cooling systems Archives - Richmonds Air Houston

HVAC Spring Cleaning Checklist for Homeowners

April 12, 2019 by Richmond’s Air

Air conditioning units work hard to keep you comfortable in the hot Texas heat. But to stay cool, it’s important to perform routine maintenance on your HVAC unit to ensure that it has a long useful life.

How dust can increase utility bills

A frequent problem that many homeowners ignore is dust buildup in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. HVAC systems can gather dust and dirt over time, which decreases their effectiveness, raises energy costs, and increases electricity bills. This is because an accumulation of dust in the system can reduce its overall efficiency by clogging filters, obstructing airflow and increasing the blower’s workload.

Dust buildup on the blower wheel can reduce the speed at which it rotates, making it work harder to move air, which raises energy usage. This could lead to even higher energy use if the refrigerant charge is not appropriately controlled. Inadequate maintenance of HVAC systems can cause malfunctions that require expensive repairs or replacements.

Homeowners should change their filters frequently and arrange regular maintenance with a certified expert to prevent dust collection in HVAC systems and save on utility costs. You should also maintain a clean home to lessen the dust entering the system. By increasing the system’s effectiveness, prolonging its lifespan, and lowering energy use, proper maintenance can help homeowners save money over time.

HVAC spring cleaning checklist

Below is a list of items to put on your spring cleaning checklist to ensure your HVAC system is ready to go this summer. If you need help with any of the items on this list, be sure to consult a professional HVAC technician to ensure the job is done right.

1. Clean your rooms and repair cracks in windows and doors

Before turning on your HVAC system, clean your rooms, including windows and curtains, to increase system performance and avoid dust and debris buildup. Also, stop drafts and decrease allergens entering your home by repairing any damage or cracks you find in and around windows and doors. These easy measures can enhance indoor air quality, use less energy, and reduce electricity costs.

2. Change your air filter

Changing your HVAC air filter is crucial for your home’s air quality. A clogged air filter might reduce your system’s efficiency by 5–15%, increasing energy costs. Changing your air filter can increase your system’s energy efficiency and reduce overall utility costs.

3. Vacuum your vents

Your HVAC spring cleaning checklist should include cleaning your air vents to eliminate any dust and debris that may have gathered over the winter. This way, dust won’t be blown around your house when you switch on the air conditioner in a few weeks. Remove and rinse each air vent or suction the dust using a vacuum wand attachment.

4. Clean your condensate drain

Cleaning your condensate drain should be on your HVAC spring cleaning to-do list to ensure water drains correctly from your system. This is necessary to protect from water damage and mold. After locating your drain line, you should disconnect the attached hose and remove any buildup before cleaning it with distilled vinegar.

5. Clean your condenser coils

Because filthy coils can dramatically impair your air conditioner’s performance, resulting in greater energy costs and more wear and tear, cleaning your condenser coils is vital to spring cleaning your HVAC system. You can enhance the airflow and enable your system to operate at its best by clearing away dirt with a small brush and vacuum and straightening any bent coil fins.

6. Clear away weeds around the system

To provide appropriate airflow to the HVAC system, ensure that you remove all weeds and cut back trees and shrubs to prevent reduced air traffic. Without enough room surrounding the unit, the system may freeze or fail to effectively chill your home. For the device to operate properly, there must be at least 2 feet of clearance around it.

7. Test out your system

Testing your HVAC system after cleaning is crucial to ensure it operates properly. You can detect flaws before they worsen by turning on the system, listening for odd noises and inspecting each vent. Little issues can occasionally be resolved by adjusting the temperature or restarting the system, but if they continue, it’s a good idea to contact an HVAC specialist.

8. Have your ducts sealed

Ducts can become leaky and cracked with time, leading to air loss and reduced HVAC system efficiency. Sealing the ducts can increase the system’s overall efficiency and reduce energy costs by preventing this air loss.

Moreover, duct sealing can aid in preventing allergies and pollutants from entering your home through ductwork, improving the air quality within your home.

