Do We Fix It or Do We Replace It??

As a homeowner and keeping up with your household maintenance, this question must pop into your head from time to time...

"Do we fix it? Or would it be better to replace it?"

Our technicians are asked that frequently in these hot summer months. While we can make recommendations, the decision is ultimately yours. With that is said here are somethings to consider while contemplating your decision.

• When it becomes too much to repair - If you are having frequent service calls on your system, it might be time to replace your air conditioning system. By purchasing and installing a high efficiency central air conditioning system, it will ultimately pay you back by your energy savings, and not needing to pay for service calls. You might want to also consider replacing your system when your repair bills are over $500. Financing is more for replacement, and not for servicing. So when your air conditioning system breaks, you usually are on your own in covering the cost of the repairs.
• Hot spot and cold spots - Have you ever walked into a room and it was cold, but the next room is too hot? This is called the "Goldilocks Syndrome". If you find yourself in this situation, it could be a sign of improperly sized equipment. Just because you bought the biggest unit there was available, does not mean it will work better for your home. The same goes for your duct work. When purchasing your system, it is important that the equipment you are buying is properly sized for your home. If it is not, you are likely to have the "Goldilocks Syndrome" or frequent service calls.
• The age of your system - Equipment that is over 10 years old, should be under consideration for replacement, even if it is still functioning properly. Ten year old equipment is less efficient by current standards.
• Rebates, tax credits and financing - When it comes to rebates on your new system, often your local utility companies offer rebates for updating your system (here in West Michigan, Consumers Energy and DTE Energy BOTH offer rebates) and by utilizing those rebates, your system can become less expensive for you when you replace it for a newer energy efficient system. The federal government also offers a tax credit for updating to a higher efficiency system. Like we already started talking about, financing only covers replacements, so it is not likely you will be financed to repair your system.

Of course there are some other things you might want to factor into your decision. However, these are the more common reasons we see in the field. When hiring your contractor to replace your equipment, make sure they are doing a thorough job inspecting your home. Insulation, windows, ducts, and square footage (to name a few) should all be considered when purchasing your replacement. 

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to ask us!

If you need repairs done or interested in a free quote for replacement, give us a call. We would be more than happy to put you back in your comfort zone!

Stay cool!

DSB Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling

201 E. Division St. 

Suite A

Sparta, MI 49345

Phone: (616) 205-5522

Website: www.DSBComfort.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/DSB-Comfort-Zone/293025420811077

YouTube: http://youtu.be/jNPR2EeFK8M

Understanding Industry Lingo

Here is a scenario.

It is hot out today, and extremely humid. You decide to turn on your central air conditioner (if it isn't already running) and you anticipate sweet relief as you hear your system turn on. A couple of minutes pass by and you check your vents but do not feel the cold air coming out. Thinking that it might take a moment for the system to "warm up" to cool down the air, you go about your business. A few moments later, you check again, still no cool air. You go through the basic check list of checking your filters and for ice, but can not figure out what is wrong. So, you decide to call your HVAC company and have a technician come out to fix your air conditioner. 

After he arrives, he gets right to work. Then he comes back to give you his diagnosis. You listen intently as he explains what is broken and how it needs to be repaired. He hands you the authorization form and goes to get the parts needed. 

Do you ever find yourself wondering what on earth he just said to you? He knows his industry very well, but the jargon he used, made no sense to you. 

In this blog, we will give you three more common key terms and definitions in layman's terms so you can understand what is being done to fix your system, and what is being replaced.

