Heating and cooling are two kinds of activity that can spend a lot of money for paying the energy bill all around the year. Therefore, there are now many manufactures that offer their new heating & cooling products with newest technology (more efficient). Unfortunately, this situation also can make you be confused on how to choose the right one of them that meets to your requirements! However, there are some crucial issues that you have to consider carefully when choosing and installing air conditioner. Ignoring those issues can make your air conditioning unit that you have purchased and installed cannot work at the optimum efficiency performance that eventually will bring bad effect to your finance (paying more money for the monthly energy bill).

It is undeniable that budget has a significant contribution on how you choose and buy the right one. With adequate budget, you can purchase and install a unit that is designed with newest technology and can work more efficient. Regardless to the price tags, below are other crucial factors and issues that also must be prioritized when selecting and installing an air conditioning unit!

1. First is BTUs size! It is so crucial factor that so closely related to the large of the area that will be cooled! Perhaps you have opinion that higher size is better! This is wrong opinion. Wrong size (lower or over size) will make the unit cannot work properly and efficiently that eventually will make the unit not last longer. Calculating the right size is so important for all types of air conditioners (window AC models, portable AC models, and central AC models).
2. After knowing the right BTUs size that you must choose, then move to the consideration of energy efficiency. This point can be influenced by the technology of the unit itself and the environment. If your budget permits, it is better to choose unit that is designed with higher value of SEER or EER rating and also has Energy Star approval. For better result, you can also install a proper insulation system in the room. And if you care to the environment and want to participate to decrease the Freon pollutant (can cause Ozone depletion), there are now available air conditioners that use eco-friendly r410a refrigerant.
3. As well we know, the correct installation is so important and closely related to the efficiency performance of the unit. If you want to install a new central AC system, it is better to hire a professional HVAC contractor in your local area. Make sure you choose the right one of HVAC contractors. And if you want to buy window AC unit or portable AC unit, make sure they are real practical appliance that can be installed easily and practically by yourself.
4. Consider the durability as well! This issue usually can be analyzed from consumer testimonials, brand, and warranty.
5. Don’t forget to consider the noise when the unit is running. This is so important, especially if you have a plan to install the unit in the bedroom or office room. In addition, mostly, central air conditioners are relatively quieter than window or portable air conditioning units.
6. The last, check the features, particularly features that are actually needed, because those features also can be related to the price tag of a unit.

In addition, there are also available portable AC rentals if you have a wedding party or birthday party in the summer.

Crucial Issues When Choosing and Installing Air Conditioner is a post from: PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER

If you ask about what any appliances that must be prepared to through the hottest temperature of the summer then air conditioner is the most frequently answer. Although there are now available other alternative options when it comes to home-cooling appliances, such as electric fan, swamp cooler, etc but it is undeniable that air conditioning appliances are still being popular until today. Therefore, it is so reasonable if there are a lot of homeowners who care to the maintenance of their air conditioning units, particularly a month or two weeks before summer. The maintenance is not only necessary to make sure the unit can work well during summer but also important to keep it runs at its optimum efficiency performance, because as well we know the efficiency is something crucial that so closely associated to how much monthly energy bill that must be paid by a homeowner.

However your air conditioner is just a machine that can fail anytime, especially if the unit is too old. Therefore, it is so much essential to keep a regular vigilance on the machine. I mean, you should know the symptoms or indications of a faulty machine of your conditioner so thus you will understand clearly when the unit requires immediate service, below are some of those indications:

1. The machine cannot cool the air powerfully, even it produces hot air! This problem can be caused by simple factors (like dirty air filter, low Freon) to more complicated factors so thus you have to call a professional technician.
2. Other familiar issue to indicate of a faulty machine is foul smelling machine! It is frequently problem in an older air conditioner. There are maybe a higher shifting of fungus & bacteria in the older components. This situation can lead to a foul smell, especially when the unit is switched on. Don’t underestimate this unfriendly condition, particularly if you or your family suffers from allergy.
3. The machine produces unfriendly noises! This problem will be indentified clearly for central air conditioner that usually woks more noiseless than portable air conditioner or window air conditioner. If you have a new unit, dirty filter is usually the frequently factor that can lead to this unfriendly noise problem. But if you check the filter is still in good condition then there is maybe any problem with other components, especially condenser and compressor.

Now, if you need a professional heating & air conditioning service (or familiar called as HVAC contractor), you have to choose the right one in order to make sure your unit can work back to normal again, at least for more than 1 year (you don’t want to spend your money to repair your air conditioning unit just for back to normal in a couple of month, do you). Wrong selection can make you lost a lot of money to pay the charge of the service. Well… The following are simple ideas on how to find & choose the right one of heating and air conditioning services:

1. Finding a lot of information from any resources around you! You can try to ask your neighbors that have experience about this issue then consider their recommendations. They may recommend several companies that you should choose.
2. Find other information via local newspapers to get a few names, because as well we know there are some agencies advertise themselves! Make a list and then compare them as well, especially concern about the long lifetime warranty and the satisfied consumer testimonials!
3. Check the detailed references and other related certificates of the company that you choose! Avoid making decision by just only a simple phone-conversation!
4. If any questions about the contract that will be signed or other related issues, don’t hesitate to ask till you get the information that you want to know completely.
5. For new installation, it is better to choose a credible heating & air conditioning contractor that usually joints with ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). In addition, the contractor that you want choose also should want to understand about you are satisfied with the installation and system before getting paid.

Image source: Amazon.Com (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Repair by Roger A. Fischer and Ken Chernoff)

The others posts: Air conditioning troubleshooting and 14000 BTU portable AC!

