Heat Pumps: Popular Green HVAC

The AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) has reported increases in heat pump sales over 20% from the same time a year ago. This is an encouraging sign in this economy. However heat pumps are receiving a bump because they are perceived as a leading green-heating technology. Heat pumps, especially geothermal heat pumps, are more efficient than about any other commercial heating technology. However, many consumers are not clear as to how heat pumps work and therefore they may not know if a heat pump is a good fit for HVAC in Denver.

People have problems wrapping their heads around the fact that heat pumps can both heat and cool. One good thing about heat pumps it that the primary heating element cannot go bad, and therefore you will not have to call your Denver furnace repair company in the middle of the winter. What works in winter will always work. Because a heat pump does both the work of a furnace and a A/C unit, you only need to install one system in your home. Heat pumps transfer heat, instead of burning energy to create it. Many green Denver HVAC companies recommend heat pumps first for both energy efficiency and less resource use.

As a Denver HVAC contractor, it is important to be an ambassador of superior technologies and educate our customers on the heat pump option. Most people do not think about their HVAC system until it goes down, and most have no idea how much it cost per kilowatt.

In temperate climates, heat pumps are efficient at both heat collection and cooling. When electricity alternatives are not available, heat pumps are more efficient than anything other than natural gas. In cold areas natural gas is much more intense, and therefore heats the home faster than a heat pump. The technology in pumps has changed dramatically. It used to be that heat pumps were exotic and expensive. Now heat pumps are a good choice for HVAC in Denver, especially for those embracing green technology. In the long term a heat pump saves energy bills but may cost more to install. For every dollar saved in annual utilities, home prices goes up because it is seen as an example of good building design. Most colorado heating contractors should know about differences in heating options.

Causes of Compressor Overheat

The most common causes of damage for reciprocating compressors is caused by high suction from bad valves. Carbon buildup, and warps in the compressor valve prevents them from sealing. A common cause is a high compression ration and therefor high head pressure. Any loss of refrigerant or oil can also cause damage to valves. If refrigerant migrates or floods parts that can cause corrosion. Undercharged refrigerant also places a drain on the system. Any Denver air conditioning parts company would love to help replace a compressor, but compressors are designed to work for years. Proper care and maintenance can keep you from compressor repairs.

Compressor overheat is the most serious field problem a HVAC technician will face because of the chance for fire. Compressor overheat is also very common as it is the main moving part in your air conditioner.

High compression ratio comes from: a combination of high head pressure and low suction pressure. High ratios result in high discharge temperatures. The discharge temperature reflects the hottest part of the refrigeration system and is therefore useful in determining an upper boundary. Denver furnace repair techs will tell you that the AC compressor is often hotter than a heating element. Discharge temperature can be measured by a thermistor about 3-4 inches from the compressor.

Since the compressor's discharge is superheated coolant, you will want a certified Denver air conditioning repairman to install a special thermostat. There is no direct temperature pressure relationship, so a experienced Denver HVAC tech is a must. The usual limit for heat in a compressor is 225 degrees F. Above this the system may start to fail from worn hoses, acid and oil breakdown.

Some things your ac repair company can look out for to minimize air conditioning compressor damage:
Restricted liquid lines, undercharged ac lines, plugged filters, and uninsulated suction lines.

Refrigerant and Air Conditioning

We have all heard the myth: If your A/C is not working well, all you need is a little more freon. However the myth of refrigerant being the be all end all of fixing air conditioning units. Adding refrigerant does not necessarily mean your air conditioning is going to work better. Some Denver HVAC contractors may try to trick you and charge an hour of labor and supplies for no fix. The only time additional refrigerant will help your evaporator coil is working below freezing. The unit must have a balanced charge. Only a certified Colorado air conditioning technician should add refrigerant because the right balance is a must. Refrigerant does not burn up. It does not need to be replaced unless there is a leak in because it is in a closed loop system.

If your unit does have a refrigerant leak however, it is easy to diagnose. The A C unit will cool for a few hours then stop. If the refrigerant coils freeze inside the air handling unit this is a sure sign you need air conditioning repair. Ice buildup blocks airflow over the coil. Low refrigerant causes the unit to operate below freezing and draw moisture out of the air, forming ice. Freezing ice is not like freezing air.

