Tag Air Conditioning

You have decided that you want to air condition your home, but are uncertain if it is a job you want to tackle or one that is best left to a professional. Make sure that you check the warranty that came with the air conditioner because if the air conditioner is self-installed the warranty may be invalid. In most jurisdictions, the only person who is allowed to install the refrigerant in the air conditioner is a licensed air conditioner professional, known as an AC contractor.

It is important to know that AC installation is not a job for a weekend handyman. Installing an air conditioner is a lot of work along with needing to have some acquired skills working with ductwork, carpentry, copper pipes, and plumbing. Before you even purchase your air conditioner you will need to know the total area of your home that is to be cooled where you are going to put both parts of your air conditioner, and what size unit you will need in order to cool the area that you want cooled. You should also find an online air conditioner capacity calculator to help you determine what is needed for a specific AC installation.

Some of the tools you will need include a vacuum pump, hose set, pipe cutter, and a refrigerant manifold gauge. You will also need a solid stable pad on which you will position the outside unit. This pad is made from concrete, wood that is weather-resistant or any other composite material that will be suitable for long-term use outdoors. It should also be placed away from the exterior wall so the vibration will not be transmitted back into your home and give you easy access for maintenance.

You will also need to select a central location for the air conditioning unit that comes inside. The best location will allow for air distribution throughout your home. It will also provide easy access to the external wall where the drainage pipe, electrical wiring, and copper pies to the unit outside are installed. You have to make sure that close attention is pay to where the drainage pipe is installed because it needs to drain where the water will not pool. If you have little or no experience bending and flaring cooper pipes you will have to learn how to do this before the pipe can be installed or cut.

As you can see, AC installation requires experience and many different tools that a homeowner handyman would not generally have in their toolbox or have experience with so you should hire an AC contractor install the AC.

Source by Lora Davis

About HVAC Filter Media

Air filters have but one common goal which is to maximize functionality of either the heating or air conditioning system, regardless of brands and types, while achieving distinctive indoor air quality.

These filters all help to make the heating or air conditioning system work efficiently, made possible by removing or avoiding accumulation of dust, dirt, and other tiny air particles. Air particles are captured in these air filters therefore clogging is reduced, if not avoided. Consequently, clogging may result for possible damage on the equipment, which can result to work inefficiently, time-consuming, or labor- and cost-intensive repairs.

Replacing or cleaning of filters is significantly emphasized. It is not surprising since having failed to do any of these tasks can result to losing of the equipment?s functional efficacy. HVAC filter media are available in various types depending on the medium used for production. These HVAC filter media include fiberglass filter media, polyester filter media, dog hair filter media, blue/green filter media, charcoal filter media, and others more. Although many are less expensive, most of these are not much efficient.

For instance, most of the designed induct filters specifically for home forced heating and air conditioning systems are completed from sloppily -spun fiberglass. Such filters happen to be come in a range of sizes and densities, are disposable, and less expensive. Unfortunately, filters that are less-dense may allow higher airflow but do not efficiently remove as much dust. In contrast, filters with higher density are able to take out further air particles may be more restraining with airflow. Higher dense filters also can be that instantly loaded with dust and other particles.

However, over time, production and design of these filters were improved making them more efficient requiring low maintenance even at an affordable price.

Some helpful tips

Since keeping the filters is crucial, following tips can be useful in maintaining your HVAC filter media.

* Make sure that relative humidity does not reach dewpoint in the ductwork, otherwise an environment conducive for molds and bacteria growth is created. Change immediately filters when they become wet as this also attracts for microbial growth. Also, replace filters at the sight of slight damage or major one.

* Do not allow dust to accumulate in this ductwork to avoid clogging. Having it unclogged by a technician can be time-consuming as it may require a lot of labor, and therefore, can cost you more from getting the repair or cleaning done.

* Make changing filters an easy task for everyone. You can do this by strategically placing labels that include essential information, especially the type of filters, pressure drop, and date changed. In this way you are making everyone aware resulting to a further strengthened maintenance.

Concluding, HVAC filter media has gone a long way in terms of benefits and improved functionalists. These filters have become more efficient and affordable requiring less amount of effort in maintaining. It doesn?t get any better than this.

Source by Sarah Connor

Panasonic Air Conditioners are known for proving the best possible to customers by being efficient and reliable. These come with a variety of unique features that make them stand out as compared to other air conditioners.

Some of the main features that really make these machines popular are:

Advanced Air Purifying System – It is the only air conditioner that has the ability to remove up to 99% of dust particles and germs. It sends out e-ions to inactivate airborne bacteria and catch dust particles. The filter is charged positively and attracts these e-ions to provide a completely clean room as even microscopic dust is captured.

Super Tropical Compressor – The main component that affects the quality and performance of an air conditioner is its compressor. This compressor was developed in 2001 and is an excellent option to provide high efficiency even under high load situations.

Patrol Sensor – This feature detects microscopic dirt in the air and starts the purification. Its biggest advantage is that is keeps working even when the air conditioner is off. The sensor is color coded and is blue in color when monitoring the air, changes to red when it detects dirt and then to orange when it is cleaning the air.

Super Alleru-Buster Filter – This filter combines an anti allergen and anti virus with an anti bacterial protection, which ensure that harmful and unwanted particles like dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses, moulds and spores are completely eliminated form the room.

Blue Fin Condenser – The condenser of a unit is exposed to wind, dust and salty air that combine to harm it beyond repair. Panasonic boasts of tripling the life of the condenser by applying a layer of anti rust coating that increases the reliability as well.

Long and Wide Airflow Vane – The vane is designed so as to disperse the air into each and every corner of the room and provide uniform cooling.

Odor Removing Function – Usually when a unit starts up a few unwanted odors are thrown into the room. This is prevented as the fan remains immobile for a short period of time when the unit is switched on and during this short time the odor inside the unit is eliminated.

Panel – The panel can be easily removed from the unit and washed in normal water and detergent. This further promotes a better, smoother and efficient performance.

Quiet Mode – A number of units come with a quiet mode but these units come with a special button that can be pressed to reduce the noise level by about 3 decibels. This helps a lot in making them a popular choice in homes with babies.

Powerful Button – This can be used to increase the cooling with a powerful and strong air flow. It is of tremendous use when fast cooling is required like when a person just enters a hot room.

Source by Shane Opp

What Does Air Conditioning Installation Involve?

Tired of the oppressive heat? It seems as if heat and humidity levels break new records every summer. If you’re wondering about installing a cooling system in your home, keep in mind that newer air conditioners are quieter, more powerful, and more energy efficient than older models. Air conditioning even offers added value by reducing your energy bills.

Start at the beginning

The first step towards the installation of a cooling system in your home is to determine the size of the unit you need. An undersized air conditioner will not be powerful enough to cool your home, while an air conditioner that’s too big will make the air feel clammy from too much humidity. That doesn’t sound comfortable, does it?

The capacity of an air conditioner is measured in tons. Tonnage refers to the amount of heat that the unit can remove a home in one hour. A one-ton air conditioner can expel 12,000 BTU while a three-ton system will expel 36,000 BTU. The tonnage system of measurement is based on the fact that it takes 12,000 BTU to melt a ton of ice in 24 hours. For example, a house the size of 1,600 square feet could be well served by an air conditioning system of two and a half tons. A qualified contractor will be able to help you choose the capacity of your system according to your needs.

Installation requirements

For a house that has previously never had central air conditioning, installation often requires a new circuit breaker in your electrical panel, new wiring run through your foundation, and new ductwork, plus mounting of your new unit on metal brackets or a on concrete slab. Because work this crucial must be done properly, make sure to ask for a free quote from a reputable professional rather than wasting time trying to do it yourself. You will also avoid potentially injuring yourself.

Choosing a contractor

For your cooling system to be efficient and long-lasting, installation needs to be done correctly. Don’t take any chances. Make sure your contractor is qualified to install and maintain the equipment. The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) is a non-profit national trade association of contractors, wholesalers, and manufacturers in the industry. A section of their website is dedicated to helping you find a qualified contractor. It is also a good idea to check with your provincial authority to make sure your potential contractor’s licenses, qualifications, and insurance coverage are all up to date. Lastly, you can check with the Better Business Bureau online to find out if any complaints have been filed against the contractor.

All that’s left to do is to enjoy the cooling comfort of your air conditioning all summer.

