Categories Tips

5 tips to extend the functional life of your air conditioner

The installation of an air conditioner implies an important and necessary expense for our home or company. Therefore, we must treat it consistently to enjoy its services for much longer.

Our air conditioning device will become an indispensable tool to promote our comfort in the home or business and maximize the performance of the latter. Therefore, taking care of it with care to promote its maximum use until the end should be a primary objective.

Regardless of the model or size of your AC unit, you expect it to last for years. The life expectancy of your AC unit will depend on the model. However, it has to do more than anything with the maintenance and care it receives.

It all depends on the use and weather that the equipment must withstand, but, as a rule, the life of an air conditioner ranges between 8 and 15 years. In Guisan, as experts in air-conditioning of spaces, we offer five tips to increase the life of your air conditioning:

  1. Clean the unit regularly

As obvious as might seem, many users tend to clean very little air conditioning units and this is a big mistake since they tend to get very dirty just because they are out of the house.

The cleaning of both units, internal and external, will keep working in an optimal way. Not only will they work properly, but many breakdowns will also be avoided.

  1. Give your air conditioning a rest

When ACs are used constantly, they tend to wear out faster. It is important to turn it off if you plan to leave the house for a long time. You can set the thermostat to a minimum temperature that allows the unit to stay on but without cooling the air. However, starting the appliance with the thermostat too low is a mistake. The machinery suffers and greatly increases the expense. Installing awnings and changing windows help the air conditioner be used fewer hours a day

You can also turn up the thermostat at night. Both techniques will help prolong the life of your system because it will not be on all day without rest. If you are going to stay in the place, of course, it is better to keep the air conditioner on, although at an average temperature, creating a progressive decrease in temperature.

  1. Regulate the temperature

Choosing the type of device and its power well will prevent the air conditioner from making an unnecessary effort. Therefore, we must calculate the meters to be heated and thus find the right device for it. Choosing a device with low power will make the one who has to work harder to cool the entire space and will break down sooner. Although, if we already have the right power, you should pay close attention when adjusting the temperature.

Avoid abusing the air conditioner by setting a temperature that does not differ from the outside by more than 10 degrees. Ideally, it should be set between 21 and 25 degrees. In this way, you will be able to prolong the life of your cooling system.

  1. Allow air to circulate

Your AC unit works by pumping cold air to your home or office, so adequate circulation is necessary for the air conditioner to operate efficiently. It is important to remove any obstruction of the air grilles of the space that you cohabit.

Your system will not have to work too hard to circulate the air through your house if all the grilles are open and unobstructed, which allows it to circulate freely.

  1. Do an annual review

Making adjustments or checking the AC is very important when we talk about extending the life of the unit. Regular adjustments will keep your system in excellent condition and help you prevent problems.

Maintenance is recommended at least once a year. But if you can, it is more optimal per season: cold or hot. That is twice a year. This way we ensure proper operation every time the equipment’s operating season begins.

 

Author roilifterhosting
Categories Energy efficient

When NOT to replace the heater

While there are benefits to putting a new central air system in your home, no one wants to do it if it’s not necessary. It can easily cost a few thousand dollars to replace the heaters. Before homeowners think about doing it, they should consider more effective and affordable alternatives.

When necessary, your heater contractor will suggest timely replacements. Otherwise minor problems can easily be solved so that no one has to replace anything in the future.

The air duct system is generally kept sheltered in the attic. Although the material from which the ducts are made is fragile, it does not often leak or leak. However, when this happens, clean air conditioning can leak. At the same time, dirty air from the attic enters the air system. As a result, heating can be inefficient.

Fortunately, a leak in the air duct does not mean that owners should replace the heaters. Technicians can provide repairs to air ducts by sealing leaks.

Air filters should be changed about twice a year. This simple task is something that homeowners can do on their own.

Over-used filters add extra stress to the central air system. This happens because dirty filters restrict airflow, causing the central air system to overwork while collecting accumulation inside.

With enough time and wear, this may require an HVAC technician to replace heater parts due to damage. But it will rarely be necessary to replace it completely.

On the hygienic side

Microbiological growth occurs when the drip pan or evaporator coils collect water. Hygiene becomes a problem as this type of growth enters the air system and the home. Heater maintenance takes care of the problem.

During maintenance, your heater contractor cleans the evaporator coils of any build-up. The condensate lines and drip tray will also be evaluated for any type of microbiological accumulation.

Although your technician may suggest replacing some parts of the heater, the system will continue to operate for service. However, it should be noted that homeowners who avoid maintenance are often scheduled to replace their heater sooner than expected.

Unless the thermostat is in good condition, homeowners will not have access to heating and air conditioning. HVAC technology has vastly improved and there are now smarter, more durable, and more efficient thermostats. In this case, you only need to replace parts of the heater connected to the thermostat, such as the thermostat itself and the wires connecting it to the heater.