9. Change your thermostat batteries

Thermostat batteries typically only last about a year, so spring is a good time to change them. You don’t want to wait for the battery to run out and come home to a sweltering house at the end of a long workday. It’s a simple job that will cost you little money and can save you many headaches.

10. Consider investing in a programmable thermostat

Purchasing a programmable thermostat can be a wise decision since it can increase the effectiveness of your air conditioning system and ultimately result in cost savings. It gives you more control over your HVAC system and ensures it runs smoothly while no one is home with pre-set temperatures and seasonal settings.

The benefits of professional HVAC maintenance

The biggest reason to have a professional perform routine maintenance on your HVAC system is to protect the investment you’ve already made. Installing a new HVAC unit can be pricey, so performing routine maintenance keeps your HVAC working at optimum levels.

What’s more—licensed HVAC technicians are trained to notice potential problems before they become huge, expensive headaches.

Another benefit is that having your AC unit running optimally can help reduce your energy bills during the summer—and who doesn’t like saving money?

AC thermostat: Richmond's Air DIY Center article

Three steps to take before calling your AC repair technician

Before you call us for expert AC repair service, consider trying to fix it on your own to save money. These 3 steps will help you identify the issue that is causing your air conditioner to malfunction.

Learn more

What does an HVAC inspection involve?

Starting in the spring, we recommend scheduling a complete inspection of your AC before the heat of the summer begins. During this inspection, your technician should:

Clean/replace filters
Clean the condenser and evaporator
Check your electrical components
Check your refrigerant levels
Calibrate the thermostat
Oil all motor components

Performing this check in the spring not only helps ensure your home will be cool once summer hits, but it’s also likely to be cheaper. Many HVAC companies run spring cleaning specials, and their summer prices will be more expensive.

Contact the HVAC experts at Richmond’s Air

If you’ve been keeping up on preventative maintenance, you may only have to worry about keeping a watch out for any unusual problems this spring, rather than looking to replace your HVAC.

Let Richmond’s Air keep your HVAC unit running at its peak. Contact us today to schedule an AC checkup before summer hits Houston.

How Shade Trees Cool Your Home and AC Compressor

August 31, 2016 by Richmond’s Air

Before AC, shade trees were one of the many ways people stayed cool during the hottest parts of the day. An afternoon nap under a giant oak was the perfect way to escape the summer heat in a pre-AC world.

Nowadays, we prefer to stay indoors with our air conditioners at full blast. But in summer, the cool comfort of AC comes with a cost.

Fortunately, shade trees can help us lower our energy costs. It’s common knowledge that shade trees can cool surrounding air temperatures by up to 6 degrees. So why not harness the power of shade to cool our homes and lower our electricity bills?

How to Strategically Place Shade Trees

For energy savings, place shade trees or shrubs near the parts of your home that face east and west. These areas receive the most sunlight. Also, focus on shading windows. Windows draw in heat, so well placed shade can help prevent high temperatures in your home.

Another great idea for improving energy savings is to shade your AC compressor. The AC compressor is the bulky part of your AC that sits outside. The compressor works to cool your home by drawing in hot air from inside your home, then releasing that air outside. An overheated compressor has to work extra hard on hot days.

If the air surrounding your AC is 6 degrees cooler—thanks to a strategically place shade tree—then your AC doesn’t have to work as hard cooling your home. This can save you money month-to-month by reducing your electric bill and also save you money in the long term by avoiding costly AC repairs on down the road.

What to Avoid When Planting Near Your AC Compressor

The AC compressor must cool itself. The unit needs plenty of space to dispel hot air. Therefore, it’s recommended that all plants and shrubs be at least 3 feet away from the unit in order for it to work properly. Another consideration to take before you plant a shade tree near your compressor is falling seeds or pods because the debris can clog your AC compressor.

For more information about energy savings, contact your local Houston AC service to learn more about the benefits of shading your home and AC unit.

13 Ways People Stayed Cool Before Air Conditioning

August 22, 2016 by Richmond’s Air

Air conditioners didn’t enter homes until H.H. Schultz and J.Q. Sherman invented the window AC unit in 1931. These air conditioners are still commonly used today; however, back then very few people could afford the luxury of an individual room air conditioner.

