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

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Does Freon Leak Stop or Freon Leak Sealer Work?

Wednesday, June 1st, 2016

Air Conditioning Refrigerant Leak Sealer

The HVAC industry continues to change and develop new technology. As refrigerants become more and more costly this trend will only continue.

With that said, caution should be heeded. The risk is that whatever you place in your HVAC system will remain there in some form up to and including the line set. (Line sets are typically not replaced when equipment is replaced as many times it is not feasible to do so… in some cases you may have no choice.)

This is why it is important for the professional to visit you in person to go over options you are considering to possibly repair this problem you are having with your HVAC system.

The problem with refrigerant leaks is the volume of refrigerant that the system is leaking. The more the refrigerant leaks, the less likely a leak sealer will work. Due to the nature of this, it’s in your best interest to consider all your options and choose with caution any option that includes the use of leak sealers.

Air Conditioning Refrigerant Leak Experience Required

Not all refrigerant leaks are created equal. Refrigerant leaks in certain areas of the equipment will have to be repaired the regular way. This takes experience to know what will work as opposed to just throwing money away… because if it doesn’t work, all the Freon that was put in is all going to leak out again and you just spent all that money on Freon and a proposed leak sealer for nothing. To make matters worse you never, ever want to add two different leak sealers this will likely contaminate the entire system. It’s not uncommon for people to jump from one HVAC contractor to another… this is dangerous for what should be obvious reasons.

You see my job isn’t just to give you a cheap solution. Many cases leak sealers are just nothing more than a temporary repair. In this realm temporary means 1 year, best case scenario. It could last more than 1 year… but could, should and will are entirely different terms.

I am here to work with you… it may not be in your interest to add a leak sealer to your system. I can only give those options in person for me to be able to see in person what I am dealing with.

R22 Freon Production Ban Coming Soon

Due to the phase out and banning of R22 Freon effective January 1, 2020 these things will only continue and likely get worse. R22 Freon will become so expensive that these schemes and scams will likely proliferate.

There is no drop in for R22 Freon, in the realm of being exactly as good as Freon R22. They can come close, but efficiency is lost as well as rated capacity of the machine the drop in refrigerant is being put into.

If it sounds “TOO GOOD” to be true… it probably is. Avoid hype or promises that are unrealistic, nothing on this planet is perfect. An air conditioning system is a 15 year appliance (national average). Nothing will stop that clock.

Realize I repair and fix air conditioners more than any job in the summer time. But just because you want a repair to avoid cost doesn’t always make it feasible. Any good HVAC contractor would help you make wise financial decisions because that contractor is depending on you for repeat business— in most cases “years” down the road. If your finances are blown due to improper repair the HVAC contractor is in jeopardy as well. A “GOOD” HVAC contracting business is built on doing it right. Fifteen years is a long time to live with a mistake.

My tag line “Done Right” isn’t there on accident.

Make air conditioning repairs carefully. If you’re not sure ask questions. The answers to those questions should help you make the wiser choice. Avoid decisions that are based on cost alone. If the HVAC repair doesn’t fix it, what difference does it make how little or how much you spent?

Thank you for visiting with me today. I hope you’ve learned something from your visit and as always I hope your day is comfortable.

About the author of this blog:

My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a professional 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

A Ray Austin HVAC Service Company

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 Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Maintenance, Air Conditioning Pro, Air Conditioning Specialist, Home Improvement, HVAC Contractor, Professional AC Repair, R22 Freon & R410a Puron Leaks, R22 Freon Problems, Uncategorized, Working HVAC Contractor | Comments Off on Does Freon Leak Stop or Freon Leak Sealer Work?

Air Conditioning Maintenance

Monday, April 18th, 2016

 

Air Conditioning Maintenance Myths Exposed

You turn on your home air conditioner for the first time this year and maybe it dawns on you that you have never had your AC checked or maybe you are one of the very few that actually take the time to get your air conditioner maintenance done annually.