If you do have a refrigerant leak, you need to have it fixed. Leaking refrigerant is a hazard to people and the environment. State law says that Denver air conditioning companies repair all hazardous refrigerant leaks. Some refrigerants are ozone and global warming agonists. A low charge also hurts the efficiency of the air conditioning unit. This causes A/C compressors to run above their recommended range which leads to eventual replacement. Freon is also linked to the lubrication in some compressors, which can cause the compressor to seize from lack of lubrication.

Because the air conditioning element is a closed loop, refrigerant should only be added in the case of a leak. Residential units use a R-22 coolant. Prices are rising as R-22 is fazed out because of its ozone depleting properties. Phase out begins this year and is to be completed by 2020. Call our Colorado HVAC contractor and see what they charge for R-22 or if they have any replacement refrigerant available. The HVAC tech should find the leak when recharging an AC system. A certified HVAC system should not need to be refilled more than once a year. An efficient system should lower the temperature around 20 degrees. Some Denver internet marketing companies have inefficient HVAC.

Preventing Accidents: The boiler loop

Steam boilers require a closed loop to carry high pressure steam around a building for heat and then back to the boiler. The beginning of the loop starts where the water is heated inside the water jacket. When the thermostat calls for heat, the pump kicks in and pushes superheated water through the loop supply line. The loop supply line is connected to the floor heating pipes, coils, or radiators like in old systems found in heating in Denver high schools built before central heat and state money. As the steam flows through these devices, it drops off its heat. Then it flows back into the impeller which pushes it back from the circulation pump into the heating element. Most commercial boilers have the circulation pump on the return side, although some residential systems may have it on the supply side.

When working with and HVAC contractor, make sure they install the pipes for easy servicing. A professional HVAC service tech should install all the boiler pipe systems in accordance with Denver HVAC regulations. Isolation valves should be closeable so the circulation pump can be replaced without effecting the loop. Maintenance on boilers is much easier when air does not violate the integrity of the heat loop. If the loop is not breached, maintenance can be easily preformed and the air purge drains will quicken startup by eliminating the need to bleed air from the baseboards or radiators. HVAC technicians will be able to get routine repair work done much easier if these features are installed. Air trapped in water loops is a main cause of problems. Hydronic lock, or air block prevents water from circulating in pipes if an air pocket forms. To fix this, contact a Denver boiler repair company to drain all the air. This can be a large job. Properly configured piping installed by a HVAC professional will be easy to flush, while older systems may take disassembly to fully drain all air pockets. A good HVAC job will allow air purge through simply hooking up a water hose and filling the system. Air purge devices can also malfunction and let air in instead of out. In Colorado, all boilers must carry ASME certification. All commercial boilers should carry this certification and will pass inspection. High performance commercial boilers take more thought to install, but once properly configured, your Denver HVAC technician should not need to do anything beyond routine maintenance.

HVAC ductwork

When replacing or upgrading your heating or air conditioning in Denver, always consider the duct work. A good amount of cool air will be wasted on a broken duct. Duct work is often ignored, but because of advances in the efficiency of HVAC systems now, a leaky duct can be very detrimental to your system. Almost every system will need some ducting, even a improperly designed duct will not deliver the correct ventilation when you want it. Having a cutting edge air conditioner will be a waste if the ducts are not properly engineered.

A good analogy on how Denver HVAC systems work is to think of a sprinkler and water hose. If you buy an expensive sprinkler but have a old leaky hose, you will not get high pressure no matter what. You are not going to deliver air as efficiently as the air unit's specifications without a matching duct system. Once you have a advanced duct system delivering cooling air, you will realize your HVAC's full potential.

Once one of these HVAC systems are installed, make sure it receives proper start-up care to see if it is working as designed. This includes checking for all leaks and the entire system. Always seal your ducts. Duct tape does not stick long and is actually the worst way to insulate your Denver air conditioner. The area where the duct connects to floors, walls, other units, or bends are common areas for duct leakage. Outgoing ventilation should also be checked because anywhere hot wet air leaks is a prime location for mildew, which can cause further blockages in your AC, as well as damaging your house.

An oversized duct system costs more to maintain and will not deliver cool air as quickly. A strained system is noisy and more likely to fail. It is important therefore to have a certified Colorado HVAC expert design your system with a unified plan. The size of your system is determined by the BTU requirements and the amount of room available in the building for ductwork. Air conditioning requires more energy than heat, so the whole system should be sized for your AC size.

