With the summer here, residents in Asheville, North Carolina, are trying to stay cool. High humidity and warm temperatures challenge air conditioners to keep interiors comfortable. If your air conditioner isn’t beating the heat, it may be due to poor maintenance, improper sizing or leaking air ducts. Gentry Heating, Inc. can analyze the problem and recommend ways to get your system running again.
Your Air Conditioner Hasn’t Been Maintained
Improperly maintained heating, ventilation and air conditioning units work harder to produce conditioned air. Dirty filters reduce airflow, which lowers performance and increases fuel use. Replacing dirty air filters reduces energy usage by up to 15 percent. As a result, you’ll save money on utility costs.
During preventive maintenance, a service technician performs the following:
- Calibrates thermostat
- Checks refrigerant levels
- Cleans or replaces filter
- Lubricates moving parts
- Cleans coils
- Cleans drip pans and condensate lines
- Checks electrical connections
Maintenance reduces the frequency of breakdowns and prolongs the life of equipment.
Your Air Conditioner Isn’t Properly Sized
Proper sizing is critical to performance. Sizing is based on the cooling load, or the amount of warm air that your AC system must remove from a space for comfort. Factors that affect load include:
- Number of doors and windows.
- Shade and landscaping.
- Number of people using a room.
- Building orientation and size.
Even if your HVAC system was properly sized at the time of installation, any changes to load, such as adding space or closing dampers in unused rooms, can affect performance. As a result, it can also impact how much you pay to cool your home this summer. Ask your service technician to evaluate the situation and lower your cooling costs.
Your Ductwork is Impacting AC Performance
Leaks in the duct system cause a loss of up to 30 percent of the air moving through it. Therefore, it’s important to repair, seal, and insulate ducts to improve energy efficiency and comfort. An HVAC professional can inspect your duct system and recommend ways to repair it.
Gentry Heating, Inc. has provided HVAC installation, maintenance and repair services for the greater Asheville area since 1963. Our annual preventive maintenance plans include two tune-ups a year plus discounts on repairs, new installations and emergency services.
If your air conditioner isn’t cooling properly, we can thoroughly evaluate the entire system to diagnose the problem. As a result, you’ll ensure your air conditioner runs smoothly all summer long. Call 828-581-4045 to schedule a your AC service today.
Image provided by iStock
