Category Archives: Air Conditioning

New Year’s Resolution: Fix the AC

Posted on by Bid Boomerang

Yes, we realize it’s the middle of winter. But do you really want to wait until June and your house is sweltering before you get your broken AC fixed?

This is one of the instances where it’s good to be prepared ahead of time. It’s cold now, but you never know when the first heat wave will hit. What if it’s in the middle of a dinner party or movie night at your house? Baking your guests in an oven-like living room is a less-than-ideal plan, unless of course you intentionally planned a sauna-themed party.

Keep your guests and your ice cream sandwiches intact at your spring and summertime parties by fixing your HVAC system in advance. And don’t worry — this is one resolution that won’t detract from your time spent using your new gym membership. BidBoomerang can quickly and easily put you in contact with professionals who specialize in AC repairs in Mesa AZ, so you can focus on surviving your early-morning spin classes.

 

The Pros and Cons of Evaporative Coolers

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Evaporative coolers are named for the system’s key reliance on evaporation to cool a house or building. Also known as a swamp or desert cooler, an evaporative cooler unit typically sits in a window because it relies on a flow of outside air to work properly. By drawing air over a wet, sponge-like material, the air from the outside is cooled and then transmitted into the adjacent room. In comparison to traditional air conditioning, evaporative cooling has several advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

First of all, evaporative cooling is considerably less expensive than air conditioning. Not only does it cost less to install, but it requires 1/4 of the of cost to operate. Because it has less working parts, it consumes less power than an AC unit. Because evaporative coolers are mechanically simple, they are much easier to maintain — no need to call out for AC repair on a hot day. Because of the system’s heavy reliance on water, an evaporative cooler increases humidity in the air — making it more breathable for people who live in highly dry climates.

Disadvantages

An evaporative cooler relies on dry air to work properly, so for people who live in humid climates it is a less-ideal option. The increased humidity in the air might make it more breathable in some climates, but it can have an adverse effect on people who suffer from asthma. The added moisture in the air can also have a negative effect on home electronics because of increased risk for corrosion and condensation. Another downfall of an evaporative cooler is that certain types of cooling pads can pose a high-risk fire hazard.

Let Bid Boomerang connect you with qualified Mesa ac repairmen for Free. Our qualified contractors will give you bids on your project so you can ensure you are getting the best deal for your AC repair or replacement.

Tips for Air Conditioner Owners

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If you own an air conditioner you know that there is a fine line between friend and enemy. Your air conditioner may be working perfectly one day and then completely turn on you the next. The cost to repair an air conditioner borders on astronomical, and the cost to completely replace one can be truly devastating. It can be a tricky task trying to keep your air conditioner working and your wallet full, so here are a few things to keep in mind while you fight the never-ending battle of man vs. air conditioner.

What if My Air Conditioner Stops Working?

If your air conditioner stops working for any reason, try to isolate the problem and consult the internet for a good solution. You may be surprised at how much money you can save by doing just a little bit of digging online. For example, a frequent problem for furnace owners is that an unusually windy day can trip the reset button and cause the whole thing to stop working. You could learn this with a just a few minutes of internet research and push the reset button yourself, or you could call a technician who charges a flat rate of $100 per service call and have him come and push it for you sometime next week, and you will probably have to be there waiting for him to arrive “sometime between 9am and 3pm.”

Avoiding Scammy AC Repairmen

If you do find yourself backed into a corner where a service call is absolutely necessary, beware the cheap service call! Many experienced technicians charge at least $45 an hour or more to employ, and when you take overhead and other costs into consideration, it’s pretty obvious that when a company quotes you $50 or so for a service call, they are either planning to lie to you and tell you that you need some expensive and unnecessary part (for example) or they are sending an unqualified technician to your home who will probably end up doing something expensive to your AC, whether it needs it or not. Either way, it’s likely that you will end up spending a lot more money than anticipated, for repairs that may or may not fix the problem.

Finally, don’t be fooled by duct cleaners who promise you cleaner air, better health, improved system performance, and removal of dust mites, mold, and mildew. All of these benefits sound too good to pass up, but in reality duct cleaners actually typically end up leaving you with dirtier air and worsened system performance by damaging your ducts. Dust mites, mold, and mildew rarely live in AC ductwork because the air is just too dry for survival. Since they don’t actually do anything to improve your air quality, so-called duct cleaners really aren’t doing anything to affect your health either. The only thing they are really improving is the amount of money in their wallets.

For qualified pre-screened air conditioning specialists in Mesa Arizona, use Bid Boomerang. We connect home owners with qualified contractors for home improvement projects.

How your Car’s Air Conditioner Works

Posted on by Bid Boomerang

Most people take their car’s air conditioning system for granted; it is one of those things that doesn’t mean a whole lot until it’s gone, and if you have ever tried to make it through the summer with no air conditioner in your vehicle, you probably appreciate it a lot more.

Air conditioners are what make it possible for us to live and work in high temperature areas and during the summer months. Your a/c system probably seems very complicated, so we are going to break it down so that if and when something goes wrong with the a/c in your car, even if you don’t know how to fix it yourself, you will at least understand well enough to know whether your repairman is taking you for a ride.

