Restoring Your HVAC System After Flooding

Flooding is almost always unexpected and the damage to your home can be extensive. Hurricanes, heavy rains and other disasters can bring water into your home – even your plumbing can flood the inside of your house. Flood clean up is expensive and tedious, but you want to make sure that all the water damage is fixed. This includes restoring your HVAC system once the water and moisture have been eliminated from your home.

Once your home has been inspected for safety and you can begin flood restoration, make sure your HVAC system is completely turned off at the breaker. Mark the water level on your furnace and HVAC equipment so a technician can inspect those areas.

When the water cleanup is completed, you should have your HVAC system thoroughly inspected by a HVAC professional. They can determine if any or all of the components are damaged, or if the system will need replacement. Unfortunately, severe flooding can lead to a complete failure of many HVAC systems. Even if the system still works, the water damage can lead to rust and early component corrosion and failure. Your HVAC professional can let you know the extent of the damage and whether replacing the entire system is the best option.

Getting your HVAC system up and running again can be a crucial part of recovering from flood damage. A working heating and cooling system will be necessary to keep a dry, climate-controlled environment to prevent mold and other problems. Make sure getting your HVAC system inspected, repaired and/or replaced as soon as possible is on your priority list. Check with your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if repair or replacement of your HVAC system from flood damage is covered by your insurance carrier.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
3870 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Suite 340-129
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 475-9555

Troubleshooting Common AC Problems

It seems like when you need your AC the most, that is when problems arise. This is not a coincidence; the hotter it is outside, the harder your unit must work to keep your home cool. If your AC seems to be struggling, it is often due to a few common problems. Before your unit stops working altogether, troubleshoot the problem and see if it is a quick fix.

Check the Thermostat

This may seem obvious, but if you have your thermostat programmed, you may not look at it that often. If your AC is not cooling effectively, it may because it is not set at the right temperature. This is the first place to look.

Is Your Filter Dirty?

During the hottest months you may need to change your AC filter every 30 days to keep it working efficiently. If your unit doesn’t seem to be performing up to par, check the filter and change it if needed.

Is There Hot Air Coming in to Your Home?

Make sure there are no windows open that are letting in hot air. Close the curtains or shades on sunny, hot days to make it easier on your unit to cool the air.

Is There Something Blocking Air on the Outside Unit?

Make sure no plants or other items are blocking the air flow on the outside compressor – there should be at least two feet of clearance around the outside unit.

If you troubleshoot these common issues and your AC unit still is not cooling effectively, call your local HVAC service. You made need a tune-up or a repair to get your unit working efficiently again.

Posted on behalf of:
Western Aire Heating & Cooling
264 Buchanan Highway
Dallas, GA 30157
(770) 505-7426

How to Stay Cool When Your AC is Out

It is not a coincidence that AC units tend to breakdown when temperatures are in the triple digits. The constant strain to keep your home cool can be too much, especially if your unit has not been maintained. Unfortunately, when your AC unit stops working at 9 pm at night, you are probably not alone. There may be dozens of other homeowners in your area experiencing the same problem, putting you at the back of a long line for AC repair.

If your AC unit fails and you need a get through one or more hot days and nights, here are a few tips to keep you cool until you can have your unit repaired:

  • Fans and ice. An old standby method for those with AC to stay cool is fans paired with ice. Grab a few blocks or bags of ice and put a pan of ice in front of the fan to blow cool air your way.
  • Keep the shades closed. During the day, keep your drapes and blinds closed, as well as doors and windows. At night, allow in cooler air from outside to circulate with fans in windows.
  • Cool your bed. One of the worst problems is trying to sleep when it is still 90+ degrees in your home. Put your sheets in the freezer, stick an ice pad in your pillow or slip on damp PJs – whatever you need to do to stay cool, so you can get a little rest.

