Do I need to clean my AC condenser coil?

The short answer is: Yes, you do. Regularly.

And we want you to understand why.

First, your condenser coils are part of your outdoor air-conditioning unit.

While there are vents to surround the coil, there aren’t any filters to prevent things like dust, debris, leaves, mud, pine straw, etc. from getting in there.

Over time, an accumulation will begin to cover the coils.

If a peek through the vent of your outdoor AC unit looks anything like this cover image, i.e. coils aren’t visible through the thick layer of dust, dirt, debris, etc, you may be headed for a range of issues.

Some of the issues when the coils aren’t clean:

• The system will work twice as hard to do the cooling, drastically reducing efficiency.
• Energy consumption will increase, along with your power bill.
• Your home won’t be as comfortable.
• Undue stress can damage important parts of your system and cause costly repairs, including no AC.

What can you do?

Apart from keeping the area surrounding your outdoor unit clear, it’s always recommended to have a skilled technician clean the condenser coils. Sometimes special chemicals are necessary.

To help you save and keep your system running as efficiently as possible, we also recommend the following:

1. Develop a ‘Maintenance Mindset’

First, we encourage you to develop a ‘Maintenance Mindset’. Think of maintaining your HVAC system like car maintenance.

To run efficiently, your car needs regular oil changes, tune-ups, transmission service, etc.

The same goes for your HVAC system. Consider coil cleaning a standard part of your overall HVAC maintenance.

2. Sign up for a Routine Maintenance Plan

One of the best ways to keep your home’s HVAC system running at top efficiency, and avoid unnecessary costs, is to sign up for an annual routine maintenance plan, such as our ‘Comfort Assurance Agreement’.

Benefits include a range of cost-savings, discounts, priority status, twice a year inspections to prevent any developing issues, and much more.

We offer a variety of plans to suit your unique needs.

Plus, customers on our ‘BETTER’ (and up) plan automatically receive a yearly coil clean from our skilled technicians.

Has it been a while since your condenser coils were cleaned?

If so, chances are they may look like one of the pictures we’ve included in this post. If you’re unsure, that’s what we’re here for.

For more information about coil cleaning and/or our Comfort Assurance Plan, you can:

Call us today on 770.253.2665

Click here to Schedule An Appointment online.

Learn more about benefits here: Do I really need a yearly maintenance agreement?

Try as you might, it’s difficult to prevent every potential heating and air conditioning problem. It’s important to do routine maintenance to keep your equipment in top condition, and it is equally important to have a reliable HVAC service on call for those times when your furnace or air conditioner breaks down. Rather than scheduling a one-time service call with your HVAC company, you might find it’s cheaper – and better for your HVAC system – to sign up for a service membership with a company you trust.

Routine Maintenance Done by a Professional

You probably change filters and clean up dust and debris on a regular basis, which is a great start when it comes to HVAC maintenance. When you sign up for a service membership, a qualified technician does everything you do and more. They will be able to adjust gas valves, check wiring connections, clean circuit boards and a variety of other things that the average homeowner might miss. They will also be able to detect minor problems before they get out of control – a quick fix now could save you a lot of hassle during the dead of winter.

Take Advantage of Members-Only HVAC Discounts

Repair parts for a furnace or air conditioner can be costly. When you sign up for an HVAC service membership, you will have access to a variety of deals and discounts reserved for members. When it comes time to replace your furnace or air conditioner, you may even be able to get discounts on new equipment. Many customers are surprised to find that the savings on repairs alone offset the cost of a yearly membership.

Get Priority Scheduling

Furnaces and air conditioners never pick a convenient time to break down – it’s invariably either the hottest or coldest part of the year. You don’t want to get stuck waiting in line while your HVAC service attends to the customers before you, especially if there are very young children or elderly relatives living with you. That’s where a service membership comes in handy. It’s a VIP ticket that gets you priority scheduling so you can go back to being comfortable in your own home quickly.

Save Money on Your Utility Bills

When you sign up for a service membership with a maintenance plan, HVAC technicians will work hard to keep your furnace and air conditioner running in peak condition. According to the Department of Energy, a simple clogged filter can decrease the efficiency of your air conditioner by between 5 and 15-percent. With regular service, your equipment can maintain up to 95-percent of its original efficiency, which means you will see nice savings on your energy bills.

Increase the Value of Your Home

How can an HVAC service membership possibly increase the value of your home? It’s all in the documentation. Should you ever decide to sell your home, you will have written evidence to assure potential buyers that your HVAC system is in top condition. You can guarantee that warranties haven’t been invalidated. The extra effort you have put into the maintenance of your furnace and air conditioner will look great to buyers – it will tell them that your meticulous attention to detail means that your home has been well cared for over the years.

Service with a Smile

One of the biggest benefits to signing up for an HVAC service membership is that you will have the satisfaction of working with a company you trust. Rather than searching through the phone book, calling for multiple quotes, and wondering whether you made the right decision or not, you can simply depend on us to do the work quickly and professionally, for an affordable price. If we can be of assistance, please call our office at 770-253-2665.

