Orlando, Tampa, & Jacksonville Air Conditioning Educational Center

For years and years, just about every piece of residential air conditioning equipment manufactured in the USA has been Freon or R-22 based.  This is all about to change as the federal government phases out the production of certain chemical compounds which have been found to be dangerous to our environment.  No new air conditioning equipment can be manufactured after 2010, a scant 2 years away,  that is R-22 based.  In addition to that, the production of R-22 will be significantly curtailed in the coming years as well.  Against 1999 levels of R-22, its production was already been cut by 35% in 2004 and will be cut another 35% in 2010.  It is anticipated that this may well drive the cost of R-22 up to heights never before seen for service and maintenance of residential and commercial air conditioning products as well as for refrigeration equipment. 

The new refrigerant standard in the A C residential industry is going to be Puron or R-410A.  This environment friendly refrigerant has been in use for over 10 years now with Carrier Corporation leading the way in its introduction and usage.  This refrigerant has been proven over this period of time to be efficient and environmentally sound.  Other residential manufacturers are now offering R-410A based products but Carrier Corporation was the initial leader in its usage and continues to be so today.

Air Flow Designs has been installing Puron (R-410A) equipment since 2001 and is one of the largest Carrier Puron Dealers in the country with over 25,000 units installed.  With this experience in installing and servicing the Puron line of equipment, why not let the professionals at Air Flow Designs in Orlando design your new system.  To arrange your free in home estimate, please call 321-397-2110 to schedule an appointment with one of our Comfort Specialists.

If you plan on entertaining a group of people this Holiday Season in your home, be sure to plan ahead for your home’s comfort as well as your menu preparation. 

Did you realize that each person additional in your home adds between 300-400 BTU’s of heat to your home?  If you’re having a Thanksgiving dinner or a Christmas cocktail party, be sure to plan ahead and turn that thermostat down several degrees before everyone arrives.  If you have 15 additional people in the home for one of these activities, that’s like needing to add an extra ½ ton of air conditioning to keep your home at its normal temperature.  The more active everyone is, the more heat is added.   It’s very difficult for your AC or Heat Pump system to keep the temperature consistent in that situation, so turn that thermostat down a few degrees before your first guests arrive and everyone will be more comfortable throughout the dinner or party.

Just remember to turn it back to your normal setting after the party or dinner or you’ll be waking up chilly the next morning and will have burned up a lot of energy…and money!   

Call Air Flow Designs in Orlando today at 321-397-2110 to schedule your Preventative Maintenance Service Call or Tune-up. Air Flow Designs wants to make sure your system is operating at peak efficiency over the holidays and the days to come.  And, if your system is on its last leg, let the Comfort Specialists at Air Flow Designs in Orlando assist you in selecting your new system to provide years of comfort and savings in utility usage.

Why should you spend money annually having your Central A.C. System or Central Heat Pump System in Orlando serviced when it appears to be running OK?  It becomes a “Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later” scenario that you get to decide.  The question to ask yourself is: “Would I drive my car all year with no maintenance whatsoever-no oil changes, no checking of tire pressures, no alignments, no tune-ups, no air filter changes, no checking of the battery and the electrical system, etc.-and if I did, would I be surprised when I had mechanical problems?  

The same holds true for your central air conditioning or heat pump system.  This is one of your most expensive products in your home to replace and by servicing it regularly you can extend its life and have it operate more efficiently.  Even though it may be running now, it may well be costing you money by having lost efficiency through its lack of proper maintenance.

What can you as a homeowner do to assure your system is running properly and at peak efficiency?  The single most important thing is to change or clean your filters monthly if you have the standard 1 inch filter.  If you have a 4-5 inch media filter, these usually come with instructions for changing at 3-6 month intervals.  If you have an electronic filter, these should be cleaned regularly as well at between 45-60 days intervals.  If you have pets that frequently shed animal hair, you should clean or change your filters even more often.

One of most common AC service repairs that contractors in Tampa and Orlando frequently have to perform is an evaporator coil (indoor coil) cleaning.  This repair is normally a product of the filter(s) not being kept clean or changed.  This allows dirt and dust to be sucked into the coil and it must be removed and the coil cleaned.  The system’s refrigerant must be reclaimed so it does not contaminate the atmosphere and it becomes a very expensive and time consuming repair.  9 times out of 10, these evaporator coil cleanings could be avoided if the filters were cleaned or replaced regularly.

What about the tune-up — What services get done in a professional tune-up?  All electrical connections should be checked for security as the unit’s vibration can loosen them over time.  The outdoor unit’s coil should be cleaned to allow air to freely circulate around the coils.  Condensate drain pans and lines should be cleaned and flushed at least annually to make certain that you won’t have leaks or even possible property damage from water overflowing from the drain pan.  The refrigerant charge should be checked and adjusted as needed.  Since it is a sealed system, if you are low on refrigerant, it indicates you have a leak somewhere and this should be checked and corrected as well.  All voltage readings and amperage readings should be checked to make sure the electrical part of the system is operating properly and the capacitors and contactors should also be checked for starting capability.  The blower in the indoor unit should be cleaned in place and adjusted as needed.

When all these things are done annually, you should expect additional years of service and reduced overall operating expense.  It’s the classic example of Spending a Little to Save a Lot!   

Call Air Flow Designs in Orlando, Tampa or Jacksonville to have your unit checked out and serviced.  In Orlando, reach us at 321-397-2110; In Tampa, call 813-962-2797 and in Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831.  Be sure to ask about the Air Flow Protection Plan when you call….it covers all parts and labor on repairs and also provides an annual tune-up on systems accepted into the plan for one low annual fee.

Put Simply:  To Save Money without Sacrificing Comfort!  These more sophisticated thermostats provide digital readouts for greater accuracy and allow your units to run less when you are not home.  You can program them with normally up to 4 different settings to match your life style:

1.  Sleep - Many people like it a little different temperature when they are in bed vs. active daytime activities

2.  Awake - That period of time when you are up and getting ready for work or play and want the temperature a little higher or lower than when you were sleeping.

3. Day – You will realize most of your savings as you allow the temperature to go up during cooling season and down during heating season so your system is running less and saving you money.  The different temperatures, with less run time, may even extend the life of your equipment too.  Normally this setting is about 3-5 degrees different from your normal comfort setting. 

4. Night - Temperature you want to maintain after you get home but before you go to sleep.  Usually a similar setting to the Awake mode.

Some of the more “intelligent” Programmable thermostats know when to start working in advance to bring the temperature down (or up) to your desired level. This “intelligent” Programmable thermostat starts before the time setting so it is precisely there when the time arrives.  Others start at the set time and may take a little longer to bring it in line with your desire.  With that type, simply set the time for it to start the system ahead a little to allow it to begin working sooner and provide you with the comfort you want when you walk in the door or get out of bed.

There are a number of different Programmable Thermostats available in today’s market.  Some allow you to even set the humidity level you want to maintain, providing additional comfort and savings.  These must be used with Variable Speed Air Handlers.  Most programmable thermostats fall into 3 categories:

1. 7 Day Programmable where you can program each day differently

2. 5-2 Day Programmable where you set one program for Monday-Friday and another for Saturday and Sunday

3. 5-1-1 Day Programmable where you set one program for Monday through Friday and then have the ability to set different programs for both Saturday and Sunday

Most programmable thermostats are much easier today to program than in years past and will provide significant energy savings which translates to utility cost savings, too. 

If you are looking to save money with your AC needs in Orlando, Tampa or Jacksonville, call the Air Conditioning Specialists at 321.397.2110.