with a "Heat Load Calculation" is essential for determining if your air conditioning system is the right size, and how much heat is infiltrating your home. Some of the different types of insulation used are:

• Blanket: Batt and Roll Insulation

• Concrete Block Insulation

• Foam Board or Rigid Foam

• Insulating Concrete Forms

• Loose-Fill and Blown-In Insulation

If you have any questions or concerns about the insulation in your home, call us at (305) 254-8330.

Compressors, what's the deal?

The air conditioning compressor is one of integral parts to system. It can be compared to the human heart, as it circulates Freon throughout the system. Without the ac compressor, the system would not work properly. Not only does the compressor circulate the freon throughout the system, but it also pumps it under high pressure in order for the system to work properly as well. The compressor takes electrical energy (electricity), and converts it into kinetic and heat energy.

There are many types of compressors, but only a few are used in residential air conditioning. The most common type is the Reciprocating Compressor. This type of compressor comes in two types. They are the Open and the Hermetic Compressor. The Hermetic compressor gets it's name because it is hermetically sealed from the outside air. This can be accomplished by fitted nuts and bolts which hold it together. The other method of sealing these compressors is welding them shut. This is why you must replace the compressor if it fails, instead of having it repaired. The larger commercial compressors are considered Semi-Hermetic because they can be opened up for repairs by unscrewing the nuts and bolts which hold it together.

So, if you ever wonder why your ac company only recommends replacing your compressor instead of fixing it, this is usually why. As always, you want to keep your air filter clean at all times. This is one of the most common reasons for compressor failure. Regular filter changes can extend and even save the life of your compressor. Please contact us if you have any questions, anytime. When it's hot keep your cool, call AirCool.

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.