A Home Cooling Strategy for Lower Energy Bills

Info from energy.gov - http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/home-cooling-strategy-lower-energy-bills

Hot weather has arrived, and you've likely used your air conditioner at least a few times already (if not more). But have you spent the time to ensure that it's running as it should? And have you considered an overall cooling strategy that could help you run your air conditioner less, save money, and stay cool and comfortable? If you answered no to both of those questions, the tips below can help you get on track to a comfortable, efficient cooling season.

Maintain Your Air Conditioner

The tips below can help keep your air conditioner running efficiently and prolong the life of the unit.

• Replace filters every one to two months during the cooling season. You can lower energy use by 5%-15% by replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one.
• Check the evaporator coil every year and clean it as needed.
• Clean the area around outdoor condenser coils by removing debris and trimming foliage so there are at least two feet around the condenser for airflow. Also be aware of debris build up from dryer vents, falling leaves, and trimming and mowing the lawn; clean away this debris as needed throughout the cooling season.
• Are the fins on your evaporator or condenser coils bent? If so, they may be blocking airflow. Look for a "fin comb" at an air conditioning wholesaler to get them bent back into shape.
• Pass a stiff wire through the unit's drain channels. When they are clogged, the unit can't reduce humidity and excess moisture could cause discoloration in the walls or carpet.
• If you live in an extremely humid climate and your air conditioner has difficulty achieving low humidity, consider adding a dehumidifying heat pipe as a retrofit to your system.
• For room or window air conditioners, inspect the seal between the air conditioner and the frame to ensure the frame makes contact with the unit's metal case. Damage to the seal can cause leaks and waste energy.
• Read more about air conditioner maintenance and common air conditioner problems. For more than basic maintenance, be sure to contact a certified professional.

Plan Your Home Cooling Strategy

Once you have your air conditioner in tip-top shape, work on your overall strategy for using it along with other methods for cooling your home, such as natural ventilation and ceiling fans. In addition, consider your cooking habits and appliance usage; these can add extra heat to your home. The following tips can be part of your strategy:

• Set your thermostat to at least 78°F when you're at home and need cooling. Use a programmable thermostat to increase the temperature when you're away and return it to a comfortable level before you're home.
• Use natural ventilation when possible. Open windows and turn off your cooling system if it's cool at night and in the mornings.
• Use energy-efficient window treatments and close them during the day to block sunlight and radiated heat from outdoors.
• Using ceiling fans when you're in the room. You can raise thermostat setting 4 degrees without affecting comfort. But remember to turn off fans when you leave the room—fans cool people, not rooms, by creating a wind chill effect.
• Find air leaks and seal them with caulk or weatherstripping to prevent warm air from leaking in.
• Limit the heat from your appliances. Cook outside on a grill, and try not to use the washer, dryer, and dishwasher during the heat of the day. Use a fan when showering and range hood when cooking to remove heat and humidity from the home.
• Move lamps, TVs, and other appliances away from your thermostat. The extra heat can cause the air conditioner to run longer.
• When landscaping, consider adding shade to block solar heat during the hot summer months.

Summer doesn't have to mean high cooling bills. Proper air conditioner maintenance coupled with an overall strategy for efficiently cooling your home can help you stay comfortable while saving money. For more tips, check out our infographic Energy Saver 101: Everything You Need to Know About Home Cooling, as well as our spring and summer energy-saving tips.

