admin, Author at Action Heating & Conditioning

Your Furnace- Prepare for the Winter

22 Oct 2018

Preparing Your Furnace-Fall is Here, not only do you have to change over your wardrobe from shorts and bikinis to jeans and light sweaters, but you also have to modify your heating and cooling habits. Here are some ways to start making the transition as the temperatures begin to drop as you are preparing your furnace for the winter ahead,

Turn off your programmable thermostat.The weather is erratic in the South. When you have no idea how the temperature is going to fluctuate each day, it’s best to turn off the programmable thermostat. If left on, it could end up unnecessarily cooling your house and wasting energy.
Make sure you have adequate insulation. Check attics and walls. Updating your insulation increases energy conservation and leads to lower electric bills.
Continually decrease your Air Conditioning usage. As the temperature cools, be mindful of lowering your air conditioning accordingly. It doesn’t need to be going at full blast. Match the lowered temperatures with lowered usage of your unit.
Consider a heat pump.If you have a heat pump, you’re able to transfer energy from one part of your house to another. Use it to transfer heat into your home during the fall transition.
Fill up your gas furnace now.Gas is normally cheaper in the summer, and it’s easier to fill it up now than in the winter months. By planning ahead, you prepare yourself for any unexpected bursts of wintery weather.

Once you have successfully acclimated your home and energy usage to the new season, you’re going to see lower energy costs and less strain on your HVAC unit. It is also important to continually maintain your HVAC system. With these simple steps, you are sure to increase the longevity of the unit and its efficiency.

Keep an eye on your furnace filters.Regularly changing them gives your unit a boost. Make sure to change them every one to three months. If you monitor them, you’re going to visibly recognize when it’s time for a replacement. In fact, it’s a good idea to stock up on furnace filters now. There are usually better prices in the summer months.
Make sure the area around your furnace is clean.Sweep often and remove all debris. This helps to keep the filter clean and prevent any chance of fire involving your furnace.
Air vents and ducts need to be regularly cleaned and maintained.Keeping airways open prevents the unit from overworking itself.

Remember there are many maintenance tasks that require a trained professional. We, at Action Heating and Air Conditioning, offer several affordable year-round maintenance programs that can help you save money on repairs and help your units run more efficiently. Preparing your furnace for the winter months ahead can help greatly in energy savings, Please call us at 251 272-5900 to obtain a free quote on one of our maintenance programs. Also, please visit our website at www.callaction.net to meet our team, learn about all the services we offer, and to find some money saving discounts.

HVAC Maintenance Is Important

admin

09 Oct 2018

HVAC maintenance programs

Comments: 0

HVAC Maintenance

HVAC Maintenance is Important! The purpose of preventative HVAC maintenance is to keep your HVAC system up and running all season long with no surprise breakdowns, while operating at top efficiency. You rarely see your HVAC system face to face, so it’s easy to forget about it and neglect it. No matter how expensive the system is or what the manufacturer promises, a complicated piece of mechanical equipment is subject to breakdowns and needs repairs every so often. Reduce the incidence of repairs by keeping on top of your maintenance.

What can you expect from your newly tuned-up HVAC system? Is the cost of HVAC maintenance really worth it? You should consider that some benefits of regular maintenance are immediate while others prevent future problems from developing. Some of the most prominent benefits include:

Lower energy bills:You might assume that since the equipment is heating or cooling your home without any apparent problem that everything is fine. However, have you taken a look at your energy bills lately? A neglected system slowly loses its ability to keep your home comfortable at the same level of efficiency it once did. Just as a car tune-up delivers better gas mileage, your HVAC system consumes less fuel after receiving professional maintenance.
Fewer repairs:Do you hear a strange sound or notice an odd odor coming from your furnace? Calling for a tune-up right away could help catch problems before they become disastrous. For example, a fraying belt could result in strange operating noises. If a technician replaces it in time, you can avoid the expensive repair that results from a snapped belt whipping around inside. By preventing future repairs, annual maintenance pays for itself
Lower chance of a catastrophic breakdown:Everyone wants an incident-free cooling and heating season. After all, it’s incredibly inconvenient and uncomfortable when equipment breaks down on a sweltering summer afternoon or frigid winter night, right when you need your HVAC system most. The odds of this happening when you schedule inspections every year are greatly diminished.
Longer equipment life:Air conditioners, furnaces and other HVAC equipment function best when they’re regularly serviced and cleaned. One malfunctioning part can cause a domino effect that causes the entire system to break down. Regular maintenance prevents this from happening and adds years to your equipment’s lifespan.
Safer equipment operation:A failing HVAC system does more than cost a lot of money to repair; it also can endanger your family. For instance, if the furnace develops a crack in the heat exchanger, carbon monoxide gas can escape and poison the air you breathe. Also, electric HVAC systems can develop a short circuit, which is a serious fire hazard if ignored. Clearly, your family’s safety is yet another reason to schedule annual HVAC system maintenance.