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Author roilifterhosting
Categories Energy efficient, Heating, Tips

Tips for choosing the best industrial HVAC service for your company

HVAC systems -that is, cooling or heating a space- account for almost half the energy expenditure of an average home. Therefore, creating an adequate maintenance program for the air conditioning units that your clients have installed at home is vital. And of course, using the right software can make these maintenance visits more streamlined and efficient.

Over time, the filters in air conditioners get dirty, and their cooling system loses power. The maintenance program ensures regular check-ups, and with it, not only great energy savings and more efficient work, but also healthier living conditions for all family members.

Doing research to find the best industrial HVAC service will make the difference between getting a professionally installed solid air system or just being ripped off. Fortunately, there are still organizations that are concerned with providing a quality service and in a very professional way, so in this article we will take care of showing you practical advice to choose the best industrial HVAC service for your company, with which it can be guaranteed efficient operation of your air conditioner for years to come:

1. First, be wary of an HVAC contractor offering you a quote or an estimate over the phone, as there are a number of factors that need to be properly inspected on site: What is your pipeline like? Is there an adequate number of records per department? What type of insulation do you have? What kind of windows does it have? The ability to answer these questions will determine how qualified a technician will be in performing the job.

2. Verify that the contractor replaces the old air conditioner with the same type of unit as before. Keep in mind that properly trained personnel will recommend various options to update the installation and increase its efficiency.

3. Ensure the contractor is well versed in cutting-edge technologies, including the most up-to-date HVAC industry service and that goes hand in hand with automation of building air conditioning systems.

4. The Industrial HVAC Systems Technician must possess a license certifying his experience in handling gas lines, as well as electrical and plumbing applications.

5. Demand a written offer or quote. Any reputable HVAC contractor will give you a written offer to adhere to, which should include a list of everything that will be done, as well as its cost.

6. Read Google reviews online and avoid Yelp, as it filters reviews, while Google does not.

7. Avoid going with the lowest HVAC industrial service bidder this can cost you more in the long run. The main reason is that air conditioning is a machine with moving parts that will (hopefully) run for 10 to 15 years, and if not installed correctly it will do one of two things: it will either not keep the building properly cooled or warm and otherwise it will fail completely.

A clean and air conditioning system checked from time to time is the best guarantee of correct operation, a clean environment and, of course, the ideal temperature for each season. Remember, who installs your HVAC unit is more important than the type of unit you buy. A good HVAC contractor can make anything work efficiently.

Author roilifterhosting 1 Comment on Tips for choosing the best industrial HVAC service for your company
Categories AC

Summer is coming! Tips for choosing an AC

Summer does not usually have mercy and hot days accumulate one after another, so the need for a breath of fresh air becomes essential, especially when summer is spent in the city. The hottest season of the year coincides with the high season of air conditioning purchases, as they are the quintessential solution to the ravages of high temperatures.

Its use in the home, which has spread considerably in the last decade, implies taking certain considerations before acquiring the equipment: From the type of air conditioning to the refrigerators, there are different parameters to consider before choosing the correct option and not die of heat in the attempt.

A very small piece of equipment can operate in a forced way, spending a lot of electrical energy and, consequently, generating a greater economic cost. The solution is not to choose a very large piece of equipment either because reaching the programmed temperature very quickly can make it start and brake all the time.

To know how many fridges the air conditioning has to be, you have to multiply the cubic meters of the room (m2 * height) by 50. Example: a 20 m2 room with a height of 2.5 m has then 50 m3. That room would need an air of 2,500 fridges: 50 m3 x 50.

Before launching into the first offer you find, that there are at this time of year, we leave you a series of tips so you know which AC unit is the one that best suits your needs.

-The types:

The so-called split is the most common for installation at home. Their preference is based not only on their very good performance but also that they are the easiest to install since the internal and external units are easy to mount and only a small hole in the wall is required to pass the pipes of the refrigeration system.

There are also so-called window or compact air conditioners, more and more in disuse because their installation is somewhat more complex, due to the extra cost that a masonry work requires since the external and internal units are part of a single module. Their performance is less than that of the split and their technology is somewhat more outdated, making it less and less frequent to see them in homes.

A third option for the home environment are portable air conditioners, which need a window for the hose and are usually much louder and less powerful. There are several types, some include condensation air outlet and water evacuation in the same tube; others eject separately, and some add an outdoor unit. The tubes must be connected to the window to expel the hot air, for this purpose, a kit is usually included that makes installation simple, sealing the opening and preventing it from re-entering the room.

-The fridges

When choosing a piece of equipment, it is important to pay special attention to the fridges, since these allow you to have a reference to the unit’s cooling capacity. It is usually used as an equivalent of a negative kilocalorie since it measures the absorption of heat. It is worth noting that in other countries the BTU (British Thermal Unit) is used as a measure, which is equivalent to 0.252 kcal: a frigory (or kilocalorie) is equivalent to about 4 BTUs.

