Touchstone Heating & Air Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

Don’t Settle for Expensive Air Conditioning

Tuesday, August 13th, 2013

When it comes to air conditioning systems, Gainesville, FL residents can’t be casual. The city’s constant warm temperatures and high humidity make cool, comfortable indoor temperatures an absolute must. But just as air conditioning systems are so necessary, so too do homeowners need to use them in such a way that keeps their monthly electric bills in check. Some people think they have to accept higher costs if they want to stay cool. That’s not necessarily the case. Don’t settle for expensive air conditioning costs when a little foresight and planning can save you a great deal.

Don’t Skimp on Installation or Maintenance

Saving money on air conditioning doesn’t mean “buy a cheap AC unit.” The less expensive the unit, the cheaper its component part are, and the more apt it will be to break down, Moreover, cheap AC units often lack the efficiency of higher-end models, costing you in monthly bills every month. Inexpensive labor, too, can cause problems, since an improperly installed air conditioning unit is more vulnerable to wear and tear, and may create serious problems far sooner than a unit installed by a trained expert.

Furthermore, an air conditioning unit that doesn’t receive routine upkeep and maintenance can drive those monthly bills higher. Components can get dirty, leaks can form from loose fittings, and the normal grind of wear-and-tear eventually takes its toll. When air filters get excessively dirty, they can impede the flow of cool air, while clogs of obstructions at various points will also slow down the flow of air. If your refrigerant leaks, your air conditioning unit will struggle to cool the air in your home. All of these can result not only in higher energy bills, but also more frequent repairs.

Maintenance Saves Money

You can help prevent those higher costs with a regular maintenance plan. A trained professional can come to your home and give your air conditioning system a thorough going over: cleaning dirty components, sealing leaks, recharging refrigerant and identifying faulty components in need of further repair. That process not only saves you money in deferred service calls, but it improves your unit’s overall efficiency, letting it do more with less energy and cutting down on your monthly bills.

For quality air conditioning installation and maintenance in Gainesville, FL, speak to the professionals at Touchstone Heating & Air. We can install your air conditioning unit right the first time, every time, and our maintenance program help you keep your system running at top capacity.

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What are Some Environmentally Friendly Air Conditioning Options?

Monday, August 5th, 2013

Air conditioning installation can be a major operation, but the benefits are also considerable. Not only does it allow you to replace an older unit with a newer (and presumably more efficient) model, but it can increase your house’s resale value a well. If you’re looking to install a new air conditioning unit, you might want to think about an environmentally friendly option. Gainesville, FL has been moving in an environmentally friendly direction for years as evinced by the municipal government’s recent backing of solar power for homes and small businesses. You can contribute to an environmentally friendly city by looking into greener options for your air conditioning installation.

The biggest environmentally friendly decision you can make concerns the choice of air conditioning unit itself. Systems that are ENERGY STAR rated have a high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings, and use less energy than their counterparts, which helps you save energy and money by keeping you AC energy costs low.

Depending upon your living situation, you may also wish to consider a geothermal system or a heat pump of a traditional AC unit. Geothermal systems use very little energy since they use the ambient temperature of the earth to heat and cool your home. Air source heat pumps are simpler to install than geothermal systems, and they are also a good choice if you want a single solution for both heating and cooling your home.

Two-stage compressors in your new air conditioning unit provide another environmentally friendly option. These units operate on one of two separate speeds. The low speed runs when temperatures are mild while the higher speed kicks in when the heat really rises. It uses less energy, since it can adjust its output to match the climate, and cuts down on the environmental impact.

If you’re looking for eco-friendly air conditioning options, call the experts at Touchstone Heating & Air. We provide a variety of green air conditioning options and have been providing Gainesville, FL air conditioning installation service for years. 

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Why Integrate Zone Control into Your Air Conditioning

Monday, July 29th, 2013

In Gainesville, FL, air conditioning is no laughing matter. Hot, humid summers necessitate an escape into the cool comfort of your home, making a proper air conditioning system far more of a necessity than a luxury. But you may find that your air conditioning cools your house unevenly, or cools parts of the house that you rarely spend extended periods of time in. In that case, you may want to integrate a zone control system into your air conditioning system, which provides better control over the air flow in your house and could save you money on your electric bills.