Your car’s air conditioner has 3 main parts. They are: the compressor, condenser, and evaporator. There are also a number of sensors and refrigeration lines scattered throughout the system.

Car AC System

1. AC Compressor

Your compressor is the main functioning part of your a/c; it runs with the help of an engine belt and clutch that turns it on and off, depending on whether there is a need for more cool air. Your compressor pressurizes the refrigerant in your system which enables it to cool the air.

2. AC Condenser

Your condenser looks like a smaller version of your car’s radiator and is in fact often located near your car’s radiator. Hot, compressed air passes through your condenser and becomes a liquid as it cools down.

3. AC Evaporator

The evaporator has the exact opposite job of the condenser. As cool liquid from the condenser passes through the tubes of the evaporator, it instantly cools the air that it comes in contact with (air from either outside or inside your car, depending on which setting you have it on). The cooled air is then blown into your car.

Obviously there are certain other complicated aspects to your car’s a/c system, but this is the gist of it. Next time something goes wrong with your car’s ac system, you should at least be able to locate its three main parts and isolate where the problem is coming from. If you can do that, you may even be able to fix it without the help of a professional.

What is an HVAC System?

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HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning, and even if you think you don’t know what an HVAC system is, you probably just don’t realize that you do. If you’ve ever seen a movie where characters were crawling around in the duct work of a building, you were looking at an HVAC system. Most modern buildings have some sort of HVAC system installed, and its HVAC system is to regulate the temperature of a home or building. It does this by controlling the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning. It is a very handy machine to have because it combines those three elements, rather than putting them in three separate machines.

Functions of an HVAC System

In addition to heating and cooling a room or building, an HVAC machine can also bring fresh outdoor air inside and dilute interior airborne contaminants like odors, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), chemical fumes, dust particles, etc. If your HVAC machine is properly maintained, it should provide a comfortable indoor environment year round.

Installing the Wrong Sized HVAC System

Surprisingly, when it comes to installing your own HVAC system, size really does matter. So much so that an HVAC system that is improperly sized will not be able to keep a building’s occupants comfortable. Often when an HVAC system isn’t the right size it is too big, which makes it likely that the purchaser of the unit was overcharged. An HVAC system that is too large traps water and remains constantly damp, which can contaminate the air supply. Additionally, the bigger a system is the more expensive it is to keep it running, so an oversized unit forces its user to spend unneeded money on energy bills.

HVAC Design Elements

There are many different HVAC system designs, and every building’s system has its own unique design and operation. However, HVAC systems typically share a few of the same basic design elements. They are: an outside air intake, an air handling unit (a system of fans, heating and cooling coils, air-flow control dampers, air filters, etc.), an air distribution system, and an air exhaust system.

How the HVAC System Works

Air is drawn into the building through the HVAC’s air intake system. It is then filtered to remove any dust particles or other contaminates so that the air being delivered to the building is absolutely fresh, and heated or cooled depending on the system’s temperature setting. Then, the system uses the air ducts you probably remember from the movies to circulate the heated or cooled and filtered air throughout the building. 

It is important to make sure your HVAC system is working properly especially when you live in extreme climates like Phoenix Arizona. Regular tune-ups are a must to ensure that you don’t end up with a sizzling house on a Saturday night. Bid Boomerang can connect you with professional Mesa ac repairmen who will bid on your project for FREE. Give it a try!

What to Do If Your Gas Furnace Stops Producing Heat

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gas furnace repairWhen your gas furnace stops working properly, your first reaction may be to call “the guy” to come and fix it. However, many furnace-related problems can be solved very quickly without the help of a professional heating and cooling specialist, if you just know where to look. So, if you have a gas furnace that stops producing heat, here are a few things you can try before you call “the guy.”

You’re going to want to check the most obvious things first, just to rule them out, so go ahead and make sure your thermostat is set to the proper temperature. If the thermostat is set too low, it won’t even be trying to get heat from the furnace. If the temperature reading is correct, try moving it up a few degrees to see if the furnace will kick on.

The next thing you should check is whether the circuit breaker or fuse that is controlling the furnace is tripped or blown. If the circuit breaker is tripped, resetting it should make the furnace work again. If a fuse is blown, replacing it should be a cheap and easy fix.

If the thermostat is working correctly and no breaker or fuse is tripped or blown, it is possible that the furnace’s control valve is closed. If it can be easily accessed, you should make sure that the valve is open. However, if you are unsure of what you are doing at any time you should certainly call a professional.

One final thing that could be causing problems is if the pilot light is out. If this is the case, make sure everything is completely shut off and then use the following steps to relight it.

  1. If your pilot has a red reset button, turn the gas valve from “Off” to “Pilot”
  2. If your pilot doesn’t have a red button, turn the knob from “Off” to “Pilot”
  3. Hold a lit match or ignited lighter up to the pilot and hold down the button that releases the gas for about 30 seconds. This keeps gas flowing to the pilot until the thermocouple gets hot enough to open the main gas valve.
  4. Once the pilot light is lit, slowly release the button and turn the valve or knob from “Pilot” to “On”. This ignites the burners and keeps gas flowing.
  5. If the burners don’t ignite it could be because the thermocouple didn’t get hot enough to open the gas valve. If this happens, wait a few minutes and try the process again but this time, hold the button or knob down for 45-60 seconds, instead of 30.

