A well-maintained air conditioning
system will use 15% to 40% less energy than a neglected one. Do you need a
professional to help you achieve this savings?
I have discussed in another article
that there are some simple actions that you can do to improve on or to maintain
the efficiency of your air conditioning units, but when it comes to highly
technical tasks, it is best to leave them to the experts.
Air conditioner adjustments and
repairs should be done by professionals. An air conditioning unit is much more
complex than it seems. There are refrigerant gases, brazing joints,
compressors, fans, coils, fins, electrical starters, thermostats, overload
switches, filters, dryers, lubricating oil, drain pans, insulation, mountings,
control systems, remote sensing, and many other components that an air
conditioning technician needs to understand.
In addition, there are tools
specially made for air conditioning work - flaring tool, tube bender, cutter,
gas charging manifold, vacuum pump, fin comb, coil cleaning chemical, ratchet
socket wrench, brazing torch, solder, voltmeter, clamp meter, and many others.
When the air conditioning unit needs
servicing, a professional service technician should clean the evaporator and
condenser coils, check refrigerant pressures, and adjust and lubricate moving
parts. If there is not enough refrigerant gas, the system needs to be topped
up. This can only be done by checking on the pressures in the system. He will
also look for other symptoms that can lead to failure or inefficiencies and
then rectify them.
If you have a packaged system, the
technician will help to inspect the duct damper and if necessary, repair or
replace it. Air conditioning systems that share ductwork with a furnace must
have a damper in the duct. It prevents cool air from entering the furnace
cabinet in summer, and warm air from escaping to the air conditioner in winter.
A missing or malfunctioning damper can waste tremendous amounts of energy and
lead to corrosion of the furnace. This has to be rectified.
How often do you need to call in the
professionals? It really depends on how much your cooling system operates. As a
rule of thumb, you will need to call them in at the following recommended
intervals:
Hot regions (operating 8 or more
months per year) - once a year.
Warm regions (operating 5 to 8
months per year) - every 2 to 3 years.
Cold regions (operating less than 5
months per year) - every 3 to 5 years
Sometimes, just maintaining the
cooling system is not enough. You may need to replace the air conditioning
system with newer equipment. Air conditioner replacement makes sense if:
·
The air conditioner is over 10 years
old.
·
The air conditioner efficiency (SEER
or EER) is below 7 or 8.
·
Repairs or modifications of an
existing unit will cost more than half as much as a replacement.
·
The unit does not operate properly
and can't be fixed.
·
You've sealed your home's walls,
floor, ceiling and ducts, installed storm windows, and performed cooling system
maintenance, but still can't keep your home cool.
These are some of the things that a
professional can help you:
Replace the air conditioning system
In some situations it makes better
sense to replace an older air conditioner with a new, high-efficiency unit. Air
conditioner replacement should be considered if the existing unit is worn out,
inefficient, or significantly oversized.
Repairing an existing air
conditioner may seem to be the least expensive option, but it may cost more in
the long run. Paying for repairs on an older, inefficient system may simply
prolong the inevitable need for replacement. Installing a new, energy-efficient
system may be much more cost-effective. A cooling system technician can help
you evaluate whether a new air conditioning system is appropriate.
Sizing your air conditioner.
Bigger is not always better when it
comes to your air conditioner. For starters, oversized equipment can be less
effective at dehumidifying your house. Not only can this lead to moisture
problems in a home, but the higher humidity may force you to lower the
thermostat to achieve the same comfort level -- increasing your energy use. An
oversized unit also cycles on and off more frequently, which increases wear and
tear, shortens the service life, increases the frequency of repairs, and
reduces efficiency. Plus, it costs more to purchase oversized equipment in the
first place. If purchasing a new air conditioner, cooling loads should be carefully
calculated by your equipment supplier.
Evaporative coolers.
If you live in a hot, dry climate,
such as the Southwest, an evaporative cooler (swamp cooler) may be a good
alternative to a refrigerant-cycle air conditioner. Evaporative coolers use
considerably less energy than standard air conditioners. Check with a local air
conditioning contractor to find out if such a system makes sense for your home.
An air conditioning system
professional's advice and expertise is certainly needed when you have to deal
with such complex designing, installing and commissioning works like these. It
will certainly pay you back in the long run. Just leave it to the experts.
Coolaire Consolidated’s Daikin systems offer the kinds of innovative and unique
product features that deliver the optimum in air conditioned comfort and
control. Various sites can range in
size from a few hundred to several thousands of square feet. That’s why we
offer a range of systems with advanced features to meet practically any
challenge: our flexible, reliable, and energy-efficient air conditioning
systems deliver Absolute Comfort to nearly any building, making it the ideal
solution.
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