A zone control system basically divides your home into separate zones, then establishes controls allowing you to alter the temperature in each zone. So if one family member can set the temperature to 68 degrees in the living room, while another can sleep in the bedroom with the temperature at 72. Zone control systems do this through a variety of methods, including dampers in your existing duct system that control the air flow to different parts of the house.

There are numerous reasons for doing so. The biggest is probably energy savings. By cooling only specific parts of the house, your air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard, and thus spends less energy to perform its job. In addition, zone control allows you to maintain an even temperature throughout your house more readily. An upper story, for example, tends to be warmer than a lower story, since hot air rises. Zone control lets you maintain the same temperature much more easily, so that no single story is warmer or cooler than any other.

If you want to integrate zone control into your air conditioning system, it pays to consult an expert on the best way of going about it. In Gainesville, FL, Touchstone Heating & Air has the expertise to both advise you on your options and to install a zone control system in your house. Contact us today to set up an appointment, and let us show you what a difference our experience and professionalism can make.

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Air Conditioning Repair: Why is My AC Blowing Warm Air?

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

When you turn on your air conditioning system, you expect it to start producing cool air immediately. But if it is pumping warm air into your home, it likely means that you need to call for air conditioning repair in Jacksonville, FL. Here at Touchstone Heating & Air, we’ve responded to countless calls for service and we often get asked why our customers’ AC system is blowing warm air. Here is a quick explanation of what might be causing this problem and why you should call for repairs immediately.

  • Low refrigerant – Your air conditioning system uses a compressed refrigerant to remove heat from your home and exhaust it outside. If there isn’t enough refrigerant in the system, then your AC won’t be able to remove the heat from your home’s air and it will just get circulated back into your home.
  • Broken compressor – Your air conditioning system uses a compressor to compress the refrigerant that it then uses to remove heat from your home’s air. If the compressor is broken, it won’t be able to compress the refrigerant, which means that your AC won’t be able to provide you with any cooling. Instead, the fan will just circulate the warm air from your home back through your ducts and into your house.
  • Thermostat issues – An often overlooked component of your air conditioning system is the thermostat. Your thermostats detect the temperature in your home and then activate your AC based on the temperature that they read. If the thermostats aren’t working ell they could be telling your AC that your house is cool enough and to just run the fan. This would cause your air conditioner to just circulate hot air through your home.

No matter what kind of air conditioning repair in Jacksonville, FL you need, just call Touchstone Heating & Air immediately. Your air conditioning system won’t automatically fix the issues that its having and they will likely only get worse. Calling for professional repair early is a great way to nip the problem in the bud before it causes further issues with your home’s AC system.

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Air Conditioning Tip: Saving Money at the Thermostat

Tuesday, July 16th, 2013

In Gainesville, FL, air conditioning is far more necessity than luxury, and local residents are used to higher energy bills when the mercury starts to rise. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way.  Saving energy can be easy, and you can begin at the thermostat: the one part of the air conditioning system that almost everyone is familiar with.

You can start with a fairly easy step: set your thermostat to a slightly higher temperature than you’re used to. 78 degrees doesn’t feel much different than 73 degrees, but it can save a fair amount of money with your monthly bills. You might also consider replacing an old manual thermostat with a programmable one that automatically turns the AC off when you leave for work and turns back on just before you get home. That provides a cool home when you arrive without wasting countless hours of energy keeping it cold when you’re not around.

On a more technical level, a thermostat’s placement in the house can affect its accuracy. Thermostats use air currents passing through them to determine the temperature in a given room. A thermostat placed in a breezy corner or unusually sunny spot may misread the temperature, causing the AC to turn on when it isn’t needed. Moving the thermostat to a spot that more accurately reflects the temperature of the room can help you save money on unnecessary costs.

For 15 years, the dedicated professionals at Touchstone Heating and Air have worked to save you money by keeping your air conditioning in peak shape. We can help you move your thermostat and/or replace an outdated model with something newer and easier to use. Either way, it will help you with saving money at the thermostat, and as always, you can trust us to do the job right the first time, every time. Contact our Gainesville, FL air conditioning technicians today and see how we can save you money at the thermostat.

