Austin Air Companie Blog : Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

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Air Conditioning NEW BREED: Communicating HVAC System

Monday, August 24th, 2015

Air Conditioning NEW BREED: Communication between parts makes for one smart air conditioner and a really comfortable customer.

It also delivers better performance, better comfort, better reliability, and better warranty coverage. So what is the catch?

It’s designed as a complete HVAC system. There are no piece meal options to get this kind of Air Conditioning system for your home.

You might be thinking at this point what exactly is piece meal and what exactly is a complete HVAC system? Most HVAC systems are Natural gas furnace with electric or grid tied air conditioning that consists of an out door condensing unit and an evaporator coil with two copper tubes known as what is called a line set that runs between the condensing unit and the indoor evaporator coil.

With the above type system there are 4 parts to the HVAC system that make up a communicating HVAC system. Now just because you replace the whole HVAC system at once doesn’t make it a communicating system. This is a special system with special parts and special controls. The outdoor equipment communicates digitally with the indoor equipment for the best performance available today in mid tier HVAC systems. Currently it is my opinion these systems are the most reliable with the best in warranty guarantees and because of this makes them a best buy when buying a complete system. Everything you would want in an HVAC system right?

Because of the energy efficiency achieved by them in most cases the cost of the system will be recouped within the life span of the equipment and in some cases even faster depending on usage habits and the age of your current HVAC system.

So now that you understand the number of pieces that make up a complete HVAC system you are probably wondering what a piece meal system is. To describe it accurately it is otherwise known as a mismatched system. Mismatched more or less means the brands of the system are different, there is no ARI number available to determine efficiency and so on. In other words if your out door unit (condenser) failed and you only replace the out door unit condenser without replacing the furnace and the evaporator coil in side the home either attic or closet at the same time that you replace the other pieces.

This method doesn’t necessarily mean the piece meal system won’t work, it just means that it won’t work as well and won’t have many features (it’s either on or off) and won’t have as good of guarantees or warranty coverage of the communicating system and it won’t be as energy efficient as the communicating system either.

Air Conditioning Energy efficiency is very important for us Texas residents with the last heat wave with temperatures in the triple digits for 30 days or more. I’m sure people all over this area are going to be complaining of ‘crazy’ high light bills for the next couple of months. This is why an energy efficient HVAC system is a wise investment and will probably do you a big favor to sell your home if and when the time comes. Other people are no different than you when they look for a new home. For some it’s the first thing a prospective home buyer will look at (the AC system).

For those that want to take this to comfort levels out of this world you could add a zone system to this equipment. Stop those thermostat fights dead in their tracks… stop that constant fight of upstairs versus downstairs temperature wars. A zone system added to this type of system is comfort at it’s best. Best reliability, best comfort and efficiency that blows the roof off. How do I know you might ask?

I have had one of these zone systems in my own home since 2007. Realize only a properly designed zone system will perform this way. I have installed several zone systems as of this writing, they are complicated beasts in most scenarios. If the design is not right it will not work. Remember the system has to perform in 80 degree weather just as well as it has to perform in 100+ degree weather as well as 20 degree weather. I design them to work and perform reliably as well as simplicity if the need arises to fix the system. Certainly you don’t want to sit in Texas heat for any longer than necessary. Which brings me to the last very important part.

SERVICE AFTER THE SALE!

I don’t leave my customers in the heat after installing new HVAC equipment or a new HVAC zone system. I stand behind the systems and units I sell and install and I can fix them if that need arises. This is why I say brand doesn’t matter. It’s more important that I can fix it when it breaks. I have been in the HVAC industry for over 20 years there is not a single HVAC brand out there that out lives another brand… just clever marketing and advertising.

If I can fix and repair any Air Conditioning brand… then please tell me what difference does a brand name make?

About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

Austin Air Companie
832~475~6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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Air Conditioning repair, installations and the importance of HVAC Contractor selection

Sunday, August 23rd, 2015

The job of Air Conditioning isn’t glamorous and in many cases can be quite challenging due to work that wasn’t done quite right to begin with. I have seen a rise in the number of calls I run on annual basis in which the home owner believed earlier they got new AC equipment “installed by someone other than me” at a great deal or bargain.

