5 Top Reasons to Service your Air Conditioning Unit Before Summer

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It’s that time of year, when outside temperatures soar high, making it unbearable to be inside without air conditioning. Before getting stuck without your air conditioner during the summer heat, make plans now to have it serviced. Here are 5 top reasons you shouldn’t wait to call your AC technician:

Low AC Refrigerant

Your AC unit might become low on refrigerant which is usually a sign that your unit has a leak. A leak needs to be fixed as quickly as possible; not only is it harmful to the environment, it causes your unit to work improperly. An AC technician can come out to your home, assess the problem and repair it.

Outdoor Fan is Not Working

The outdoor fan is a key component of your air conditioner. If the fan is not operating or it is working sporadically, then it cannot transfer the heat from the inside of the home to the outside. In this type of circumstance, your unit will overheat.

Frozen AC Unit

Your AC unit might become frozen for several reasons. Dirty filters should be cleaned often or replaced. If not, the air flow becomes restricted which will cause the unit to freeze. If coils on a unit freeze, it’s a sign the unit is low on refrigerant.

Also, if the fan is not working, the cold air has nowhere to go, and will therefore remain in the unit. In most cases, this causes the unit to freeze.

Poor Wiring

Poor air conditioning unit wiring will not only cause your system to stop working, but it can also potentially start a fire. If someone other than a professional technician has installed your unit, call a certified technician to come out and inspect the wiring. The complete system might have to be replaced and installed correctly if the wiring is found to be hazardous.

Lack of Maintaining your AC Unit

Your AC unit should be maintained year round. If not, some of the components in the system might need repairing. Once certain components are damaged, it is possible the complete unit will fail.

We encourage you to contact us at Mid-Florida Heating and Air today! We’re happy to answer your questions and help out with any service needs you may have.

3 Symptoms of a Malfunctioning Air Conditioner

Posted by & filed under air conditioning, hvac, hvac maintenance .

Homeowners are usually shocked when their air conditioner stops working, and while the signs of a malfunctioning unit aren’t always easy to spot, they do exist. Luckily, knowing and recognizing the symptoms of a faulty air conditioner can save your system from expensive repairs. To help you avoid a serious malfunction, we’ve listed three common warning signs of an impending breakdown.

Increased Humidity

Your air conditioner doesn’t just cool your home, it also dehumidifies it. Unfortunately, increased humidity can signal an issue with your system. If you notice your house feels stuffy, or your windows are foggy, your unit is not adequately reducing the moisture levels in your house. While there are a number of reasons why this malfunction can occur, one of the most likely issues is a dirty evaporator coil. If the coil is covered in dust and grime it will struggle to cool and dehumidify your house. Hiring a HVAC specialist to clean and inspect your system will solve your humidity problem.

A Hard Start

A “Hard Start” describes an air conditioner that is struggling to turn on. When a system is suffering from a hard start, the outside condenser unit will stutter and shake as it begins to run. A grinding and clicking noise may also occur as the system kicks on. A malfunctioning compressor or an electrical issue, such as, loose wires can cause a hard start. If you believe your air conditioner is having difficulties turning on, contact an HVAC technician immediately; otherwise the malfunction may get worse and lead to your unit completely failing.

A Leaky A/C

Finding puddles of liquid around your air conditioner indicates your system is malfunctioning. How serious the malfunction is depends on what type of liquid is leaking from the unit. If it’s water, you may be dealing with a clogged or damaged condensate drain line. However, if the substance is refrigerant, the malfunction is much more serious. If you suspect your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant, call your local HVAC specialist immediately.

If your air conditioner is malfunctioning or you would simply like to schedule a yearly tune-up, please contact us at Mid-Florida Heating and Air today!

Three Steps to Ready Your Air Conditioner for Warmer Weather

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Spring has sprung and it won’t be long until summer arrives. This means that your air conditioning system will need to be ready to go on a moment’s notice.

We suggest you take a few minutes to perform some quick and easy maintenance steps. Below are three things you can do now to prepare your air conditioner for the long summer days that will be here before we know it.

Check Your Thermostat and Change the Batteries

The first step in getting your air conditioner ready for even warmer weather operation is to check the thermostat. Thermostats don’t fail particularly often, but you should inspect your device to ensure it can be programmed and is able to cycle through its settings.

If the thermostat display seems dim, check to see if changing the batteries helps. Many thermostats use AA or AAA batteries that fit in place right behind the thermostat cover; simply slide or ‘pop’ off the cover, then replace the batteries with new ones.

Change the System Filter

Another important task when readying your home’s central air conditioning system is changing the filter located in the return air duct. This filter is typically accessible without special tools, though a step ladder may be necessary to reach the filter and opening.

To change filters, remove the grate that covers the old filter and set it aside in a safe location. Next, pull the old filter out and toss it in the trash or recycling bin, as appropriate.

