Louisville HVAC Question: How Do You Measure Your Air Cleaner’s Performance?

May 14th, 2012

Your air cleaner is designed to keep your family comfortable and healthy, regardless of what contaminants make their way inside. This is important because homes these days are sealed up tightly to minimize the loss of heating or cooling, but as a result they have poor ventilation and frequently they will suffer a buildup of excess contaminants like mold, dust, pollen and dander.

To ensure you get the best possible air cleaner for your home, there are a number of measurements available to help you in the purchasing process. Let’s take a look at a couple of those measurements and what they mean.

 MERV

MERV ratings are used to measure the ability of a filter to remove dust from the air that passes through it. The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter works at removing particles. The MERV rating scale goes from 1-16 with 16 being the best possible rating you can obtain from a residential (non-HEPA) grade filter. Usually, they are designed to measure things like dander, dust, smog, wood smoke, spores, bacteria and mold.

When choosing an air cleaner in Louisville, it is recommended that you look for a MERV rating of at least 8, which is good enough to remove almost all common household contaminants. Higher MERV ratings (17 and up) are found in HEPA filters which are considered among the best on the market, able to remove particles as small as 0.3 microns.

 CADR

This rating stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate and is a measurement of how efficiently the air cleaner delivers clean air for tobacco smoke, pollen and dust (the common measurements given for each device). This is not a measurement of the efficiency of the device, so much as the speed of it the device. So, the higher the CADR measurement for all three contaminants, the faster those particles are removed from the indoor air.

The best way to choose a device to match your needs is to look for a CADR rating of at least 2/3 of the size of the room you are cleaning. So, if you are cleaning the air of a 150 square foot bedroom, you should get a device with a CADR rating of at least 100.

When choosing a good air cleaner for your home, make sure you do your research and choose on the best possible option for the space you need to clean. MERV and CADR allow you to do this.

For more information about how to improve your indoor air quality in Louisville, give AccuTemp Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

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Why is Annual Maintenance so Important?

May 11th, 2012

AC Maintenance | Louisville | AccutempHave you ever wondered why annual maintenance is so important to your AC System? Most people run their air conditioners constantly during the hot summer months. As your air conditioner runs dirt can build up on the evaporator coil and in the filter. This dirt buildup reduces air flow and the amount of heat your coils can absorb. This decreases the efficiency of your system, and increases your overall energy cost. Changing your air filters regularly will slow down this build-up, but you should check your coil at least once a year to see if it needs to be cleaned.  This is just one of the many things that a professional technician will check during your annual AC tune-up. Accutemp Heating and Air Conditioning is now offering a $49 Complete Air Conditioning Tune-up special, call today to schedule your maintenance check.

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Tips to Make Your Louisville HVAC System More Efficient

May 7th, 2012

Considering the fact that up to half of the energy used in a home goes toward heating and cooling the interior space, it is smart to make sound decisions regarding the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.   Heating and cooling with your Louisville  HVAC system can become a comfortable investment when it is done efficiently.  Below are some tips to make your HVAC system more efficient.

 Regularly Maintain HVAC Equipment

Annual tune-ups of heating and cooling systems can easily improve HVAC system efficiency. Some of these steps include:

  • Ensure outdoor unit has proper ventilation, is free of debris or foliage growth, and is located in the shade
  • Check thermostat settings for comfort while home and to save energy while away
  • Tighten electrical connections and measure voltage and currents on motors
  • Lubricate all moving parts
  • Inspect and clean out the condensate drain on central air conditioning units
  • Check controls of the system for proper operation

Change Air Filters

Many air filters should be changed every three months, but some as often as every month.  Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation as well as simple common sense by checking the filters frequently during high-usage times and replacing as necessary.

Seal All Household Ducts

Heating and cooling ducts can be huge energy wasters if they are improperly sealed.  These ducts can be in an attic, basement, crawlspace, or garage, and can be easily repaired with duct sealant, or metal-backed tape along seams and connections.  As well, wrapping the ducts in insulation will keep them from overheating in the summer or freezing in the winter.

 Install a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat can control how hot or cold a home is every hour of every day within a week.  During the summer they can be set to higher settings while residents are away on vacation, and during winter they can be set to lower settings while residents are away at work or school.  This is a great way to save on energy costs throughout the year, as keeping a more consistent house temperature also helps the HVAC system to run more smoothly.

Install ENERGY STAR® Certified Equipment

When an HVAC system is more than ten years old, or if it no longer works properly it is probably time for a replacement.  Prior to replacing an entire HVAC system, it is prudent to check for air leaks in ducts, which can be a major cause for heating and cooling issues.  If it is determined that it is time for a professional to come in and install a new HVAC system, the savings in energy will be quite dramatic indeed.