A quick calculation to know the approximate number of refrigerations necessary for the refrigeration of a room is to take its cubic meters (length x width x height) as a base and then multiply it by 50. For example, a room 4 meters wide, by 5 long and 2.5 high results in 50 cubic meters; therefore, a minimum of 2,500 fridges will be needed to optimally refrigerate it.

-Inverter?

The Inverter is an electronic component that alters the speed of the compressor. This technology allows you to reach the desired temperature more quickly (the motor works up to 30% above its power in this phase) and regulates the compressor so that it slows down to the minimum necessary to maintain these values, making it possible greater energy savings. Thus, the temperature fluctuations are reduced and a margin between + 1ºC and -1ºC is maintained. Whenever the budget allows it, it is convenient to choose a unit equipped with an Inverter, since it guarantees better performance and lowers energy consumption.

-Consumption

The consumption of the air conditioners is estimated through the EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio); the higher the number, the greater the efficiency and the lower the unit’s operating cost. This index is also reflected in letters, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient. Today, practically all splits are in the A and B range for cooling and A, B, and C for heating. It is important to take this index into account to be sure that the equipment purchased guarantees efficient consumption.

Finally, do not fall into the temptation of equipment on offer that does not satisfy our needs 100 percent; Fortunately, reviews, and forums abound on the internet with information on almost all the equipment available on the market, so it is good to research and know the product well before making the final decision. An extra tip: It is always better to go ahead and buy in winter when prices are usually lower.

Author roilifterhosting
Categories AC

How to calculate refrigerations and choose the right AC unit?

There are many factors that go into the formula to calculate the refrigeration of air conditioning that an AC unit must have to cool an environment. With this value we will be able to know which air conditioning to buy, remembering that the interior temperature sought is less than 25ºC.

Next, we will see what the factors are and how they influence the formula to calculate the fridges or watts of our air conditioning equipment. It is important to mention that the same formula applies to a split, mini-split, air conditioning, or portable equipment.

To make an approximate calculation of the power that an air conditioning unit needs to have to cool a room, it is necessary to take into account some factors. Below we explain what they are and how they intervene in the calculation.

Surface conductivity

Each material has a different conductivity of heat, depending on how much heat it passes through. Then, a different K constant is assigned depending on whether the walls are insulated or not and whether the windows have a single or double glass.

The value that the constant K will take is:

  • 0.692 (W / m2 / ºC), when the walls are insulated.
  • 1.09 (W / m2 / ºC), when the walls are not insulated.
  • 5.8 (W / m2 / ºC), when the windows have a simple glass.
  • 1.62 (W / m2 / ºC), when the windows have a double glass.

Surface to air conditioning

At this point we have to calculate the square meters of each wall, separating those that are isolated from those that are not. The surface of each window must also be calculated, differentiating those with double or single glass. Nor should we forget to add the surface of the ceiling and the floor. We will assign the letter S to the total surface to be air-conditioned.

Maximum outside temperature

Depending on the area where the house is located, it will have a maximum outdoor temperature in summer and winter. If we want to refrigerate, we are interested in knowing the thermal amplitude between the internal temperature that we want to obtain and the maximum external temperature in summer.

For example, if the desired interior temperature is 25ºC and the maximum in summer is 40ºC, the thermal amplitude, indicated as ΔT will be 15.

Air conditioning power calculation formula

When we have the calculation of the three previous factors, we can calculate without any problem the power that the refrigeration equipment would have to have to achieve a temperature below 25ºC.

The formula is as follows: P = K x S x (ΔT)

P indicates the power in kW, K is the material conductivity constant, S the surface, and ΔT the thermal amplitude.

Ventilation

Although this calculation is basic, it will give us an idea of ​​what air conditioning to buy for a certain room. But there are other factors that also intervene in the power calculation is the ventilation of the room.

Through this formula, heat loss due to air renewal is calculated.

PVentilation = (Specific weight of air x Specific heat of air) / 0.86 x V (number of vents) x ΔT between indoor and outdoor air.

The value obtained through this calculation is added to the power obtained.

Flashing coefficient

The letter C defines what is called the flashing coefficient and is intended to provide a little security to the power calculation. C varies from 1 to 2, depending on how much the home is used. The less you use the more the blinking coefficient will be.

So, if the house is used daily, C = 1.1, on the other hand, a weekend house will have a value of 1.4. This coefficient is multiplied by the total power of the calculated house.

If the air conditioner works perfectly, it is very likely that the cause is that it does not have enough power to remove heat from the environment.

In those cases, it is very useful to know how to calculate the refrigeration of an AC. In case the air conditioning has enough power, the problem can be found in poor maintenance.

Among the most common reasons for a lack of maintenance are the following: lack of cleaning in filters, lack of gas, among others.

Author roilifterhosting
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