This “great deal” nomenclature typically means reduced cost. It doesn’t mean a system that runs for 15 years with minimal fuss. The truly unbelievable part is that if this “great deal” system runs for at least a year some of the people still think they got a “great deal”. A system that is designed to run for 15 years that breaks down with catastrophic problems in under 3 years is not a good deal by any definition.

Now does this mean that you won’t suffer a break down at all with properly installed equipment? No. It’s mechanical equipment. It will break down, no matter the brand at some point they all break. The difference is typically the severity of the breakdown… was it due to lack of maintenance or was it due to improper installation or a combination of the two? The other difference is that you don’t spend countless hours trying to find someone who will work on it to fix it. If I installed it you can count on me to fix it. Isn’t that the way it should be? What else are you using an HVAC contractor for?

The common theme that I see from these kinds of ‘great deals’ is somehow the home owner is calling a different contractor than who it was who installed the Air Conditioning and Heating system. There is no reimbursement from the manufacturer other than getting a part. Labor, refrigerant and other non-equipment parts are not covered by manufacturer.

I charge money for these kinds of calls. I will not sugar coat it. I feel if you are old enough to own a home and the responsibility of maintaining one I feel you are old enough to hear the truth. It is not my job, nor my responsibility to go around fixing or repairing serious installation issues of new equipment (less than 3 years old in most cases) installed by other companies or side work done by a “maintenance man” that should know better.

The fact of the matter is there is nothing requiring me to even do these kinds of jobs or correct these kinds of problems. I have run across a few where the home owner was told by another company that they don’t work on this type of equipment. So when you attempt to ‘cheat the system’ you shouldn’t expect another company to come and stick their neck out trying to fix or repair a system that they didn’t put in. In all fairness I do deal with home builder gems that are even worse in some cases and that is an entirely different subject for what I am trying to portray in this blog post. ( A warning to choose carefully.)

It’s very tempting to skim the internet to see how cheap you can buy a system but you fail to realize the manufacturer warranty in Texas is tied to the HVAC contractors license that purchases the system. If there is no license at time of purchase there is no warranty thru the manufacturer. If you don’t believe this read the warranty limitations document from any AC equipment manufacturer… it clearly states any HVAC unit bought over the internet the warranty is void. The websites that sell units that claim otherwise are lying! Read their own fine print for even worse problems doing things this way.

I’ve also stumbled across a system in which a “leak seal additive” had been used to try to fix a Freon leak as opposed to the proper way of finding and fixing the leak the proper way. The argument for adding the leak seal is that the equipment is old and out of warranty. The problem is that the leak seal will gunk up the system, the copper line set and potential lead to a costlier problem to fix than rather just doing it the right way first. This particular system had the leak seal additive added only two months prior to me running the call. This customer is looking at a new AC system plus 2 story line set, other wise the situation will most likely get much worse. So you tell me how much money this guy is saving?

Any refrigerant system should be kept as “clean” as possible. Adding things to a refrigerant circuit will typically only make more problems or further destroy the equipment. If any residual leak seal is left in the line set when the new unit is installed and the leak seal causes failure to the new unit that leak seal could void the manufacturer’s warranty. Therefore, if you have added leak seal to a system it is in your best interest to replace the copper line set at additional cost to ensure the new system is not contaminated. So the thought that you will save money by adding leak seal to an older system that is out of warranty is misguided at best. If an AC company is recommending leak seal additive as an alternative stay away… far, far away.

Now maybe you have stumbled across this page before making any such mistakes noted above. Take heed to the warning. I see these kinds of problems and worse much more often than I should. In writing this blog post I hope to “spread the word” to hopefully put an end to some of these kinds of things. It would not only make my job easier, it would make you happier and less frustrated.

This is Texas after all… You will always need a good reliable HVAC company to depend on. My trade mark line isn’t by mistake IT’S ON PURPOSE!
BETTER STUFF. DONE RIGHT. ON TIME. GUARANTEED.

A good amount of what I say here is pretty harsh. It is intended this way so that you get the point at the severity of what you are ‘playing’ with. I am not in the HVAC business to ‘play around’. If you call me — you call for one reason….

YOU ARE READY TO FIX IT.
The catch is: You must reside within my service area. I do not fix systems over the phone. The fix may require replacement… only Jesus performs more miracles.