Of course, the best scenario is not losing your AC at all during the hottest days of summer. Make sure to schedule preventive maintenance before the heat waves hit to ensure your AC unit is ready for hard work ahead.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
5950 Shiloh Road East
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 475-9555

Why Hire HVAC Professionals?

Your heating and air conditioning professionals are trained to keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. HVAC professionals have the expertise to deliver prompt and effective temperature and humidity control all year round.

Summer days can be long and humid, no time to be worried about your home’s air conditioning system. Let your local licensed and insured HVAC technicians inspect your home system and make any necessary repairs for you.

Tired of watching your heating air go out the window? Professional repair technicians will provide blown-in insulation to keep that warm air inside through the winter months. They can also provide full analysis of your home to determine its energy efficiency and ways that you can save on your energy bills.

A reliable HVAC service will be dedicated to delivering fast heating and cooling solutions, and available for repairs and service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. When you call with an HVAC emergency, you should count on reaching a live person who will deliver the help you need quickly.

Professional maintenance is a key component of reliable heating and air conditioning. Heating and air service technicians will inspect your home system thoroughly and perform any necessary repairs to keep your home comfortable throughout the year.

Want to protect your home from damaging mold and mildew? Install a dehumidifier in your home to help reduce the health and structural risks they present. Protect your family as well with our professionally installed carbon monoxide detectors. They will alert you to the presence of these odorless, colorless and toxic fumes in your home.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
Alpharetta, GA
(770) 475-9555

Hail Damage to Your Outdoor AC Unit

Most of us know that hail can damage our roofs, siding, cars, and landscaping, but not many people are aware that hail can do serious damage to your outdoor HVAC unit.  This is especially true if you live in an area where your AC unit is commonly mounted on the roof where it is totally unprotected from the damaging effects of hail.

When hail strikes the soft metal cooling fins surrounding the condenser coil, it crushes the fins together and impedes the flow of air through the condenser.  Your AC unit needs excellent air flow to cool down the hot compressed refrigerant.   When air flow is blocked, the air conditioner cannot operate efficiently. 

It may need to run longer than normal to achieve the same cooling or it may run constantly without ever reaching the desired cooling level.  Your compressor will be working much harder trying to cool your home and it will usually fail within a few months.   If your AC unit is damaged by hail, have it checked out by a good HVAC technician. 

In some cases, the cooling fins can be repaired by “combing” them until they are nearly straight again.  If this procedure fails to fix the problem, you will need a new coil or possibly a whole new outdoor AC unit. 

Check with your homeowners insurance policy to see if the hail damaged HVAC unit will be covered under your homeowners insurance.  Even if you did not find the problem until months after the hailstorm, call your insurance agent.  You may be entitled to a new air conditioner unit.

Quieting a Noisy HVAC Unit

Is the noise from your air conditioning compressor unit interfering with your sleep?   All compressors make noise, but some seem to be much louder than others.  If you have one of these noisy beasts, here are a few ideas to help hold down the racket and let you get a good nights sleep.

First, have the unit inspected and serviced by and experienced HVAC technician.  Regular residential HVAC service and repair will keep the unit in top operating condition.It is possible that the noise is a symptom of a bigger problem.  A broken or bent fan blade or loose piece of sheet metal can cause the compressor to rattle and shake.  Also, sometimes just repositioning the unit will cut down on the vibration and noise. 

If it is still too noisy, ask the HVAC technician about moving the unit to a better, more distant location.  This will involve some expense, but it’s not a difficult job for a good HVAC contractor.  Moving the unit a little further away from your window will significantly reduce the noise level in your bedroom.  Moving it around a corner to another side of the house or into an alcove will reduce the noise even further.

If there is not a good place to relocate the unit, you can always build an enclosure for it.  Be sure that the enclosure is either removable or large enough to allow access to service the unit.  It is also important to allow sufficient air flow for the unit to operate properly.  Ask the HVAC technician what the minimum clearance around the unit should be.  Also, leave one side open or covered with lattice or some other design that allows plenty of air to circulate around the unit.