Source by Afef Ayadi

The home is one of the places where you are supposed to experience total comfort at all times. However, there are times when environmental conditions threaten to compromise this comfort. These environmental conditions include:

• Extreme temperatures; when it is either too hot or too cold
• Humidity
• Dust particles and other allergens in the environment.

Good heating and air conditioning services do their best to regulate these conditions to make sure you are comfortable in the home. Here, are a few of the benefits that you will get when you invest in quality HVAC services.

To start with, installing heating systems in the house helps keep the house warm during the colder months. There is nothing that is more disorienting than going to bed in a cold house on a winter night. The most uncomfortable part is taking a bath with cold water in the colder months. Water and house heating systems help you keep warm and avoid infections that might result from the cold weather.

Secondly, AC is very beneficial when it comes to cooling down the temperatures during the summer months. Temperatures get quite high especially outside during summer. It feels good to step in the house and get refreshing cooler temperatures. A good air conditioning system in the house regulates the temperatures to what is suitable for all seasons.

Air conditioning systems have the ability to remove dust particles and all other types of allergens from the environment. There are people who are allergic to pollen, dust and other particles from the environment. Air conditioning services help purify the air and protect you from allergic reactions and illnesses such as asthma.

There are many more benefits that come with having heating and air conditioning systems in the home.

Tips in selecting the best HVAC systems

If you want to have a comfortable time in the house, you need to select quality heating and air conditioning system. The choices can be quite tricky especially with the many service providers and products in the market. However, the following tips should help you get top quality products and services.

1. When purchasing heaters and ac unit, always go for the brands that have been tested and proven to be leaders when it comes to air conditioning. The top brands usually cost more than the others. But by the end of the day, the service and durability you get is all worth the cost.

2. If for some reason your systems have stopped working, take time and select the most skilled heating and air conditioning services providers to repair the systems for you. DIYs are a good idea, but if it is an issue you are not sure about, avoid attempting to do it.

Those are some tips to have in mind when going for HVAC goods and services. Lastly, remember that the comfort of your home largely depends on the environmental conditions that surround it. Make your house a heaven by adding quality heating and air conditioning services. After all, if you are not comfortable in the home, where else will you be?

Source by Nicolas Hantge

In some countries, the weather is always hot and the air is ever humid. And there are days in these places that the outside temperature is unbearable and the degrees (Celsius/Fahrenheit) are whopping high. A cold glass of lemonade and a swim at the beach are tempting. But of course, one always can have cool temperature inside the house, thanks to a method called air conditioning. Air conditioners are usually found in homes nowadays because they provide clean air, normalize the humidity level and lower the degrees (Celsius/Fahrenheit). No more worries now about the onset of hot weather.

There are many brands of air conditioners out there in the market. One of them, Daikin, is a Japan-based multinational corporation that is originally a chemical firm but has long since expanded to electronics specialization and industrial technologies development. Daikin has eight industrial and management divisions: Air Conditioning, Chemicals, Semiconductors, Transportation & Refrigeration Systems, Electronics, Hydraulic Fluids, Defense and After Sales. The company is one of leaders in the air conditioning industry, beginning with the fully-assembled Mifujirator in 1951. Together with industrial giants Fujitsu, Mitsubishi and others, Daikin is an active competitor in the market. It produces air conditioners for all purposes: home, commercial and industrial uses. The following is an overview of one of Daikin air conditioners, the FTXG series.

The Daikin FTXG series is wall-mounted type of air con for residential use. When it comes to visuals, its front panel look is very simple and stylish, and can fit in with any type of room without breaking the interior design. It is very ‘easy-on-the-eye’. Its Mat Crystal Panel is a clear plastic with a frosted surface, giving it an elegant appearance. The Daikin FTXG series is also noticeably thin, about 15 cm for the indoor unit, which adds more to the visual appeal.

Through the use of titanium apatite photo-catalytic air purifying filter, the Daikin FTXG eliminates bad odor, bacteria, virus and allergens in the air. It supplies clean, cool air. This air con also has a draft-prevention operation, delivering horizontally-positioned cool air during cooling; and vertically-positioned hot air during heating. Also called the comfortable mode, it delivers warmth directly to the feet. The Daikin FTXG, unlike most air cons, is also designed for a peaceful and quiet operation. The outdoor unit operates at 43 dB, almost like the sound of a quiet library, while the indoor unit operates at 27 dB, comparable to midnight in the suburbs.

