Frozen A/C Unit: How to Safely Defrost Your Equipment

Running your air conditioner with a frozen component can seriously damage your system, but that doesn't mean you always have to wait for a technician to come and defrost your frozen A/C unit.

Start with a Gentle Approach

The safest way to defrost your air conditioner is to let nature take care of the ice. Turn off your system from the control panel, then shut off power to the system at the breaker in your home's electrical panel. Then just wait and let the ice thaw. Don't try to pry the ice off with your hands or a sharp object. You'll risk damaging the components or worse, injuring yourself.Depending on how much ice there is, it could take up to 24 hours to melt. Periodically check for standing water that might have pooled under your indoor evaporator coil and mop up any you find. If there's a lot of ice, put down some towels.

Try a Little Heat

If just a little ice has formed on your evaporator coil, you can defrost it faster using a hair dryer turned on to the lowest setting. Hold the hair dryer at least 12 inches from the coil. Too much heat can crack an evaporator coil, so use caution if you decide to go this route.After all the ice has melted, dry the system out by turning it on to "fan only" mode. This circulates air that will dry up any lingering moisture.Before you turn the system on again, though, take steps to correct the problem that caused your frozen A/C unit in the first place. That might mean replacing a dirty air filter, cleaning the evaporator coil or removing debris from the outdoor unit.If your air conditioner keeps freezing even though you're sure the components are clean, the problem could be due to a more serious issue such as a refrigerant leak or mechanical malfunction. In this case, call a technician.If you could use some help defrosting your frozen A/C unit, contact us at Air Assurance anywhere around Broken Arrow.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Things to Avoid When Buying a New Air Conditioner

When buying a new air conditioner, you obviously need to focus on buying a dependable model that won't blow your cooling bills sky high. But other considerations are important, too, including a number of things to avoid when buying a new A/C. Save a lot of time and trouble by following these tips:

Don't allow the A/C contractor to talk you into a certain capacity model without considering the unique factors of your home. A professional air conditioning installer should insist on conducting a cooling load calculation on your home. This involves taking into consideration a range of factors including your home's size and layout, amount of window coverage, energy efficiency (level of air sealing and insulation), building materials, orientation to the afternoon sun, and more. Only when they determine your home's cooling load can they recommend the right-sized A/C.

Don't accept an estimate for a new air conditioner over the phone. The contractor should insist on inspecting your home, and learning about your energy habits, past cooling bills, and other factors that may affect what sort of central A/C is right for your home.

Avoid choosing the cheapest A/C available. While the upfront cost may be affordable, you'll likely be plagued with higher monthly bills years into the future, as well as poor performance and more frequent repair bills. The A/C's service life probably will be shorter than it would have been with a better model. In areas with hot summers, it pays to invest in a higher-efficiency A/C that will provide more cooling at a lower price.

Don't forget about available rebates that might be available from the manufacturer, electric utility or HVAC contractor for purchasing a higher-efficiency air conditioner. Some years the federal government offers tax credits for high-efficiency A/Cs.

Likewise, don't neglect to consider purchasing a maintenance contract that will assure annual professional maintenance for your new air conditioner. A well-maintained A/C will deliver better cooling at a lower price for a longer period of time.

For help choosing the right air conditioner for your Broken Arrow area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about new air conditioner and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

A Refrigerant Charge Can Give a Boost to a Warm A/C

Summer is upon us in Broken Arrow, and the air conditioner is something that everyone expects to work as well as last year. However, many homeowners are unaware that they should be checking their refrigerant charge to ensure effective and efficient cooling throughout the hottest part of the year. In a perfect world, your air conditioner would dutifully perform its job until the end of its warranty, but in reality, preventive maintenance is necessary to keep it cooling as it should.

Reasons to Check Refrigerant Charge

An air conditioner is a complex system of copper tubing, compressor and an evaporator coil that should be sealed to keep refrigerant inside. However, minor refrigerant leaks can occur that are not quite bad enough to purge the system of coolant completely. These leaks can cause enough of a leak that your A/C unit has a hard time keeping up with cooling needs in the dead of summer. If this happens, you will need to have your refrigerant charge topped off. Common causes for leaks include:

• Faulty parts

• Worn connectors

• Corrosion eating through components

• Vibrations causing holes in copper line

Schedule a Service Call

Whether you notice your A/C unit struggling to keep up with your annual cooling needs or not, it is a good idea to have a certified technician come out and check your refrigerant charge. Not only will this keep your unit running as efficiently as it should, it may also warn you of any impending problems you may have. Large leaks have to be fixed, and it is much better to discover them before the heat makes waiting on a service call miserable. Setting some time aside to make the call to your local service center to have a technician come out is a small investment considering the benefits of a properly tuned air conditioner.

Keeping your A/C functioning takes active involvement, and if you need expert advice or maintenance, please contact us at Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing. We have been industry leaders in the Broken Arrow region for nearly three decades.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Chatchawan/Shutterstock”

Have an Older A/C? Why the R-22 Phaseout is Important To You

If you still have an older A/C unit, the R-22 phaseout is of concern. Because of depletion of the ozone layer, the federal government, in accordance with the Montreal Protocol of 1987, has cut the production of R-22, the refrigerant which most residential air conditioners have used for many years, to 25 percent of capacity. This has resulted in the cost of R-22 tripling in the last two years. Price will probably keep rising as production will be cut to 10 percent of capacity on Jan. 1, 2015. By 2020, R-22 will be phased out of production. The only remaining supply will be recaptured from existing units. 

What does this mean for you? Your Broken Arrow A/C unit could cost as much to recharge once as it would be to retrofit it. Retrofits can be made with parts that use R-410A, R-407C pure refrigerant or HFCF (hydrofluorocarbon) blends. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

R-410A is a cheaper, less efficient replacement refrigerant. It works in a higher pressure system than R-22 so several components in your unit would need to be replaced for it to work correctly. This makes it a mid-range expense and one that we suggest only if you cannot afford a new unit.

R-407C is another mid-priced option. This refrigerant requires the addition of a special lubricant to work in your older unit. It is nearly as efficient as R-22, but the cost to add the lubricant offsets some of the savings.

HFCF blends are considered only for units that are in extremely good condition. Those with leaky seals or broken gaskets cannot be retrofitted to this option. The refrigerants used (R-438A and R-422D) work with your existing gauges and offer comparable efficiency to R-22.

If you have the money, we suggest buying a new, more efficient air conditioner. The R-22 phaseout could be a catalyst for upgrading to a unit up to 50 percent more efficient than the one you are currently using.

For more information about the R-22 phaseout, contact the Broken Arrow heating and cooling experts at Air Assurance today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “GSPhotography/Shutterstock”

Tips to Protect Your Air Conditioner From Thieves

Most homeowners dedicate some time and effort toward security in their home, but what you may have missed is protecting your possessions that live outdoors. Your outside heat pump and air conditioning (A/C) units are both common targets of thieves because of their valuable copper content. There are a few simple things you can do to protect your air conditioner.

Use an Alarm

If you are looking for maximum protection, a video surveillance system combined with an alarm system is your best bet. There are special alarm systems designed just for outdoor HVAC units, although they can be fairly expensive. Both security consultants and HVAC technicians are good sources for more information and recommendations.

Disguise Your Equipment

One surefire way to stop most thieves from trying to steal from you is to pretend that you don’t have anything to steal. Installing your outdoor unit in your backyard and covering it with bushes or patio furniture is a great way to hide it.

Invest in a Cage

Another robust option is to buy a specialized cage for your A/C unit. Not only will this protect you from thieves, but it will also protect the unit from damage caused by weather. One thing to be wary of is that some cheaper cages may protect the unit from most things, but still allow copper to be stripped.

Fence It In

If you don’t already have your yard fenced in, building a tall fence can not only provide cover for your A/C, but also make it harder to spot. This works best if you have a large dog that often occupies the yard, but you could always stick up a dog warning sign as a deterrent anyways.

If you have any questions about how you can protect your air conditioner in your Broken Arrow home, please contact Air Assurance for further assistance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock