Frequently asked questions.
Achieving comfortable spaces is a breeze when you have the right people to help you. Here at Main Air Heating & Air Conditioning Contractor, the go-to HVAC company in Bay Area and the surrounding areas, we have the capabilities to solve all your HVAC problems. Whether you need a new cooling system installed or require your old furnace repaired, you can count on our amazing HVAC technicians to get the job done in a prompt and professional manner. Partner with us today, and let us show you how world-class HVAC service is done!
Question about Furnace
However, running your fan can be problematic for older systems because they are not very efficient. The fan “on” speed is same as the cooling speed, so it runs at a max the entire time. On newer systems, you can alternate the fan speed.
Furnace life expectancy varies depending on where you live. For homeowners around the Bay Area, your furnace can last between 15 and 20 years. Builder grade furnaces will be on the lower end, and your more energy-efficient furnaces will last closer to 20 years. Typically, you can get a longer life out of better pieces of equipment.
At Affordable HVAC, we recommend a 95 – 98 percent efficient furnace with the variable fan. When your furnace is more efficient, you are eligible for HVAC rebates and often times the local power company will help pay for the installation.
A tune-up will help improve your furnace’s efficiency. The technician will clean the blower and that will help with the efficiency.
Ductwork done right should never have to be repaired. If you have a sudden fluctuation in energy bills, it could be a sign that your ductwork needs to be repaired. If your ductwork is in the attic or crawl space, you are dumping conditioned air into an unconditioned space and wasting money. Since the ductwork lives in an unfinished space, it is easy to inspect. However, for many homeowners in the Bay Area, the ductwork lives in finished basements or behind walls. When this is the case, it is much harder to inspect ductwork and unless there is a major concern, a little air leaking out won’t increase your bill much.
Before you call Affordable HVAC for services on your furnace, it would help to know the make and model of the system. If you are calling for furnace repairs, double check to make sure your system is turned on and that it is set to the heating mode. You would be surprised to learn that many homeowners just forget to change their thermostat settings between seasons and there isn’t an actual problem. Other simple troubleshooting tips include making sure your system has power and making sure the battery in the thermostat is in good working condition.
It is beneficial to turn your thermostat down when you leave for longer periods of time. If you are just leaving for a short period of time and will want to heat your home when you get back, your furnace will have to work twice as hard to get the temperature back up to the desired temperature. Lowering it by just a few degrees is better than a drastic drop in temperature.
A crack in a chamber causes the heat exchanger to create carbon monoxide. Any crack in a heat exchanger is potentially deadly.
No you cannot. Carbon monoxide is odorless and does not have any sort of taste to it.
You don’t. Since you cannot see, smell, or taste carbon monoxide, typically you only notice the problem when you start to have headaches or other severe, life-threatening problems. At Affordable HVAC, we suggest that all homes have carbon monoxide detectors installed.
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At Affordable HVAC, we recommend an AC tune-up in spring and a furnace tune-up every fall. Preventative maintenance really does pay for itself over time.
Absolutely. High-efficiency furnaces are rated by the government by how much gas comes in vs. how much heat is delivered into the home. Furnaces that are higher in efficiency are safer and much cleaner to operate.
A high-efficiency blower motor (ECM) is a variable speed motor. New ECM motors run between 60 watts and 100 watts, saving the average homeowner about $250 a year!
Question about Air Conditioning
If you have a proper maintenance routine for your air conditioner and you take good care of it, you can expect it to last 15 – 18 years. With that being said, many factors affect the lifespan of your AC unit, including the quality of installation and intensity of use.
The most obvious answer is invest in a new energy-efficient air conditioner. However, if you have an older AC unit, there are a few things you can do to help improve your energy efficiency, including changing your air filters regularly, cleaning your coils, and performing regular tune-ups.
Most air conditioners are optimized for a certain coil, and they require a specific type of refrigerant. At Mountain Air, we always recommend replacing your AC coil when you install a new AC unit.
We like to compare air conditioners to cars; if your car is getting 7 mpg and you’re spending more to repair it, nine times out of 10 you will buy a new one. Similar to air conditioners, if you are spending more time repairing it and your monthly bills have been steadily increasing, you may be better off replacing your unit with a new, energy-efficient one.
There are a variety of reasons for this. However, the most common is that there is a lack of air flow. If you haven’t changed your air filter in a while, it may be dirty, blocking air from flowing in and out of your system. This causes moisture to collect on the coil that then freezes. Another reason could be a low refrigerant charge.
A zoning system separates your home’s ductwork into different comfort areas and gives you independent temperature control for each room. With this AC option, you have the flexibility to cool only rooms that are occupied. By saving energy on your unoccupied rooms, you can expect to see noticeable drops in utility bills!
Aside from the discomfort a noisy air conditioner may cause you, this is also a good indication that you should get your system assessed by a professional. Loud noises coming from an air conditioner can stem from a variety of issues. Depending on your specific AC issue, you may just need some loose screws tightened up, or you may need to replace larger parts such as the evaporator coil or the compressor. Always check with a professional if you are unable to find and fix the issue yourself.
The very first thing to do if your air conditioner is blowing out hot air is to take a look at your thermostat settings. Ideally, your AC setting should be turned to “auto” instead of “on” or “off”. If you find that your thermostat is set to “on” instead of auto, then the fan will be blowing air even when the AC isn’t actually cooling. Another step to take before calling the professionals is to check your outdoor unit. If part of your unit is outdoors, you should see if debris, dirt, or leaves have covered the unit and restricted the airflow. If your outdoor unit is free of debris, you will want to have a professional check the condenser coil on the inside of this unit to be sure it has unrestricted airflow.
The water you see dripping from your air conditioner often comes from melting ice that has formed on the air conditioner’s evaporator coils. When filters haven’t been changed in a while, ice will often form on this coil and when it melts, you will find yourself with a large puddle. Leaky AC units can also mean low levels of Freon refrigerant or damaged drain line, drain pan, or condensate pump. To find out which of these issues is affecting your AC, we recommend contacting a reliable HVAC professional in your area!
The simple answer is no! You have several different options if your air conditioner compressor has run its course. The compressor is the major part in your outside unit (called the condensing unit) and this can be replaced on its own. However, if your entire system is heaving issues or is over 10 years old, it is a good idea to replace both the inside and outside unit at once to avoid multiple installation fees. Remember that most manufacturers offer warranties on their units so don’t forget to ask about your warranty options.
This issue stems from low airflow running over the evaporator coil (inside cooling coil) and can be caused by many different issues. Some common issues causing low airflow levels include: a dirty air filter, leaky ductwork, or a broken fan blower.
We recommend that you keep your home warmer than normal while you are away for longer periods of time (around 80 degrees). Then once you return home and need to be cooled down, try lowering the temperature to about 78 degrees. You can also turn a fan on for a few minutes to help circulate the cooler air more quickly.
AC units actually lower the temperature in the room, a fan just helps distribute the air that is already in the room. A fan alone is not likely to keep you cool, but in conjunction with your AC, it can be an effective resource. If you are going to be running your fan for a long period of time, then it makes more sense financially to leave the fan off and just lower your thermostat another degree or two to get the comfort you are looking for.
Have you noticed a mildew or mold smell coming from your air conditioner? This is a good indication that some component in your AC (often the filter, drip pan, or drain line) is dirty and clogged. Smells emitted from your AC can also stem from unsealed ductwork that has allowed excess moisture to seep in. In order to resolve these more extensive smell issues, it is always a good idea to hire a professional AC cleaning service to get the job done right and safely.