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning hope that this information was helpful in your decision to start a regular HVAC maintenance program on your system. We have been serving the Mobile and Baldwin Counties area since 1997. We offer professional quality work at an affordable price. Our technicians are well trained and state abreast to all new techniques and technology. Please visit our website at www.callaction.net to meet our team and learn more about our services.

Insulation Tips That May Help

09 Oct 2018

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning would like to share these Insulation Tips with you. Insulation is a major component of helping you keep your energy cost down as well as the efficiency of your HVAC. An under insulated home can result in your HVAC unit having to run more than needed.

The Correct Form of Insulation

Building insulation can be classified into four general categories: loose fill (cellulose, mineral, or glass fibers); batts (fiberglass, cotton, or various wools); rigid boards (composed of plastic foams or glass fibers); expanding sprays (proprietary systems). Batt and rigid insulation typically come into play during a major restoration that requires replacing walls or when you are installing insulation in unfinished spaces such as attics.

The most common is retrofit for old houses is loose fill because it can reach places where it’s difficult to install other types. It also has the least effect on existing finishes. The National Park Service (NPS) recommends using loose-fill cellulose (recycled newspaper) type that has been treated only with borates as a fire retardant, rather than one treated with ammonium or aluminum sulfate. Insulation treated with sulfates reacts with moisture forming sulfuric acid, which can cause damage to most metals (including copper plumbing and wiring), stone, brick, and wood. Borates are physically and chemically compatible with many existing old-house materials.

How Much Insulation Do You Need

An insulation’s R-value—the material’s thermal resistance or resistance to heat flow—depends on what region of the country you live in and what part of the house you are insulating. The higher the R-value the better the material insulates. R-values range from zero to 40 and more—the smaller value appropriate for warm weather places, such as Alabama, the high value appropriate in chilly climates, such as New York. The Department of Energy has a Web site that shows what the R-value should be for your region.

Where to Install Insulation

This answer will vary from old house to old house. As mentioned, most heat loss is typically through the roof. Since warm air has a tendency to rise and cool air to fall, insulating the attic is the place to start. If the attic is unfinished it should be installed on the floor. If the attic is used as a living space, say a home office or play room, the insulation should be placed between the rafters.

One of the biggest mistakes here is installing insulation without a proper ventilation path between the insulation and the building exterior. Don’t block the soffit, ridge, or gable vents in the roof. This can create moisture problems. The Thermal type should never be placed around old wiring. Have an electrician check to see if the electrical insulation on your wiring is up to code. The National Electrical Code recommends against blown-in or batt insulation around old knob-and-tube wiring, which could prevent heat dissipation from the electrical conductors and start a fire.

Are there alternative green insulation products

There are a number of environmentally friendly products on the market. Blown-in cellulose insulation made from 100 percent recycled newspaper and treated with borates for fire-resistance and protection against insects is labeled by the Environmental Protection Agency for effectiveness against termites, cockroaches, ants, earwigs, and many other insects. This product contains no free formaldehyde, no ammonium sulfate, no fiberglass, and no asbestos.

Another product winning green accolades in the market place is polyisocyanurate, a rigid material that per thickness has a higher R value than batt or blown-in fiberglass, cellulose, and cotton insulation. Polyiso also provides an effective moisture barrier when used with laminated aluminum foil facers in masonry cavity wall applications. This type can be installed between furring strips when the walls in your house need to be replaced altogether. Another green insulation product is cotton insulation made from recycled denim; this product is itch-free and easy to install. It is also treated with borates to keep insects away.

An early insulating material still on the market today is Homasote fiber board, which consists of 100 percent recycled newspaper mixed with a small amount of other ingredients, including paraffin wax as a water repellent and copper metaborate for resistance to fungi, termites, and carpenter ants. It’s a great soundproofer, and although it has an R-value of only 1.2, South Pole explorers in the 1930s and ’40s lined their buildings with it.

We hope these tips help you when deciding on installing new or adding it to your home. If you need a new HVAC system or simply repairs on your current system please call us Action Heating and Air Conditioning at 251 272-5900, one of our trained experts will glad come to your home or office and professionally handle your HVAC system needs.