Use any or all of the above tips will make your Louisville  HVAC system more efficient, while saving you money throughout the peak seasons of heating and cooling usage. Call AccuTemp Heating & Air Conditioning today if you need more information about any of these energy saving tips!

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The Importance of Air Conditioner Maintenance

May 4th, 2012

AC Maintenance | Louisville | Accutemp ComfortDid you know that your air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fin all require regular maintenance just so your air conditioner can maintain its current efficiency? If you neglect maintenance, over time your air conditioner will use more energy and not cool your home as effectively. Not to mention needing more frequent repairs and having a shorter lifespan! Remember to change your filters every month and schedule a maintenance visit with an HVAC professional once a year. Take advantage of our $49 AC Tune Up special!

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Louisville Geothermal Contractor Guide: Installation Steps

April 30th, 2012

Are you interested in geothermal heating in Louisville? Are you considering using the natural heating and cooling energy of the Earth as a way to keep your home at a comfortable temperature?

If you are, you probably have a lot of questions, not the least of which have to do with the installation process. You may assume that it is complicated, but in most cases it is quite simple. Here is a simple summary of the steps involved in installing a geothermal system:

  1. The very first step, before any kind of installation can even be planned, is to evaluate the ground on which your home sits to be sure it can support a geothermal system. The area must be evaluated for soil and rock composition, availability of ground and surface water and availability of land.
  2. Once you have determined that your yard can handle a geothermal system, it is time to choose the type of system you need. This depends a lot on the evaluation from step 1, as well as some other factors. For one example, if you have very little land available, you may need to opt for a vertical loop configuration. For another, if you are fortunate enough to have a small body of water on your property, you can take advantage of a pond loop installation.
  3. Your Louisville geothermal contractor will dig and/or drill trenches for placement of the geothermal pipes. Try not to be nervous. This only takes a couple of days and they will disrupt your yard as little as possible.
  4. With the trenches prepared, pipes can be placed in accordance with the configuration you chose.
  5. Your contractor will fill the trenches back in to cover the pipes loosely. You may want to work with a landscaper to fully “re-assemble” your yard where the pipes were installed.
  6. Finally, the installation team will hook up the geothermal system to your home, make any necessary final adjustments, and you are good to go!

If you’re interested in geothermal heating for your home, consider contacting AccuTemp Heating & Air Conditioning today to discuss the installation process for your home.

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Having trouble with your AC?

April 27th, 2012

AC Tips | Louisville | Accutemp ComfortAir conditioners are built to last a long time, so if yours stop working suddenly, there are a few things you should check before deciding you need a major repair.  Your high pressure limit switch might trip if it is very hot outside; you can reset it using a button located on your compressor’s access panel. You should also check to your fuses or circuit breakers. If you think a tripped circuit breaker is the problem, give your air conditioner a few minutes to cool down before you reset it. If you continue to have problems with your air conditioner, don’t hesitate to call a professional!

 

For more AC and home comfort tips look for the light bulb on our site. You can also visit our Tips and FAQs section. Is your home comfort system not running properly, need to schedule an appointment?

 

 

 

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Louisville Air Conditioning Tips: How to Troubleshoot a Failed AC Unit

April 23rd, 2012

In most cases, a failed air conditioning system may be fixed by going through some troubleshooting guidelines. If you would like one of our Louisville air conditioning technicians to help you get your AC unit running again, give AccuTemp Heating & Air Conditioning a call for assistance.

Here are some basic steps to try before you call for a repair.

Check All Controls and Fuses

When your air conditioner won’t cool your home properly, always check the thermostat to see if it is on “cool” and set for the right temperature. If the air conditioner has shut down, check to make sure that the unit is receiving power by looking in the fuse box for a flipped circuit breaker and also making sure it is plugged in properly. You can also inspect the visible wires and electrical components for obvious damages. Call a Louisville air conditioning technician if you see physical damage to the electrical components. Never try to fix this yourself.

Sometimes when there’s extreme weather conditions in the summer, such as very high temperatures or high humidity levels, the high-pressure switch can get flipped and turn off the air conditioner. You can easily find the switch on most AC models in the compressor’s access panel. Check your owner’s manual or call us if you don’t know how to locate or reset the limit switch.

Check for Refrigerant Problems or Condensate Pan Leaks

Refrigerant problems caused by the wrong amount of refrigerant can keep the AC unit from cooling your home properly, and you can usually tell if there’s a refrigerant issue by looking for frost or icing on the evaporator coil. When there’s excess coil icing, it means that there isn’t enough cool air being delivered to your home. If you see thick frost on the evaporator coil, a technician will most likely need to charge the refrigerant, or there could be a leak in the refrigerant line.

Condensate leaks into the condensate pan can also cause an air conditioner to fail. The condensate drip pan is installed underneath the air handler to catch condensate leaks if the drain system gets clogged. Most of the time, a small clog in the drain line can be easily cleared. Also check the condensate switch for issues; sometimes these can be defective and cause your air conditioner to shut down.

