It’s the time of year when Texas residents buckle down and prepare for rain, severe thunderstorms, crazy strong winds, lightening, thunder, and flying debris.  You already know to unplug your computer, television and other electronic devices when severe weather strikes, but how do you protect your HVAC System?  Severe weather is responsible for the destruction of thousands of HVAC units each year.  In crazy Texas weather, there are two ways to protect your air conditioning system: Time Delay Mechanisms and Hail Guards.

As we work with homeowners, property owners and businesses on a daily basis we believe the best protection is preventative in nature.  We’ll talk about Hail Guards in another blog post, but today, we are going to focus on protecting the electrical components of your condensing unit.

Protection from Power Outages

Richard says nothing will protect your air conditioner from a power surge that hits within yards of your property.  However, you CAN protect your unit from power outages.

When the power is going off and on, a time delay allows your unit the opportunity for the pressure in your system to equalize.  You see, your unit is running on two different pressures, when the unit is pumping it has a much higher pressure called the liquid line and a much lower pressure called the suction line.  When the power goes out, the unit turns off and the pump stops.  When the power comes back on again it tries to start in midstream and will end up jamming.  Your unit will work fine many times, but that one time out of a hundred, your unit will break down completely.

So, Do I have a Time Delay?

What kind of thermostat do you have?

• A lot of digital thermostats have a time delay in the circuitry of the thermostat which automatically postpones the unit starting 5 minutes in the event of a power outage.  The delay allows time for the unit to rest, lets the pressure equalize and then starts the unit again.
• Most of your programmable thermostats have delays encoded as well.
• Old mercury switch thermostats do not have a time delay built in.  You would need to have a time delay installed in your condenser by your service technician.

How old is your unit?

• Many newer HVAC units come with a time delay already wired in.  Now that numerous manufacturer warranties expand to 10 years, the companies realize it is more cost effective to install a delay switch when the unit is being built versus pay to replace the entire unit a little later down the road.

Still not sure if your system has a time delay?

• To verify if you have a delay in your thermostat or already in your unit:
  • Turn your thermostat to cool and let it run for a few minutes;
  • Then, turn your thermostat off; wait a minute or two;
  • Next, turn the thermostat back on;
  • If you have a digital thermostat, does your thermostat show “Wait” or does the “Cool” signal blink?  If so, you have a delay in your thermostat.
  • If not, walk outside to see if your condenser is coming back on;
  • If your condenser comes back on immediately, you do not have a delay.
  • If your condenser doesn’t come back on immediately, you do have a delay.

What Do I Do Now?

If you have discovered you do not have a time delay mechanism in your air conditioning system, talk to your trusted HVAC technician.  They can get one installed on your unit during your next routine maintenance check-up.

If you have an old mercury thermostat and have been thinking about upgrading to a digital thermostat, there are a lot of options out there and your technician can help you choose the right one for your lifestyle WITH a time delay already programmed in.

If you have a time delay switch already installed, great!  You are ahead of the curve by proactively protecting your air conditioning system.  The next step is to make sure your unit is checked twice a year for safety and efficient operations.  How long would you go without getting an oil change in your car?  The HVAC system in your home or office is a machine that needs regular maintenance to keep it operating safely, efficiently and long-term.

Have other questions?  Give us a call at (972) 679-4072 or shoot us an email: info@coldairac.com.  Also, “Like” us on Facebook to interact with us daily!

Air filters are designed to weed out the impurities in your living environment.  Great filters can prevent allergies, reduce the symptoms of asthma, and even reduce the risks of Cardiovascular Health (Tex-Air Filters Blog).  Air filtration is graded based on the MERV rating (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value).  The higher the MERV rating, the smaller the particles the filter protects against.

Most filters found in homes are rated very low and only protect against the largest particles.  Hospitals and clean environments use filters with very high MERV ratings.

Consumers have the choice to use Air Filters or Air Cleaners to purify the air they breathe.

Types of Air Filters

We often get asked by our customers what type of filter they should choose for their homes.  There are several different types of filters out there: Fiberglass, Washable, Pleated and Electrostatic.

