Serving Homeowners Throughout Northern Florida and Beyond
TV20′s Kristin Chase sat down with Brett Fiore from Bounds Heating & Air to discuss switching your AC units. Fiore spoke about new legislation that gives incentives when people change to a more energy-efficient unit.
If you are needing service or installation of an AC unit you can reach Bounds Heating & Air at (352) 472-2761.
TV20′s Kristin Chase sat down with Brett Fiore from Bounds Heating & Air on how to regulate temperatures while out of the house for vacation. Fiore recommends setting the temperature higher before leaving the house and regulating temperatures from afar through a WIFI thermostat.
If you are needing installation of an AC unit or more information on WIFI thermostats you can reach Bounds Heating & Air at (352) 472-2761.
TV20′s Kristin Chase sat down with Brett Fiore from Bounds Heating & Air to discuss how to prepare and maintain AC units during high temperatures. Fiore encourages people to have clean air filters and to buy a WIFI thermostat to control AC out of the house.
If you are needing service or installation of an AC unit you can reach Bounds Heating & Air at (352) 472-2761.
Ready to learn how to speak “HVAC?” Let’s get started.
Let’s start with the term HVAC. HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. People often will refer to an entire heating and cooling system (the heater, air conditioner, and ductwork) as an HVAC system for short.
AFUE (Average Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is a term for the measurement of a gas or oil furnace’s efficiency. AFUE is a number. That number is the percentage of the amount of fuel energy used to heat your home.
For instance, if a furnace’s AFUE is 80, then 80% of the fuel it uses will be used for heating your home, while 20% of the fuel will go to waste (80% + 20% = 100%). An energy-efficient furnace will have a really high AFUE, meaning that almost 100% of the fuel it uses will be used to heat your home, and only a small percentage of the fuel will go to waste.
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the rating that describes how efficient an air conditioner or heat pump is. The SEER is calculated by dividing the unit’s total cooling power by the total energy used to power it over one year. This equation takes into account temperature differences throughout the year. Taking those differences into account is important because your AC works much harder during July than January.
HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) is similar to SEER and AFUE, only it applies to heat pumps when they’re heating a home. To calculate a heat pump’s HSPF, you divide the unit’s total heating power by the total energy used to power it over one year. In this way, HSPF takes seasonal temperature differences into account.
Your air conditioning system has two major components: the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit is called the condenser, that metal box that sits outside with a fan inside of it. Whether you own a heat pump, a ductless mini-split, or a traditional AC and furnace, the air conditioner has a condenser located outdoors, typically in the yard, on the roof, or on a balcony.
The condenser contains a coil with refrigerant that has just absorbed heat from your indoor air. The condenser’s main role is to release all that heat outdoors. For this reason, the condenser needs adequate room for ventilation on all sides and especially on top, where its fan is blowing out the most warm air.
Air conditioners and heat pumps have two coils: one is in the condenser, mentioned above, and the other is the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil is located indoors.
Just like the condenser coil, the evaporator coil contains refrigerant. Hot indoor air from your home blows over this coil, and the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air. The “warmed up” refrigerant moves along a line from the evaporator coil out to the outdoor condenser coil, where it can release that heat outside.
Heat exchangers are a crucial component in gas or oil furnaces. Here’s why:
Over time, condensation can cause the heat exchanger to rust. This can lead to cracks as the metal expands and contracts from warming up and cooling down. A cracked heat exchanger needs to be taken seriously, as any breaks in the barrier can allow harmful gases and particles to mix with your indoor air.
At Bounds Heating & Air, we’re committed to providing you with top-quality HVAC repairs, maintenance, and installations. Give us a call at (352) 472-2761 or contact us online today!
Below, our Gainesville HVAC pros will explain the most common reasons why air conditioners can “ice up,” and what you can do about it.
When everything is working properly, your air conditioner is pulling in the same amount of air that it’s sending out. Warm air from your home blows over the indoor evaporator coil, transferring its heat to the coil and the refrigerant inside it. If something prevents air from entering your AC, the evaporator coil can get so cold that the condensation on it will start to freeze.
So what causes a lack of airflow? Typically, the culprit is a dust-clogged air filter that’s overdue for a replacement. Inadequate airflow can also occur if something is blocking your system’s return vent. If you see ice forming on your AC unit, check these two things first. Then you can defrost your unit by adjusting your thermostat so that only your HVAC system’s fan is running, while neither heating nor cooling.
As mentioned above, your AC’s evaporator coil contains refrigerant, which allows the coil to get extremely cold. As long as the metal coil is clean, your home’s warm air can easily transfer its heat to the coil and the refrigerant.