Insert a new filter into the gap and replace the grate. Make a habit of replacing the filter once a month while the system is in use, as dirty filters can lower efficiency and shorten the lifespan of your unit.

Clean the Area around the Condenser Coil

The condenser coil is located outside and is also called the outdoor unit, appropriately enough. You will need to clear away dead grass, leaves and any other materials that cover the condenser coil.

Debris will prevent the condenser coil from exchanging heat with the atmosphere, and your air conditioner won’t operate efficiently. In addition, too much debris could cause components to overwork and may even result in system damage.

We encourage you to contact us at Mid-Florida Heating and Air with your questions and service needs.

Does Your Air Conditioner Need Refrigerant?

Posted by & filed under air conditioning .

Many HVAC problems are a result of obstruction or irregular maintenance, but sometimes the problems can be the chemicals inside of your unit. If you’ve noticed that something is stopping your house from cooling down like it used to, you might be low on refrigerant.

How does refrigerant work?

Refrigerant is a chemical that pulls in the heat from your home’s air so that it can be released outside. Air conditioners work best when they circulate air throughout a space, pour cold air in, and pull hot air out. Without all of those changes working together, your unit will overwork itself to try and correct the deficiency which can cause a drastically high energy bill, a poorly cooled house, or both.

What are some common signs that your refrigerant is low?

The most frequently noticed sign of low refrigerant is that your house just isn’t getting cooler. No matter how much you lower the thermostat, the temperature stays constant or rises as hot air stays trapped inside. If you notice this, hold your hand up close to a vent and check directly for any sign of cool air. If you feel air blowing against your palm but it isn’t cool, you need to contact a technician to inspect your refrigerant levels and perform a tune-up. Another sign might be that the refrigerant line is icing over. If you open your air conditioner and notice a build-up of ice, the problem needs to be solved before the overly cool chemical can cause damage to the compressor.

If you have any questions, please let us know! Here at Mid-Florida Heating and Air, we are always happy to help.

House Donated for Firefighter Training

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized .

Mid-Florida Heating and Air was featured in The Villages Daily Sun this past weekend! Our president, Kevin Lyons, donated a house to the Lake County Fire Rescue so they can use it for training purposes. Lt. Kraig Gilligan, lead training officer, was very grateful for this opportunity.

Firefighters will be practicing skills like hose line advancement, victim search and rescue and forcible entry in an unfamiliar environment – making it all the more real. Gilligan said this type of field experience is invaluable and forces firefighters to use all the training and techniques they’ve learned in real life situations. Mid-Florida Heating and Air wants Lady Lake to know that we care about our community and want our firefighters to receive all the training they can get!

The house will be completely demolished after the fire rescue team is finished with their training. Mid Florida Heating and Air will be opening up a new location in this area so we can employ more people!

Click here to read the full article.

Furnace Repair and Useful Initial Knowledge

Posted by & filed under Furnace .

If you need furnace repair, it’s a good idea to be knowledgeable about your home furnace before the contractor arrives. You certainly don’t have to be experts on the subject, but contractors will almost always ask residents some questions related to their furnaces, and it helps to have answers.

These contractors should be able to work well enough and figure things out on their own without the answers to those questions in most cases, but it still makes a difference when the you are able to offer some information about your household’s furnace. Next time you need furnace repair, impress your contractor by knowing these important facts:

1) There are different types of furnaces.

Furnaces are often defined according to the exact fuel that they use. Some houses have oil heating systems. Other furnaces primarily use natural gas or propane as fuel. Many modern furnaces use natural gas. However, people who have newer houses shouldn’t just assume that their systems use natural gas.

2) The age of the furnace matters.

Some contractors will be able to estimate the age of a given furnace based on what kind of furnace it is, but this still won’t tell them the furnace’s exact age. Even a few years can make a difference when it comes to the age of a furnace.

3) The performance of the furnace over an extended period of time needs to be taken into account.

The contractor will ask questions about when the problems with the furnace started. Try to describe how the problems began, when they began, and exactly what happened. If the contractor knows about how well the furnace has performed over the course of several months or years and what happened during that time period, it should be even easier for them to get a sense of the problem.

If you still have questions about furnace repair, contact us at Mid-Florida Heating and Air in Gainesville FL.

Own Multiple Rentals? Get Air Conditioning Service for All of Them at the Same Time

Posted by & filed under air conditioning, hvac maintenance .

Owning and managing several rental properties is a lot of work. Hiring a property manager can alleviate some of these responsibilities, but you may enjoy the work and want to just optimize your time. It is important to get the air conditioning systems checked out to make sure they stay working for your tenants. An ideal move is getting air conditioning service for all your tenants at the same time.