You live in

Katy, Texas

(my AC service area) the last thing you want is to experience the brutal summer heat without air conditioning. Maybe your HVAC system is making odd noises, maybe it broke down last year or maybe you just want a little peace of mind to see if it might need some cleaning and have that AC condensate drain checked.

Maybe you saw some attractive AC maintenance offers, and naturally because you’re human you like the premise on saving money and like a bug to a bug zapper you find a price of less than $49 maybe as low as $29. Wow! you’re going to save so much money.

Not so fast. I’m here to expose this myth for what it is. I’ll do it one better. I’ll demonstrate it in the video embedded below this text toward the end of the video that shows it is impossible financially for an “honest” company to make a profit at such low AC maintenance price points. Not to mention possibly dispel a few other myths as well in this lengthy process. By the end of the video you’ll see why and how this is so important. ( I can only put so much information within a text based format – and as you know anyone can say anything without any facts at all.)

Subscribe to my You Tube Channel Here

Why do HVAC companies offer these low AC check up rates if they can’t make a profit?

Quite simply they do it to make the phone ring. Like a bug to a bug zapper. The bug doesn’t realize that he faces death until it’s too late. Maybe that description is a little too dramatic, but when your comfort is at stake and possibly your home finances I think it’s worth a little drama to capture your attention at least for the time it takes you to read this blog post and watch the embedded video above. Ultimately if you decide to ignore me, that’s fine. You may be part of the 40% out there that are extremely lucky when it comes to HVAC problems as well as choosing your HVAC company.

I think you are here for a reason. You see, operating and running a business is expensive but offering house calls is even worse, these kinds of HVAC companies that dwell on gimmicks to attract customers often think of the short term objective of making the phone ring. They don’t look at the long term… when the bills come due and the fall season comes, the call volume drops and they fade from existence.

Heaven forbid, you fall for this scheme and buy new HVAC equipment from one of them. I can tell you it matters not one bit what I put here. I could talk about this problem within the HVAC industry until the cows come home and it would change nothing. If you bought one of these supposed “great deals” you have roughly a 60% chance there will be some serious problem with it within the first 3 years you operate it. I see it all the time, every year like clock work.

( if you made a

HVAC installation mistake

, I may be able to provide a way out for you. I am that good. I didn’t get to where I am by not being good.)

You see I’m a unique victim of the financial crisis that hit in 2008. Many HVAC companies didn’t want HVAC technicians that could “repair”, they want those who sell to “replace”. So after much work I became a Licensed HVAC contractor serving the Katy, Texas area.

Now for further explanation from above, in some cases

replacing your HVAC system

is the better option so if you’re reading this please be realistic if your HVAC system is over 15 years old the odds are that it has seen better days. I perform miracles annually, but you still have to be realistic. I can only discuss these options in person when you’re willing to pay for fair service.

I have the experience and ability of

repairing and fixing air conditioning systems

as well as replacing them. Isn’t this what it’s all about?

If you are willing to pay for service I am as close to the very best you could hope for, this is what I do for a living for over 20 years now. If you buy a new HVAC system from another HVAC company, will they have the aptitude and knowledge to fix or repair the AC system when it breaks? Service after the sale is rarely thought of beforehand.

Many good HVAC technicians left the HVAC field after the financial crisis and have not returned. The AC Maintenance video embedded above shows what I deal with all too often. If you like air conditioning horror stories you’ll love it, otherwise it’s merely an eye opener made for you to help you understand things more clearly.

The pricing I charge is fair for what I offer, the experience I have obtained and the service quality I deliver 362 days a year. If you settle for anything less you may find yourself at the short end of the proverbial “stick”. They give better odds in Las Vegas, if you’re a gambler that is.

Even with my great quality standards and methods, service problems can and do develop. Currently these problems are less than 3% on equipment I have installed myself. It is not uncommon for me to run over a dozen calls a year to find a new customer who has a HVAC unit that is 3 years or less old with a serious problem or AC system failure on an HVAC system that was installed by a different company. Why do you suppose they are calling me?