Fortunately, they found plenty of other ways to stay cool. Here’s a list of 13 ways people stayed cool before AC:

Underground Living. Whether it was cave dwellings or sod roofing, underground living allowed tenants to stay cool during the hot summer months.
Shade Trees. Shade trees offered an easy escape from summer heat, with temperatures dropping 15 degrees or more in the shade.
Afternoon Naps. It turns out, there’s a real practical side to napping during the hottest part of the day. Before central air, workers would take afternoon naps in order to avoid heat exhaustion.
Fans. Handheld fans have been a form of air conditioning for centuries.
Imported Snow. Snow is year round on some mountain peaks. In some areas of the world, mountain snow would be collected and taken back into town to be sold.
Harvested Ice Blocks. Before AC, winter was a time to harvest ice blocks from frozen lakes. These ice blocks would then be kept in icehouses and later used in the summer months.
Fountains. Early fountains resembled large troughs and were big enough to submerge your head. In the summertime, these fountains were used for drinking and cooling off.
High Ceilings. Because heat rises, smart architects used high ceilings as an early form of maintaining low temperatures at floor level.
Open Windows at Night. The night is usually cool, so why not take advantage of this natural A/C? During summer, windows were left open at night to encourage cool evening air to enter the home.
Front Porches. Porches allowed people to enjoy the cool mornings and evenings from the comfort of their home.
Mud & Brick. Brick is still a great option for lowering energy costs because bricks absorb heat during the day and release it at night.
Movie Theaters. Before AC was in every home, movie theaters offered one of the only cool places a person could retreat to during the summer.
Creative Cooling. There are many other creative ways people stayed cool in the summer, from wet sheets in open doorways to putting clothes in the freezer!

These are great ways to stay cool, but don’t be stuck in the age before AC. In hot places like Houston, TX, air conditioning is a must. Richmond’s Air is a leading HVAC contractor in Houston. Call today to get your AC up and running.

For more historical reading, check out: The History of Air Conditioning and How it Changed America Forever.

Is My A/C Big Enough?

July 20, 2016 by Richmond’s Air

In the middle of a hot and humid summer, it’s tempting to answer this question with a big fat “NO” regardless of the size of your A/C. While you do need one big enough to cool your home, bigger is not necessarily better when you’re talking about air conditioners.

If you have one that is too big, it can waste a lot of energy and cause humidity problems in your home; however, one that’s too small can make everyone inside miserable during those hot summer months.

So, how do you know if your A/C is big enough? Here are some steps to calculate the right size for your home:

1. Measure the space: Whether you want to cool just one or two rooms or a whole house, you’ll need to figure out how many square feet the area is. First, measure the length and width of the room or rooms to be cooled.
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Is One Air Conditioning Brand Better Than the Other?

September 15, 2015 by James Richmond

Choosing between different brands of indoor comfort systems for your home is not an easy decision. There are so many brands of heating and air conditioning systems out there, so how do you know what to choose?

Here at Richmond’s Air, we not only aim to provide top-quality professional AC services, we also want to equip your home with the best comfort system out there. This is why we prefer to use and install American Standard products. Here’s our reasoning:

Reliable

American Standard consistently wins awards for reliable, superior products. Just this year, American Standard was rated the “Most Reliable Gas Furnace” on a survey among other leading HVAC manufacturers. They also won the “Gold Winner Award” in the HVAC Residential Equipment category at the Dealer Design Awards.

Energy-Efficient

All American Standard products are expertly designed to reduce the amount of energy needed for the system to run effectively and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. These environmentally friendly products meet the ENERGY STAR® guidelines for energy efficiency that will help you save money on energy costs and keep the planet clean for generations to come. It’s a win-win for everyone!

History

For over 100 years, American Standard has adapted and changed to better meet people’s heating and air needs. Talk about reliability!

American Standard has proven to produce consistent, quality products among leading manufacturers for many years. It’s why we prefer them!

While we have preferences, the Richmond’s Air team of experts will service, repair, and install any brand that fits your needs best! Contact us today to talk to one our technicians in the Houston area. Also check out or online blog and knowledge center for additional heating and cooling tips.