Source by Dean Maher

Right from the start what is an air conditioner? An air conditioner (often abbreviated to AC in the United States and Canada, and air-con in Australia and in Britain) is an appliance or mechanism designed to extract heat from an area using a refrigeration cycle. In construction, a complete system of heating, ventilation and air conditioning is referred to as HVAC.

Without any doubts this system has great advantages but it can lead to increasing of utility bills, trapping yourself indoors, noise, blackouts, illnesses because of coldness and to climate change and smog in the perspective. Moreover, some problems can appear because of improper installation of air conditioners as well as possible inadequate maintenance. But the most widespread fault in using air conditioners is to leave windows and doors open. So what is the possible way out? To abandon using a device that can create a suitable microclimate in your apartments? Definitely NOT! Why not try the latest achievement in the cooling sphere?

Ductless Split Air Conditioners offer wide variety in solving your cooling and heating requirements.

The evaporator – that is an indoor unit – is installed inside the room, enclosed in a handsome space saving cabinet. Then it should be connected with an outdoor part scientifically called a condenser via refrigerant (coolant) pipes. Simple to install – simple to operate. No ductwork is involved and you save hundreds of money on electricity consumption. Such conditioners do not require much free space and won’t spoil your room planning and design. Such an indoor unit was specifically designed to provide whisper quiet operation at the same time this doesn’t recoil on the efficiency – rotary compressors provide powerful cooling at the lowest noise levels in the industry.

Ductless air conditioner is the ideal air conditioning solution for installations where adding ductwork is impractical or too expensive. The matched combination of indoor air handler and outdoor condenser is efficient and easy to install.

Source by Mike Zhmudikov

You have probably had sales people come into your home and start recommending Inverter Ducted Air conditioning. And chances are you don’t fully understand how it works.

Well here is a basic explanation of Inverter units.

You see, a basic conventional system has a basic engine it it just like your motor car. This engine basically has two speeds. Flat out and Stop.

These systems use a lot of electricity in these types of motors because it takes a lot of energy to start a motor from ZERO. And when your home reaches the temperature that you requested on your climate control thermostat the motor will turn off completely.

With an inverter Air conditioning system, like Fujitsu, Daikin, or Mitsubishi Electric, these motors are designed differently.

You see, when you turn on an inverter, the motor will start up slowly so that it does not use a lot of power, then the motor slowly speeds up to full power on a sliding scale. This way the system uses less power to initially start up.

As the ducted system gets closer to reaching your temperature that you requested in your home, the motor will start slowing down, thus using less electricity. And as an added benefit, the temperature in your home will remain more constant, assuming the heat load has been done and you have sized your unit correctly.

The end result is that the motor does not have to completely stop and because of this you don’t use a lot of electricity trying to overcome inertia trying to make the motor initiate from a complete stop.

They are a very good technology to use when compared to conventional systems, however my personal opinion is that Digital Scroll units will deliver enev more energy savings and temperature control.

ONE WARNING. DO NOT UNDER SIZE YOUR INVERTER SYSTEM OR YOU WILL USE AT LEAST 10% MORE ELECTRICITY THAN A CONVENTIONAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM.

I will talk more about this next time.

Source by Ian Marsh

People often want to know whether they can change their existing ducted evaporative system over to a new ducted reverse cycle (HVAC) air conditioning system by using all the same ductwork and outlets. The simple answer is no. Below is a list of reasons as to why you cannot simply change the system over to become a reverse cycle (HVAC) system.

Firstly, reverse cycle grilles (or outlets) are usually placed near windows and away from the doors. This allows the air to condition the heat/cold that comes in directly through the windows. The airflow for a reverse cycle system should also take the longest route back from the outlet to the return air grille. If an outlet was placed next to a door, the air would simply be sucked back underneath the door towards the return air grille and the room would have hot spots near the window.

The problem with evaporative grilles is that they are usually located by the doorways. The evaporative units airflow should take the longest possible path through a room and out of the window. If they were located right next to a window, the air would simply flow out the window and hot spots would be caused near the doorways and in the far side of rooms.