However, if the coil becomes coated in dust and grime, the heat transfer process becomes less effective. This can allow the coil to become cold enough for the condensation on it to freeze. If this issue is causing ice to form, it’s best to stop running your air conditioner until a technician can clean the coils (something which is normally done during a preventative maintenance appointment). In the meantime, you can run the fan to defrost your system.
Your blower fan is what keeps air moving through your AC system. If there’s a problem with the blower fan motor, the fan won’t function, and your AC can get the airflow issues mentioned above that lead to ice formation. You’ll most likely know that there is a blower fan problem because either you won’t feel any air coming out of your vents, or the fan will only be able to blow at certain speeds.
Yes, this seems counterintuitive. Why would ice form on an AC’s evaporator (indoor) coil when there is a lack of refrigerant?
When your AC has less refrigerant than it should, there’s going to be a lack of pressure in your AC system. This lack of pressure causes the refrigerant to “overcompensate”—instead of absorbing some heat, it removes so much heat at once that the evaporator coil can freeze over. You may even see ice forming outdoors on the refrigerant line leading to your outdoor AC unit..
Ignoring ice on your air conditioner can lead to major system issues. The ice formation will cause your system to overwork itself to a point where the compressor may be damaged beyond repair. Just how bad of a situation is that? In some cases, the cost to replace a compressor is so high that you may be better off buying a new air conditioner.
Avoid costly repairs by taking the following steps if ice has formed on your air conditioner:
Remember, refrigerant can pose a safety risk and an environmental hazard, so any issues involving refrigerant should only ever be handled by a trained professional.
At Bounds Heating & Air, we offer 24/7 emergency appointments to help return comfort to your Gainesville home! Call us today at (352) 472-2761.
The fact is that most of the time, it’s going to be significantly cheaper to repair your system than to replace it. However, there are some other factors to consider, especially once your system crosses the 10-year mark.
If you find yourself saying “yes” to one or more of the questions below, it’s probably time to start shopping for a replacement for your current system.
According to the National Association of Homebuilders, you can expect to get about 10 to 15 years out of your air conditioner, 16 if it’s a heat pump. If your air conditioner requires an expensive repair at 15 years of age or older, you’re probably better off replacing it because it’s likely to break down again soon.
Repair costs can stack up over time, especially as air conditioners age. Keep track of each one so that you don’t find yourself making repairs year after year on an old unit when you could’ve been putting that money toward a new one.
Some repairs and part replacements cost much more than others. If your air conditioner is already past 10 years old and needs a significant repair or part replacement, like a new compressor, check how much the cost of that repair compares to the cost of a new unit. Instead of paying for a repair, that money could instead be used for a substantial down payment.
R-22 refrigerant (commonly known as Freon) is being phased out in favor of more environmentally-friendly options. This means that the price of remaining R-22 supplies is going to continually increase as they become smaller. Consequently, if your system needs to be recharged with R-22 due to a refrigerant leak, the cost of that alone might be enough to justify an upgrade to a new system.
Air conditioners lose efficiency as they age, and as a result, they lose their “cooling power” and cost more and more to operate. If your current system is giving you astronomical energy bills or has to run constantly to keep your home cool, it’s probably ready to retire.
There’s no need to sweat it: at Bounds Heating & Air, our Gainesville air conditioning experts make upgrading your system easy as can be. Contact us today to learn how we can help you: (352) 472-2761!
When your air conditioner is working correctly, it both cools and removes moisture from your indoor air. However, there are multiple factors that can cause your air conditioner to fail at its “dehumidifying duties.”
If your home feels muggy even while the air conditioner is running, one of the reasons below could be why.
Before calling your trusted HVAC contractor, check your thermostat settings. Make sure your system is set to “AUTO,” and no “ON.” When the setting is “ON,” your system’s fan is going to run continuously, even if the air conditioner isn’t actively cooling and dehumidifying the air. Basically, the system is just circulating air throughout your home. When the setting is “AUTO,” your system will cool and dehumidify air whenever the fan is running.
Your system’s air filter can only do so much. If enough time goes by without preventative maintenance, dust and dirt will accumulate on both your indoor and outdoor air conditioner coils. Dust on the outdoor coils inhibits your air conditioner’s ability to disperse heat into the outdoors, which, in turn, interferes with the refrigerant cycle as a whole. A disrupted refrigerant cycle makes it harder for your air conditioner to dehumidify air and perform efficiently.
Your air conditioner’s indoor unit contains the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil removes heat and humidity from your indoor air. If something is blocking airflow through your system (like a dust-clogged air filter), or if there’s not enough refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil, a layer of ice or frost can form over the coil. When this happens, the coil can no longer extract heat or humidity from your home’s air.
It’s essential that your air conditioning system not be too big or too small for your home. If the system is too big, it’s only going to run for extremely short cycles, which can result in uneven temperatures throughout your home. If the system is too small, it’s going to struggle to cool and dehumidify your home no matter how much it runs.
