At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air Blog: Archive for September, 2014

Why Fall HVAC Maintenance Is Important

Monday, September 29th, 2014

We are at that perfect time of year where we can turn off our air conditioners but do not have to turn the heat on yet. But just because air conditioning season is almost over doesn’t mean your system should be turned off and ignored until next season. Instead, take this time to schedule HVAC maintenance. Fall maintenance for your HVAC system is good for both you and your system, and scheduling it at this time is easy: just pick up the phone and make an appointment with your At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air technician.

Benefits of HVAC Maintenance

Here are a few reasons to schedule fall maintenance for your HVAC system:

  • Maintain energy efficiency – your air conditioner was made to operate at a certain efficiency level. When it is worn and dirty, as it will be after a summer of hard work, it can’t run as effectively. This can cost you money in monthly utility bills when you re-start your system in the spring.
  • Extend the lifespan of your system – a system that operates for long periods of time under stress can age prematurely. During a routine maintenance appointment, your entire system will be inspected for problems, parts will be cleaned and lubricated and small repairs will be made as necessary. This keeps your system in good working order.
  • Maintains comfort – you expect a certain level of performance from your air conditioner. It can be hard for an unmaintained system to reach this level, especially if maintenance hasn’t been performed for a long time.
  • Helps prevent repairs – no one wants to turn on their air conditioner next cooling season to find it isn’t working. You can help prevent this scenario and other possible repairs by scheduling maintenance. Maintenance allows your technician to detect any existing or developing problems and repair them immediately.

It can be tempting to turn off your HVAC system this fall and wait for heating season to come, but scheduling maintenance before the cold weather arrives is good for you and your AC. Call At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air and schedule maintenance for your HVAC system in Salt Lake City today.

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Ways You Can Update Your Current Air Conditioning

Friday, September 19th, 2014

The fall is a good time to have repairs done for your air conditioning. As the days become cooler—but with the possibility of hot days still hovering—it’s a wise idea to have any operating problems with the AC taken care of. You should never delay when it comes to air conditioning repair, no matter what the season.

The fall is also an ideal time for upgrades on your AC. If your air conditioner is extremely old and starting to wear down, you should consider a replacement for it. But for an air conditioner that still has years left in it and is running the way it should, there are some updates you can make to increase its performance and efficiency. Call At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air today and talk to our specialists in air conditioning in Salt Lake City. They will have many ideas on what they can do to make your current AC run even better.

Some Methods to Update an AC

  • Install zone control: It seems like a waste of energy that you have to cool down your entire home every time you activate the AC, even though many of the rooms don’t need it. But there’s a solution to this: have professionals install zone control in your ventilation system. Zone controls divide a house into different “zones,” which can be as few as two (upstairs and downstairs) to as many as there are rooms. Dampers inside the ducts can shut off the conditioned air to different zones, so you only need to cool down the places in the house that need it. You’ll save money on your bills and create an even distribution of cooling around the house.
  • Updated thermostat: If the same thermostat has been sitting on your wall for ten years or more, than you should consider replacing it with a cutting-edge model that lets you take advantage of advanced features. Even switching from a manual thermostat to a basic digital model will give you more precise control over the temperature settings. But you can go so much farther than this with programmable and Wi-Fi enabled models that give you control over the temperature in your home even when you’re not there.
  • Replace the condenser: If your AC has started to lose efficiency or performance capability, but it doesn’t seem like it’s time for it to retire completely, you might consider just replacing the outdoor condenser unit with a higher efficiency model. This is a good halfway step between repairing and replacing, and the money you’ll save from the increased efficiency will help balance out the costs.

These are only some of the ways to have your air conditioning updated for better performance and efficiency. At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air has NATE-certified technicians ready to assist you with getting the best from your cooling any time of the year.

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Why Consider Adding UV Germicidal Lights to My Air Conditioning?

Friday, September 12th, 2014

While no one likes to think about indoor air pollution, it is something to be aware of, particularly when you have a whole-home air conditioner. Indoor air pollution can consist of particles drawn in from the outside, such as dirt, dust and allergens, but they can also develop inside. There are components in your air conditioner that can be moist, which can make them more prone to developing biological contaminants. But there is a way to prevent these kinds of growths from developing inside your air conditioning system: UV germicidal lighting.

What Is UV Germicidal Lighting?

UV germicidal lights are air purifiers that destroy and eradicate biological contaminants.

How Does UV Germicidal Lighting Work?

UV germicidal lighting uses radiation from UV-C light rays to destroy the DNA of biological cells. The radiation also destroys the life-sustaining proteins of the cell, so it can’t survive or replicate.

Where Are UV Germicidal Lights Installed?

UV lights are pretty flexible and can be placed in a variety of locations, but two optimal locations are over the evaporator coils and in ductwork. This is because these areas tend to be more prone to biological growth than other parts of your air conditioning system.

Do UV Lights Filter Anything?

UV lights do not filter anything so it’s best to install UV lighting in combination with another air cleaner.

Why Should I Consider Adding UV Lights to My AC?

UV germicidal lights can offer the following benefits:

  • Can maximize your system’s efficiency
  • Provide healthier air to breathe
  • Keep your evaporator coils free of biological contaminants
  • Can extend life of your equipment
  • Destroy and eliminate odors
  • Destroy VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

Do UV Lights Need to Be Changed?

UV lights have an average lifespan of 12 months, so it’s advisable to have them changed annually.

UV germicidal lights are air purifiers that can destroy biological contaminants. If you are interested in possible adding UV lights to your air conditioning system, call the experts who can help with your air conditioning installation in Salt Lake City: At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air.

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Your Air Conditioner Can Fight Against the Humidity

Tuesday, September 9th, 2014

High humidity levels can really put a damper on your day. On a hot, humid day many people say their skin feels damp and sticky. This is because with high levels of moisture, sweat cannot evaporate easily from you skin. While you may feel this way outdoors, walking into an air conditioned room can make the problem go away.

The same parts of your air conditioner that help cool the air also control the humidity levels in your home. So to understand how your air conditioner reduces high levels of moisture, it’s helpful to know some of the parts of an air conditioner.

Air conditioners cool the air using refrigerant, which continuously cycles through your system, changing from a liquid to a gas and back again. As refrigerant changes from a gas to a liquid at the outside condenser unit, it releases heat from your home into the air. In the indoor unit, refrigerant moves through the evaporator coil, changing from a liquid to a gas to absorb heat.

As the refrigerant absorbs heat from the air, moisture also collects on the evaporator coil. An indoor fan blows warm air over the coil to assist with the evaporation process and distribute cool air to the home. But as the warm air blows across the much cooler coil, water also forms along the outside as condensation.

As water droplets collect onto the coil, they fall into a shallow tray called the condensate pan. This pan is slightly angled so that water can fall into a drain pipe. If you’ve ever had water leak from your air conditioner, it may be due to this system. Clogs in the drain pipe may cause water to backup and overflow, or leaks in the pan may cause water to drip into your home. You should schedule repairs at the first sign of water leaks to prevent mold and mildew from affecting your air quality.

Do you need a new air conditioner that can better handle the humidity? Have you had leaks or other problems with your air conditioner? If you need air conditioning services in Salt Lake City, call At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air today!

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