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Archive for July, 2008

Trane Air Conditioning

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

There are many types of air conditioners available in the market, however if you are looking for a good and reliable brand then you may wish to consider Trane air conditioners.  Trane manufactures air conditioning units both for commercial and residential use. James Trane was the founder of this company. He opened his own exclusive store in the year 1885 in Wisconsin. From the very start, Trane was known for providing the best quality and service.

At first, the company was not involved in the manufacture of air conditioning units. They only dealt with the plumbing aspects and it was in only in 1915 that they started concentrating on heating products that includes low pressure steam heat units. Trane air conditioners hit the residential market in the late fifties. This quickly became one of the major additions to their product line. In the sixties, Trane went through a major expansion in the UK and expanded its operations in other countries as well. The company mainly focussed on the industrial and commercial units.

Every Trane air conditioner goes through strict quality control checks. With increasing demand for air conditioners all over the world, Trane has come up with many different air conditioning models for all types of consumers. Speak to your air conditioning company about the different brands they have on offer and be sure to purchase your air conditioning unit from a company that offers a selection of brands.  This way, you can be sure to get the best brand for your needs.

Air conditioning: Setting the right temperature

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

With the onset of summer every year, the temperatures rise higher and can become unbearable. The best way to deal with this problem is to use an air conditioner. However, a sudden change in temperature can be harmful to you body.

Air conditioners provide comfort by cooling down the air inside a room to a lower temperature. The air inside an air conditioned room is cooler than the outside air. If you enter an air conditioned room directly after walking under the sun, your body does get affected due to the sudden change in temperature

You can deal with this condition using temperature control. There are many people who do not notice at which temperature they should set the unit so that their health does not get affected. This sudden or drastic change can be very harmful to your health as the body cannot adapt to such a change within a very short span of time. You might catch cold if this happens frequently.

Ideally the difference between the outdoor and indoor temperature should be around eight degrees. You should avoid staying more than two hours in an air conditioned room. It is suggested that you keep the temperature of your room at a fixed level as it also helps in saving your electric bills.

Save money on cooling with air conditioning

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

This summer may turn out to be expensive if you do not use your air conditioner properly. An inefficient air conditioner can result in high electricity bills.

If you want to have a cool summer without paying for it through your nose then you should service your air conditioner before the start of the summer season. You should follow a basic maintenance routine to keep your air conditioner in proper working condition.

Changing the air filter at regular intervals is very important. By doing this, you can keep the system working efficiently. The air that moves across the evaporator is cleaned with the help of an air filter. These filters get clogged and dirty as they are used on a regular basis. If they get dirty, the system gets less air thus affecting the cooling. This dirty air is carried to the evaporator. The air flow gets impeded once again reducing the ability of the evaporator to absorb the heat. This reduces the efficiency of the system by around 10% and the impure air is circulated the room.

The evaporator fins and coils should be changed on regular intervals as dirt can get accumulated on the evaporator. They should be checked at least once in a year.

If you have an air conditioning unit that is very old, replace it with a new one as it may consume more energy.

Replacing your air conditioner’s compressor

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

Air conditioning has become a necessity these days due to increasing temperatures and increased stress levels both at home and at work. Air conditioners provide you with the comfort that you need after a day of hard work.

It is important to have your air conditioner working properly. The quality of an air conditioner is very much dependent on the air compressor inside the unit. The life of an air conditioning unit also depends on the air compressor of the unit. If the air compressor is not working properly, you should either get it repaired or replace it.

You should take the help of a professional air conditioning repair company to get your air compressor repaired or replaced. If you use a faulty air compressor, you might not get the desired performance from your air conditioner or the air conditioner might stop functioning completely.

The first thing you need to do while changing the compressor is identifying the specifications.  This can be done by writing tonnage, serial number and other such minute details. All the specifications are embossed on the unit’s body.

You should not try to replace the air compressor by yourself under any circumstances. Replacing an air compressor of the air conditioner requires proper knowledge of the system and hence can be done only by a professional and qualified technician.

Portable air conditioners can be convenient

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

They say that ‘small is beautiful’ and convenient. This holds true for portable air conditioners. They can easily be shifted from one place to another. There are many other advantages with a portable air conditioner.

Nowadays it is almost impossible to survive without an air conditioner. Air conditioners are not cheap and hence it is not possible to have them everywhere, but there is a solution for this problem. You can select portable air conditioners as they are mobile. These portable air conditioners can be the perfect solution for your office, home or any other place.

Portable air conditioners can be installed easily and quickly. These air conditioners do not involve any tearing or lifting of window panes. Instead of the central air conditioning systems that are quite expensive you may go with the portable air conditioners that are very affordable.

Portable air conditioners can help you save your money as well. You just need to buy a single unit which you can move to any other room or place where you need cooling. These units do not weigh much. Moreover you can cool only one room at a time without wasting any energy on cooling all the rooms at once, even when not required.