Air Conditioner Terms Fairhope

admin

28 Sep 2018

air conditioner

Comments: 0

air conditioner terms fairhope

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning know that the summer is close by and air conditioning problems can occur without a moment’s notice. We thought it would be a good time to help educate you our customers on some Air Conditioner terms Fairhopethat you make want to be familiar with when your air conditioner needs repairs

Air Diffuser

Air distribution outlet or grill designed to direct and develop balanced air streams

Bubble Point

The pressure at which a refrigerant liquid starts to vaporize.

Coil

Component providing heat transfer to air when mounted inside an air handling unit or duct work. The term is normally associated with a fin and tube heat exchanger using refrigerant or water as the heat transfer medium.

Compressor

A key component of the refrigeration system, raising the pressure (and hence temperature) of the refrigerant and circulating it through a closed loop system.

Density

The weight of a unit volume of a substance

Duct

Ducts are used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) to deliver and remove air including supply air, return air, and exhaust air.

ESEER

As with EER, the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of equipment energy efficiency, but defined to suit the Europe market. Rather than using a single condition (EER) the SEER assumes four seasonal conditions for variable load performance of chillers, etc. and provides a suitable rating number for the equipment.

Evaporator Coil

An evaporator coil is usually located indoors as part of a split unit or within an air handler or duct system. Inside the coil, refrigerant evaporates as it absorbs heat from the air that passes over it.

Inverter Compressor

This type of compressor uses an inverter drive to control the compressor motor speed to modulate capacity as demand varies.

Refrigerant

The fluid used for the heat transfer within a refrigeration system. The refrigerant absorbs heat at low temperature and pressure and transfers heat at high temperature and pressure. The refrigerant can be many materials, commonly fluorocarbon compounds, but also natural refrigerants such as ammonia, CO2, hydrocarbons as well as other compounds such as water and air.

RCI (HI) and RCI ( LO)

The Rack Cooling Index (RCI) is a metric that measures the percentage of racks in the data center where the air inlet temperature is at the recommended or allowable level under the guidelines put forth by ASHRAE. RCI (hi) is the metric for racks at the upper limit and RCI (lo) for racks at the lower limit. This metric reveals how uniformly and efficiently a data center is being cooled.

Split System

A split air conditioning system consists of two main parts: the outdoor (condensing) unit and the indoor unit. Although any size of unit could be defined as a split system it normally refers to smaller equipment, specifically air to air heat pumps.

Thermostatic expansion valve (TEV)

A precision control device, designed to control the evaporator super heat by regulating the rate at which liquid refrigerant flows into the evaporator.

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning have been serving Mobile and Baldwin Counties since 1997. We hope these Air Conditioner terms Fairhope help you undertsand your air conditioning system better. Please give us a call at 251-272-5900 when your need affordable air conditioning repairs performed by a trained HVAC specialist or when a new air conditioning unit is the needed solution. We have some great specials to help save on a new unit as well as great financing options. Please visit our website at www.callaction.net to learn more about us.

HVAC Maintenance Programs in Fairhope

admin

19 Sep 2018

HVAC maintenance programs

Comments: 0

HVAC maintenance programs in Fairhope

Most of us don’t have regular maintenance preformed on our HVAC systems, even though studies show that good maintenance can cut HVAC energy costs while also extending equipment life, improving your comfort, and saving you money on costly repairs. Effective maintenance can reduce HVAC energy costs by 5 to 40 percent depending on the system or equipment involved. A variety of HVAC components need ongoing maintenance or energy performance degradation can occur. Regular scheduled HVAC maintenance programs in Fairhope of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems can increase their efficiency.

Some people feel that a home warranty is the answer versus having HVAC maintenance programs in Fairhope. Here are some reasons the HVAC maintenance program may be a better way to manage expenses and maintain a more efficient system.

Semiannual inspections and professional cleanings ensure your HVAC system is running properly, and also extend the life of your system with proper maintenance. Those services are not included in home warranties; but they are free every six months under your HVAC maintenance plan.
An HVAC maintenance plan saves you money when work is needed with discounts on repairs and parts and labor. Typically, home warranty companies place limits on what they will fix and also require a deductible to be paid prior to repairs being made.
While a home warranty is strictly focused on providing a homeowner with repair and replacement, tune-ups provided with your HVAC maintenance plan result in savings on your monthly electric bill.
When you have an emergency, an HVAC maintenance plan means you don’t have to wait for days for someone to come out and look at your system. You will be placed on a priority schedule and typically receive same-day service any time of the year.

Yes home warranty programs do cover many other items in your home, but what many people fail to notice is that here in the South the major of all calls made for service with your home warranty program are concerning your HVAC system. An annual maintenance plan is a low-cost, effective way to protect your A/C system compared to what you would pay for a traditional warranty company plan.

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning offer affordable HVAC maintenance programs in Fairhope tailored to your HVAC system. We have been serving the Mobile and Baldwin County areas since 1997. All of our technicians are well trained and continue ongoing to stay up-to-date with the latest techniques to maintain and repair your HVAC systems. Please visit our website at www.callaction.net to meet our team, review the services we offer, and find some seasonal discounts that we make available.

HVAC system and Autumn

admin

10 Sep 2018

HVAC

Comments: 0

The transition between summer and fall can be more significant than you think, temperatures drop, leaves change color, and air pollutants increase. With the cool climate of fall right around the corner, now is the perfect time to start preparing your HVAC system and Autumn. That said, there’s a lot to do when addressing your HVAC system and Autumn with cooling temperatures.

To live comfortably and have no issues with changing seasons, you must take care of your unit.

Whether you have a furnace, a heat pump or a multipurpose unit, it is important that you schedule a maintenance visit from your professional HVAC technician and conduct some do it yourself tips.

Be sure and replace your filters at least every 3 months. It clears up your HVAC, your ductwork, and prepares your system for the seasonal transitions.
If an upgrade is necessary, fall is the perfect time to make this change when temperatures are not too hot and not too cold. If your HVAC system is old and needs replacing, now is the time to act.
You should warm up your system a few weeks before it is time to use regularly. This will have it primed when the season comes.
Prepare your Air Conditioner for the cold weather. Your outdoor unit will be at a greater risk of freezing. The best way to prevent this is to change your refrigerant, clear the airflow, and keep it warm with putting blankets over it if the temperatures get below freezing.

Thank goodness for fall, this transition period from the very hot summers to the very cold winters, give you time to adjust to insure your HVAC system in the Fall is ready for the transition.

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning are here to help you prepare yourself for changes in system. We have been servicing the Mobile and Baldwin County areas since 1997. Our team of professionals can help you keep your HVAC system and Autumn in shape affordably throughout the year. Please visit our website at www.callaction.net to meet our team of professionals and review all the services we offer.

Hurricanes This Fall- Be Prepared

admin

10 Sep 2018

hurricane

Comments: 0

Hurricanes This Fall Be Prepared

Hurricane season is not over yet. The worst hurricanes happen in August, September and October. Are you prepared and ready? We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning want to offer some tips to insure you are prepared.

There are many things you can do to prepare for hurricane season. Let’s review the below items.

Step 1: Have a Plan for Hurricanes

Start by having a plan in place for you and your family. If you are evacuated, you should already have a plan regarding where to go. Also, get together a disaster supply kit that contains critical information and supplies if you do need to evacuate. Another great part of the planning process is to make a communication plan with your family.

Step 2: Review your Insurance Policy

You should also take time each year to examine your insurance policy. This can help you determine if there are areas that require adjustment or if you need additional coverage. You may even want to talk with your insurance company to help you determine whether you have the right amount of insurance.

Step 3: Take Care of your Health

When a hurricane is looming, make sure you take the time to ensure you have enough of any prescriptions you normally take. Remember, when a hurricane hits, it could be weeks before you can refill your prescriptions, so having several weeks-worth in advance of a hurricane is important.

Step 4: Check on Your Neighbors for Hurricanes Plans

Check in with your neighbors to see how you can help each other before and after the storm. If you are running to the store to grab a couple of last minute items check to see if your neighbors need anything.

These are things that can help prepare you for a hurricane. If you have any HVAC for any reason including the after effects of a storm, please call us Action Heating and Air Conditioning any time. We are available 7 days a week 365 day a year. Please visit our website. www.callcation.net to meet our team and learn more about all our services and seasonal discounts.

Hurricanes Air Conditioner

admin

29 Aug 2018

hurricane

Comments: 0

hurricanes air conditioners

Hurricane season isn’t over. Matter of fact September is considered the peak of the season. So, with a Hurricane still a possibility what should you do to protect your air conditioner because the summer heat is still as hot as ever through most of this remaining Hurricane season.

There are several things you should do before the storm hits.

Make sure that your unit is installed on a concrete pad. And secure it with hurricane

straps. This can prevent the unit from going airborne in high winds.

