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

Furnace Repair

Sunday, December 17th, 2017

This is a furnace repair video of a fairly common problem among this particular brand of furnace. (Carrier) I embed a video clip of the call so you can see what I am talking about in this HVAC repair blog post for Katy, Texas area.

For whatever the reason this particular furnace has problems with blower wheels getting blown apart. While I don’t have video of past repairs I’ve made of other Carrier furnaces over the years this is a problem I’ve seen numerous times over the past 15 or so years that Carrier has been manufacturing this furnace.

Many times shaking problems like this shown in the video above are related to what is called ‘ excessive static pressure’ with in the duct system so just because you see a shaking system doesn’t necessarily mean what I show in the video. I can tell you that this problem (shown in the video) is not likely from excessive static pressure, because it’s the only brand I’ve seen with this problem in 23 years of running service. (noisy blower wheel)

Just to be clear though, this isn’t a blog post just to pick on Carrier. All brands sometimes have their own unique way of failing to one degree or another. I have seen system failures on new equipment as early as 1 year old and the brand wasn’t Carrier. So you understand there isn’t one HVAC brand that is somehow better than another brand. All HVAC brands break.

With that said, the real purpose of this blog post is to show that this problem can be repaired and the furnace can live another day. Many times on repairs of this nature your HVAC company may try to sell you a new furnace.

This is where you have to be careful. It’s not that a new furnace won’t fix your problem of a noisy, shaky furnace, but the furnace you choose is a very important part of your HVAC equipment. Choosing the proper one can make a big difference in how your Air Conditioner operates and can determine how efficient your air conditioner can operate.

A furnace should last more than 20 years for a climate like Katy, Texas. This is why if and when it does come time to replace your furnace that you choose one with performance not only for heat, but also keeping in mind the efficiency of your air conditioning system as both of them work hand in hand to keep you comfortable year round.

About the author of this blog:

My name is Ray Austin. I am the video creator / editor of AustinAirCo youtube channel, author of this blog and the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas | Richmond, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with 23 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 Service. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

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Posted in Furnace Repair, Furnace Repair, Furnace Repair, Furnace Repair, Heating, Home Improvement, HVAC Contractor, HVAC service provider, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Furnace Repair

New Air Conditioning System

Saturday, March 12th, 2016

It’s that time of the year again in Katy, Texas when you start contemplating the hot summer and realize it might be time to replace that old air conditioning system and maybe the heating system as well.

Some times this may be done at the spur of the moment when it’s already 90 degrees or more in your house and you’re under stress to just get it done. If you happen to be reading this earlier in the season before the summer arrives you have a bit more time to make a more informed decision.

Many people tend to approach this as just finding the lowest price possible to replace the AC unit. In some cases this may be all that’s needed if you plan to sell the home a short while later. However, with the current real estate market near the top more people are deciding to stay in their homes longer. This is a fine balancing act to decide exactly what you want. To complicate this further air conditioning manufacturer’s make so many different models, different SEER ratings, different configurations, more features, differences in warranty coverage that it’s enough to make your head swim.

To top all of that off, you call a few HVAC companies for a AC replacement quote and you may determine that these are merely salesmen looking for a quick score. For those of you that don’t know, a salesman only gets paid to sell. The problem with that is more times than not they don’t have your best interest at heart. Sorry, but the only way to sell “crap” is to embellish what it can do and how cheap they can install it for. The salesman however won’t come back once the sale is complete.

HVAC manufacturer’s make HVAC systems. That is how they are designed is as a complete systems. So if you only replace “part” of your HVAC system you are getting what is often called a “piece meal” AC system or “mismatched AC system” meaning that the parts of the system are of a different model design and in some cases a different manufacturer. On top of that, if you are buying a complete system it may be an inferior model, an outdated model, a system that has been sitting in a warehouse for an extended period. Do you want an older model because it’s cheaper? Do you want a new model that is better, fresh off factory floor with better features? How will you know this difference if you are talking to a salesman?

The piece meal option doesn’t always mean anything bad, other than the less of your system you replace typically the more likely it is that it will break down again. Additionally what it also means is that it likely won’t be quite as efficient as the rating of the new equipment suggests. This depends greatly on what your current HVAC system configuration is. No two homes are alike in this regard.

Everyone likes a “good deal” when it comes to just about anything. Are you going to measure a good deal in price alone or are you going to measure a good deal in quality, features and performance?

A good deal in price alone is often fleeting because the electric bill is coming to your house every month whether you like it or not. Your air conditioning system efficiency and performance makes up the majority of that bill, so if you skimp on one side you pay for it on the other. To top that off if the price one company is offering is very low compared to other quotes, they are cutting corners somewhere. There is no way around that, and you will wind up paying for it at some point.

A Good Deal For A New HVAC System

When it comes to these things I often say “the devil is in the details”. You are buying an HVAC system for comfort. If it doesn’t truly fulfill that purpose then why buy it?

Your installing HVAC contractor is who you should be calling if and when the system breaks. All AC brands can and do break down, don’t be fooled into thinking otherwise. If you can’t depend on the HVAC contracting company that installed your AC system then what are you left to consider?

It’s not uncommon for me to repair a dozen or so HVAC systems a year that were installed by other companies. These aren’t free calls, the manufacturer doesn’t warranty improper installation, systems that were purchased over the internet or any other illogical method that some people consider.