Finding Freon leakage in an air conditioning system

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

An air conditioning evaporator up flow coil can be found on the top of the gas furnace. The coil may be placed in the metal cabinet that is commonly known as a cased coil. At times you even have a coil set inside the flipper board or the metal. To get the coil you need to unscrew the cabinet screws. In other cases you need to cut the plenum.

Make sure that you take extreme care while cutting, so that the refrigerant copper lines are not disturbed. These lines contain high Freon pressure. When you are attempting this, ensure that you wear a protective gloves and eye gear, as Freon may burn your eyes permanently. If you are letting Freon on the ground, it can reach a temperature of 40 degrees below zero.

To check the Freon leaks, the unit needs to have some Freon inside, or there would be no pressure to check. The check can be done by painting concentrated non alkaline solution. Never use household products as they can be corrosive. The refrigerant lines that are running from the evaporator coil to the main outdoor unit are checked in the same procedure. Also check the capillary tubes. Thus you can check any sort of Freon leakage in your air conditioning unit.

Be careful about the fuse and wiring of your HVAC unit

Monday, July 28th, 2008

All HVAC equipment should be protected with circuit breakers and fuses that help in handling the amp draw of any electrically operated equipment. The wiring and fuse sizing is spelt out by all the manufacturers on the equipment or in the installation instructions. An improper or incorrect sized wiring job, breakers or fuse can lead to the failure of the equipment and it may even cause fire.

There are different types of equipment involved in the wiring and fusing of your air conditioner. One of them is the disconnect box. You can see the disconnect box near the outdoor condenser of your air conditioner. It helps in shutting the main power off between the air conditioner and the main electric panel. These boxes can be of different colours and types. Some of these boxes have a circuit breaker installed in them. Make sure that you use a good quality circuit breaker. A cheap circuit breaker might not work when needed the most and can cause severe damage to your HVAC system. Ensure that the wiring, fuse etc are all compatible with your HVAC system. You should either have the entire set up done by a professional HVAC technician or at least get it inspected by one, to prevent any unfortunate accidents.

By having the right fuse and wiring for your HVAC system, you can keep your home or office safe and secure.

Air compressors, an important part of your air conditioning unit

Monday, July 28th, 2008

Air compressor is one of the most important parts of your air conditioning unit. Although the compressor is located outside the building, it does play a very important role in keeping your home or office clean. Without an air compressor, your air conditioning unit would simply not work.

An air compressor uses the power of air. There are different types of air compressors available. They all have different applications. Some of the air compressors are used in the construction industry while others have some specific use like in the case of air conditioners.

An air compressor consists of a highly pressurised chamber. The air is compressed at a very high pressure inside. Air compressors are used to convert the fluid i.e. the refrigerant into gas. Air conditioners use the air compressor for cooling the air inside the unit before it is blown out through the internal unit. The refrigerant or the fluid passes through the air compressor as a cool and low pressured gas. The liquid is then squeezed by the air compressor at a very high pressure. Molecules of the liquid get packed very close to each other due to this action.

The closer the molecules get to each other, the higher is the temperature and the energy. The fluid then leaves the air compressor as a high pressure and hot gas and enters the condenser. The condenser and the evaporator then cool the air by extracting the heat. This way, the air compressor helps in cooling your room.

Air compressors should not be exposed to extreme cold or heat and sharp objects as they can explode. Air compressors are quite expensive and you should take good care of them so that they can work effectively.

Energy saving tips for your HVAC system

Monday, July 28th, 2008

Energy costs have been increasing every year. It has become extremely important to reduce the consumption on electricity. Below are a few ways through which you can cut down your HVAC energy consumption.

•    The amount of heat that enters your house can be reduced through insulation. A well insulated house does not allow the heat to come inside through walls and ceilings.

•    If the room is properly insulated, your HVAC system will have to work less hard. This is turn will save a lot of electricity.

•    Do not close the windows of your house on a sunny day as it might heat up the house even more. Closing the windows shades instead will prevent the sunlight from entering your home. This helps in decreasing the load on your air conditioning equipment.

•    Ceiling fans also play an important role during summers. A ceiling fan circulates the cool air of your air conditioner. By using a ceiling fan, you can circulate the cool air from the air conditioner evenly throughout the room.

Installation of a central air conditioning system

Sunday, July 27th, 2008

It is always better to plan out your air conditioning requirements before you call an HVAC contractor. For example, you need to decide whether you want to replace your old air conditioning system with a new one or simply service the existing system. If you are replacing your old system with a new one, you would have to spend more money as it would require more labour.

Having the proper knowledge about what you need will help the experts to give you a proper estimate. You need to tell your HVAC contractor if remodelling is in process so that the HVAC contractor can decide the size of the air conditioner. This would help him to give you a more precise estimate.

Factors such as sun exposure, climate and structure of the house and window area are also considered while installing a central air conditioner. You should also have some knowledge about the cooling capacity of the central air conditioning unit. The higher the BTU, the higher the cooling capacity.