Air Conditioner Diagram

• Condenser Unit - A typical configuration of a condensing unit is: The condensing coil  wraps around the sides of the unit with the compressor inside. In this condensing coil section, the refrigerant goes through multiple tube passes, which are surrounded by heat transfer fins through which cooling air can move from outside to inside the unit. There is a motorized fan inside the condenser unit near the top, which is covered by some grating to keep any objects from accidentally falling inside on the fan. The fan is used to blow the outside cooling air in through the heat exchange section at the sides and out the top through the grating. These condenser units are located on the outside of the building they are trying to cool, with tubing between the unit and building, one for vapor refrigerant entering and another for liquid refrigerant leaving the unit. Of course, an electric power supply is needed for the compressor and fan inside the unit.
• Evaporator Coil - An evaporator is used in an air-conditioning system to allow a compressed cooling chemical, such as Freon or R-410A (your refrigerant), to evaporate from liquid to gas while absorbing heat in the process. This coil is located next to your furnace in the duct system. 
• R-22 and R-410A - In 1987 an international environmental group called The Montreal Protocol established requirements that began the worldwide phaseout of ozone-depleting CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons, more commonly known as Freon in air conditioning.). These requirements were later modified, leading to the phaseout in 1996 of CFC production in all developed nations. Currently, we can service existing systems with Freon (R-22), however, we can no longer INSTALL systems with R-22. Today, air conditioners are installed using R-410A. By the year 2020, companies will no longer manufacturer R-22. After 2020, the servicing of R-22-based systems will rely solely on recycled or reclaimed refrigerants. 

Of course, there are many other parts and details we can discuss and I am sure you have questions on. If you have a question, feel free to leave it in our comments section, and we will be happy to answer anything you are unsure of or would like to know!

From all of us here at DSB Comfort Zone, stay cool!

Why Is My Air Conditioner Frozen?

Why Is My Air Conditioner Frozen?

Frozen unit at one of our customer's rooftop unit (taken 6/12/2013)

Here is an all too common problem we face in the heating and air conditioning industry; a customer will call our office with a service call. When we get out there we see an all too common problem. Their air conditioner has frozen up. Perhaps this has happened to you before, as well.

After telling the customer what the problem is, 9 times out of 10, the customer asks: “What caused my central air conditioning to freeze up?” 

There are three main reasons why it could be freezing up:

1) Lack of airflow

If there is a lack of airflow to your central air conditioning unit, you run the risk of severely damaging your entire system. When there is a lack of air flow, warm air moves through the return ducts. The air passes over an extremely cold refridgerant coil to "drop off" its heat. When air comes in contact with this coil, the moisture in the air condenses. Normally, the water will exit through the system's drain line, but if air flow is constricted, the water can not move down the drain line. With no place to go, the water will freeze to the evaporator coil. The simplest way to fix this problem, is to turn off the unit for 24 hours and check your filters. If they are dirty, clean or even better yet, replace them. When you turn your air conditioner back on, and there is no more ice forming, then you have solved your problem.

2) Refrigerant leaks

Air conditioners have to have a particularly balance level of refrigerant to keep the system running smoothly and efficiently. When your air conditioner has low levels of refrigerant, that usually means there is a refrigerant leak. Once the levels of refrigerant in the coil are too low, the air conditioning unit will not be able to absorb heat going through the system and your air conditioning unit will freeze. In this situation, it is better for you to contact your heating and cooling company for a technician to take a look and address the problem.

3) Outdoor temperature

Your air conditioner is only supposed to be operated when the outdoor temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If you run your air conditioner when the temperature is less than 65, you will be pushing the fluids in your air conditioner through when they are at their thickest. This can cause damage to your unit besides the freezing problem.

There are some troubleshooting tips you can do. First thing you should do is turn off the unit. Let the air conditioner defrost, a 24 hour period should be enough time, but if it is not and you can, give your air conditioner another 24 hour defrosting period.

Next you should check your filters. If they are dirty, first step is to replace them. Give your unit the 24 hour defrost time before trying to turn it back on. If you do not see any ice, then turn it back on and keep an eye on it. If ice reforms, it is time to call a service technician (our number is (616) 205-5522)

If after the 24 hour defrost period, and changing the filter does not work, you need a professional to help repair your unit, you might even consider replacing the system. DSB Comfort Zone offers a full inspection of your system, as well as providing you with everything you need to replace your air conditioner. We check everything from your refrigerant levels, filters and even your duct work. In this blog we discussed the the three most common problems, however, some units might have more technical issues that only trained professionals would be able to notice and discuss with you.

DSB Comfort Zone

Comfort In Any Season

201. E. Division St.

Suite A

Sparta, MI 49345

Phone: (616) 205-5522

Email: info@dsbcomfort.com

Website: www.dsbcomfort.com

Facebook: Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling

Twitter: @DSBComfortZone