Beat Heat Pump Problems Early With Regular Maintenance
When you want the most from your heat pump, don’t neglect heat pump maintenance, some of which you can do yourself. You can use a professional for the routine tasks that need to be done to keep your system performing without any potential problems or breakdowns.
Routine maintenance provides these significant benefits, improved energy efficiency, better indoor air quality, and a prolonged life span for the system.
Do-It-Yourself Maintenance
The most important thing you can do to keep your heat pump performing as it should is to check and change the air filter for the air handler regularly. Dust can build inside the air handler and the ductwork and circulate through your home’s air. A clean filter will keep your equipment and indoor air cleaner. When dust covers the evaporator coil inside the air handler, it slows the heat transfer process which will drive up heating and cooling costs.
Keeping the outdoor condenser’s coil clean also improves energy efficiency. In the winter, the coil collects the heat outdoors to warm your home and in the cooling cycle, it dissipates the heat the pump collects from your home. Clean the coil with a light spray of the hose occasionally and be sure no vegetation collects around the unit that could impede airflow through the condenser’s coil.
Professional Heat Pump Maintenance
The heat pump works hard year-round. Professional heat pump maintenance will keep your system running optimally. One of the simplest ways to manage the maintenance is with a service agreement between you and your HVAC provider that simplifies scheduling and monitors the system’s performance over time.
- Check the thermostat’s settings and recalibrate if necessary.
- Verify that the refrigerant level is within the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Clean and inspect the electrical connections, lubricating them if necessary. Dirty and loose connections present a safety issue.
- Lubricates the motors.
- Checks airflow levels and inspects the ductwork for leaks, sealing with proper materials when necessary.
For more information about the importance of heat pump maintenance, contact the pros at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating. We’ve provided HVAC services for the Tampa and St. Petersburg area since 1958.
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Why It’s Important to Avoid Ductwork Obstructions
When a doctor diagnoses clogged arteries, patients know their circulatory system is no longer working efficiently, and changes have to be made. The same is true for your HVAC system’s ductwork. Ducts are the arteries and veins of your forced-air system. Any obstructions will dramatically compromise the system’s efficiency.
When’s the last time you had a duct exam? If you can’t remember, you may want to schedule a duct inspection before you begin relying on your heating system to keep you warm this winter. Here are some of the common problems associated with various ductwork obstructions.
Filter issues
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Dirty filters are the most common source of HVAC airflow obstructions. Make sure you change your air filters regularly, as per the manufacturer’s instructions. This will increase energy efficiency as well as your indoor air quality. A less common filter-related obstruction is when the filter is sucked into the ductwork. This can become a fire hazard if the filter is drawn into the blower assembly fan.
Compromised ducts
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If your ductwork is older, or hasn’t been inspected in the last year or so, you may have duct leaks, insulation obstructions, or disconnections that are negatively affecting your system’s airflow. Leaky duct connections waste significant energy. Insulation can often detach from the lining of the ducts, or fall through leaky connections, causing obstructions. Flex ductwork has to be inspected for dents and collapsed sections that will prevent air from circulating effectively.
Zone dampers
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A zone system is a wonderful way to keep a tighter reign on whole-house comfort. However, the various dampers that control the flow of air can become stuck. If they are stuck in the closed position, they become ductwork obstructions. If they are stuck in the open position, it will compromise the heating and cooling in other areas of the house.
Dirty return air inlets
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The grilles in the return air inlets need to be inspected and cleaned routinely to avoid the accumulation of sediment and debris that can obstruct airflow.
Protect your Tampa-area home from ductwork obstructions by scheduling a duct inspection with Cox Air Conditioning and Heating. We’re the HVAC experts.
Maintain Balanced Humidity in Your Clearwater Home
If your Florida home has felt too warm lately despite the air conditioning, it could be due to an unbalanced level of moisture in the air. High humidity levels in the home can not only cause discomfort by making the occupants feel warmer than need be, it can also contribute to home damage and unhealthful indoor air quality. To regain a more balanced humidity level in your home, there are a few simple steps to help get you started.
Locate Excess Moisture
Consider having a home energy audit conducted by a certified professional. This audit will access nearly every aspect of your home’s energy efficiency including humidity levels. High humidity levels in the home can often result in creating mold, especially in the bathroom, kitchen or plumbing system. Consider adding exhaust fans in these areas if you don’t have them. Also, purchase a hygrometer to measure your home’s humidity, which should be between 30 and 50 percent.