Has the air in your home gotten muggier in recent years? According to the National Association of Home Builders, air conditioners last 10 to 15 years, so if your AC system is over 10 years old, then you can bet the humidity problem is an aging air conditioner. When shopping for a replacement, make sure you involve a licensed HVAC professional that can help you choose an appropriately-sized system for your home so that you can avoid problems like the one mentioned above in #4.
Ductwork typically “lives” in humid, unconditioned areas, like attics and crawl spaces. As it ages, it can form rips and gaps that allow moisture to mix with your conditioned air. You can also have this problem in relatively new ductwork that wasn’t connected or sealed properly.
Right before stormy weather, the air outdoors becomes excessively humid, and even a decent air conditioner in good condition might not be able to keep up. You can help your AC out by keeping all of the windows closed and running your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans when either of those rooms is in use for cooking, showering, or bathing.
If the humidity is so high in your home that it’s creating problems, like mold growth or physical discomfort, you can also install a whole-home dehumidifier. These devices regulate your home’s indoor humidity and keep it at your desired level.
Have no fear: it’s perfectly fine to switch back and forth between your AC and heater, even on the same day. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to make this switch. Below are some things to consider.
While you want to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, it’s essential that you don’t do anything that will drastically increase your energy bill or put your HVAC system through unnecessary wear and tear.
First, make sure your HVAC system’s thermostat is set to “auto” so that it will automatically shut off when your home has reached the thermostat’s designated temperature. If the thermostat is set to “on,” the unit will just keep running. To increase your energy savings, the Department of Energy recommends the following temperature settings:
Second, if you want to switch from your cooling system to your heating system (or the opposite), never do it while the unit is running. Wait until the cycle finishes. Then switch the thermostat to “off.” Wait for at least five minutes before turning your other system on.
The more of a temperature fluctuation your system needs to overcome, the more energy it’s going to use. This is why it’s best to keep your home temperature as consistent as possible, though it’s not always easy. When switching from heating to cooling or vice versa, start by adjusting your thermostat by only a few degrees. Allowing your home to warm up or cool down gradually puts a lot less strain on your HVAC system.
Whether you need an AC repair or heater repair, our Gainesville technicians at Bounds Heating & Air are ready to help! Give us a call today at (352) 472-2761 or contact us online.
Here in Gainesville, we have plenty of humidity to go around, and that’s not always something we love. Aside from feeling muggy and uncomfortable, too much humidity in your home can increase your energy bills and promote mold growth. The key to reducing all that excess moisture in your indoor air is to find out what’s allowing it to accumulate.
Below are the most common sources of excess humidity in homes and some suggestions for solving each problem.
If your home is missing features like sealed ductwork and weatherstripping, moisture could be getting inside from the great outdoors. Air ducts are usually located in unconditioned areas, like attics or crawl spaces, so if there are leaks in the ductwork, humid air can “sneak in” through tears and gaps and make your home muggier.
Not sure where the problem lies? If you have high energy bills, excess humidity, or drafty areas in your home, an energy audit can help determine precisely where air leaks are happening.
One of the simplest ways you can reduce humidity in your home is by:
Using your bathroom fan (or getting one installed). Unless you like cold baths and showers, you’re going to wash with warm water, and that warm water is going to create muggier air quickly. Run your bathroom fan while bathing and for another 30 minutes afterward.
Using your kitchen exhaust fan. Cooking on the stove (especially boiling and sauteeing) releases a lot of moisture. Use your kitchen exhaust fan while cooking on the stove and for another 15 minutes afterward.
Your air conditioner does two beneficial things. Not only does it remove heat from your indoor air, but it also takes away moisture. This makes your indoor environment less humid. However, if your air conditioner is upwards of 15 or 20 years old, it’s probably struggling to condition and dehumidify your air the way it used to. If your AC costs you a fortune in repairs or energy bills, it’s probably wiser to invest that money in a new, more efficient replacement.
Even if your AC is somewhat new, it might be struggling to remove heat and humidity from your home’s air. Why? Nearly 100% of the time, it’s because the equipment is overdue for preventative maintenance. When your AC’s evaporator coil (in the indoor unit) gets dirty and grimy, it will have a harder and harder time performing. This can lead to high cooling costs and a system failure.
At Bounds Heating & Air, we’re committed to providing the highest quality air conditioning repairs, maintenance, and installations in Gainesville and the surrounding areas: (352) 472-2761.
When your AC loses efficiency, it costs you more money to operate it, and it suffers wear-and-tear faster than it should. Below, we explain some of the most common ways AC systems lose efficiency and what you can do about these problems.