Air Conditioning

Article Source: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/air-conditioning
Air conditioners cost U.S. homeowners more than $11 billion each year, and regular maintenance can keep your air conditioner running efficiently.
Two-thirds of all homes in the United States have air conditioners. Air conditioners use about 5% of all the electricity produced in the United States, at an annual cost of more than $11 billion to homeowners. As a result, roughly 100 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the air each year -- an average of about two tons for each home with an air conditioner. To learn more about air conditions, explore our Energy Saver 101 infographic on home cooling.
Air conditioners employ the same operating principles and basic components as your home refrigerator. Refrigerators use energy (usually electricity) to transfer heat from the cool interior of the refrigerator to the relatively warm surroundings of your home; likewise, an air conditioner uses energy to transfer heat from the interior of your home to the relatively warm outside environment.
An air conditioner cools your home with a cold indoor coil called the evaporator. The condenser, a hot outdoor coil, releases the collected heat outside. The evaporator and condenser coils are serpentine tubing surrounded by aluminum fins. This tubing is usually made of copper.
A pump, called the compressor, moves a heat transfer fluid (or refrigerant) between the evaporator and the condenser. The pump forces the refrigerant through the circuit of tubing and fins in the coils.
The liquid refrigerant evaporates in the indoor evaporator coil, pulling heat out of indoor air and cooling your home. The hot refrigerant gas is pumped outdoors into the condenser where it reverts back to a liquid, giving up its heat to the outside air flowing over the condenser's metal tubing and fins.
Throughout the second half of the 20th century, nearly all air conditioners used chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as their refrigerant, but because these chemicals are damaging to Earth's ozone layer, CFC production stopped in the United States in 1995. Nearly all air conditioning systems now employ halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) as a refrigerant, but these are also being gradually phased out, with most production and importing stopped by 2020 and all production and importing stopped by 2030.
Production and importing of today's main refrigerant for home air conditioners, HCFC-22 (also called R-22), began to be phased out in 2010 and will stop entirely by 2020. However, HCFC-22 is expected to be available for many years as it is recovered from old systems that are taken out of service. As these refrigerants are phased out, ozone-safe hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are expected to dominate the market, as well as alternative refrigerants such as ammonia.
Switching to high-efficiency air conditioners and taking other actions to keep your home cool could reduce energy use for air conditioning by 20% to 50%. For general information on air conditioners and how best to maintain them, see:

• Maintaining Your Air Conditioner
• Common Problems with Air Conditioners

The two most common types of air conditioners are room air conditioners and central air conditioners. A compromise between the two types of systems is provided by ductless, mini-split air conditioners.

If you need air conditioning Services in the Tampa or Orlando Florida area, call the pro's Harrell Home Services. www.fixmyacfast.com

Listen to our first Podcast - "How to Tell if You Need Your A/C Replaced"

According to the US Energy Information Administration, 87 percent of all US households have air conditioning units. Surprisingly, many homeowners do not know when it is time to replace their old but still working A/C. So, here are three factors that you need to consider in order to determine whether you need to retire that old A/C and buy a new one.

 http://fixmyacfast.podomatic.com/entry/2015-05-01T11_28_17-07_00

Heating and Cooling Tips

Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home -- typically making up about 48% of your utility bill.

No matter what kind of heating and cooling system you have in your house, you can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment. But remember, an energy-efficient furnace alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using the whole-house approach. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with recommended insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can save about 30% on your energy bill while reducing environmental emissions.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Set your programmable thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer, and -- depending on the season -- raise or lower the setpoint when you're sleeping or away from home.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces and air conditioners once a month or as recommended.
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
• Eliminate trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if unsure about how to perform this task, contact a professional.
• Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
• Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
• During winter, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
• During summer, keep the window coverings closed during the day to block the sun's heat.
  

Long-Term Savings Tips

• Select energy-efficient products when you buy new heating and cooling equipment.
• For furnaces, look for high Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings. The national minimum is 78% AFUE, but there are ENERGY STAR® models on the market that exceed 90% AFUE. For air conditioners, look for a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The current minimum is 13 SEER for central air conditioners. ENERGY STAR models are 14.5 SEER or more.
  

If you are still having problems, you should call a professional. You may need to have your AC replaced. It is possible that it just needs service or maintenance. Call Harrell Home Services for fast and professional service.

Tampa - 813-367-1044
Orlando - 407-287-4032
www.fixmyacfast.com 

Article Source:

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tips-heating-and-cooling

 

Why Should You Upgrade Your Air Conditioning System

Is your house damp or warm?  Does your air conditioner make a lot of noise or run inefficiently and cause your energy bill to skyrocket? Then, maybe it's time to change your air conditioning unit.