About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

Austin Air Companie
832~475~6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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Air Conditioning Contractors and the importance of who you choose

Sunday, July 26th, 2015

I keep getting quite few calls in regards to AC systems that were recently installed. When I say recently I mean within 3 years or less. You have to realize that an AC system is a 15 year appliance. (National Average Life.)

These calls tend to be from homeowners who either can’t get service from the original HVAC contractor because they are out of business, putting the homeowner off or “out of the area” so to speak or other reasons way out in left field.

I also got a call from someone in which the work had already started and from the sound of it she had kicked him out. These kinds of situations are dicey and I’ll tell you why.

First the more people who touch the system– “if” you develop a problem with the system each person will blame the other for the problem. That puts you in the middle and nothing gets resolved. It’s what is commonly referred to as a “Third Party Contract”.

Why would I want to get involved in such a mess? Run the risk of bad press, or potentially something even worse? You wouldn’t do it so why should you expect me to do it… This is why you need to do your homework first. It’s not about how much you spend, it’s about how much you waste.

Let me put it to you another way… You come down to two choices one from AC company A and one from AC company B

Say you could spend $1500 more on solution A and that AC solution lowers your utility bill $30 a month plus the system runs for 8 years problem free.

Say that solution B is $1500 cheaper than solution A your utility bill goes down $15 a month but there was a problem with the installation that took literally a month to get fixed having to call and recall the installing contractor, but the system still has broken down every other year since it was installed. After the fiasco with the installation you broke ties with the installing contractor and so now you’ve had half a dozen AC companies work on it. How much is your time worth?
Fill in your savings here ____________
( I listen to these kinds of stories all the time… remember I’ve been doing this for 20 years.)

The problem with this is you don’t know if there will be just as many problems with the one that costs $1500 more. This is where you have to ask the tough questions to your HVAC contractor. Because the contractor you choose to do the install should be the one you call to service it in the event it breaks down.

If you don’t look at it this way… I will have plenty to write about in another blog post. I see these kinds of things over and over.

You’re here for a good reason. Hopefully you didn’t find this page too late. Choose wisely… ask the tough questions — get a great system that lasts a long time with little to no trouble. That is the definition of a “good deal”.

About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

Austin Air Companie
832~475~6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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Air Conditioning Freon Leaks

Monday, May 18th, 2015

Air Conditioning Freon Leaks
(video included below “My AC Evaporator Is Leaking Freon? WHERE?”)

Freon in this case more or less means refrigerant, because you could in fact have a system that uses R410a that is also known as Puron. Puron is a trademark name commonly used to describe this new air conditioning refrigerant.

R22 Freon and R410a Puron are the only two EPA & Manufacturer approved refrigerants for use in a High Temp air conditioning application like residential air conditioning or commercial air conditioning. Notice I said High Temp… This application design temperature is to maintain temperature of a structure between 70 to 80 degrees. There are other applications and many different refrigerants. So you need to realize before reading any further this subject is on High Temperature Central Air Conditioning application ONLY.

When a home air conditioner is low on refrigerant, it will perform inadequately not putting out enough cooling in all areas of the structure. However, a low refrigerant suspicion doesn’t mean something else could be at play with your system. Guessing will not fix your air conditioning system. I’m not paid to guess just as much as I am not paid to “play around” with your system. I can only get to the root of your problem by diagnosing it and that requires a visit to your home in person. This is what I do for a living.

Many people to this day, believe their air conditioning system uses refrigerant and this liquid needs to be replaced or refilled at some point. Wrong. The only time you need refrigerant is when you have developed a leak or the refrigerant circuit needs repair. However, if you simply refill the system and there is a refrigerant leak then it will leak back out again a short time later depending of course how large or bad the leak is.

Refrigerant leaks can be caused by:
Formicary Corrosion
Defective part in refrigerant circuit
Poor servicing methods
unit vibration
improper or neglected maintenance
equipment age (worn out)
poor equipment design or installation
Dog urine
Freezing of the Evaporator Coil

Refrigerants CAN NOT be:
Mixed
Installed in wrong equipment
USED

Doing such things listed above will void ANY manufacturer warranty, not to mention add serious costs to repair up to and including the replacement of your AC System.

When you look at your AC equipment you don’t see anything leaking from it, so it must be OK? Condensation or moisture isn’t refrigerant. Water leaks are an entirely different subject.

