Installing A Programmable Thermostat

With the right thermostat, you can save money on your home's heating and air conditioning bills by 15%!  The great thing about these types of thermostats is it will automatically keep the temperature at a controlled level when you're home and can switch to an energy-saving level when you're away.  You can purchase these thermostats at a home improvement store such as Home Depot or Lowes for $25-100.  There are higher priced models that you can actually program from your phone that are priced over $200.

Programmable thermostats will work with most gas or oil furnaces and central air conditioners.  If you are looking to control heat pumps or electric baseboard heaters, these will not work.  It is important to read the packaging (the fine print) to make sure the thermostat will work with the device you're trying to control.  If you are unsure, call a local HVAC company and they will be able to help you out.  They may even be able to offer you a programmable thermostat at a discount.

If you are trying to install a new thermostat, follow these easy steps:

Step 1.)  Turn off your power - it is important to cut the power to the room you're thermostat is at.  Mark your wires with tape from the terminal, unscrew them and discard your old thermostat.

Regular Air Conditioning Maintenance

You can extend the service life and operating efficiency of your air conditioning system by performing simple maintenance to your equipment.  It is important to follow these steps before you fire up your air conditioner in the summer.  Here is a check list to perform on your air conditioning system:

• Clean the outdoor condenser coils - use a water host to flush the outdoor condenser coils.
• Clean the indoor evaporator coils.
• Check the coils for leaks with a leak detector or soapy water.
• Clean or replace the indoor unit filter.
• Check the amp draw at the outdoor fan motor and the indoor blower motor and compare the values to those on the unit nameplate.
• Check for the correct electrical control sequence
• Check all wiring and contacts for loose connection, corrosion and any other damages.
• Check the voltage at the indoor and outdoor units with the units operating.
• Check the system for correct levels of refrigerant.
• Check the ducts for leaks and repair if found.
• Inspect the condensate drain line for blockage and clean as necessary.
• Oil the motors and check belts for tightness and wear.

If you go through this maintenance checklist your air conditioner will run longer and much more efficiently.  It will also be the best way to avoid having to hire an HVAC company for air conditioning repairs. 

Where A Technician Job Can Lead

There are many ways for HVAC technicians to advance in their career industry. Most advance by improving their skills and knowledge. Some HVAC contractors specialize in certain types of brands of equipment. They may become experts in more complicated systems or in serviceing certain customers systems.

Many technicians take training courses to help them keep up with new equipment and methods. HVAC technicians who have training are more valuable to the Denver HVAC company they work for.

Advancement

Some HVAC technicians can become supervisors. A supervisor is a person who oversees the work of other workers. They direct other services and keep track of all the work on a large project. They may come in to lend a hand on more difficult problems as well.

Some technicians move to sales jobs as they know so much about the projects and what is involved with the process. Technicians learn all about different product available and the prices involved. Their knowledge and experience helps them become good salespeople. HVAC contractors working for manufacturers may sell equipment (furnaces & air conditioners) to dealers or customers. A technician or HVAC contractor who is able to move to a sales position is usually able to make more money as a salesperson than an installer.

AC Repair vs. New Unit

Posted by: Denver AC repair

We often get asked "Is AC repair going to be the a better option or should I just buy a new unit?" When considering whether you should replace or repair the unit, the age is a very important factor. Did you buy the air conditioner yourself or was it in your home when you bought it? If so, the approximate age should have been in your disclosure statement. Did you buy the air conditioning unit? Did you buy an extended warranty when purchasing it? If you purchased your unit you will know how long of a warranty it has and the exact age. Most air conditioners come with at least a 5 year warranty, some up to 10 years.

If you have an older unit, finding replacement parts may be harder to come by. Then again, some of the older units are easier to repair because they were not built with all the complicated parts that newer air conditioners have. If it is under 10 years old, it is very possible that it would be less expensive to repair it than to purchase a new one. The parts are probably going to be more expensive because new systems have more digital and electronic parts. Having said this, the new parts and repairs will probably still be less than buying a new air conditioner.

If your unit is still under warranty, you will want to go with repair service. You may want to check and see if your warranty specifies repair by a certain company. If so, and you call someone else to fix it, this will void the warranty. Most of the time you will just have to pay for the labor of the Air conditioning repair since the parts will be under warranty. This usually depends on the company's policy's and how old the unit is.

Since air conditioning systems generally last up to about 10 to 12 years, if yours is not very old the repair will most likely be the better option. Of course, one of the things to take into consideration is how well maintained it has been. Have you had it serviced regularly? The filters should be changed frequently to keep the fan and other parts from becoming dirty as this can cut down on the life of your air conditioning unit.

Purchasing home appliance insurance is another option you have as a home owner. This will cover your air conditioning system as well as other major appliances in the home and can help immensely if you need AC repair. The cost of appliance insurance is penneys compared to buying a new air conditioner.

When trying to decide on repairing the air conditioner or replacing it with a new one, you will have to take all these things into consideration and compare the costs. If the repairs are beginning to add up because something is consistently breaking down, you may have no choice but to buy a new system. Buying an energy efficient air conditioner will be less expensive in the long run than always having to repair it. Depending on your units age, utilities and maintenance will cost more money than the new machine.

How to Fix a Noisy Air Conditioner

Posted by: Denver heating and air conditioning

Scenario:

I have a portable window mount air conditioner set up. Sometimes it runs okay and at other occasions it tends to make a lot of noise. I've attempted to fix the noise coming from my air conditioner but it generally comes back. I think it is induced by excessive vibrating. Do you have any ideas?

Resolution:

There are several factors why an air situation produces noise. At times loose hardware is the culprit. Air conditioner noise could be induced from the refrigerant tubing that has a bend in it that produces rattling mainly because it's as well close to other elements of the air conditioner.

You can appropriate this by meticulously bending it back into it's original spot. Take a search at the unit and see if there are any loose parts that could be banging about causing the noise. It might be the fan blades have gotten bent over time. To remedy this merely bend them back to their original position.

Is you portable air conditioner mounted effectively in the window? Though the unit is creating noise and rattling carefully apply pressure to the window sash and listen for any modifications in the sound. This can be remedied by inserting shims in between the air conditioner frame and the sash. A different excellent idea is to examine the screws on the front panel of your air conditioner. If loose they'll have to have to be tightened.

There may be a lot more significant difficulties that would demand a service technician such as compressor challenges. Refrigerant floodback happens when the liquid enters into the compressor crankcase. This noise would commonly take place when the compressor begins up. One more situation could be oil leaks causing a low oil level in the compressor but it would in all probability be quite uncommon.

It is most probably the way your air conditioner is mounted that is causing it to make noise. Experiment with the shims and I'll bet it goes away. Recall to unplug it from your electrical outlet prior to attempting to do any internal perform on it.

Finding A Qualified Denver HVAC Technician

Posted by: Denver air conditioning

Finding the proper Denver AC repair technician need to not be a daunting job. All it takes to discover a qualified air conditioning contractor is to pick up the telephone book and pick out a amount to call. Then once again, there are numerous air conditioning firms that use web sites to industry their firms, and these can be identified utilizing the search feature on any web browser. The individual interested in locating a qualified repair technician can also ask buddies and loved ones whom they have utilized in the past for their suggestions. These basic methods are confident to render a number of great candidates to call for quotes regarding the fees for their services.

AC repair or upkeep service is one of the responsibilities of home ownership, and is referred to as for on a common basis. Any homeowner is conscious that the fees related to repairing any central air conditioning unit can be astronomical if the unit is not maintained adequately. To prevent such pricey repairs it is advised that the unit be serviced periodically all through the year. The most usually offered recommendation is that at the end of a long tough winter, the technique should be checked thoroughly by a expert for any components that may well be in want of replacement.

Worn elements should be replaced to prevent an actual break down of the technique, and everybody knows that when one particular component fails, it is most likely that other people will fail as very well. Replacing worn components early can avoid an even much more expensive disaster. Along that line of believed, AC repair contractors also recommend that the homeowner replace the filters on the air return at least after each and every month to offer far better airflow to the unit. Performing this has been recognized to avoid unnecessary service calls where AC repair technicians have only necessary to replace the filters to bring sluggish systems back to full capability.

When all the efforts of the property owner to preserve the air conditioning unit at its peak efficiency fails, and an air conditioning professional have to be referred to as in, relying on the word of mouth recommendations of pals and loved ones may be adequate to assure that they have everything they want to get the greatest service probable. AC repair technicians are very trained and qualified specialists that fully grasp how important it is to bring the house back to its comfortable finest.

Constructing a relationship with these who will be performing the duties of their job, even though taking care or the homeowner's interests, is a superior factor to do prior to needing the services they supply. This will supply the confidence that several property owners call for in order to turn the controls of such an critical and high-priced mechanical device more than to somebody else to take care of.

