Air Conditioning System Archives

Air Circulation in Homes with No Air Return on Second Floor

Air circulation in homes - single, central air return register installed on the ceiling

Air circulation in two story homes
Air circulation in homes which are older and / or in poorly designed newer ones equipped with a central, forced air system might be compromised because they do not have an air return port installed on the second floor. It doesn’t matter how much you run the air conditioning system during the summer – that second floor will always stay much hotter than the first.

During the winter it becomes difficult to keep the property warm without proper air circulation as well. In both situations, the forced air system is wasting huge amounts of energy to keep […]

How to Use Thermostat Fan ON – OFF Feature

Thermostat fan ON – OFF

Use forced air heating and / or AC thermostat fan ON – OFF feature to your advantage and help your HVAC forced air system perform most efficiently.
Utilizing thermostat fan ON – OFF feature will probably be more beneficial for multi-level homes equipped with just one HVAC unit and little to no air return ports assigned for each room (ie. two air returns on a two story residence / one per floor only).
HVAC systems designed with a single air return port, usually installed in the center of the house or in the center of each floor, are often […]

Recommended Thermostat Settings For Energy Savings

Recommended thermostat settings and thermostat location

Before I explain recommended thermostat settings for energy savings I’d like to point out the best and the worst thermostat locations.
To maximize home energy savings and ensure the most efficient operation of your HVAC system, thermostat location should be chosen on an inside wall in a frequently occupied area of the house or the apartment.
Additionally, thermostat location should be at least 18″ (46cm) from any of the house’s outside walls, and approximately 5′ (1.5m) above the floor surface in a location with freely circulating air of an average temperature.
Thermostat locations you should avoid!
The recommended thermostat settings […]

Attic Air Conditioner Drip Pan Installation | HVAC Coil Catch Pan

Following industry standards apply to the attic air conditioner drip pan installation and locations where leaking condensate could damage building components.

Furnace / AC Seasonal Inspection – Do You Trust Your HVAC Guy?

Making seasonal inspections of your furnace and air conditioning system makes sense, and I’d highly recommend having it done on a regular basis on any age furnace and AC units. The question is – do you trust your HVAC guy? Most people do, because they are always very happy to announce at the beginning of … Read more

HVAC Air Filters Type and Locations | Forced Air Systems

HVAC Air Filters Type and Locations

We notoriously forget to replace air filters in our forced air heating / air conditioning systems… Air flow starts deteriorating through the house, system seams to be operating, but it takes significantly longer to achieve desired temperature …
The solution might be simple – clogged air filter, or missing air filter, and in that second case, you might have a contaminated evaporator coil (part of air conditioning system). Air filters, usually come in two groups: electronic/electric and passive (reusable, electrostatic or disposable).
Electronic/electric – reusable filters, click on link for detailed information and maintenance instructions (this one […]

Air Conditioning Icing

One of the problems with home forced air air conditioning systems is icing, which you my notice during its operation on: exterior condensing unit (inside the enclosure), refrigerate lines, or evaporator coil (AC section inside the house, usually not visible without removing of the access panel). Condition is usually associated with inadequate or lack of … Read more

Refrigerant Line Insulation | AC Lines Foam Installation

Refrigerant Line Insulation

Refrigerant line insulation is partially responsible for the efficiency of your air conditioning system operation. Two different diameter copper refrigerant lines, run between the air conditioning system condensing unit (house exterior), and the AC coil (named after its shape) installed inside the house (sometimes crawlspace or attic) / contained within its own compartment.
Suction refrigerant line
This is a thicker copper pipe, carries cool refrigerant gas and has a temperature of approximately 40°F (4.4°C) / requires insulation.
Liquid refrigerant line
Thinner copper pipe carries liquefied refrigerant, […]

AC Wall Units

Air conditioning wall units are typically installed inside the metal sleeves, permanently secured to the building wall structure. In most instances, they only require regular maintenance procedures like filter replacement, and cleaning, which should be performed on regular basis. Because wall units should discharge condensate (condensation that builds up on the coil, inside the air … Read more

AC Condenser Disconnect | AC Disconnect Grounding

AC Condenser Disconnect | AC Disconnect Grounding
Your house’s central cooling system ac condenser disconnect switch is a requirement and an important safety feature.
AC condenser disconnect must be located in sight and not directly behind the condenser so it’s easily accessible.
Depending on the manufacturer, enclosures have a disconnect handle located on the exterior or behind the small cover.
Accessing of some older air conditioning condenser disconnect switches with a hidden handle might be difficult, they are often corroded, have padlocks installed with missing keys which might prevent emergency disconnect when needed. Therefore, house AC disconnect enclosure should be periodically tested for proper operation, and maintained accessible […]