Just because you don’t see anything when looking at your AC system doesn’t mean much…. Refrigerants turn to vapor under our atmosphere many times you will not be able to visually see the leak without the help of a refrigerant detector.
(Watch the embedded video below for better understanding.)

Trying to guess where a refrigerant leak is without testing for it is NOT RECOMMENDED under any circumstance, UNLESS you are replacing the whole Air Conditioning System or you enjoy the possibility of wasting money.

National average life of an Air Conditioning System is 15 Years. If yours didn’t last that long you may want to consider making a change some where.

I hope this information saves you from making a costly mistake.
Have a GREAT Summer! Thank you for visiting.

About the Author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

Austin Air Companie
832~475~6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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AC Repair Cypress

Thursday, March 5th, 2015

AC Repair Cypress
(video embed below)

This blog post focus for Air Conditioning Repair Cypress Texas is about what the difference is between an Air Conditioning Technician and a Licensed HVAC Contractor in the state of Texas.

The main purpose for this blog is that you the home owner have a big decision to make if your AC system breaks down this summer. Whatever decision you ultimately decide upon could effect you and your families comfort in some profound way.

Just picking an air conditioning company based on what seem as favorable terms often thrown around within the HVAC industry without factual checking isn’t really what it’s cracked up to be when you’re talking about one of the most expensive systems you operate within your home.

You pay for this system repeatedly via your electric bill, repairs made to the system and eventual replacement of the HVAC system. The difference typically comes down to experience, design and service quality.

The truth is when it comes to an AC technician there is no real reliable way to discern how much experience one HVAC technician has comparable to another. You can only hope who ever the company sends is qualified to work on your system.

Do you see a problem with that? Watch the video below for a more in depth view as to the differences from what it takes to be an AC technician versus a full fledged Licensed HVAC Contractor. I think this might surprise you.

There is additional information in regards to 2015 EPA Regional Efficiency Standards as well as information on R22 Freon Ban in 2020 included in the video.

Thank you for visiting with me today, I hope this information helps you make a wise decision.

About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

Austin Air Companie
832~475~6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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AC Repair Katy Texas

Monday, February 2nd, 2015

How to choose an HVAC repair service Katy Texas?

[Video embedded below]

Maybe you are at the point of doing just that… you’re trying to decide which Air Conditioning company in Katy, Texas you are going to let into your home to service, repair or install a new air conditioning system. My HVAC company is different and this blog post is designed to show what sets me apart in order to help you reach an educated decision without a bunch of gimmicks. I feel you are smarter than all of that nonsense.

This air conditioning blog post is designed to clear up a few myths first that many people have about air conditioning companies in general. Everyone has seen the low teaser rates for air conditioning check ups for 69, 59, 49, 39, 29, Free or whatever the price is. Many times the customer is lead to believe this is all they have to spend… all you need is a check up they say. You will find out pretty quick this is rarely ever the case once the company shows up to service your air conditioner or furnace.

If you’ve ever watched that popular show on TV named after a certain breed of fish tank, you know that one of the most important questions of any business is:

“What does it cost you to acquire a customer?”

This figure can be figured many different ways… the cost is typically derived from over head costs that include all expenses, like advertising, rent, tools, service vehicles and in some cases salaries of office staff, managers etc. I can assure you that customer acquisition cost for any HVAC company is no where near even the $69 figure.

So what does this mean?

It means if I run a new customer service call I am risking that I will lose a significant amount on that call if all I collect is a service fee or check up fee. Realize I said “New Customer”.

I can’t tell you specifically what that customer acquisition number is for HVAC companies because it varies based on the management decisions of the company and how it’s run and what it’s over head expenses are as well as debt levels.

This business is highly competitive and pricing structure as well as technical know how significantly influence whether a business will flourish or flounder. There is a constant flow of new HVAC businesses that start every year that think they can do it cheaper than everyone else. They pull it off for a time and then fade into the sunset.

There is nearly a 50% chance that incompetence of the technician, company or both will affect you in some way. Nearly all HVAC companies are set up this way. The problem with this is that there is no standard as to the experience level of the technician you are paying for and you’re left to repeat this procedure of choosing a comfort provider either through means of previous comfort service provider failure or a lack of that provider giving you the comfort service you deserve or a suspicion of incompetence.