Turn off your unit before the storm arrives and also cover it to protect it from flying debris

A surge protector for your air conditioner is advisable so that powers urges from the storm don’t destroy its wiring and components.

After the storm there are several more things you need to do to protect your air conditioning unit.

Make sure the unit is not under water at any time during the storm

Don’t leave the tarp or cover on it.

Remove any debris that is around or lodged in the unit.

Look for external damages to the unit.

Make sure that there are no damages to the electrical or refrigerant lines.

Don’t turn your unit back on before running through this checklist. If there are any indications that the unit is damaged or has been underwater, do not turn it on or you could make the problem even worse.

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning hope that this information was helpful. We all hope and pray that Hurricane season passes us by in the Mobile and Baldwin County areas. Remember we are here 7 days a week if you need us. We have been serving our area since 1997 with trained professional technicians. Please visit our website at www.callcation.net to meet our team, review all the services we offer, and check out the seasonal discount offers.

Air Conditioning Unit- When to Buy

admin

19 Aug 2018

air conditioning, HVAC

Comments: 0

new air conditioning unit

The question arises often when is the best time to buy a new Air Conditioning Unit. The obvious answer is in the off season, right? Well what is then the off season here in South Alabama, with long hot summer and sometimes brutally cold winters.

The answer is that time of the year when the quality air conditioning and heating companies are least busy and are in a panic trying to find work to keep their employees busy, so they don’t have to them lay off.

In our area of the country the best time is Spring after April 15^th, simply because we tend to have a late winter blast occur in last March and early April. The next best time is around October 1^st after the heat index has dropped and the weather is pleasant. At these times of the year we are trying to reduce the heavy use of our air conditioning system and have not turned the furnace on yet.

The next question is what leverage on pricing will you truly gain at these times of the year.

So, we can all agree…more important than the best time to buy an air conditioner, is how to get the best price. Let’s talk negotiation – all negotiations are based on leverage. In its simplest definition, leverage is defined as the person who is willing to walk away from a negotiation. You are the person which has the most leverage when,

You don’t needa new air conditioner, you’d like
You don’t need to use a certain contractor, there are others.

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning have been serving Mobile and Baldwin Counties since 1997. We do our best to install the best quality air conditioning systems that will be affordable while being energy efficient. We like other contractors do have slow times of the year, but we at Action Heating and Air Conditioning insure you that no matter what time of the year, we will do our best to install the most affordable unit that meets your needs. The only concern is that in our business repair season it may take a little longer to have your new air conditioning unit installed. Please visit our website at www.callaction.net to learn more about our services and discount offers as well as meet our team.

Air Conditioning Maintenance This Fall

admin

10 Aug 2018

air conditioning maintenance

Comments: 0

Air Conditioning Maintenance This Fall

Hopefully cooler weather is right around the corner hopefully meaning that indoor air conditioners will finally get some time off. Their owners, however, still have some work to do. HVAC systems last from 12-15 years with proper air conditioning maintenance, and if you don’t prepare your AC units for winter, they may not live out their full lives.

So what heating and air conditioning maintenance activities should you perform to preserve your air conditioner before winter arrives?

Change Your Filters
HVAC filters should be changed at least once every three months, and you shouldn’t stop tending to your AC filters just because you won’t be using the unit. Dirty filters block the flow of air through your system and spread dirt, dust and allergens through the atmosphere of your home. Replacing a clogged filter can make your AC unit significantly more energy efficient.
AC Coils and Coil Fins
All AC coils attract dirt over time, no matter how clean you keep your filters. When dirt builds up on coils it reduces airflow and the coil is less capable of absorbing heat. You should check or clean your coil once a year to keep it working in optimum condition. The fins on the coils and the condenser should be checked regularly as well. If they become bent, they can keep air from flowing.
Clear Debris and Dirt
If you have an outdoor condenser, it’s crucial to keep it clear of debris. This is especially important as leaves start to fall. Make sure you clear any leaves and other debris away from your unit before snow hits. You should also trim back any overhanging branches or foliage by two feet to keep the airflow circulating and prevent anything from falling on your unit in the event of a winter storm.

When you need, air conditioning maintenance preformed on your HVAC systems, please call us at Action Heating and Air Conditioning. We have been servicing Mobile and Baldwin Counties since 1997. We offer excellent service at affordable prices. Our trained experts are equipped to install, repair, and maintain your HVAC systems. Please visit our website at www.callaction.net to meet our team, review all the services we offer, and to view our seasonal discounts available.