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My Air Filter is Wet: Do I Need Air Conditioning Repair

Tuesday, July 9th, 2013

Your air conditioning system has an air filter in it that is there to protect the moving parts from dust and debris. If this air filter isn’t properly maintained it can cause a whole host of issues for your home. A common problem that we get called to repair is a wet air filter. Make sure that you call for professional air conditioning repair in Gainesville, FL whenever you have any issue with your system. Here at Touchstone Heating & Air, we wanted to put together a quick explanation about what could be causing the problem of a wet air filter.

Wet Air Filter

In order to cool the air in your home, your AC system passes the warm, moist air from your home over a series of evaporator coils. Similar to the way condensation forms on the outside of your glass on a hot day, condensation will also form on these evaporator coils. Normally, this condensation will drip down into a collector pan and rain away.

However, if the condensation pan or the drain lines get clogged then water can leak out and cause many problems for your home. One of the things that can happen is for the water to leak out and get absorbed by the air filter in your system. Not only can this cause mold in the air filter, but it will also likely restrict the flow of air through your system.

But this is just one possible explanation of what might be happening. It could also be that your AC system was installed poorly and the condensation from the evaporator coils somehow gets onto the air filter. It might also be that the air filter is installed in the wrong place. Either way, call for professional air conditioning repair in Gainesville, FL today.

How to Avoid a Wet Air Filter

There are a couple of different ways for you to potentially avoid getting a wet air filter in your AC system.

  • Get regular maintenance – One of the best ways to avoid air conditioning repair in general is to get your system regularly inspected and maintained by a pro. During regular maintenance visits, your AC technicians will look for any small issues that could be developing. They will fix these things before they cause further damage to your system and to your home.
  • Get professional installation – Another great thing to have done if you’re getting a new air conditioner installed is to get it done by a professional. This will allow you to avoid many repairs that result from bad installation work.

If you need air conditioning repair in Gainesville, FL, make sure that you call the friendly experts at Touchstone Heating & Air.

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Consequences of Neglecting Air Conditioning Repairs

Thursday, June 27th, 2013

When you live in as hot a climate as Florida, your air conditioning system needs to be prepared to keep your home cool and comfortable throughout the hot summer months. If you notice any irregularities with the performance or operation of your AC, schedule repair immediately. Putting service off is never the right decision, as problems simply will not go away on their own. In fact, they will only get worse. This can have a seriously negative impact on your comfort, the condition of your system and your budget. To schedule any necessary air conditioning repairs in Gainesville, FL, contact Touchstone Heating & Air today. We have the training and experience necessary to get your AC back on track.

One of the most serious consequences that you risk by neglecting any necessary air conditioning repairs is further damage to your system that will wind up costing you more money, both in cooling costs and expensive repairs. When you contact an AC repair technician at the first sign of trouble, problems can be resolved before having a big impact on other components of the system. If you allow a problem to gestate while forcing the system to operate in a compromised condition, though, the other components of your AC may also be affected. The more components that are compromised, the more expensive any resulting repair needs are likely to be. Plus, a damaged AC will always cost more to operate than on that is in good working condition, no matter how “minor” the problem may be.

The other big risk that you are taking is disruption to your service. Not only will a damaged air conditioning system fail to keep your home comfortable, but allowing your system to operate while neglecting repair needs means that when the time for repair does come it will likely be more complex and time consuming. This means that you risk longer disruption to your comfort and AC service during the hottest time of the year.

To learn more about why you should never put off air conditioning repairs in Gainesville, FL, call Touchstone Heating & Air today. We have the information you need to keep your AC operating properly. Let us know what concerns you have about the performance of your AC.

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AC Question: Why Is Air Conditioning Maintenance So Important?

Wednesday, June 19th, 2013

Are you fully satisfied by the performance of your AC? Do you feel like you pay too much to stay cool and comfortable during the summer months? If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to ensure that your Lake City, FL home’s AC remains in good shape for the years to come, then you should probably consider air conditioning maintenance. Unfortunately, many homeowners stop at professional installation, because they assume that once integrated into the home, the AC can then be forgotten about and left to its own devices. Nothing could be further from the truth. While professional installation is a necessary ingredient to a successful, energy efficient air conditioning system, it needs to be looked after on a regular basis by an AC technician. Call Touchstone Heating & Air if you need air conditioning maintenance.

