If the heating and air conditioning works fine, but the indoor fan is on all of the time, then check the fan setting on your thermostat – make sure it’s in the “auto” position, not the “on” position.
If you turn the thermostat to the “off” position – nothing happens, the fan stays on and the only way to get the fan to stop is to shut the power off.
This could be the result of a faulty thermostat, or a problem with the fan circuit. This does require a professional, so give us a call today.
The purpose of a circuit breaker is to protect the equipment, including the wiring that may cause overheating and fires. The first thing to do is check the motor to see any visible smoke or feel for any hot spots. If everything seems normal – reset the circuit breaker. Turn it to the “off” position if it isn’t there already, then back to the “on” position.
If the breaker trips a second time, then it means there’s an overload condition and you should call your service company immediately. The breaker is tripping for a reason – a locked motor, obstructions, faulty wiring or insulation.
One very common cause for breakers to trip is loose electrical connections. Expansion and contraction of the wire lugs on a breaker cause the connections to loosen over time. Don’t tighten the connections with the power on – it’s hazardous to your health.
It’s best to call us and get the problem corrected by a professional.
Listen to the type of sound the unit is making:
- Screeching or grating sounds indicate the fan or compressor is failing.
- The fan retaining fastener could have come loose and the fan is loose in it’s housing.
- So also with the compressor, but this would be more noticeable. Shut the A/C off immediately and call for service.
- Vibrating sounds indicate the fan could be out of balance. It’s best to monitor this condition and turn the A/C off to be on the safe side. Little problems can lead to bigger ones, so call for service.
- Humming sounds coming from the motor indicate that there could be an electrical problem – shorted windings, bad capacitor, or overheated windings. Stop the A/C and call us for service immediately.
Older units are not energy efficient, but higher than average bills indicate problems. The most obvious checks are your home insulation and weather, with humidity being the main problem. If these are not the case, then your A/C’s refrigerant could be low, or there’s a slow leak in the system.
Often dirt can lodge in the expansion valve of the condenser, and interfere with the proper working of the cycle; this causes icing up of the coils and puts a strain on the system – consuming unnecessary power.
Dirty filers and ducts can also affect the performance of the whole system and cause the compressor to work overtime.
Other simple things to keep your system performing well:
- Clear the outdoor unit of debris, shrubs, weeds etc. Keep unrestricted airflow around the unit
- Check for damage to the evaporator – avoid bumping into it with your lawn mower.
- Watch the weed whacker around the coils and cables. Broken insulation can cause shorts and can interfere with the efficient operation of the temperature control.
Your best bet is to call for service. The tune up cost will be recovered very quickly at today’s energy rates. If your system is old, it may be time to investigate an energy efficient A/C unit.
Call us for an energy audit of your home and a free estimate, we can help you save on your energy bills this season.
Turn Off Your Humidifier In Summer
Many people with central humidifiers go into the cooling season forgetting to shut down the humidifier for the summer.
A central air conditioner will not cool or dehumidify properly if the humidifier is running.
Rikki is turning the humidistat to the off position for the summer.
Step 1 – Turn the humidistat to the off position or the lowest percent of relative humidity. The humidistat is usually installed on the return air plenum above the humidifier. Sometimes it is installed on the wall near the thermostat.
Step 2 - Close the duct damper or turn it to the summer position. *Note – not all systems have duct dampers.
Step 3 – Turn off the water-supply. If you are unsure how, just follow the quarter inch water line out of the humidifier. (It is either copper or plastic). Turn the valve clock wise until it stops. *Note -If the valve is a saddle valve, the type that clamps on to a copper water pipe, it might not provide 100% shut-off.
Step 4 – After removing the pad, float assembly, and pan, the parts can now be cleaned. File size- 21k. Clean the humidifier and leave dry until winter. *Note – If you have a float type humidifier with a saddle valve that doesn’t provide 100% shut-off, you can either manually lift the float by placing an object under it to keep the pan empty or you need to have your saddle valve inspected and/or replaced.
Step 5 – If this sounds like too much work, contact us, we can do it for you!
Bonus Tip: Use Humidex Tablets (Store them in a dry place.)
If you have a General-aire Model 81 humidifier or another “float-type” humidifier, we suggest using Humidex tablets. They are really great for hard water areas.
Humidex tablets kill odor causing bacteria, maintain peak humidifier performance, make cleaning much easier and cleaning is needed less often. Vial of 12 tablets. Also extends life of humidifier parts.
Available online from our HVAC Store.
10 Tips to Reduce Your Heating Bill
The winter months are here, and the economy, and soaring energy costs have us avidly searching for ways to stretch our cash. Here are a few low cost, and very simple tips for reducing your electricity bill this winter, and keep that money in your pocket.
1. Turn off extra lights. This is probably the simplest way to conserve, and probably the most overlooked as well. Turn off lights, TV’s and radios when you leave the room, and teach your kids to do the same.
2. Lower your thermostat and bundle up. By lowering your thermostat by just one degree, you can reduce your energy use by at least 3%. Make a point of wearing socks or slippers around this house because if your feet are cold, your whole body will also feel cold. So rather than turning up your heat, grab a sweater or a blanket and bundle up.
3. Make use of natural light. In addition to being refreshing, the rays of the sun help to heat the house. So during the day pull back those drapes and let the sun shine in! But, remember to pull them back at night to keep the heat from escaping out of the windows.
4. Turn down your water heater. By lowering your water heater’s temperature from 140 to 120 degrees, you can really cut costs, and hardly notice a difference. Make sure to fix any leaky faucets.
5. 6 hours is just enough, to have your holiday lights aglow. Turn them on at sunset, and turn them off before turning in for the night.
6. Make use of what is already there. You can tap into heat generation in simple things you do everyday. Leave the oven door open after cooking, and leave the bathroom door open, and the vent system off when you shower and let the steam heat the area.
7. Close off rooms that aren’t in use. It is cheaper to heat a small area than a large one. Reserve your heat for the area where you spend most of your time. Close vents in unused rooms.
8. Don’t let your heat escape. Keep the doors and the windows shut tight when you have your heater running. Make sure your fireplace flue is closed when not in use to minimize the loss of heat.
9. Check those filters! Clean and clear filters are a must for a heating systems – dirty filters can make your heating costs increase.
10. Hire a Professional. At least once a year you should have your heating system inspected by a professional. Proper routine maintenance keeps your heating unit efficient and can save you money.
Whenever you turn on a hot water faucet or have a hot shower, heated water is drawn from the top of the tank and is replaced by cold water that is carried to the bottom through the dip tube. When the water temperature drops, a thermostat activates a heat source – either a burner in a gas model or two heating elements in an electric model. A gas heater has a flue running up the center and out the top to vent deadly gasses. An electric heater needs no venting. In both, an anti-corrosion anode attracts corrosion that would otherwise attack the tank’s walls.
A “Fungus Among Us Mold” is produced by several varieties of fungus. These single-celled organisms have been around since the beginning of time. In recent years, medical authorities have realized what a great health risk they can be. Mold can cause fatigue, nausea, headaches, and respiratory and eye irritation. In recent years, attorneys have been able to persuade juries to award tens of millions of dollars in damages related to mold-infested homes. And, that has caused insurance companies to limit or completely drop mold coverage from their homeowner’s policies. So, whether they are mold-allergic or not themselves, prospective home buyers avoid mold-infested homes like the plague!
