Name: Bounds Heating & Air
Address: 25645 West, Newberry Road, Newberry, FL, 32669
Telephone: 352-472-2761

How to Ruin Your Air Conditioner in Less Than 10 Years

Air conditioners are not cheap to replace. Ideally, you want yours to last as long as possible so that you can maximize this investment in your comfort. However, as fantastic as your air conditioner is, it’s not invincible. It’s important to know what not to do so your system can run smoothly year after year.

Here are 5 things to avoid that will run your air conditioner into the ground fast.

1. Keeping the same air filter in too long

Your air conditioner’s air filter has the important job of keeping dust, dander, and other airborne particles out of the machinery. However, when the filter gets too dirty, it restricts the airflow through your AC system. This puts unnecessary strain on the components and can lead to overheating and part failures.

2. Growing plants too close to the outdoor unit

Compared to the rest of your yard, your outdoor AC unit can be a bit of an eyesore. However, before trying to conceal it, keep in mind that the unit needs ventilation on all sides. Otherwise, all of the heat that the equipment is trying to release will have nowhere to go. Give the unit at least 1 foot of horizontal space on all sides and at least 6 feet of overhead space.

3. Skipping preventative maintenance

Preventative maintenance is essential to keep your air conditioner functioning at its best for as long as possible. According to the Department of Energy, neglecting maintenance is basically a guarantee that your AC’s performance will go downhill and that its energy consumption will go up.

4. Blocking air vents

When you block air vents to save money in unused rooms, that air has nowhere to go. Subsequently, you’ll have a buildup of air pressure in your vents that can lead to air leaks. On top of this, your AC will no longer be sending out the same amount of air that it’s pulling in, creating an additional efficiency issue. Bottom line: keep all vents open, and make sure no furniture or rugs are blocking them.

5. Giving your AC extra work

The more you use your air conditioner, the faster it will wear out. Does that mean you should avoid using it at all costs? Of course not. This simply means that you should avoid activities that add heat to your home.

Here are some tips to help out your AC on hot days:

Use heat-generating appliances earlier in the morning or later in the evening.
Keep window coverings closed in rooms that get direct afternoon sunlight.
Use floor, table, and ceiling fans in occupied rooms to reduce your dependence on your AC.

At Bounds Heating & Air, we’re proud to offer quality air conditioning services throughout Gainesville. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at (352) 472-2761 or contact us online.

The HVAC Zoning System: What It Is and How It Works

More often than not, you have a room that’s always too hot or cold even when your HVAC system is working smoothly. This kind of imbalance is normal as it’s caused by the design of your home and the angle of the sun. However, this can cause comfort and efficiency issues, especially when you only have one thermostat controlling your indoor temperature.

This is where an HVAC zoning system can help. Bounds Heating and Air, your HVAC maintenance expert, explains more:

What Is HVAC Zoning System?

HVAC zoning system breaks your home into different “zones,” with each having its own thermostat. All thermostats are connected to the main control panel, so you can manage the temperature in certain areas of your home. Perhaps you want to make your bedroom cooler at night up and make the lesser-used rooms warmer. An HVAC zoning system will do the job for you.

How Does It Work?

A central HVAC system is like having only one switch in your home. You only have one temperature setting for the entire house, even when you only need it in one room. It not only consumes a lot of energy; it also causes premature wear on the unit. Without proper upkeep, you might need HVAC repair more often.

An HVAC zoning system can address this problem. It comes with automatic dampers in the ducts that adjust heating and cooling according to your preferences. It gives you control over the amount of energy that you use to achieve the right level of comfort in your room without affecting other areas.

What Are the Benefits?

Any home can benefit any home, especially one with multiple stories and large windows. Here’s how it can improve your living space:

Better Comfort. Anyone in your home can have their own personal HVAC configurations. This ensures that they stay comfortable all year round.

Energy-efficient. You can save on utility costs down the road because you don’t have to heat or cool a room that you hardly use. Furthermore, your HVAC system won’t wear out fast.

Modern Convenience. Most units come with smart control panels that allow you to change the temperature from anywhere in the room.

Whether you need air conditioning repair or heating replacement, look no further than Bounds Heating and Air. Contact us at (352) 278-9123 to learn more about our products and services. We serve residents in Newberry and nearby areas in Florida.

Is It Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner?

There comes a time in the life of every HVAC system when a replacement becomes necessary. Sometimes the signs are obvious; maybe your air conditioner has begun to emit odd sounds or smells, shown a marked drop in performance, or started to require more frequent repairs. Other times, the signs may not be immediately noticeable. Allow our HVAC repair and service professionals at Bounds Heating & Air to show you a few of the common signs that you may be due for a brand-new air conditioner.

Increase in Energy Bills

Older HVAC models are often found to be less energy-efficient than the newer models of today. In fact, the Department of Energy actually recommends upgrading aging HVAC equipment to that which has been certified with an ENERGY STAR® rating. The savings you’ll receive from making this switch are often enough to justify the cost of a new air conditioner. Moreover, choosing to operate inefficient HVAC systems will often set you back more than simply replacing it would.

Old Age

Most air conditioning systems have an estimated life span of 15 years. Any additional year beyond this 15-year benchmark is typically a bonus. At this point, you can expect your unit to require far more frequent air conditioning repair visits than usual, and the cost of these repairs can quickly add up. When it comes to this, it would be much more practical to have a new air conditioner installed rather than to continue to shell out money for more and more service visits.

Uneven Cooling

Regular wear and tear can be greatly slowed down by proper maintenance, but over time, they’ll still take their toll on your unit. One way this becomes apparent is when you begin to notice that your AC no longer cools as effectively as before. When this happens, it’s time to consider installing a new unit.