Indications of a Faulty Machine of Your Air Conditioner! is a post from: PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER

It is undeniable that air conditioners are still the most popular home appliances to cool the air during summer! And if you have one of them either central A/C unit, portable A/C unit or window A/C unit, it is so important to check them regularly especially one or two weeks before summer. There are several frequently problems that can make a unit cannot work properly. One of those problems is the unit cannot cool the air powerfully or even your air conditioner blows hot air or not-cold air. This situation is so uncomfortable that is not only can disturb your enjoyable sunny days but also can lead to the inefficiency performance. And if the unit works inefficiently this is going to be a nightmare for the energy bill that you must pay monthly!

Your A/C can run 24 hours a day during summer and if it cannot work properly, you will suffer of a high temperature. However the maintenance is so essential and this is effective solution if you want to keep your unit running well in long term (good for your investment). If the budget permits, you can easily contact and hire a professional service if your unit cannot work properly. Hiring a professional service is also so recommended for the maintenance at least once a year. But it is also not too bad idea to check your air conditioner by yourself before calling a company service for troubleshooting. Below are several basic tips that you can use to fix & diagnose an air conditioning unit that is blowing not-cold air or hot air:

1. First allow your air conditioner to run for a few minutes! Then turn off it completely.

2. Check the A/C unit that is placed inside the house! This unit usually has function to distribute and transfer the air from outdoor and then pushes it into each room of the home via the vents.

3. Then take a look at closet and open it carefully! Use a flashlight to help you finding the water pipes. These pipes are usually copper and small. Touch them and if they are frozen, cold or icy then go to the next step!

4. If there is no problem with those water pipes then consider to the filter. As well as like the name implies, filter is important to ensure the fresh cold air output from the unit is clean and safe for human respiratory system. It must be checked regularly to know if it must be cleaned or replaced. When is the right time to replace the filter? Like mentioned frequently in the previous articles of this blog, the answer is dependent on the quality of the filter itself, but mostly around 1.5 to 3 months. Too dirty of filter can make your unit work improperly, including blows hot air.

5. Make sure there are no any stuffs or items that may be restricting the flow of air to your A/C, such as; pieces of furniture, drapes, etc.

6. It is also welcome idea by installing a proper insulation system in the room, so thus the cool air output from the unit cannot escape from the room quickly. Make also sure you close the vent and any furnace registers as well.

7. Check also the cooling coils and make sure they also work properly. There should not be ice build-up because can block the air flow.

8. The last diagnosis; the problem of air conditioner that blows hot air can also be caused by low Freon, particularly for units that still use a refrigerant (Freon) for cooling. If you feel this point is the cause, it is better to contact a professional because ‘adding Freon procedure’ is not easy, especially for a beginner.

Image source: Dmechanicalservice.Com

Read also if an older AC fails to work what you should do first? And simple guide to troubleshoot portable air conditioning!

DIY Guide: Hot or not-Cold Air from Air Conditioner! is a post from: PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER

One of important home appliances during summer season is air conditioners. They are so essential to cool the air and will make the atmosphere in the room more comfortable so thus we can through the summer holiday more fun with our family. When we are talking about this home appliance, then the efficiency is so crucial, because it is so closely associated with the amount dollars that we have to pay for the monthly energy bill. The efficiency performance of the unit itself is influenced by several factors, such as; the technology of the unit itself, energy efficiency rating (instances: Energy Star approval, EER & SEER ratings, etc), the local climate of your local area, and so on.

Don’t miss also to calculate and determine the BTUs size of your new air conditioner carefully! It also has significant contribution to determine the efficiency performance of an air conditioning unit. Wrong calculation, either over or lower size also will result a lot of problems, such as the unit cannot work powerfully, unfriendly circumstance of too high or low humidity, unfriendly loud noise, and still many more. Overall, the wrong size calculation will make the unit not last longer and this means bad news for your investment. Well… there are some methods to calculate the size (BTUs)! Even you can use air conditioner size calculator navigation that you can find in some on line DIY sites.

And if it is the first time for you to buy and install an air conditioning system, below is nice & simple guide on how to calculate air condition size for your house so thus you can choose the right air conditioner size (BTUs) successfully:

1. First, you have to get a correct data about the large spaces of the room that will be cooled by the unit.
2. Take a look at all large rooms that will be cooled! Make a correct calculation for the large size of all of them. Measure the length and width of each of the rooms! Then multiply both variables for each room.
3. After you get the large space of each room, then add them all together!
4. Multiply the result by 337 (constant-parameter that means 337 BTUs / square foot)! … Mark it as “result 1”!
5. Consider the sizes of the ‘north-facing’ windows and ‘south-facing’ windows. Calculate the large sizes of those windows. Multiply by 166 BTUs for each north side window and 871 BTUs for each south side window; then add all together! Mark it as “result 2”!
6. Don’t miss to count the number of your family members. Each individual can be generated by 400 BTUs. Example, if there are four individuals then you will get 4 x 400 = 2,400 BTUs. Mark the result as “result 3”!
7. Then consider also how many bulbs in the room. You can check Watt capacity for each bulb. Use 4.25 BTUs / Watt for those bulbs! Example; for a 150 Watt bulb, you’ll get 637.5 BTUs. Mark the result “result 4”!
8. Any appliances that produce the amount of heat also must be calculated with 3.15 BTUs for the maximum wattage of each appliance. Mark the result by “result 5”!
9. And finally, add all of those BTUs together (“result 1 + result 2 + result 3 + result 4 + result 5 = the size BTUs of air conditioner that you should buy”).
10. In addition, the BTUs size that you will get can be reduced if you install a proper insulation system for each room.

Image source; Amazon.Com

The others posts: Ventless air conditioner is portable air conditioning? And how does mini split ductless unit work?

The Size (BTUs) of New Air Conditioner and Your Home! is a post from: PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER