If your air conditioner is doing something unusual, you may be wondering if it’s a small problem you can tackle yourself, of if you need to call in the professionals. If you suspect that the problem may be a impending AC compressor failure, that’s a big concern.
This is an update to one of our most popular and helpful blog posts. Here’s the original: 6 Ways to Build a Great HVAC Service Relationship From the Start
Since you’re reading this, chances are you’ve had a bad experience with an HVAC service provider. You may have learned that getting an HVAC service agreement with the wrong service provider can have costly consequences for your business. For starters, when important steps are skipped or executed poorly, you can experience major breakdowns that could have been prevented. And long downtimes before your system is repaired.
When you’re trying to run a business, you don’t have much time to think about things like HVAC maintenance. When you’re that busy, you may tend to lose track of tasks that seem less than critical in the moment. However, “out of sight and out of mind” is a philosophy that can come back to haunt you when it comes to your HVAC equipment. If you’ve ever had to replace a heating and/or air conditioning system due to problems that could have been prevented with regular maintenance, you may begin to think differently and begin researching HVAC maintenance plans. Your first question is probably, “how much does HVAC maintenance cost?”
Your air conditioning system is on the fritz and you’re thinking maybe it’s time for a replacement rather than another costly repair. Or maybe you’re concerned that the system in the office building you manage is not on top of its game or is approaching the end of its useful life. One option you might want to consider for your business is a VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) system.
If you’ve got air conditioning equipment that you rely on, chances are you probably understand the importance of regular maintenance. But the trouble is, not all preventative maintenance agreements include coil cleaning. If your service vendor has been recommending this procedure, you may be wondering why you need to clean AC coils.
Here’s a quick explanation followed by more information for those of you who want the details.
One of the worst mistakes you can make when purchasing new HVAC equipment is choosing a unit that’s the wrong size for the space. Especially if the old unit was not providing adequate heating or air cooling, you may be tempted to go with a more powerful unit thinking it will provide more comfortable conditions.
It won’t. When it comes to sizing HVAC systems, especially air conditioners, bigger is not necessarily better. What you want is a unit with exactly the right capacity and system design to meet the needs of the space.
Here are 8 reasons why over-sizing HVAC systems is the wrong choice for your heating and air conditioning needs:
1. The unit cycles on and off frequently.
This is called short cycling, and it’s a common symptom of an oversized furnace or air conditioner. It means your system is working much harder, using more fuel, and providing less comfortable conditions. Properly sizing HVAC systems solves this problem.
2. More breakdowns.
With the wrong HVAC sizing, your unit turns on and off so many times throughout the day that it creates a lot of wear and tear on the equipment’s parts. Any good NYC HVAC service company will tell you that as a result, you’ll have parts failing sooner than expected and increased commercial air conditioning repair or furnace repair bills. Not to mention the inconvenience and possible business interruption due to a broken heating or air conditioning system.
3. Reduced equipment life span.
All that cycling is hard on your HVAC system. If you’ve purchased a unit with an expected life span of 15 to 20 years, that unit may fail in as little as 10 years. That’s an important reason why correctly sizing HVAC systems is critical.
4. Higher utility bills.
Incorrectly sizing HVAC systems wastes energy since the equipment uses the most energy when it starts up. Because it’s starting up more times throughout the day, and has a higher capacity to begin with, you will see a spike in your energy usage.
5. Inconsistent temperatures.
The short cycling creates drafty, inconsistent heating and cooling, and you could also experience hot and cold zones throughout your space.
6. Humidity problems and poor indoor air quality.
Here’s another reason correctly sizing HVAC systems is essential. Air conditioners that are oversized don’t run long enough to remove the moisture from the air. This results in too much humidity, which can cause a host of problems ranging from furniture and computer damage to the growth and spread of bacteria, viruses and dangerous mold.
7. Noisy conditions.
That powerful unit cycling on and off all day at full blast makes a lot of noise that can interrupt your business. If you’re running a restaurant, retail location or health facility, it can even drive away customers.
8. Higher cost to purchase, operate and maintain.
Why would you pay more for something that’s going to cost you more to use and provide less comfortable conditions? This is a case where you don’t necessarily get what you pay for. Shelling out more for a higher capacity unit doesn’t get you more comfort. Properly sizing your HVAC systems gives you exactly what you need.
In some cases, you may actually need a unit with a smaller capacity than you had previously. That’s because many buildings in NYC have HVAC equipment that was installed by a builder without adequate HVAC expertise. Sometimes builders make the same mistake as home and business owners, and choose a larger unit than is required. Also, when buildings are renovated there are often design and energy efficiency improvements made that decrease the capacity required for heating and cooling.
It takes experience and the right tools to accurately determine the correct capacity for your space. To calculate the correct sizing for HVAC systems, certified commercial HVAC companies will perform a Manual J load analysis.
This service takes many factors into account, including the square footage of your space, design elements, energy-efficiency features, building occupancy patterns and how the space is used. Most quality HVAC service providers use a software tool to do this calculation.
Don’t make the rookie mistake of buying heating or cooling equipment with a higher capacity than you need. If you’re being advised to do so by an installer, get a second opinion before you waste your money.
If you’re doubtful about the advice you’re getting from your current HVAC service provider, you may be thinking about switching but worried about terminating the relationship. There’s no good reason to stay with a provider that’s no longer serving your needs correctly. To learn more about how to make a smooth transition, take a look at our helpful guide to Contract Confidence: Transitioning to a New HVAC Service Provider.
The hot weather has hit and the cool air provided by your air conditioning system gives you welcome relief, but the noise coming from your air conditioner is quite another story. When your system was initially turned on, you thought the air conditioner noise would go away, but it hasn’t.
The seasonal temperatures are here. You know the air conditioning system has been turned on, yet you’re just not feeling the comfort you would expect. The disappointing lack of cool air coming through the air conditioning vents prompts you to ask yourself, “Why is my AC not blowing?”
It’s incredibly frustrating when you just can’t get cool on a hot day, even though your air conditioning sounds like it’s working (it’s blowing). Is it you or is it really hot in here? You check the thermostat, and in fact the temperature is soaring well above the set temp. When you place your hand over one of the AC registers, you find your AC blowing warm air.
You may expect your air conditioner to be cold, but if it’s covered in frost or ice, that’s not a good sign. When your air conditioner is freezing up, it can’t properly cool your space. And worse, if you don’t do something about it quickly, you can end up with water damage in your walls and ceilings as well as an expensive AC repair on your hands.