Changing an A/C motor

When your air condtioning blower or condenser fan motor goes out, don't call your local Denver HVAC specialist to replace your air conditioner. Air conditioner repair by replacing a motor can be much cheaper than a total replacement. HVAC in Denver can be expensive and there is no need to redo you whole system just because of a defective part.

Blower and fan malfunctions are common in the summer. Your Denver air conditioning guy should take no more than three hours on this job. The heat and constant use cause the motors to go out. The best bet for AC repair is always a replacement with an exact part. However, some motors are more efficient and last longer. A PSC motor is better than a shaded pole air conditioning motor, especially in large big-box HVAC systems. The replacement motor should also replace the capacitor, because Denver heat can really kill. The shade pole engines are rare now, but should always be replaced. Parts like these usually have to be picked up from a Denver HVAC supplier. Once you problem has been diagnosed by the HVAC tech, the runner can have the part installed as soon as the old one is pulled. Do not pay more than $3oo for a new motor unless it is for a large industrial HVAC application.

An air conditioning blower motor may be replaced by a stock motor that might not necessarily be of the same brand as the original. What is important is that your blower motor be matched for amps, voltage, RPM and size of the original mounting. Blowers can run clockwise or counterclockwise and some can be switched with a easy wiring change by your Denver HVAC technician.

Be careful of replacing a motor if there is water leaking near the air handling unit. You may have to schedule preventative maintenance to avoid problems with water leakage. Water leakage can cause corrosion and electrical damage to the HVAC unit, not to mention water damage to the property. Good preventative maintenance by a qualified HVAC repair center in Denver. Fixing water leaks should not take long, but here are some warning signs that you may have water problems.

The Rubatex insulation at the back of the air unit may have a tear or other breach along the suction line. The line will sweat if not insulated because it operates below the dew point. The supply transition needs a barrier around it because it will sweat as well.

In attics, air handling units should have a secondary condensation pan because an overflow will spill water over your house. Even a secondary pan can clog, causing drips and even ceiling failure. You can install a float switch in the condensation pan that will shut off the entire system and force the homeowner to seek out a Denver air conditioning repair service before the entire thing falls apart.

Behind the Scenes of Air Conditioning

Posted by: Denver Air Conditioning Services

When the temperature warms up in the house, you head over to the thermostat and lower the setting. This triggers the air conditioning system to kick in and pump the nice, cool air into your home. All you had to do was push a button or flip a switch, but there was a lot of behind the scenes work going on for that cool air to blow in.

Whenever the thermostat signals your air conditioner to lower the temperature, a sequence of events takes place. The air handling unit begins drawing air in from various parts of the house through return air ducts. This air is pulled through a filter where airborne particles are removed. Then the air is then cooled and re-routed to duct-work which carries it back into the house. This cycle continues every time the air conditioner is running. Now that have the big picture of how an air conditioner works, let's break it down a little further.

An air conditioner has three main parts - a condenser, a compressor and an evaporator. The compressor and condenser are usually located in the outdoor unit. A refrigerant or cooling agent such a Freon circulates between copper tubing that runs between the components.

The refrigerant receives and releases heat raising and lowering in temperature. When it does this it changes from liquid to gas and then back to liquid again. When it first begins to circulate through the indoor coil, it is extremely cold. As the air is pushed across the coil, the refrigerant absorbs the heat. When enough heat is absorbed, the refrigerant then turns to vapor. The vapor then travels to the compressor and is pressurized and moves to the outdoor coil. There the heat is forced out. A fan helps to dissipate the heat. Then the refrigerant passes through a device that converts it to a low temperature liquid and is then returned to the indoor coil. Then the cycle starts all over again.

As you can see, your air conditioner goes through a lot to keep you cool and comfortable. So, make sure you do your part in helping to keep the unit running smoothly with yearly maintenance with a reputable heating and air company. And remember the next time you turn down that thermostat to be thankful for all the behind the scenes work that goes on to keep you cool and comfortable.

Doc Savage Augusta Heating and Air offers the most reliable Augusta AC Installation and Repair services. We proudly serve all of the CSRA and offer our services at prices you can afford. Visit our website to find out about our latest specials pricing.

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