Women’s History Month – Quotes From Women Who Inspire Us

As we wrap up Women’s History Month, we celebrate trailblazing women who came before us, women who made significant contributions and who broke through barriers.

As part of our reflection, we asked the women on our team to share a favorite quote and how it inspires or motivates them. It’s no wonder we have such a driven and dedicated team.

Here are their quotes and wise insights. We hope you’ll be inspired as much as we are!

This quote always reminds me to fail forward. Never give up if you believe what you want is worth fighting for.

My Grandmother lived to be 101 and this is what she always told us.

First of all, Michelle is one of my favorite first ladies of all time!!! She’s amazing. I chose this quote because it’s a great reminder, for anybody in the workforce, that your motivation should never derive from a “What’s in it for me?” mindset, but on a “How can I impact someone’s life in a good way?” mindset.

This is my favorite quote from my favorite female activist. This quote always brings things into perspective for me. Real change and progress comes from those who thrive to make a difference. I pay homage to those women that decided to change what they could not accept.

Whenever I think of this quote, I’m reminded of how good and authentic it feels to just be myself. It encourages me to live life by my own standards, free from the expectations of others.

This quote reminds me we really can do anything, so long as we genuinely desire it and decide to act. And though achievement is great, the real reward is the strength you gain and the person you become during the journey.

My mother was a strong woman who raised four daughters to be strong, independent women, too. To succeed, women must develop and show leadership qualities at work and in personal relationships. While men are typically praised for being “assertive” and “ambitious,” women with the same qualities are often described as “bossy”, “aggressive” with a “bad attitude.” This quote and my mother inspire me to reject this kind of gender bias. I always set high standards for myself and support other women in doing the same.

Women are always told to stay in this little box and be the perfect example to others. Often its easy to lose yourself when we’re told to do this. The past few years I’ve found myself and my voice and I’m not afraid to be myself or interested in hiding who I am to please others. I’ve never felt more myself and found than in the past couple of years and that’s thanks to putting the worldly standards out the window and embracing who I am!

Did you know you can upgrade the air filter in your home?

A common question we get is, ‘how often should I change my air filters?’

It’s a good question as this plays an important role in your indoor air quality. It also plays a major role in the efficiency of your system’s airflow.

A better question to consider is, ‘should I upgrade my air filter?’

One of the best things you can do to improve your indoor air quality and the efficiency of your HVAC system is to upgrade your filtration system.

Why?

Ultimately what you want is a system that will adequately filter the air to keep contaminants out, while also allowing adequate airflow.

The purpose of an air filter is to keep your HVAC system clean, as well as your indoor air.

One of the issues with the 1-inch standard filter is that while it may filter out the dust and other particles, it can increase the static pressure in your HVAC system.

So, although it’s common to think that paying more for a 1-inch filter provides better filtration, it can cause the system to not breath as well, decrease efficiency, restrict airflow from the increasing static pressure and ultimately damage your system.

When you upgrade your air filtration system, your air filter changes from the standard 1-inch filter to a 4-inch box filter, known as a ‘media filter’.

You can see the difference here:

Here’s why the upgrade is better:

• The media filter has more surface area to capture more debris, particulates, and pollens in the air.
• These filters provide better filtration over the standard 1-inch filters, while preventing significant static pressure increases.
• And, big bonus, media filters require less frequent replacement than standard 1-inch filters.

To address the question of how often you need to replace filters, whether it’s a 1-inch or media, depends on several variables, such as:

• The size of your home
• If you have leaky ductwork
• If you have kids and/or pets, and how many
• Type of flooring, e.g., carpet, wood, etc.
• Location of vents, whether in or near the floor, or in the ceiling
• The overall use of your home, as in, day-to-day or a weekend/vacation home.

As an example, walking over floor vents will cause dust to get into the ductwork much faster than, say, your ceiling vents. More pets mean more pet hair on your filters faster. You get the idea.

Remember this: Every particulate that’s filtered out means airflow not getting through.

This is why we recommend upgrading to media filters. They provide the airflow your system needs along with the better filtration you want in your home.

We really can’t stress enough the importance of changing your filters regularly, depending on the system you have and, of course, the variables listed above.

Here’s an example of what you don’t want your filters to look like:

Changing standard 1-inch filters:

We recommend changing a 1-inch filter monthly, and no less than every three months.

Again, be careful choosing the MERV rating on a 1-inch, as the higher-filtration levels mean they’ll need replacing more often. And they can damage your system faster.

Changing media filters:

If you were to upgrade to a media filter system, replacement typically ranges from every three to six months, again depending on your unique household circumstances.

We can help you assess what modifications need to be made to your ductwork as well as how often to change out your media filters if you’re heading this direction.

Plus, our maintenance programs provide different options for filter replacement needs.

If you have questions about upgrading your filter, or any concerns about your existing system, we’re a phone call away.

Give us a ring at 770-253-2665