We generally recommend pleated, throw-away filters.  These filters have more surface area than other filters, they are disposable and they catch more particles than most of the others on the market.  The filters we use are rated MERV 7 and last up to 3 months.  We can even get filters rated up to a MERV 11!

Air Filters vs. Air Cleaners

So what is the difference between an air cleaner and an air filter?  Air filters are placed at the edge of the duct work leading to the evaporator coil in the attic.  Air filters protect against, at most, 35% of the particles in the air.

Air Cleaners are placed in the duct work leading to the evaporator coils.  Air cleaners can protect against more than 95% of the particles in the air.  HEPA rated filters are one of the highest rated and protect against 99.97% of the particles in the air.

Air Cleaners send the air through a process of treating, charging, cleaning and purifying that result in pure air being sent back out the return air system.  Additionally air purifiers with charcoal systems can capture odors in the air such as cigar and cigarette smoke, food smells and pet odors.

We recommend Trane’s CleanEffects system which removes up to 99.98% of airborne allergens from the air.  It is 8 times more effective than most HEPA filters and up to 100 times more effective than a standard air filter.

What’s Next?

If you are lost on the filter isle, we can provide a great disposable filter for your home or office.  We are happy to deliver filters for you next time we service your heating and air conditioning system.

For more information on how often to change your air filters – check out our blog: Changing Your HVAC Air Filter.

If you are looking to reduce your allergy symptoms, lead a healthier life or just want cleaner air in your home or office, we can recommend the right air cleaner for your system.

Coldair Air Conditioning & Heating works to be your trusted service professional today, and the rest of your life.  We offer fair prices, trustworthy technicians and valuable service.

To learn more about our company visit our website at www.ColdairAC.com.  To contact our offices, please call 972-679-4072 or email us at info@coldairac.com.

Like us? Then “Like” us on Facebook!  Follow us on Twitter.  Connect with us on LinkedIn.  Circle us on Google+.  Watch us on YouTube.

Sources: Trane, Tex-Air, Home Depot

First, it depends on your lifestyle:  Do you have pets?  Do you smoke?  How many people live in your home?  Are you home all day, or are you away most of the day?  Are you highly susceptible to allergies?  Does anyone in your house hold suffer from asthma?

Second, it depends on the type of air filter you use.  A cheaper air filter may only be usable for a month, whereas a higher grade filter may last for up to three months.

Dirty air filters can reduce the air flow of your unit requiring you to turn your unit higher/lower to keep you comfortable.  An extremely dirty air filter can cause your unit to shut off resulting in a necessary service call from your technician.  Dirty filters are also responsible for reducing the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system by up to 20%.  Since heating/cooling makes up between 30-50% of your utility bill over the course of a year, can you imagine how much money you would save by keeping your filters clean?

Richard has a quick answer for all of these questions, “Don’t be meticulous about changing your air filter.  Take it out and hold it up to the light.  If you can see light through it, then your filter does not need to be changed.  If you cannot see any light through it, it is time to replace it.”

Slightly dirty air filters purify the air better than brand new air filters.  The more material (dirt) on the air filter, the better it is able to filter the air.  Of course, this is only applicable as long as the amount of dirt doesn’t restrict the air flow in your HVAC system.  In fact, we have been called out to clean evaporator coils in homes that change their filters too often.

Generally speaking, you should check your air filter every month or so.  But don’t rush to change the filter, make sure it is time to swap it out!

To find out more about air filter quality and air cleaners, check out our “Let’s Talk Clean Air” blog.

Coldair Air Conditioning & Heating works to be your trusted service professional today, and the rest of your life.  We offer fair prices, trustworthy technicians and valuable service.

To learn more about our company visit our website at www.ColdairAC.com.  To contact our offices, please call 972-679-4072 or email us at info@coldairac.com.

Like us? Then “Like” us on Facebook!  Follow us on Twitter.  Connect with us on LinkedIn.  Circle us on Google+.  Watch us on YouTube.