It’s never cut and dry, because every HVAC contractor has his own opinion of what you should do as well as any technician that works for him. If a technician works under that contractor, they have in most cases very little in the way of say. It’s very political to say the least. I was once a technician so I know all to well what goes on.

Differences from one HVAC company to another more or less fall along the following factors:

1. Air Conditioning Knowledge & Experience.
2. Air Conditioning Service Availability.
3. Proper Air Conditioning Diagnosis & Repair.
4. Proper Air Conditioning Installation & Equipment Registration.

I am a licensed HVAC contractor and I don’t use technicians or subs. That is another difference worth mentioning.

Notice from the list above that price is no where to be found in those examples and for very good reason… prices fluctuate and companies go out of business due to those prices. If the job is done wrong what good did that low price do for you if you have to do the job again? You may not find this out for a few days, weeks or a year or more later.

HVAC is a hard business with many challenges that are unique unto itself in such that it’s a seasonal business on top of all these other challenges. During peak demands a HVAC contractor has to work in uncomfortable conditions. In many cases we are going into “the oven” more or less. Because of this there is also high turnover rates with in this business. No one calls me to tell me their AC unit is cooling perfectly. I can only assume that it is.

The challenges to me and my HVAC company are probably not what you would expect, so with that said, I encourage you to watch the video embedded below where I describe some of these challenges unique to the HVAC industry in even more detail as well as talk about my own personal challenges in starting Austin Air Companie from nothing to where I am today. I think you may find this very interesting.

A company only stays in business by repeat business or growth in new customers. A properly working air conditioner can work for years without too much fuss in most cases provided that the system was installed properly and maintenance recommendations are followed. I have served hundreds over the years… if they called me back regularly with problems I wouldn’t be pleading my case with you right now.

I use my own company statistics because I know that the more I do for my customers the less likely it is I will hear from them for additional service. So if my customers use my services once in 5 years or less because I installed a new system for that customer 5 years ago that is running problem free… well how hard is it to see that I have to keep acquiring new customers in order to survive? Hard to believe this is currently my biggest problem right?

The truth of the matter is I currently spend more time working on blogs, maintaining my personal website, making videos than I spend actually working on and repairing or installing air conditioning and heating systems. Yes, this is a bit shocking isn’t it? How can one man do all of this?

The reason behind that is none other than experience. I know what I am doing and I follow a strict work ethic that works. You may not always like what I have to say, but you don’t want me to dilute the truth do you? Reference: See gimmick definition.

Thank You! for visiting with me today. I hope this blog post and video helps you make a wise decision about your own home comfort needs in Katy, Texas, even if you decide not to use my HVAC services.

About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

Austin Air Companie
832.475.6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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How To Calculate Air Conditioning Running Costs

Sunday, January 25th, 2015

[This blog post includes video content embedded below]

When your air conditioner is running it creates what is known as operational costs. Due to technology and reducing the strain on the national power grid, air conditioning equipment is becoming more and more energy efficient than even just as few as 5 years ago.

Air Conditioners are replaced on a national average of around 1 time in every 15 years. Because of this your home could be a home that is burning more energy to get comfortable and more or less paying for a new unit without getting one because the money is going toward paying a higher than necessary light bill rather than paying for a new air conditioning system.

As of January 1, 2015 new laws have gone into effect in regards to air conditioning efficiency ratings. The ratings for the southern part of the country have been raised from 13 SEER to 14 SEER as a mandatory efficiency increase by the EPA.

There is real money to be saved in Katy, Texas by upgrading your air conditioning system to a more energy efficient air conditioning system. The SEER ratings mentioned above are minimums. When you watch my video below on how to calculate your AC efficiency you most likely will be surprised by what I pay to cool my own home. The video will direct you to my main website if you wish to go there later for more information you can do so.

How to Calculate Air Conditioning Operational Costs

Realize this is nothing new, except for the new ruling from the EPA in regards to mandatory efficiency increases. Also realize design, installation practices as well as the rated equipment efficiency all play a role in the over all efficiency and cost of running the air conditioning system.

The ac run cost calculation included in video above is best suited for homes with one air conditioning system and regular utility billing. If you have a home with more than one air conditioning system or you are on balanced billing with your utility provider, then I recommend you schedule a service and let me calculate your efficiency for you. This is the best way to make sure the calculation is done properly.