If the HVAC system pays you back thru reduced utility cost, provides you the comfort you desire and you have a professional licensed HVAC contractor that can repair your air conditioning and heating system when that need arises why would you want anything else?

Thank you for visiting with me today. I hope I might have saved you from making what could be a costly mistake. National average life of an AC system is 15 years. That is a long time to live with a mistake.

Make your new HVAC system a GREAT one!

Choose Austin Air Companie

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:

videos, tips and everything air conditioning and heating

for your home 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, Energy Efficiency, Heat Pumps, Heating, Home Improvement, HVAC Contractor | Comments Off on New Air Conditioning System

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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Posted in Air Conditioning, Energy Efficiency, Go Green, Heating, Home Improvement, HVAC Contractor | Comments Off on Air Conditioning NEW BREED: Communicating HVAC System

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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Posted in Air Conditioning, Heating, Home Improvement, HVAC Contractor | Comments Off on Air Conditioning repair, installations and the importance of HVAC Contractor selection

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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What is a cracked heat exchanger?

Tuesday, January 6th, 2015

(video explanation included below)

You may have been told this recently by your heating service contractor or technician lately and that you need a new gas furnace because the cracks will dump dangerous carbon monoxide into the air stream of your home and poison you or anyone else who breathes the air inside your home.

However, this is only one such way carbon monoxide gets into the home. There are other ways this can happen as well… such as leaving a car running with the garage door open and the house under a negative or “suction” pressure will suck the carbon monoxide fumes into the home, once inside the home your furnace will cycle on and spread it through out. Remember CO or carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas. You can only detect it with a carbon monoxide detector.

Another more complex way that carbon monoxide makes it inside the home is that a gas burning furnace is installed in a closet or some other tight sealed off room. Once the door to this closet is closed and the appliance lights the potential for carbon monoxide is real.

To understand this fully you have to understand what carbon monoxide is. Carbon Monoxide is CO, which means 1 molecule of carbon and 1 molecule of Oxygen. Gas burning furnaces do not naturally make carbon monoxide when they are working properly. When a gas furnace is working properly it makes Carbon Dioxide. What is carbon dioxide? Carbon Dioxide is CO2, which means 1 molecule of carbon and 2 molecules of oxygen.

Obviously too much carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide in your home isn’t something you want. Just realize a cracked heat exchanger isn’t something to play with if you indeed have one. But also realize the danger of improperly installing any gas furnace can be far worse, because you think it’s safe when it is not.

To understand this further you have to realize how a gas furnace typically makes carbon monoxide. Most of the time this is due to improper combustion due to the lack of combustion air. The gas isn’t fully burned because of a lack of oxygen getting to the burners of the gas furnace. When this happens CO2 (carbon dioxide) becomes CO or carbon monoxide.

These gases are measured in PPM or Parts Per Million. The higher the PPM the more deadly these gases are.

Now that you have a better understanding of what is really going on you can watch the embedded video below in which we show you what a cracked heat exchanger of a gas furnace looks like as well as how potentially hard it can be to find a crack or cracks… yes, there can be more than one crack in the heat exchanger of the gas furnace but this doesn’t make the challenge any easier to find them as you will see in the video embedded below.

As you know by now, I had to take this gas furnace completely apart to find these gas heat exchanger cracks. Many times out in the field this is a “guessing game”. My best guide is many times the age of the gas furnace as well as typical warranty length of the gas furnace. You only get to this point by experience. You will know how much experience I have after you read this blog post, that is the biggest difference between me and anyone you decide to compare me to in addition to the fact that I don’t sell gimmicks. I think you are smarter than all that nonsense.

Did you know that some specific models of gas furnaces have warranty periods as few as 5 years? This determination based on age alone of the gas furnace can be challenging in some instances. That cheap furnace you bought 6 years ago or was installed in a recently purchased home thinking you got a “deal”… well you know better now. Most gas furnaces come with a 20 year heat exchanger warranty, so now I hope you can see the challenge.

Our heating season in the Katy, Texas and Cypress, Texas areas is rather short at typically 2 months or less. Most people don’t think about their gas furnace unless it’s cold out and there is no heat in the home. If your gas furnace is giving you concern you should schedule a safety furnace check by a licensed HVAC contractor and then make any necessary improvements to keep you nice and toasty as well as safe.

If your gas furnace is an older type and has a pilot light there is good reason to replace this type of gas pilot furnace. This type of furnace hasn’t been made in over 20 years. A pilot light furnace has far fewer safety devices than those made today. You can also reduce your fuel bill by 20% or more depending on the type of furnace you choose. Remember just choosing by brand name alone will not do much for you. Manufacturer’s make many different models with different warranty periods for different models.

For the best experience possible use a professional when making serious decisions. The gas furnace you choose to replace can also have a direct impact on the efficiency of your air conditioner. In Katy, Texas it’s best to have the most efficient air conditioner possible and your gas furnace can and will decide this for you. This is what makes the replacement of your gas furnace so important. Please, even if you don’t choose me… choose your comfort provider wisely.

For the best efficiency and comfort available with the least amount of worry choose a professional like Austin Air Companie. I have dedicated my life to your home comfort.

Thank you for visiting with me today. When was the last time you said “mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm… Toasty!”

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 Heating, Home Improvement | Comments Off on What is a cracked heat exchanger?

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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