Seal Air Leaks
Condensation on the windows is a good indication that it’s time to seal air leaks. Apply fresh caulking to window and door frames or purchase new windows altogether. Door draft stoppers too, like air tight windows, will help keep cool air from escaping or allowing humid air to enter. Finally, consider having your attic inspected to make sure adequate and quality insulation is installed.
Purchase a Dehumidifier
Sometimes it can be difficult to remove moisture and regain balanced humidity in your home. If humidity continues to be an ongoing problem think about buying a dehumidifier, either a whole house model or a portable one to treat specific areas. Dehumidifiers are especially helpful in persistently hot climates like Florida.
When Clearwater homeowners struggle to find balanced humidity, Cox Air Conditioning & Heating is the name they turn to. Contact a friendly and experienced staff member over the phone at (727) 597-4456 to find out more about balancing humidity or other methods to improve the comfort of your home. Since 1958, Cox Air Conditioning & Heating has served satisfied customers throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough counties along with homeowners in St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
The Benefits of Clean A/C Coils
Air conditioning (A/C) maintenance on a regular basis is important if you want to extend the life of your system and sustain a high operating efficiency. One of the most important maintenance tasks is to clean condenser and evaporator coils. The benefits of clean A/C coils are minimizing performance losses, which means clean coils will save you money.
It is possible to do it yourself if you have the desire, but most opt to have an A/C expert examine the coils and the system twice a year. Note that maintenance doesn’t necessarily have to be performed twice a year, but the coils should be inspected for any signs of damage or pollutants such as mold.
Damage to your coils can come in many shapes and sizes. An expert will check for a number of different problems:
- Debris: Particles or dirt that has built up on the coils that will impede air flow
- Frost: Evaporator coils are very cold and it is possible for ice and frost to result in buildup
- Damage: Especially in your condenser coils (in your outside A/C unit), damage can result from random objects hitting your coils and surrounding equipment
- Holes: Any holes in coils will allow refrigerant to escape, either as a vapor or liquid. This can dramatically lower your A/C unit’s efficiency
All of these different types of damage will cause performance issues. Another problem you may encounter is mold: Depending on your climate mold can be a big issue. If let go for too long mold will seriously impact your indoor air quality.
Cooling or evaporator coils are the locations in your A/C system where heat is transferred between the coils and the surrounding air. When there are issues that reduce airflow over the coils, it will limit the amount of heat transfer that occurs. This is why the benefits of clean A/C coils are the sustained, high-quality airflow and associated heat transfer that keeps your unit running at high efficiency.
For more expert advice about the benefits of clean A/C coils, contact the experts at Cox Air Conditioning and Heating. We’ve been serving Clearwater and surrounding areas since 1958.
Cleaner A/C Coils Mean Better System Performance
Clean air conditioner components are essential for the optimum efficiency of your system, and your A/C coils are no exception. The coils in your air conditioner are responsible for extracting the heat in your home’s air and sending it outside. The evaporator coil in your indoor unit and the condenser coil in your outdoor unit need annual cleaning to ensure that your system operates efficiently to keep your Tampa home comfortable all season long and lower your utility bills.
A qualified HVAC professional can clean your A/C coils as part of your annual preventive maintenance. Depending on how dirty your coils are, your technician will employ one of three methods for cleaning them:
- Dirty coils are generally cleaned with low-pressure air from a compressor, which blows off the dust buildup.
- Dirtier coils are scrubbed with a solution of water and mild detergent, then rinsed thoroughly.
- Heavily-soiled A/C coils are cleaned with a foaming, no-rinse chemical coil cleaner, which is applied and allowed to sit for a few minutes. The foam liquifies and drips into the condensate pan, where it’s sent down the drain. When possible, opt for biodegradable coil cleaners that are safer and don’t pollute the water supply.
Once the A/C coils are clean, the technician will turn his or her attention to the condensate pan beneath the evaporator coil, which catches the condensation that drips from the coil.
Because of the damp conditions of the condensate pan, mold and bacteria can proliferate and prevent optimum drainage of the pan, resulting in water backing up and triggering a shutdown of your system. Additionally, these contaminants decrease the indoor air quality of your home. A biocide is often applied to the condensate pan to kill biological contaminants and prevent further growth. The PVC drain line attached to the pan will be flushed to remove any buildup that may cause clogs.
For more expert advice about cleaning your A/C coils or to schedule preventive maintenance of your entire system with one of our qualified technicians, please feel free to contact us at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating. We’ve proudly served the Tampa area since 1958.