If you have already decided to lower your energy costs; remember that the most important thing is to hire a professional. Just buying a new air conditioner is not enough. The specific unit should be chosen with the help of a professional and correctly installed by a professional. Without the help of a professional, a wrong configuration such as installing an undersized unit in a large home might be chosen.  In this example, the unit will not be able to cool your home efficiently and the overworked unit will not last as long as the proper size. If you have any of these problems, you can call in confidence and we will gladly help you choose and install your new air conditioning system.

Properly Sized Room Air Conditioners

Many people buy an air conditioner that is too large, thinking it will provide better cooling. However, an oversized air conditioner is actually less effective — and wastes energy at the same time. Air conditioners remove both heat and humidity from the air. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity. This leaves the room with a damp, clammy feeling. A properly sized unit will remove humidity effectively as it cools.

To figure out which size unit is best for your cooling needs:

Using the square footage and the chart below, determine the correct cooling capacity. Cooling capacity is measured in British thermal units (BTUs) per hour.
Area To Be Cooled (square feet)
Capacity Needed (BTUs per hour)


450 up to 550             12,000
550 up to 700             14,000
700 up to 1,000          18,000
1,000 up to 1,200       21,000
1,200 up to 1,400       23,000
1,400 up to 1,500       24,000
1,500 up to 2,000       30,000
2,000 up to 2,500       34,000

Make any adjustments for the following circumstances:
    ◦    If the room is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10 percent.
    ◦    If the room is very sunny, increase capacity by 10 percent.
    ◦    If more than two people regularly occupy the room, add 600 BTUs for each additional person.
    ◦    If the unit is used in a kitchen, increase capacity by 4,000 BTUs.
    ◦    Consider where you install the unit. If you are mounting an air conditioner near the corner of a room, look for a unit that can send the airflow in the right direction.

Improving Your Home Cooling System

With the summer season upon us once again, it is time to consider your cooling needs. Whether your home cooling system is in need of some routine maintenance or you have moved to a new place and need to think about your heating and cooling needs, the fact is that the summer heat will not wait and you need to decide quickly what your options are.

Without the proper air circulation in your home, it can have some hazardous effects to your health. You don't want to be breathing in unfiltered air and you don't want to find yourself overheated during the hottest months of the summer, as this can cause dehydration, dizziness, sweating, and more. All of this can be easily avoided with the right purchase. You have the option of choosing either a wall air conditioning unit or central air conditioning; it depends on what is best for you and your home.

The main advantage of a central air cooling system is that every room in the home will maintain an even temperature. This way you do not have to resort to using fans in each room to make things more comfortable for you and your family on those unbearably hot days.

On the other hand, a single wall unit will afford you the option of making one room cooler than others in your home.

If you live in a humid environment you may want cooler temperatures in your bedroom at night so that you can rest better. A wall unit is ideal for this purpose.

Some other things to consider are the size of your home, the amount of people living with you and whether or not you entertain on a regular basis, as well as your energy costs on average, these factors along with the fact that you may live in milder temperatures and have less need for cooling your home. In this case, a wall unit will work for your needs.

If the home you live in is part of an attached home such as a house or condo, you may want to read over your contract to determine if window units are allowed in the home if central heating and air are not part of your rental or contract agreement.

However you decide you want to cool your home this summer, you have options to choose from that will work with your budget and your tastes. You may want to speak to an HVAC technician for some pointers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4959417

How to Clean Your Air Ducts in Tampa Homes

Many people worry about the cleanliness of their air ducts because of the fear that dirty ones can lead to adverse health problems from the pollutants they collect. However, for the most part this fear is misguided. The EPA has not yet been able to conclusively prove the benefit of regularly cleaning your air ducts and therefore does not recommend doing it.