At Bounds Heating & Air, we’re your number one provider of HVAC maintenance, repair, and installation services. Give us a call at 352-472-2761 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your heating or air conditioning repair or installation service today. We serve clients in Alachua, FL.

Stay Cool in Hot Weather With These HVAC Tips

The month of July saw news outlets report on temperatures reaching all-time highs in various locations around the world, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, for instance, a massive and intense heat dome has been hovering over two-thirds of the area comprising the eastern United States and southeast Canada. The heat, coupled with humidity, is too much for residents of these areas to bear.

Now that it is exceptionally hot this time of the year, it is imperative that you and your family members ensure indoor comfort. Certainly, you’ll be keeping your HVAC unit on high levels more than usual, but it pays to keep it from damages that may potentially occur when it’s overused. Indeed, HVAC maintenance is an important step to help the system run as smoothly as possible.

Inspection

Before it could get worse, make it a point to inspect your HVAC system for any problems that it may have. Debris clogging the outdoor unit or leaks in the system can spell disaster. Seeking the help of qualified professionals who can work on it and develop a scheduled preventive maintenance plan for your system is important in this regard.

Smart Thermostat

While HVAC repairs are possible, there are other ways you can do to keep your system efficient. You can install a smart thermostat, which effectively and intelligently controls cooling whenever you are indoors. Such a device can help you save about 10 percent a year on costs. You can also clean the filters in your system to ensure smooth airflow and prevent it from working too hard.

Seasoned HVAC Company

For the optimum health of your HVAC system, turn to Bounds Heating & Air. You can rely on us for installations, maintenance, and repairs of your cooling systems. When the summer heat is too much for you and your family members to bear, remember that we are a call away from providing you the best service you deserve.

Call (352) 278-9123 for more information about our HVAC services, including air conditioning repair. You may also fill out our contact form to schedule a repair or installation with us. We serve residents across Florida, particularly Gainesville, FL homeowners.

How Does Your Air Conditioning Unit Work?

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.

Energy Star®: The Importance of the Blue Label

For over 20 years, ENERGY STAR® has been helping home and business owners choose the most energy-efficient products with their quintessential blue label. Our HVAC maintenance experts at Bounds Heating & Air discuss what’s on the blue label and why it matters in your choice of heating and cooling units.

What’s on the ENERGY STAR® Label

The label details the energy efficiency of the product. All of these are established by comparing the efficiency rating of the product to the minimum efficiency requirements set by the federal government. For air conditioning, an ENERGY STAR® AC unit must be 10% more energy-efficient than the standard model.

Look for these two details on the label: the product’s estimated yearly operating cost and its estimated yearly electrical use. The former gives you a general estimate of how much it costs to run the unit. The latter shows how much power it will take to consume on average within a year.

ENERGY STAR® HVACs

ENERGY STAR®’s blue label is helpful when you’re looking for a new HVAC system. An HVAC system with the blue label is 45% more energy-efficient than conventional systems, and this means it performs beyond the standard efficiency.

Since ENERGY STAR® HVAC units are as energy-efficient as possible, they also don’t encounter frequent problems that plague standard units, which means HVAC repair and general maintenance is infrequent. This, in turn, will maximize the unit’s overall operational lifespan.

Save More on Heating and Cooling

The most important benefit you can get from buying an ENERGY STAR® rated HVAC system is more savings on your utility bills. ENERGY STAR® systems are designed to meet and adapt to your local area’s climate, which means your units will effectively keep you cool and warm.

At Bounds Heating & Air, we’re the company to trust for air conditioning repair and HVAC maintenance. Our team of skilled technicians will also help you find the best ENERGY STAR® rated HVAC system for optimum energy efficiency. Call us today at (352) 472-2761 to learn more about our services. We are air conditioning repair experts serving homeowners throughout Alachua, FL, and other parts of Florida.

High Cooling Costs and Energy Saving Myths

Cooling costs can represent a significant portion of the energy bills in your Newberry, Florida home. It, therefore, makes sense to look for ways to lower your cooling expenses while still maintaining a comfortable living environment. As you try to reduce cooling costs, be careful, however, that you do not fall for energy-saving myths that can actually do more harm than good. Here are a few of the more common myths you should avoid.

MYTH: Quick adjustments the thermostat will lower indoor temperatures faster. It may seem like cranking up the cooling system’s thermostat will result in faster cooling, but it will most likely waste energy while providing no better cooling than gradual thermostat adjustments. Air conditioners and heat pumps with single-speed fans move cool air at a relatively consistent rate, so setting the thermostat lower than your desired temperature won’t make the equipment cool any faster. A large jump in thermostat settings will actually result in energy waste.
MYTH: Ceiling fans cool rooms. Ceiling fans can be a helpful addition to your home cooling system, but they don’t help to lower the temperature of rooms. Ceiling fans work by cooling people with the airflow they create. As the air contacts your body, perspiration evaporates and the surface of your skin is cooled. If no one is in the room to receive this cooling effect, there’s no need to run a fan and waste energy.
MYTH: Turn off the air conditioner when you are away. Some energy can be saved if you shut off the air conditioner when you’re gone for the day. However, cooling a hot house when you return will put additional strain on your HVAC system. The best solution is to install a programmable thermostat that will precisely control the operation of your air conditioner. Programmable models increase indoor temperatures to a money-saving level during the day, then automatically provide more cooling at a set time to ensure your home is cool when you return.

Bounds Heating & Air, Inc. provides HVAC services and systems to customers in Gainesville, Newberry, High Springs, and Alachua County. Contact us today at 352-472-2761 for more information about recognizing summer energy myths and trimming your seasonal energy costs.

Category: Cooling

1. Keeping the same air filter in too long

2. Growing plants too close to the outdoor unit

3. Skipping preventative maintenance

4. Blocking air vents

5. Giving your AC extra work