The efficiency ratings and calculations are designed around the Katy, Texas area weather patterns and information taken from DOE (Department of Energy) as to the number of cooling hours and typical air conditioning design attributes. If you don’t live within the Katy, Texas area these calculations will not work for you. (Different design, different climate, different calculations… don’t try to cram a square peg into a round hole… it will not work.) I know this is more a flaw of the search engine because they often dump you outside of areas you should be in.

I have included additional years videos below here so you can see that this is an annual event of mine since roughly 2010 time frame to show people what they can do for better comfort and pay for it by reducing operational running AC costs. Thank you for visiting with me today. Please choose your comfort provider carefully. Service after the sale should always be considered too.

My 2013 Air Conditioning Costs

My 2012 Air Conditioning Costs

About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.
Austin Air Companie
832.475.6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Go Green, Home Improvement | Comments Off on How To Calculate Air Conditioning Running Costs

HOME AC EFFICIENCY & EXTREME COMFORT

Saturday, January 3rd, 2015

How do I make my air conditioning and heating system more efficient without sacrificing “ANY” comfort?

If you’ve ever read about the infamous free tips that many offer on this subject you will quickly skip over those suggestions if you live in the Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas.

Sure you can do these “free” ac tips and while they will cut costs they come at a price in the comfort department many will refuse to entertain. I’ll give you some of the “free AC cost cutting tips” later on within this Home AC efficiency & extreme comfort blog post.

You see making a home air conditioning and heating system more efficient without any sacrifice to comfort is a complex task that involves serious technical know how. Without this technical know how, attempting this could damage and quite possibly ruin your current HVAC system. I am talking about more than just simply upgrading your AC system to a new higher efficient box or what is commonly referred to as High SEER HVAC Equipment. You can replace your home HVAC equipment and cut operating costs, but this blog post goes much further and takes this HVAC efficiency & home comfort solutions to the “extreme” delivering the best home comfort imaginable.

What I am about to tell you is nothing new… it has been available for some time now. I installed one of these in my own home over 7 years ago, have made countless videos showing what I pay for utilities and do my best to explain the comfort I get. How do you explain true comfort in text and video? It’s a feeling… to know the feeling you have to have experienced it.

Thankfully, I can describe this feeling to you due to “seasonal” changes in the weather. It gives a much clearer description than anything I can think of. You know what it feels like when you wake up on a crisp autumn day? It’s not cold, it’s not hot… the air is just “crisp”. That is the kind of comfort I am talking about.

I get this kind of comfort every day in any room of my house that I choose to occupy and not just during the autumn season when the outdoor weather helps most people’s AC system out. Part of the reason for this type of HVAC system is to boost efficiency, but that isn’t the only reason. The other reason is extreme home comfort in any room within the house. If you have rooms in your home that are not comfortable no matter what you do — this is probably the solution you’ve been looking for.

Anything that is “extreme” you would expect some serious challenges. For anything that is worth something there are obstacles that will stand in your way. The easy way is to admit defeat, keep living in discomfort and instead of paying me once for better comfort and a system that pays for itself while increasing the value of the home, some would rather pay the utility company a higher rate than they should be for comfort they are not getting month in and month out. There’s nothing wrong with either home owner, except one is more comfortable than the other and is paying less to cool and heat their home.

“We choose to do things,
not because they are easy,
but because they are hard.”
~John F. Kennedy

First you have to realize that hard things are not insurmountable, unless you are prone to giving up. The problem is that perceived value tends to chase the “lower cost” solution, even though the “higher cost” solution solves the actual problem fully and completely. The lower cost solution will work to a different shade or “feeling” of comfort. When it comes time to sell the home however, the home has no advantage over a home that has one of these types of systems installed.

Which home would you want, now that you are learning the difference?

There are ways to cut costs even with this solution, but if this system pays for itself while providing the best comfort possible and increases the value of the home isn’t this a moot point?

I am not one to make excuses and give up. I am a problem solver by nature. It’s what I do more or less everyday of the year as a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor serving the Katy, Texas area. (TACLB28416E)

The number one rule to problem solving is to solve a problem right?

WRONG. The number one rule to problem solving is to solve a problem without creating additional problems. Otherwise you’re not solving anything. Right?

In other words… it just works. Well if you’ve bought anything in the past you’ve read the blather about how great something is only to find out later after the purchase things aren’t so well.