There are a few important exceptions to this rule, though—when mold is visibly present, after an infestation of insects or rodents, when debris impacts the performance of your air ducts, and when you can plainly see debris being dispersed through the building via the air ducts. Thankfully, there are steps you can take that have been recommended by the EPA to ensure that your air ducts don’t develop problems like these.

They include:
• Choosing air filters that meet the highest efficiency levels recommended by your HVAC manufacturer
• Changing filters regularly enough that they do not become clogged
• Making sure that all air filters are installed properly, without gaps or holes around the edges of them
• Making sure that you don’t have any missing filters
• Cleaning your HVAC’s cooling coils and drainage pans during routine maintenance
• Vacuuming your building regularly to remove any accumulated dust and debris, preferably with a

HEPA certified vacuum
• Turning off your HVAC system and sealing the registers during construction so that dust and debris from the process does not enter the system
• Maintaining your in-duct humidifier according to the manufacturer’s standards
To specifically prevent the accumulation of mold in your air ducts, you will need to take the following steps:
• Immediately and effectively repair leaks and water damage
• Inspect your cooling coils on a regular basis—they are highly susceptible to promoting mold growth within air ducts
• Properly seal and insulate your air ducts for spaces that aren’t air conditioned, like the attic
• Choose an air conditioning unit that is sized properly for your particular building
• Ensure that your condensation pans are draining properly

If you’ve got a Tampa, and Orlando air conditioning unit and you’re wondering about other steps you can take to clean your air ducts or if you have any air conditioning questions in general, don’t hesitate to call us day or night—we offer emergency 24 hour service.

Harrell Home Services

• One Hour AC Repair
• Guaranteed Service In 1 Hour
• Emergency Air Conditioning Repair
• FREE Estimates on All AC Services
• Certified AC / HVAC Technicians
• Tampa & Orlando's AC Repair Company
• Open 7 Days a Week - 24 Hours A Day

Call Harrell Home Services for fast and professional service.

(813) 413-5550
Tampa

(727) 231-6012
St. Pete/Clearwater

(407) 545-7535
Orlando

(352) 205-4230
Clermont  

What to Do if You See Ice on Your AC Unit

It might not seem like ice on your AC unit would be a big deal—it’s supposed to be cold, right? However, this is not the case. Ice on an air conditioner means that something isn’t operating correctly, and it’s an indicator that serious damage to your unit is on the horizon if you don’t do something about it.

Why does ice form on an AC unit?
There are several reasons why ice might be forming on your AC unit, but the most common culprit is a dirty air filter. During the summer months, when your air conditioner is running on a regular basis, you should be changing your filters once a month—unfortunately, many people don’t know this or simply forget about it.

An evaporator coil covered in grime is another reason why your AC might be icing over. Like your air filters, evaporator coils need to be maintained regularly in order to function correctly.

Finally, in severe cases, an icy AC unit can be caused by a loss of refrigerant charge, which causes an imbalance in the correct amount of refrigerant gas being pumped into the system. Ironically, while a lack of charge can cause a unit to ice over, it also causes your AC to overheat. This can lead to damage from burnout, but it also poses a fire risk for your home as well.

What should be done if I notice ice on my unit?
The first thing you should do is check your filter. If it’s indeed dirty then a simple change should clear up your ice problems in a timely manner. However, if you’ve recently replaced the filter and you’re still experiencing ice, that’s an indication that something more serious is going wrong. Both evaporator coil and refrigerant charge issues cannot be resolved without the help of an AC specialist.
If that’s the case, then you’re in need of an emergency AC repair. Luckily, Harrell Home Services is here to help! We’ve been dealing with AC repair in Orlando and Tampa for years, and we’re more than happy to assist you with whatever system problems you may be having. Give us a call today!

Call Harrell Home Services for fast and professional service.