Avoid Future Problems

By getting air conditioning service, you will make it easier to avoid future problems. For instance, a part that may have broken in the coming months will be found before it becomes an issue. Since you do not want to allow your tenants to go long without air conditioning, you will appreciate doing this during the offseason when they do not rely on it each day to stay comfortable whenever they are inside the house.

Optimize Spending

It will be easy to optimize spending with air conditioning when you take care of these services at once. Inspections and cleanings are two services that will minimize your expenses in the long run.

If you have any questions about air conditioning service, contact us at Mid-Florida Heating and Air.

Is It Time to Install a New Air Conditioner? Three Questions You Should Ask Yourself

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Replacing your house’s air conditioner is a big decision. The units are expensive, and finding the right window of time to get it installed can be a headache you’d rather just put off, especially if it’s not an emergency. However, it can be better to replace your air conditioner before it finally breaks down. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

  1. How old is your air conditioner?Most air conditioners are designed to last approximately ten years. While diligent servicing and careful use can add a few years onto its lifespan, it won’t last much longer than that. Older air conditioners are also much less efficient than newer models and use 22 Freon as a coolant. New models are often required to meet Energy Star minimums and use R410A which presents less of a hazard.
  2. Have you had to pay for a lot of expensive repairs?If you’re facing a potential repair bill that’s more than half the cost of a replacement unit, then it’s time to change. Smaller, less expensive repairs can be just as financially draining, so look at your repair costs over the past year. Frequent repairs also mean a great deal of inconvenience, so installing a new unit can save both time and money.
  3. Do you have a hectic schedule that keeps you or your family out of the house? Getting a new model with a programmable thermostat can save you a lot in energy bills by powering down your air conditioner to a lower setting when nobody is home. You can program one according to a set schedule and then make changes remotely if no one’s going to be home.

Having a broken air conditioner is a headache no matter what time of year it is. Instead of waiting for a major breakdown in your unit or having to get a replacement during the busy season, take a minute ahead of time to decide if it’s better for your wallet and your schedule to replace your air conditioner now or continue to maintain your current one.

How Often you Should be Changing your Air Conditioner’s Air Filter

Posted by & filed under air conditioning .

Changing your air conditioner filter regularly and on time is one of the best things you can do to improve your home’s air quality and to lengthen the lifespan of your unit. But knowing when the best time to change the filter can be tricky, and the answer always varies depending on the size of your house, the season, and the occupants. Here’s how to gauge the best time to change your filter:

  • Use the manufacturer’s recommendation as a baseline. The type of filter you use is already specified based on the type and power of the air conditioner you have so start with their recommended timeline; most residential brands suggest changing your filter every two months. However, that number is based on a combination of factors, including environmental agency standards and internal analyses. If you notice that the filter is too dirty by the time you check it or it hardly seems used at all, shorten or lengthen the time accordingly.
  • Account for how your lifestyle impacts the unit’s use. If you don’t use the air conditioner that often, you won’t need to change the filter frequently. But if the unit is used night and day to ward off heat, you have pets, or you’re sensitive to allergens (or any combination of these factors), changing the filter more often will be better. Keep fine-tuning your schedule until its right for you.

Changing your air filter doesn’t just improve your air quality; it makes your machine run better and lowers your energy bill because the unit isn’t overworking. Try setting a reminder in your phone or mark it on your calendar, because air filters are often out of sight and out of mind.

We encourage you to contact Mid-Florida Heating and Air with any questions or air conditioning service needs you may have.

The Importance of Proper Gas Pressure

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There are numerous parts of a gas furnace that must be carefully synchronized and optimized in order for your heating to proceed efficiently. One of the most important considerations is the pressure of the incoming gas. If you would like to learn more about how gas pressure affects the overall performance of a furnace, read on as article will discuss the importance of proper gas pressure.

Gas Flow 

If gas were to simply flow into your furnace’s combustion chamber at the pressure it was entering your home through the gas company supply line, chances are your furnace wouldn’t operate very efficiently. One of the many functions performed by your furnace’s gas valve is to help regulate the pressure of the incoming gas, closely tailoring it to the needs and abilities of your furnace. Over time, however, it is necessary to test your gas pressure to ensure that it still falls within the optimum range, otherwise unwanted problems may ensue.

Pressure Problems 

If the gas pressure is too low, your furnace’s efficiency will go down. Not only that, but it will lead to a greater amount of condensation of burned gases. That is because the proportion of air in the air-fuel mixture will be too great. This condensation tends to accumulate inside of the heat exchanger, where it will eventually lead to the formation of corrosion, thus necessitating the replacement of this vital component.

High gas pressure can be just as bad for your furnace. That’s because it greatly increases the risk of furnace overheating. When this happens, all manner of internal components may become damaged by the excessive heat. Thus it is important to have your gas pressure tested and, if necessary, adjusted, on a fairly regular basis.

 

Call Mid-Florida Heating and Air today with any questions or service needs you may have.