Why is that? Something as simple as solving a problem that creates additional different problems. That’s it in a nutshell…. they weren’t really problem solving. Take a pill and get 5 additional problems (side effects) than the one you are trying to solve is a easy way to fully describe this.

I tell you these things in this manner so that anyone reading this will fully understand this HVAC comfort solution requires an “INVESTMENT” this is not a gimmick. There are additional conditions that are required as well. I won’t even offer you the solution if your home doesn’t allow me to solve your problem without creating additional problems. What would the point be if I can’t make you happy with the purchase?

If you can’t afford an investment that will pay for itself over time and increase the value of your home you can always try the following “free AC efficiency tips”.

1. Turn the thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter.
That’s right make yourself hotter in the summer and colder in the winter.

2. Turn on fans through out your house.
Living in a wind tunnel is not my idea of home comfort. Maybe you can live with it. I can not.

3. Don’t cook in the kitchen…
So I’m real sorry, there won’t be any aspiring chefs in your family. The people who wrote this one probably own half a dozen restaurants.

4. Plant trees and shrubs to shade your home.
Increase your water bill and maintenance costs. Everyone who lives in this area know what it’s like to have a dead tree in their yard due to drought. If the outdoor temp hits 100 the shade won’t be much cooler.

All these “free AC tip suggestions” attempt to solve the problem of a high AC bill, but neglect the comfort problem. Is this problem solving? I don’t think so… that is the difference between me and “them”.

I think and hope by now you should clearly see my point. Like different shades and resolution of high definition television sets so too are there different shades and “feelings” of home comfort.

Now that utility costs have been coming down somewhat in recent years you may be at a position that what you pay for electricity “isn’t that bad”. I like to call this the “well, it’s not too bad syndrome”. The real question is how bad is bad?

You’ll only really know for sure if you investigate it. Take me as an example. My total electric bill for August 2014 was $73.19. I live in a 30 plus year old home with just over 1700 sq feet. I run my central air conditioner 24/7 at 76 during the day and 74 at night. My utility rate was 10.7 cents per KWH for this time period and includes all charges for that month. With that said I have videos on my YouTube channel that clearly show what I pay for electricity since 2011. I don’t just throw around a bunch of hot air without proof. Whether you believe it or not after that fact well that’s entirely up to you. I know we live in a scam a minute world so I made these videos for your benefit, not mine. To help you ascertain truth from fiction.

The key here is I only cool or heat the portion of my home I am using.
What I am talking about here is a Zoned HVAC System. Watch the 2 HVAC zoning videos that are embedded below here. These videos best describe what this is all about and what is possible in home comfort. After watching the videos continue reading the text below them for further insight. (The videos will direct you to my main website, you can go there later on if you want.)

Now that you have a better understanding of what I am talking about you will have a better idea if this is something you want to explore or not. If a zoned HVAC system is not for you there are other approaches to get better comfort with reduced operational costs. However, those options will not exceed all expectations in all areas of the home as a properly designed and installed HVAC zone system would.

Your house may decide this for you. I won’t install an air conditioning and heating zoned system in just any home. Remember I have a rule with problem solving, if you don’t remember that rule you really should reread this entire blog post.

Most HVAC zoned systems are designed improperly. This is a primary source of traffic for my website and a primary source that tend to claim air conditioning and heating zoned systems don’t work. The design of an HVAC zone system is critical, so critical that I spend 30 to 40 hours and maybe in very difficult cases as much as 50 hours just designing them specifically to the characteristics of the home. This doesn’t include installation time. I do all of this myself. There is to my knowledge, no other air conditioning company like Austin Air Companie. If you live way outside my service area of Katy, Texas my suggestion is that you look for a “working HVAC contractor” in your area. That is really your best option.

Can a HVAC zoned system increase the value of your home?

Yes, it can. Especially in a hot tropical location like Katy, Texas and Cypress, Texas. But you have to inform potential buyers what you have. I tell my customers to save their electric bills… make the comparison from old electric bills to the ones after the HVAC zoned system has been installed. The only down side to selling a home with a HVAC zoned system installed by me?

You will likely have to install another zoned air conditioning system in your new house. Once you live with this kind of comfort there is no comparison to anything else.