(813) 413-5550
Tampa

(727) 231-6012
St. Pete/Clearwater

(407) 545-7535
Orlando

(352) 205-4230
Clermont 

7 Ways to Improve the Air Quality in Your Home

Poor air quality in your home can pose real health risks—especially to children, the elderly, and people suffering from asthma. Even if the air in your home doesn’t look dirty, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s clean. There are countless microscopic dust mites and other allergens present that aren’t visible to the naked eye. If you’re worried about the negative effects poor air quality could have on you and your family, here are seven tips to improve air quality.

Upgrade Air Filters
While a standard A/C air filter will catch the major air quality offenders—dust and dander—they can’t do much about the microscopic particles. If your air conditioning unit is capable of running with high-efficiency filters, by all means make the switch, since they can trap these tiny particles.



Minimize Humidity
High humidity environments are the perfect place for mold and bacteria to develop. To avoid these potential air pollutants keep the humidity in check in your home. Most air conditioners have a built-in dehumidifier, but you might want to purchase a standalone model if you’re worried that’s not enough.

Change Air Filters Regularly
Dirty air filters are nowhere near as effective at cleaning the air as fresh ones. It’s recommended that you change them at least once a month—or more in the summer months, when AC use is at its highest.

Ditch the Cigarettes
There’s nothing that can diminish air quality in a home faster than secondhand cigarette smoke. Although most people don’t allow smoking in their home nowadays, you should stop it completely if you’re currently doing it.

Vacuum Regularly
Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter regularly can drastically improve the air quality in your home. Vacuums are able to quickly and effectively eliminate larger contaminants like pet dander or dust so that your air filters don’t have to work overtime to get rid of them.

Buy Air Cleaners
A dedicated air cleaner is perfect for times when you want to filter your air but don’t need to use the A/C or heater. Most models can trap large particles and kill microscopic mites and bacteria at the same time.

Maintain Your AC
Regular A/C maintenance is a must if you want your air quality to remain high. Leaky ducts can pump in extra dust or debris from outside in your home, which will make your efforts that much harder. Call a repair person as soon as something doesn’t seem right with your system, but don’t forget that a regular “check-up” from time to time couldn’t hurt either.

Reference:
http://www.webmd.com/lung/features/12-ways-to-improve-indoor-air-quality


Harrell Home Services

• One Hour AC Repair
• Guaranteed Service In 1 Hour
• Emergency Air Conditioning Repair
• FREE Estimates on All AC Services
• Certified AC / HVAC Technicians
• Tampa & Orlando's AC Repair Company
• Open 7 Days a Week - 24 Hours A Day

Why home insulation is necessary in Florida?

Before knowing the importance and benefits of home insulation, it is important to know what home insulation is. Home Insulation or building insulation refers widely to insulating building parts like ceiling, roof or wall for various purposes like thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, etc. Insulation is basically done to resist the flow of heat and keep your home or work place warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

There are many benefits attached with wall insulation and Roof Insulation such as it improves comfort in the house during summer and winter by controlling room temperature, it offers healthier environment and maintains acoustic effects in the house. In addition to those, it saves energy and lowers down the energy bills.

If your house walls, ceiling, and roof are not properly insulated, the energy used in heating or cooling home will not able to give you maximum benefits, and addition to that, you will have to pay hefty electricity bills.

Whether you are constructing new house or already have a house, insulating to it is very easy. You just need to call Harrell Home services and leave rest to us.

Tampa    813-367-1044
Orlando  407-287-4032 

www.fixmyacfast.com

What you need to know before air conditioner installation

A HVAC system is an absolute must to ensure comfort is a top priority for all seasons. Whether you’re considering an air conditioner installation or you just need a replacement, you need to know the size of the home helps to determine the correct size HVAC unit you need.

Having an air conditioner that isn’t the proper size for your specific home can be environmentally unfavorable. By keeping a small system in a large home, the system is putting in extra work. If an air conditioning system works to hard, it can increase your energy bill.  A system that is to big for your home can also waste money and make your house feel really chilly at times.