How HVAC Zoning (And eight Other Property Improvement Projects) Can Decrease Your Home's Working Expenses

How HVAC Zoning (And eight Other House Improvement Tasks) Can Minimize Your Home's Operating Fees

Contributed by: Denver Heating and Air Conditioning

In a down economic climate, quite a few home owners are focusing on residence improvements -- often with an eye toward saving funds and power. The excellent news is that many projects match the bill -- and numerous of them perform overtime, raising comfort and satisfaction as well as saving dollars.

It would make sense to get started with your home's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) program, because it accounts for up to fifty percent of your home's total power consumption. Previous year's federal tax credit score offered the ideal chance for several homeowners to upgrade to a higher efficiency method, netting up to $1,500 from Uncle Sam to offset their expenses.

Apart from upgrading to a far more-effective furnace, heat pump and/or air conditioner, the #1 way to conserve up to 25% on your vitality expenses (and come to feel much more cozy in every area of your house) is to add zoning to your current forced-air heating and cooling method.

Zoning assists you conserve by directing heated or cooled air only to the rooms that require it. Motorized dampers set up in the ductwork are wired to a central manage panel; the dampers then open and shut as essential, to satisfy the thermostats' call for heat or cooling in every single "zone." Zoning helps make it effortless to instantly shut off the heat (or cooling) in rooms you're not utilizing -- and permits you to set the temperature in each and every particular person zone.

With remodeling investing expected to expand significantly in 2011, home owners who pick to renovate have a unique chance to add zoning. When walls and ceilings are both torn down or becoming built -- and air ducts are exposed -- it's less difficult to set up zoning dampers. And of course if your home's attic or basement is unfinished, access to ductwork is even less difficult.

If you do select to remodel, be conscious that some builders and remodelers are fast to advocate extra heating and cooling models, which adds drastically (and at times unnecessarily) to the price of the renovation. Ask for an specialist HVAC subcontractor's opinion, to see if zoning may be a a lot more reasonably priced (and greener) alternative to heat or cool the renovated room.

Aside from equipment upgrades and HVAC zoning, here are 7 far more home enhancement tasks to tackle in the identify of energy financial savings, courtesy of the U.S. Environmental Safety Agency's Power Star Plan:

1. Install a programmable thermostat. But to conserve power, you have to use it effectively -- don't fall into the "maintain button" trap. Get the time to consider about your family's routine and way of life, then plan your thermostat to "set back" whilst you're sleeping or away from household.


2. Adjust your furnace filter regularly. A dirty filter helps make your furnace or air handler function more difficult, causing needless put on and tear on your gear. A filter not only protects your household from airborne contaminants -- it also protects your equipment and keeps it working at peak effectiveness.


3. Seal heating and cooling ducts. A "finest practice" employed by best heating contractors, since it boosts your system's efficiency by minimizing air leakage, and enables better manage of your home's comfort. (According to the U.S. EPA, about twenty% of the air shifting by way of ducts in a standard home is lost due to leakage and poorly sealed connections.) Obtain the EPA's duct sealing brochure for much more details.


4. Seal air leaks through the residence to end drafts. Obtaining and sealing the leaks usually concealed in attics, basements and crawl spaces goes a long way towards saving power. And typically, you can't seal most older houses as well tightly. But if you're concerned about how tight your residence is, you can employ an Power Rater to establish your home's real leakage and advise upcoming methods for suitable ventilation.


5. Add insulation to block heat loss in winter and heat achieve in summer months. Diverse R-values are suggested for walls, attics, basements and crawlspaces, based on exactly where you reside. Maintain in thoughts, as well, that insulation performs finest when there's no air movement about it -- so sealing air leaks 1st is a excellent thought.


6. Replace windows with Power Star-certified models. This is a undertaking that can conserve up to 15% on your energy charges. The Vitality Star web page gives detailed details on overall performance standards for your local weather zone, window sorts and resources, and even how to recycle previous windows and doorways.


7. Invest in yearly tune-ups. You wouldn't skip your car's 3,000-mile oil transform -- so why would you take your heating and cooling investment less significantly? Yearly tune-ups assist guarantee that your tools is operating safely, and at peak efficiency.

For most Americans, weathering the financial storm means evaluating paying selections, and adjusting to a new reality. And what far better spot to hunker down than in your cozy, vitality-effective household?