Ok, here is another myth. “You have to replace your current HVAC system to install a HVAC zoned system.” Not necessarily so. However, if your AC system is over 10 years old it would be best to start over for a multitude of reasons… many of them pointing to efficiency and reliability reasons alone. A HVAC zone system will not magically solve all current problems you have with your HVAC system, inspection and diagnosis shouldn’t be taken for granted.

A HVAC zone system is hard and complex to operate? Sure, they can be. This comes down to design. The HVAC zoned systems I design and install are simple to operate and nothing different than you currently do now except that you have multiple thermostats that control different zones or “areas” of your home.

Do you offer other solutions other than HVAC zoned systems?

Yes, absolutely. The national average life of an HVAC system is roughly 15 years. Slightly less than this in my service area in and around Katy, Texas. Because people don’t experience air conditioning issues very often they may not be aware of what is available today to give the best comfort possible, the best efficiency possible while also paying for itself and increasing the value of the home.

You have a central air conditioning system for comfort. Can you imagine paying for it via an electric bill every month and not being truly comfortable? Now that you’ve read this entire blog post you know what true comfort feels like… a crisp autumn morning in Katy, Texas. Use that threshold to compare with the comfort your current system is delivering.

Thank you for visiting with me today. I hope your day is extremely comfortable.

    About the author of this blog:

My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

Austin Air Companie
832.475.6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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Air Conditioning Compressor: Why did it fail?

Tuesday, September 30th, 2014

If you’ve ever had trouble with your home air conditioning system you know the out come is typically not all that much fun. Usually it happens when it’s very hot outside which leads to it being very hot inside. In the embedded video below I discuss the various failures that an AC compressor can fail from as well as the importance of properly diagnosing. Statistics show that AC compressor failure is often misdiagnosed nearly 30% of the time.

 

This HVAC video (above) is to shed some light on various reasons why HVAC compressors fail, the type of failure an AC compressor may fail from as well as the importance of diagnosing properly so that when the new compressor is replaced it doesn’t fail a short time later for the same reasons the first compressor failed from.

This is the hidden secret sauce of what separates a good HVAC contractor from a poor one. The last thing a HVAC company wants to be known for is “a parts changer”. If you don’t have any knowledge or ‘technical savvy’ your career in the HVAC business will be short lived to say the least. When it comes to air conditioning compressors it’s very important the diagnosis is complete to prevent the new compressor from failing. There are many reasons for air conditioning compressor failure, this is where experience comes in.

Bad news for home owners is there is a never ending stream of new HVAC companies that come and go each and every year. It’s important for the home owner to choose wisely when choosing an HVAC company for HVAC service, repair and installations.

HVAC service and repair is very technical in a rapidly changing and evolving atmosphere mostly due to the increasing demands of higher energy efficient HVAC equipment as well as the phase out of R-22 Freon. These attributes keep the residential HVAC service in high demand and more importantly give the home owner a more credible comfort solution when service and repair is performed properly and adequately.

R-22 Freon is due to hit another production cap (production reduction) on January 1, 2015 and by January 1, 2020 is slated for an all out production ban. Because of this home owners are facing increased costs due to replacing HVAC systems and or retro fitting to move away from the costly R-22 Freon that is likely to double in price again from 2014 levels.

While it’s true that a unit doesn’t use refrigerant and so this R-22 Freon price spike will only affect you if you get a Freon leak. However, the last thing you want to be told is that there is no Freon available at any price.

I don’t know what will happen until it does. There is some where near 90% of existing systems that still use R-22 Freon. The equation that determines price in this case is supply and demand. Demand always comes in the summer when it’s very hot. When demand outstrips supply, price will sky rocket as well as likely restrictions on purchasing.

It’s very important that you come up with a plan to convert your existing R22 Freon air conditioner to the new R410a Puron refrigerant. R410a is the only approved long term refrigerant for residential air conditioning systems.

My hope is this information finds you long before 2020 so that you have adequate time to research your home comfort needs.

My name is Ray Austin with Austin Air Companie. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R. I am a Texas licensed HVAC contractor with over 20 years experience in HVAC systems and 15 years of specializing in residential HVAC systems.

I am NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs as well as EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant.

If you live in Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas | Richmond, Texas or some surrounding areas you can give me a call @:
832.475.6895
For more information you can always visit me on my main website @
www.austinairco.com

Thank you for visiting today.

Better Stuff. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.
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