If you go through all of these steps and still aren’t getting any heat from the furnace, go ahead and call your guy. Calling in a professional may be expensive, but at least you will know you did everything you could to avoid it.

If you need a heating or cooling specialist in Mesa Arizona, let Bid Boomerang connect you with qualified contractors in your neighborhood for FREE. You will get multiple bids on your project so you know you are getting the best price.

Types of Central Air Conditioning Systems and How to Repair Them

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A central air conditioner keeps the air in your home cool using a system of supply and return ducts.  Hot air is moved across the cooled evaporator coil and is then delivered through supply ducts into the home. After the air has circulated and become warmer, return ducts bring it back into the air conditioning unit to be cooled once again. A central air conditioner is either a split-system or a packaged unit.

Packaged Central Air Conditioner

If you have two or more rooms that need to be cooled, this is probably the best central air system for you. In a packaged air conditioner, the evaporator, condenser, and compressor are typically located together in one cabinet, which is either placed on the roof or next to the home. Supply and return ducts connect to each room through an outside wall or the roof.

Split Air Conditioner

If you are looking to install an air conditioner and you already have a furnace in your home, a split-system air conditioner is probably the most economical decision. In a split-system air conditioner, the condenser and compressor are still located in a cabinet outside of the home (like with the packaged unit), but the evaporator is in a cabinet inside the home.

Troubleshooting AC Problems

When it comes to repairing your central air conditioning, the most important components to consider are the condenser and the evaporator. Because they are each sealed, a professional AC repairman should be called for any maintenance problem besides routine cleaning. Remember, before you begin any repair work on your air conditioning system, make sure it is completely powered off.

If the unit isn’t turning on, check for blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers and replace as needed. If the unit is running but isn’t cooling correctly, make sure that the thermostat is set to the right temperature first. Then, ensure the condenser unit isn’t blocked by any debris, weeds, grass, etc. Finally, try cleaning the condenser and evaporator.

Cleaning the Evaporator

Your system’s evaporator may not be accessible. However, if you can reach it, begin by removing the insulation that is covering it and unscrew the access plate. Use a stiff brush to clean all of the little nooks and crannies, being careful not to bend any of the pipes. You should also clean the tray underneath the evaporator unit. Once the evaporator is clean, put everything back to how it was, screw the access plate back into position, and turn the unit back on. Wave your hand around the unit to check for air leaks. If you find any leaks, seal them with duct tape.

Cleaning the Condenser

In your AC unit’s condenser, a fan moves the air across the condenser coil. You must clean the coil on the intake side so before you turn the air conditioner off, make sure you know which direction the air is flowing across the coils. Begin cleaning by using a coil cleaner (available at refrigerator supply stores) and then use a soft brush to get rid of built-up dirt. Use caution when cleaning the fins as they are easily damaged. Finally, use a leveler to make sure the condenser is level. If it’s not, use gravel to level it.

If your air conditioning unit is still not working properly, check the air ducts for leaks and repair if necessary.

Finally, if all else fails, it is time to call in a professional. Don’t try to repair something that is outside the scope of your abilities, you might end up making the problem worse and more expensive for yourself! If you need AC repair in Mesa AZ, let Bid Boomerang connect you with prescreened tradesmen who will bid on your project.

Repair a Leaky Air Conditioning Duct in Just 4 Easy Steps

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If the air duct in your air conditioner is leaking, your home will not be cooled as quickly. An air conditioner with a leaky air duct will force you to keep your ac unit running more than necessary which may leave you calling an ac repairman in the end. Also with temperatures this summer reaching record-highs, the cost of your electric bill will skyrocket. Additionally, dust particles and other contaminants can leak into the duct work and shorten the life of the air conditioning unit while causing allergies to flare up and possibly even illness. The good news is, if you can get to your ducts, you can fix them.

You will need: Spray adhesive, metal foil tape, a squeegee

Remember: Turn the unit off before you begin your work and be careful! This can be a
messy job.

1. Find the location of the damage

Solid ducts don’t usually get punctured in the middle, but instead come apart at the ends (where
they are joined to another section). If the duct is loose, push it into the connection.

2. Clean the Affected Area

Using a dry or damp cloth, wipe down the area where you will be working. It doesn’t have to be spotless, but your seal will be more durable if you get rid of dust and other particles.

3. Reattach the Duct

Apply a spray adhesive to the area where you are going to be placing the tape and give it a few minutes to get tacky. You should be able to use the duct’s existing tape by pressing it onto the spray adhesive.

4. Cover the Patch

Peel back the paper from the metal foil tape and use it to cover the area you have just glued. Use the squeegee to seal the metal foil tape onto the air duct, make sure there are no air pockets.

Wait a few hours for your work to dry and then turn the unit back on. Feel around the new patch and make sure air is no longer escaping.