Due to these reasons it is not advised to place reverse cycle grilles in a same spot where a ducted evaporative grille was previously located. Although it is possible to do it will severely lessen the effectiveness and capacity of the system. The best option is to start fresh and put the new reverse cycle grilles in the correct desired location as required. However, this would mean you would need to patch and paint the holes in the ceiling left by the removal of the old evaporative grilles and this can be a costly job.

Another option would be to add extra grilles as needed. You can consider leaving grilles near the doorways from the evaporative system and add extra grilles by the windows if needed.

Another problem encountered when swapping the systems over is that the old ducting cannot be used. The ducting used for evaporative units is far larger than that required for reverse cycle ducted air conditioners. Evaporative units use ducting around the 16-20 inch mark. This large size duct is used by evaporative air conditioners as the air is extremely fast blowing and it aims to draw in air to the amount of 40 times the cubic area of your house per hour. Reverse cycle ducting is mostly only around the 12 inch mark in diameter. This is because reverse cycle air conditioning is far slower moving than it’s evaporative counterpart.

Evaporative ducting is also usually only slightly if at all insulated. Reverse cycle ducting should always be insulated by a minimum of 2 inches to preserve the cooling/heating and to prevent condensation from occurring.

So if you want to swap your current evaporative system over to a new reverse cycle ducted system, you are best to start from scratch. Be sure to get quite a few quotes for the cost to patch and paint the ceiling before starting any work. And if air conditioning contractors tell you they can simply swap a system over using the existing duct and outlets, ask lots of questions and be wary as they may not be around to help you out once you have paid good money and your system is not working effectively.

In some cases using the existing grilles can be an option, but it would make the system less effective.

Source by James Fletcher

Small is beautiful and convenient and so is the portable air conditioner as it can be shifted from one place to the other very easily. Read on to find out all the other advantages.

With the onset of the damp weather, it becomes difficult to survive without constant central air conditioning but that can prove to be quite expensive. The answer to this problem is a portable air conditioner as it has many advantages. It is easy to shift from one place in the home to another and that makes a portable air conditioner the ideal cooling system solution for your home, office or industrial site.

The portable air conditioners are easy and quick to install, as they do not involve any lifting or tearing up of windowsills. Moreover it can be shifted very easily from one place in the home to the other. For taking care of the hot spots in the central air conditioning, the portable air conditioners are far more convenient than window air conditioners. It is also ideal for window shapes, which present problems for installation. There is nothing like portable air conditioners for use as a spot cooler in the home.

A portable air conditioner is an excellent choice for saving money as just one unit needs to be purchased and it can be shifted easily to where you need it as it is mounted on castors and some can weigh only about 36 pounds. Moreover, as only one room is cooled at a time instead of the whole house, the total energy consumption is very low as compared to other air conditioning systems.

Another advantage of portable air conditioners is the energy efficiency that they provide. The average efficiency is in the 8 to 10 range although some are as high as 15, which is 50 percent better than most older central air conditioners. The small size of the portable air conditioners is very advantageous and as such it can fit in a corner or against a wall. It functions like an effective dehumidifier if you do not vent the warm exhaust air out through a window and its size is also the same as that of a room dehumidifier.

In order to reduce humidity and allergies, even the small ones remove 35 pints of moisture per day from the room air. The portable air conditioners also use the heat-exchange principle as the other air conditioners to cool and dehumidify the air. The operating principle is also similar to a window air conditioner as the room air circulates over cold evaporator coils to cool and dehumidify it inside the unit. The room air is exhausted outdoor after flowing over the hot condenser. There is no chance of already-cooled indoor air escaping outside as two ducts are now used.

Nowadays, you have electronic controls in most models and you can set the desired room temperature, blower speed, start and stop timer, and operation mode (cool, dehumidify, heat). The portable air conditioners also have hand-held remote control with which you can conveniently change all the settings as per your need.

The other features of portable air conditioners include a built-in air cleaner with an optional charcoal filter and oscillating louvers to distribute the cool air throughout the room. You can also switch off the louvers to direct the flow of air towards yourself, if you so desire.

Source by Allan Wilson