Envirotech Air Quality Services Blog : Archive for September, 2014

Parts of an AC That Will Decline without Regular Maintenance

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

Your air conditioner is most likely one of the largest and most costly appliances in your home, so most people would not want replace it before its expected lifespan is through. But if you don’t schedule regular air conditioning maintenance, parts of your air conditioner may decline, possibly leading to major repairs, or worse, sudden failure. During air conditioning maintenance, a technician will clean and inspect your entire system, make a few minor adjustments, and keep you updated about potential problems with your system. Without this valuable service, some of the following vital components may begin to decline.

  • Coils: There are two important coils inside of your air conditioner that help refrigerant to absorb and release heat. The evaporator coil, located in the indoor portion of your AC, helps refrigerant to turn into a gas and absorb heat from your home while the outdoor condenser coil allows it to release heat and condense into a liquid. Because a fan blows air over each of these coils, they may easily become covered with dirt and debris, impairing their ability to function and keeping your air conditioner from cooling as thoroughly as it should.
  • Electrical Connections: One of the most common reasons for AC failure is electrical problems. During maintenance, a technician checks and tightens electrical connections and tests for the proper voltage. This prevents damage to the compressor and keeps your air conditioner from short cycling or failing without warning.
  • Compressor: There are many parts which may wear down the compressor if left in a state of disrepair. For example, your compressor may become overworked if there is low refrigerant because it is sized to handle a certain load according to the cooling capacity of your unit. Alternatively, a faulty thermostat may contribute to excessive wear on your compressor, and may even lead to unexpected breakdowns.

Air conditioning maintenance keeps these parts of your AC and more in top shape. This could lower your bills and keep you from being hit with unexpected repair bills when you need your AC the most. For air conditioning maintenance in West Palm Beach, FL, call our dedicated team of experts at Envirotech Air Quality Services today.

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Repairs an AC May Need During the Fall

Wednesday, September 17th, 2014

After a busy summer of full-time work, it isn’t unusual to need air conditioning repair in Lake Worth, FL. There are some components that may be more affected by normal wear-and-tear than others, something our Envirotech Air Quality Services technicians are used to seeing during the fall season. If you suspect your AC may need some work, don’t wait for a total breakdown – call us today.

Common Fall Repairs

Here are some common fall repair needs our technicians see:

Fan Problems

There are two fans in your air conditioner: the evaporator fan, also known as the blower, and the outdoor fan, known as the condenser fan. The most common problems that occur with fans are bent or loose fan blades, worn out or broken fan belts, issues with the fan motors, and wiring problems. The fans in your system help with air flow and the cooling process, so when there’s a problem with your fans, it can affect your entire system.

Refrigerant Leaks

Refrigerant leaks can develop in a number of places and cause your air conditioner to ice up or blow warm air. Your AC may run with a refrigerant leak, but this is not advisable: your air conditioner was made to run with an exact level of refrigerant. Operating the system without the proper amount of refrigerant can cause problems that may become serious.

Compressor Problems

The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant in your system; as such, it operates under a great deal of pressure. Common problems with the compressor usually involve issues with the motor, problems with wiring, and broken or bad capacitors. Your compressor is a complex component, and should always be handled by a trained and certified professional.

Your air conditioning in Lake Worth, FL has been working non-stop for several months; if a problem has developed, it’s important to have it repaired quickly as it is more likely to get worse than better. Since 1987, Envirotech Air Quality Services has helped customers with all of their air conditioning needs and we can help you, too. If you are seeing the signs of problems, call us today.

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Is It Still Worthwhile to Schedule Air Conditioning Maintenance in the Fall?

Wednesday, September 10th, 2014

The cooler season of fall may be a few weeks away, but it will come, and we will finally be able to turn down, or even turn off, our air conditioning in Florida. Not only does the fall give your AC a break, it also provides a great opportunity to schedule maintenance. In fact, the two best seasons to schedule air conditioning maintenance in Wellington are spring and fall. If we haven’t seen you for maintenance yet this year, call Envirotech Air Quality Services and schedule an appointment with one of our experts.

Benefits of Scheduling Fall Maintenance

Maintenance is important for several reasons:

  • Prevents repairs – during a routine maintenance visit, your air conditioning system is thoroughly inspected. This allows for two things: first, small problems, like lack of lubrication or a worn fan belt, are found and fixed. Second, bigger problems, like refrigerant leaks, are detected. This can save you both time and money in the long run.
  • Maintains and/or increases energy efficiency – Energy.gov estimates that for every year your AC is not maintained, it loses 5% of its energy efficiency. Conversely, when you schedule yearly maintenance, you retain 95% of your AC’s original efficiency.
  • Keeps your AC clean – cleaning is a part of a routine maintenance appointment. The coils are cleaned, debris is removed and dirty air filters are changed.
  • Extends life of equipment – when your air conditioner runs under stress for a long period of time due to malfunctioning parts, premature aging can occur. Regular maintenance keeps your AC in good working order, which can help extend the life of the equipment.

What Happens During a Routine Maintenance Appointment?

Here is a general overview of what happens during a typical maintenance appointment:

  • Check of the thermostat
  • Check of electrical components
  • Lubrication of moving parts
  • Inspect the condensate array
  • Check system cycling
  • Inspect and clean evaporator and condenser coils
  • Check and adjust the refrigerant level of your central air conditioner
  • Check all fans

Scheduling air conditioning maintenance for your Wellington property can increase your energy efficiency and help your AC to run optimally. Fall is a great time to schedule an appointment, so call Envirotech Air Quality Services today.

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The Fashion of Wearing White and Labor Day

Monday, September 1st, 2014

You may have heard about the fashion faux pas of wearing white after Labor Day. In the present, this tradition is usually treated as old fashioned and a joke. Few people will criticize you for wearing white articles of clothing after the first Monday in September, or even take notice of it except to wonder why it was ever a major concern at all.

Where did this tradition of white clothing going out of fashion after Labor Day come from, and why did it fade away like colorful fabric washed in a hot load in the washing machine?

In general, white makes sense for the heat of summer. Light-colored clothing reflects away the radiant heat of the sun, instead of absorbing it the way dark colors do, so for thousands of years of human history people have preferred to wear white clothing during the hotter months.

However, the idea of white as strictly fashionable during the summer season only emerged in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—the time when the very concept of “fashion” began to spread across the Western Hemisphere.

It was only the highest level of post-Civil War society in the U.S. that strict and often bizarre rules for fashion controlled whether someone was in with the “in” crowd. Compared to our ideas of what’s fashionable today, the Czars of Style in the 1880s were true despots. Things as trivial as sleeve length could determine whether a woman in high society—no matter her level of wealth—was fashionable or a pariah.

Wearing white during the only summer, when it was common for weddings and outdoor parties, was only of these restrictive society rules. When the U.S. government made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894, the Fashion Czars gained a definite cut-off point for when wearing white was no longer “acceptable” in the upper echelons of wealthy society.

For many decades, this rule only applied to a small number of millionaire socialites in a few big cities, but in the 1950s it reached general fashion magazines that were read around the country and started to affect more people.

But time eventually broke apart this odd rule, and during the 1970s fashion became more individual. Some fashion legends, like Coco Chanel, also purposely rejected the restriction and wore white throughout the year. Today, the “no white after Labor Day rule” is little more than an amusing gag to tease friends, and almost nobody takes it seriously.

Whatever you choose to wear after Labor Day (and if it’s white, we won’t tease!), everyone here at Envirotech Air Quality Services hopes you have a happy end of the summer and great plans for the fall!

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