During maintenance visits, your local technician will closely inspect your system, taking into consideration its performance, cleanliness, voltage, and refrigerant levels, among others. Any lurking problems can also be brought to your attention so that you can fix them before they become major, costly repairs or replacements. Your technician will also perform a comprehensive cleaning of your system to make sure that dirt, dust, and debris are removed from the system. Let’s take a look at a few of the reasons why air conditioning maintenance is important:

  • Performance: You need to make sure that your AC performs well throughout the summer, no matter how hot or humid it may get. But it cannot reach its cooling potential if it is dirty or parts are malfunctioning.
  • Energy efficiency: Your energy costs are probably high enough as it is, so you need to make sure that your AC is operating efficiently at all times. Maintenance not only ensures solid performance, but also boosts your energy efficiency.
  • Reliability: One of the greatest benefits of regular maintenance is that your AC will be as reliable as it was designed to be. It’s a great way to minimize repair needs and extend system longevity.

Call Touchstone Heating & Air today for comprehensive air conditioning services in Lake City, FL.

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How Problems with Your Thermostat Can Affect Your Air Conditioning

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013

Thermostats are one of the most-overlooked and underestimated components of your home’s air conditioning system. While they are small and almost unnoticeable on your wall, they can have a huge impact on your AC. The Lake City, FL air conditioning professionals at Touchstone Heating & Air have years of experience working with all different kinds of thermostats. We wanted to shed some light on these important pieces of equipment that run your whole AC system.

ThermostatThermostats detect the temperature of the air around them and then they activate your AC when that temperature increases to a certain point. They also shut-off your air conditioner once it has cooled your home enough. This is a huge responsibility for your thermostat which means that if they start to have any issues it can negatively impact your AC and your home’s comfort.

  • Not enough cooling – If your home isn’t getting enough cooling it could be the fault of your thermostats. They might be detecting the wrong temperature in your home and directing your AC to provide insufficient cooling.
  • AC not turning on – If your air conditioning system isn’t coming at all, it could be the fault of your thermostat. It could be that they are out of battery or it might mean that they need to be replaced.

But there are also a few ways that thermostats can positively impact your home’s air conditioning system.

  • More control – By upgrading your thermostats to programmable ones you could be able to more accurately control your home’s AC. If can set programmable thermostats to turn your AC off when you leave for work in the morning. You can also set them to come back on 30 minutes before you get home so that your house is always comfortable.

When you need Lake City, FL air conditioning services, just call Touchstone Heating & Air today. We can work with any type of thermostat that you have and we can also help you replace or upgrade your thermostats as well.

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Ways to Avoid Problems with Your Air Conditioning

Wednesday, June 5th, 2013

Homeowners throughout the Gainesville, FL area are looking to improve their air conditioning systems now that June is here. If your AC was professionally installed, that’s a good first step. Unfortunately, some homeowners stop there. This type of neglect can lead to frequent repairs, energy inefficiency, and even premature replacement. While repairs are an inevitable factor in owning a home, there are some things you can do to avoid problems with your AC. In today’s post, we’ve given you several. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a service, call Touchstone Heating & Air for all of your Gainesville, FL air conditioning needs.

The best thing you can do for your AC is to enroll in a preventive maintenance program. The majority of maintenance duties must be carried out by a trained professional. During these routine visits, an AC tech will arrive during a scheduled time to inspect your system closely, noting any potential issues in the process, such as low voltage or refrigerant. This will be followed by a comprehensive cleaning of your coils and other parts of the system, so that your AC performs well and operates efficiently. Finally, a system adjustment is taken care of so that your AC runs optimally.

Keep your air filter clean. During the cooling season, the air filter designed to protect your components from accumulating dust and debris can itself become a problem. When it becomes dirty and clogged with debris, it blocks the flow of cool air. This can lead to frozen coils when the cold air can’t escape the air handler. It can also disrupt performance across the entire system, and any imbalance typically causes problems elsewhere.

You should also make sure to keep your outdoor unit free of any encroaching vegetation. The outdoor unit contains both the compressor and condenser coils. The purpose of their location is not only related to noise, but also because it needs to dissipate heat into the outside air. It won’t be able to do this if it is partially covered by shrubs, hedges, low branches, or tall grass. If your outdoor unit cannot perform its function, then it may result in warm air and high energy costs.

If you’d like to schedule routine maintenance to avoid problems with your Gainesville, FL air conditioning system, call Touchstone Heating & Air today! 

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