Learn How A/C Filters Impact System Operation
Air Conditioning filters help keep your indoor air quality up to par and are a vital part of the system’s operation. A filter is used to remove contaminants and pollutants from the air and help prevent dust and dirt from building up on the heating coil and fan. An excessive buildup of grime can affect the air conditioner’s ability to work properly and cause the unit to work harder, which can shorten its life span.
Most manufacturers generally include a fiberglass filter with the initial system. You can upgrade the furnace filter to a more efficient model that will trap more airborne particles than the a fiberglass filter. When choosing the right air filter for your needs, consider the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV), which measures the air filter’s ability to trap air pollutants. The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the filter is.
Regularly replacing the air conditioner filter is vital to your indoor air quality as well as your HVAC unit. A dirty or clogged filter cannot properly remove airborne particles and can shorten the life span of your system.. Each type of air filter has its own recommended replacement times which will vary based on whether you have any pets or allergy sufferers in the home. However, a general rule of thumb is replacing electrostatic panel or disposable fiberglass panel filters every month to three months.
The owner’s manual included with your air conditioner will provide you with all the information you need about the manufacturer’s recommended air filter for that specific system.
For more information about the appropriate filter for your HVAC unit, contact the experts at Cox Air, serving Pinellas County and the surrounding area since 1958.
Allergy Sufferers: Prepare for Spring Now
Spring is known as the season of new birth. The spring months bring with them warmer days, pleasant breezes and blooming flowers, trees and grasses. Unfortunately, these beautiful blooms can cause serious distress to individuals who suffer from allergy problems. If you or someone in your family suffers from seasonal allergies, preparing for spring now will help you make the most of these warmer months in beautiful St. Petersburg, FL. Remember that seasonal pollen can also aggravate individuals who suffer from asthma, COPD and other respiratory diseases. Taking steps to prevent these problems now will ensure that everyone in your family can truly enjoy spring.
Are Allergy Problems Following You Indoors?
Many allergy sufferers hide out in their homes when flowers, trees and grasses release pollen into the air. Retreating into your home may provide some relief, but it’s important to pay attention to whether or not your symptoms also follow you indoors. Remember that pollens and pollutants can move into your home through windows, doors, vents and leaks in your roof, walls and floorboards.
How is Your Indoor Air Quality?
If retreating into your home provides no relief from seasonal allergies, you should consider have air quality testing conducted. A professional HVAC technician can assess the indoor air quality (IAQ) in your home to ensure that everyone in your family is breathing clean, healthy air. During an IAQ test, the technician will measure the levels of all of the following:
- Dust, pollen and dander.
- Mold and mildew.
- Particle pollutants such as car exhaust, industrial fumes and smog.
- Chemicals present in carpets, draperies and other household products.
- Carbon monoxide.
After air quality testing is finished, your technician will provide you with in-depth information about the pollutants present in your home. If possible, your technician will also pinpoint possible causes of poor IAQ. It may be necessary to examine heating and cooling ducts to determine if dust, dander, pollen, mold or mildew have collected in these spaces.
Clearing The Air with An Air Purification System
Finding out that your home suffers from poor IAQ can be upsetting. However, you can rest assured that you do have options when it comes to cleansing the air in your home. Using an air purification system is a great way to filter pollutants while ensuring that clean, refreshing air can circulate throughout your home. Air purifiers can be used as stand-alone devices in a single room or can be connected to your home’s central heating and cooling system.
Working with qualified HVAC professionals is the best way to ensure that the air purifier you choose for your home will truly meet your needs. At Cox Air Conditioning & Heating, we specialize in serving the needs of residential and commercial customers throughout the St. Petersburg area. We will be happy to conduct IAQ testing in your home and can help you find an air purifier that will allow everyone in your family to breathe easy. Give us a call today.
Reasons Why Your HVAC Filter Gets Dirty So Easily
Do you feel like you’re constantly changing the air filter in your HVAC system? There are a few reasons why air filters clog. Check out these common reasons and what you can do to remedy the situation.
How Your HVAC System Affects Your Allergies
Escaping Allergies
Although the length of spring and fall may vary from year to year, one thing remains constant. That is the fact that many people suffer from allergies during these two seasons. There’s one location where you should be able to minimize the physical symptoms brought on by blooming weeds outside, however, and that place is the inside of your home. If your ductwork hasn’t been properly cleaned or maintained, though, escaping allergies inside your house may be difficult for you. The following provides overviews of how your HVAC system can affect your allergies and what you can do to make sure the inside of your home remains a safe and healthy place to be.
5 Good Reasons to Use a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is a machine that filters air and removes excess moisture from the environment. They come in several sizes depending on the space you want to purify. There are several advantages to owning a dehumidifier. Keep reading to learn more about these devices.
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