Before a new air conditioner installation, have you will want a technician to inspect the size of your home to determine what you need. The technicians at Harrell Home Services are experts and can make recommendations based on a number of factors including the amount of sunlight the residence receives, where the AC unit will be installed and how many people reside in the home. Our qualified technicians will tell you which unit is the most efficient for your house.

If you are thinking of installing a new AC unit in your home, contact us! We can help with any air conditioning troubleshooting too! We will also be at your house in one hour!

• • One Hour AC Repair
• • Guaranteed Service In 1 Hour
• • Emergency Air Conditioning Repair
• • FREE Estimates on All AC Services
• • Certified AC / HVAC Technicians
• • Tampa & Orlando's AC Repair Company
• • Open 7 Days a Week - 24 Hours A Day

Harrell Home Services

4620 N. Hale Ave
Tampa, Florida 33614
Phone: (813) 413-5550
Fax: (813) 343-8911

Harrell Home Services

7033 Stapoint Ct
Winter Park, FL 32792
Phone: (407) 545-7535

How to Tell if You Need Your A/C Replaced

According to the US Energy Information Administration, 87 percent of all US households have air conditioning units. Surprisingly, many homeowners do not know when it is time to replace their old but still working A/C. So, here are three factors that you need to consider in order to determine whether you need to retire that old A/C and buy a new one:

Age – Air conditioners generally last up to fifteen years if they are properly maintained. So, if you are thinking, why replace a perfectly good A/C unit with a new one, the answer is technology. One of the most significant aspects of technological advances in cooling and heating system comes as energy efficiency. In fact, if your A/C is ten years old, and you replace it with a newer energy efficient one, you can save up to 50 percent on air conditioning cost. Now consider this: According to the US Energy Information Administration, of homes with older A/C units, more than 50 percent of the total energy consumption goes to the heating and cooling system. This means savings of up to 25 percent, if you switch to a newer energy efficient heating and cooling system.


Efficiency – The age of the unit is not the only factor that affects its efficiency. You should consider A/C replacement if your air conditioner has a high SEER rating and if it does not meet your room’s cooling needs. Read the energy guide of your unit and compare it with the energy guide of new models. You can then see your consumption and running cost compared to new units. When it comes to the needs of your room, oversized units waste a lot of energy. Similarly, if you notice that your system cannot seem to keep the room cool, it means you have an incorrectly sized unit or that it is no longer as efficient as it should.

Repairs and Maintenance Cost – If you notice that your unit is always breaking down and that the cost of repair, whether it is in parts or services, is high then it is time for an A/C replacement. What you have to remember is that the additional cost of repair and maintenance and the additional cost of having an old unit can really add up. A new unit will save you hundreds of dollars on repair and maintenance costs just on the first year of warranty alone.

Sources
http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/fappl.asp
http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/reports/2009/air-conditioning.cfm
http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=10271

Signs your AC might be broken

The cooler months are finally coming around in Florida. Even with cooler days ahead, it is important to have a working AC unit in Florida. A broken air conditioning unit can be very stressful causing unwanted sweat and sleepless nights.
Signs your AC may be broken

1. Does it feel extra hot in the house? Check your thermostat. If the temperature in your home is about 3 degrees warmer or more than what your thermostat reads, there could potentially be a problem with your unit.
2. Your digital display isn’t showing anything. If it’s blank, the power may be off.
3. Your unit is frozen or leaking water
4. Odd noises seem to be coming from the unit

Tips to try before calling a professional

1. If your unit appears frozen, turn the temperature up or turn the unit off. Give the ice a chance to melt. Once it does, set your air conditioning temperature as you normally do. Afterward, it may be working fine.
2. Change your air filter. Your filter may be very dirty which prohibits your unit from working at its best. After you put a new filter in, you may notice the house cools down rather quickly.

If you are still having problems, you should call a professional. You may need to have your AC replaced. It is possible that it just needs service or maintenance. Call Harrell Home Services for fast and professional service.
(813) 413-5550
Tampa

(727) 231-6012
St. Pete/Clearwater

(407) 545-7535
Orlando

(352) 205-4230
Clermont