If I were to make a major motion picture on this subject the title might be something like “No Way Out”. This is how important your installing HVAC contractor is, but yet many choose to make price the main factor. The title of that film would likely be named “3:10 To Disappointment”. The reason that people give me for choosing one HVAC contractor over another is that it was such a great deal. Oh, if only I had a crystal ball that worked, I could revolutionize the HVAC industry.

Thank you for visiting with me today. I hope I may have saved you from making what could be a big mistake.

Also please remember air conditioning maintenance is only recommended if it is done right. If pricing isn’t fair a HVAC company has to make up this shortfall some where. ( I explain this quite well in the AC maintenance video embedded above, if you haven’t already watched it.)

About the author of this blog:

My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a professional HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas | Richmond, 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

A Ray Austin HVAC Service Company

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, Air Conditioning Maintenance, Air Conditioning Pro, Air Conditioning Specialist, Home Improvement, HVAC Contractor, Professional AC Repair, Uncategorized, Working HVAC Contractor | Comments Off on Air Conditioning Maintenance

R22 Freon Production Ban Timeline 2016

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016

R22 Freon, the chemical coolant used in home air conditioners since the 1960’s is marking it’s final seasons until it will no longer be produced. The chart graphic above shows the year and the amount of R22 Freon allowed to be produced for that given year until January 1, 2020 when no more R22 Freon will be produced beyond that point. The production limits are set and controlled by the EPA and can be further changed at any time. The chart reflects the last Rule Change for production limits set by the EPA in October 2014.

There will likely be small amounts available after 2020 as older reclaimed R22 refrigerant is turned in and sent off to reclaim centers that clean it of contaminants and resell it as virgin quality once it has been cleaned of impurities. However, prices will likely be very high and very likely strict limits will be placed on how much can be bought at one time.


Once these strict limits are placed on how much can be bought it is very likely in my opinion that system recharges will no longer exist. Home owners and businesses will be forced to fix the leak(s) or replace and upgrade the air conditioning equipment to R410a Puron refrigerant. It is in your best interest to make plans now to either fix your AC system refrigerant leaks or come up with a plan to replace your AC system to the newer R410a refrigerant.

R410a is the replacement refrigerant to R22 Freon. While it is the newer standard, it isn’t all that new. It has just taken a long time for it to gain acceptance because the pressures are higher and better service practices are required when working with it.

Because of these requirements certain HVAC companies held off making the change, I think partly due to ignorance, partly due to laziness and even more likely the cost forced onto you the consumer because it’s in your best interest to replace the whole AC system when changing over instead of just one piece of the system. Taking short cuts with an R410a system is less forgiving than with an R22 Freon system.

Like I said above R410a Puron isn’t new. It became available in the mid 90’s. It’s pressures are higher and the equipment that uses it had to go thru special processes to ensure the higher pressures could be handled appropriately. Additionally it requires the use of synthetic oil, where as most older R22 systems today use mineral oil. Your R22 Freon system will not work with R410a Puron. I’m sure you might have been thinking that. There’s more differences between the two systems than oil types and pressures. There’s also refrigerant flow which relates to capacity of the system. Your current AC simply will not work to recharge an R22 Freon system with R410a Puron. It will not work.

Remember, the makings of a scam is something that is “too good to be true.” Be smart about it, you will be glad you did.

If you would like to know more about this subject you can watch several videos I’ve made on the subject as well as a lot of text on the subject since 2009. You can click the link below to open that page from my main website.

R22 Freon VS R410a Puron The Facts

I hope you have found this information before you made a costly mistake. I have installed as well as retrofitted countless systems over to the newer R410a refrigerant for years now. I’m sure I could do the same for you and your family.

Thank you for visiting with me today! I hope your day is a comfortable one.

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Pro, Air Conditioning Specialist, Home Improvement, HVAC Contractor, No AC Salesmen, No Technicians, Professional AC Repair, R22 Freon & R410a Puron Leaks, Uncategorized, Working HVAC Contractor | Comments Off on R22 Freon Production Ban Timeline 2016

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