Dirty air filters are one of the leading causes behind air conditioner and heater issues. When you don’t clean or replace your air filter frequently enough, it develops a blanket of dust that restricts airflow. If there’s not enough air passing through, the equipment will have numerous efficiency and performance problems. Your system might even fail if the lack of airflow becomes severe enough.
The first step you can take towards a more efficient AC system is to change the air filter at least once every 90 days (for most systems). If you own pets, smoke indoors, or have recently done activities that have generated a lot of dust, you’ll most likely need to change the air filter more frequently than that (ex. every 30 to 60 days).
Even though your system has an air filter, dust will still find its way into the components and decrease their efficiency. For instance, dust buildup on your air conditioner’s coils can end up being a costly problem. Your air conditioner has two coils: the evaporator coil in the indoor unit and the condenser coil in the outdoor unit. Dust buildup:
limits the evaporator coil’s ability to absorb heat from your home’s air
limits the condenser coil’s ability to release that heat outside
The easiest way to prevent dust buildup is to schedule preventative maintenance for your AC system yearly in the spring. During the appointment, your technician will clean and tighten up your system and inspect it for any parts that might be at risk of failing.
Your AC system may be operating just fine, but if the cold air “delivery system” (aka. the ductwork) is full of leaks, it will create a lot of energy loss. Leaks can form in your air ducts’ joints over time if the connections aren’t correctly sealed. Other typical areas for leaks are where the ducts connect to the AC equipment and the air registers in your walls. Rodents can also chew through flexible metal ductwork with their sturdy incisors.
Two clues that you have leaky ductwork are high energy bills and weak airflow coming out of your vents. If this matches your situation, contact an HVAC technician to inspect your ductwork for energy losses. If they discover leaks, they can seal your air ducts with professional equipment.
Even though this may sound like a no-brainer, check your home to make sure that all of your vents are exposed and in the open position. We’ve found that in some homes, forgotten air vents have been blocked by rugs and furniture.
Also, make sure you never close your air vents at the register. Many people will do this to redirect air to another area of their home. However, without a zoning system, your air conditioner will keep trying to blow cold air to that same room regardless. This can create an air pressure imbalance in your system, forcing open weak points in your ductwork and making leaks.
On average, air conditioners last about 15 to 20 years, although they can last longer with routine maintenance. If your air conditioner is well past the 12-year mark, it’s performance may be declining due to old age. According to the Department of Energy, if your AC is just 10 years old, you can save 20 to 40 percent of your cooling costs by replacing it with a newer, more energy-efficient model.
Does it take a long time to cool your home? It might not be your air conditioning system that’s the problem. Your home might be gaining heat and losing conditioned air due to issues like air leaks, inadequate insulation, or even uncovered, sun-facing windows. You might even have an incorrectly calibrated thermostat on your hands. To discover where you’re losing the most energy in your home, the Department of Energy recommends professional home energy audits.
Whether your Gainesville home needs AC maintenance, a repair, or a thorough energy audit, our team at Bounds Heating & Air has the training and expertise to provide you with quality service. Contact us today at (352) 472-2761 or use our online form.
Your air conditioning unit is one of the most used HVAC systems in a typical household. Many people rely on it to stay comfortable, but most people don’t know how they work. Our air conditioning repair specialists give you a basic rundown of how your air conditioning unit functions.
Warm Air Goes In
Warm air in the room is sucked into the air conditioning unit. Dust and other particles are filtered out by a fine mesh layer to prevent clogging the machine. Keeping the filters clean helps avoid common problems such as poor efficiency and leaks.
Refrigerant Cools the Air
The liquid refrigerant is pumped through an evaporator which causes it to lose pressure and turn into a very cold gas. The gas continues to travel to a winding section of the tube known as the evaporator coil. Any damage to the evaporator or coils could cause the refrigerant to leak, so having it checked by an HVAC repair specialist on a regular basis is important.
Cool Air Goes Out
Air sucked into the unit passes through the evaporator coils. The cold coils absorb the heat in the air, cooling it in the process before flowing back into the room. A series of fans and an oscillator helps disperse the cool air throughout the room.
Repeating the Cycle
The refrigerant passes through a compressor, which pressurizes it and sends it through another winding tube known as the condenser coil. The pressure heats up the refrigerant and returns it to its liquid state, ready to return to the evaporator. A condenser fan blows through the coils to prevent the air conditioning unit from overheating. Regular HVAC maintenance typically includes cleaning out the fan and the cooling fins surrounding the condenser coils.
If you want to know more about your air conditioning unit, we’ll be more than happy to help you. Bounds Heating & Air provides HVAC services in Newberry, FL, and other parts of Florida. Call us at 352-472-2761 or fill out this contact form to request a free quote.