At AccuTemp Heating & Air Conditioning, we want to be the only Louisville air conditioning contractor you’ll ever need. Call us any time to get troubleshooting advice for your AC system.

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Louisville Air Conditioning Guide: Outdoor Components

April 16th, 2012

As long as all the parts are working well, our Louisville air conditioning is a modern convenience we can easily take for granted and overlook. Cool air makes our lives simply better, but is a complicated process based on an old theory and modern technology.

No matter the size, in every unit, the basic purpose is one of extracting heat from the conditioned space and moving it to the outside, leaving cool air in its place. This process easily divides into indoor and outdoor components.

Air Conditioning 101

Louisville Air ConditionerHeat naturally moves towards colder temperatures, so an air conditioner uses compounds know as refrigerants, which are able to rapidly change from gas to liquid form a low temperatures, to alternately absorb and release heat. You air conditioner is a closed loop system in which the refrigerant can change form again and again.

Having expanded to a vacuous state with plenty of room between molecules to absorb heat, the refrigerant is compressed tightly, condenses back into liquid form and releases the heat to the outdoors.

In the Box Outside

Placed on a small slab on the ground alongside many homes or on the roof of large buildings, air conditioning units contain the compressor and condensing coils that enable the main (and noisiest) function of the process.

The refrigerant is contained within a closed loop, entering the compressor as an expanded gas full of heat.  Under pressure, that heat is released when the molecules are squeezed so tightly together the refrigerant returns to its liquid state.

Then passing into the condensing coils, a series of delicate fins, the released heat is allowed to dissipate through the fins into the air where a small fan blows it away.  Water is also a by-product of the condensation and drains into a pan and eventually into the ground.

The condensing coil ends at the exchange valve where it is held to create just the right pressure for the evaporating coil indoors to operate at its maximum efficiency.

Annual Maintenance

When maintained on a regular basis, the system requires little attention and over sight beyond scheduled appointments with a Louisville air conditioning company.  If you need to schedule your annual maintenance visit, give AccuTemp Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

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Earth Day at the Louisville Zoo!

April 13th, 2012

Celebrate Earth Day with the Louisville Zoo! The entire month of April the Louisville Zoo will be hosting “Party for the Planet: A Month-long Celebration of the Earth”. Each week is jam packed with events for Zoo visitors of all ages. Admission will be only $2 on Earth Day, and the “Zoo will have in-depth displays on hand which highlight its conservation efforts throughout the year and the good work the Zoo’s Eco-Partners are doing across the globe”.

Louisville | Celebrate Earth Day | Accutemp Comfort

You can celebrate Earth Day at home by changing the air filters in your HVAC system. Changing your air filters once a month, or as needed, can increase the efficiency of your HVAC system. Scheduling a yearly maintenance visit will also help maintain performance levels. Overall, you should keep your heating and cooling system clean and free of debris in or near the vents and air ducts to ensure that there’s adequate airflow. Lack of airflow causes the system to work harder and less efficiently.

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Your Louisville HVAC System and Ventilation

April 9th, 2012

The vent system in your home is vital to the operation of your Louisville HVAC system. Without successful ventilation, your home won’t have the necessary clean air to keep you and your family healthy. So, what does proper ventilation require and how can you ensure your home has it? Here are some quick tips.

Install the Right Parts from the Start

Louisville Duct CleaningProper ventilation should result in even air pressure in your home to avoid problems with gas pilot lights. It should also be as energy efficient as possible and provide clean air through proper filtration and cleaning of the air that comes in. The best way to ensure your home has the ventilation needed to stay comfortable and safe for your entire family is to check the total size of the home and then measure the concentrations of certain pollutants like dander, pollen and smoke. A Louisville air conditioning contractor can provide these services for you.

Duct Cleaning

Your ducts are how the air in your home circulates, so professional duct cleaning is important to help keep your air clean and healthy. Dust, pet pander, and other contaminants can build up in your ducts, which can make your HVAC system work harder and your home unhealthy for people with allergies. At your next HVAC tune-up, ask your contractor to take a look at your ducts to see if they need to be cleaned.

Supplements to Ventilation

Proper ventilation should not only provide fresh air, but it should also ensure your home has clean air. The air outside may be fresher, but it can be filled with pollutants like pollen, dander and smoke. These should be removed before they get inside and into the lungs of your loved ones. To do this, you need a full sized air cleaning system that removes particles from the air down to 0.3 microns.

HEPA filters can do this, as will electronic air cleaners which can ionize and remove smoke and gas particles. Make sure you discuss filtration and cleaning with AccuTemp Heating & Air Conditioning when they visit your home.

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sblackley/3489380984/

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