A/C Designs of St. Augustine, LLC Blog: Archive for the ‘Heat Pumps’ Category

Why Schedule Heat Pump Maintenance Before Winter

Wednesday, October 8th, 2014

Few home comfort systems are better suited to the weather in Florida than a heat pump. Heat pumps provide cooling during the hot summers and early autumns that equal the best air conditioning systems. During the short cold weather period, a heat pump is more than sufficient to keep a home cozy without losing efficiency (which is something that can happen to them in colder climates).

Because a heat pump takes on the job of two different systems, a heater and an air conditioner, it needs to have rigorous maintenance done not once a year, but twice. As far as maintenance is concerned, a heat pump is two separate systems: an AC that needs an inspection and tune-up during the spring, and a heater that needs it during the fall.

To keep your heat pump in Orange Park, FL ready to handle the rest of the year and the beginning of the next, arrange for maintenance from AC Designs Inc. We will help you save money with more efficient performance and fewer repairs in the future for your heat pump.

Here are some of the reasons that heat pump maintenance is important during the fall:

Reduce energy inefficiency

A heat pump does a lot of work during the spring and summer while it’s in cooling mode, and all this stress will cause its components to start to wear down and collect dust. As the heating season starts, the heat pump might begin to operate inefficiently and cost more to operate—sometimes as much as 20% more. Maintenance will see that the unit is cleaned, its important parts lubricated and tuned-up, and that nothing interferes with its efficient operation.

Head off potential repairs

Approximately 85% of repairs that a heat pump may need can be prevented through regular maintenance. Checking for potential repair issues before they become repair issues is one of the basic parts of the maintenance technician’s job.

Prevent surprise breakdowns

A heat pump that has worked diligently through the summer and into the fall may possibly crash and stop working during a cold winter day. You don’t want to have the heat pump’s heating function stop working the first moment you actually need it.

Extended lifespan

A heat pump, as with any comfort system, cannot live up to its manufacturer’s estimated lifespan and beyond unless it receives routine maintenance. If a heat pump misses maintenance entirely, it may not even reach half its estimated service life.

To get started with maintenance for your heat pump before the cooler weather arrives, call AC Designs Inc. and enroll in our maintenance plan. We are also here whenever you need us for emergency repairs, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Signs of Heat Pump Short Cycling

Tuesday, February 18th, 2014

“Short-cycling” refers to a problem that can occur in an HVAC system when it shuts down before it can complete one of its heating or cooling cycles. There are a number of reasons why this might happen, but one of the most common is that a HVAC system was improperly sized when it was installed and is too powerful for the space it is supposed to condition.

Short cycling will not only result in inferior heating and/or cooling, but it will place a large strain on the system, forcing it to work harder and age faster, and subsequently drain power and raise bills.

Heat pumps can short cycle in either heating or cooling mode. Whenever short cycling begins, you need to call for repairs as soon as possible for your heat pump in Daytona Beach, FL. If you let the problem persist, you will risk a system breakdown. Contact AC Designs Inc. any time of the day or night when you need help with your heat pump.

Signs Your Heat Pump is Short Cycling

The most immediate sign of short cycling is the sound coming from the heat pump. You should be accustomed to the familiar sound of the fan and then the compressor coming on during the heating and cooling cycles. If this sound starts to change because the compressor is behaving differently (shutting off early), it usually means short cycling is occurring.

Short cycling will often result in an uneven distribution of heating and cooling in your home. If the system shuts down early, it will not have proper time to reach all the rooms. If you find hot or cold spots in your house, call for repairs for the heat pump.

A less obvious warning sign is changes in your power bill. If you notice an increase in your bills that you cannot account for because of increased use or a change in seasons, then you should investigate the heat pump as a possible source. You’ll have a hard time doing this on your own, however: proper diagnosis requires trained HVAC technicians.

How Professionals Can Help

Because short-cycling can come from a variety of sources in a heat pump—loss of refrigerant, icing over the coils, problems with a damaged control board, issues in the compressor—it requires trained professionals to find what is occurring and how to stop it. If the problem is an oversized heat pump, the technicians can advise you about having a replacement put in and if new installation is your best option.

AC Designs Inc. is ready to help you with any problems you have with your heat pump in Daytona Beach, FL. Our technicians are ready 24 hours a day to assist you.

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Why You Should Entrust Your Heat Pump Repair to NATE-Certified Technicians

Thursday, February 6th, 2014

In towns like Orange Park, FL, heat pump technology makes an efficient and reliable alternative to more traditional furnace systems. Heat pumps combine the functions of a heater and an air conditioner into one unit, and work extremely efficiently in places like Florida where the winter temperatures remain very mild. When your heat pump needs repairs, you want the right technician to fix it. In particular, NATE-certified technicians offer quality service backed by a nationally recognized organization.

Here’s why you should entrust your heat pump repair to NATE-certified technicians:

NATE stands for “North American Technician Excellence,” a non-profit organization dedicated recognizing high quality HVAC and repair technicians. They’ve developed a series of certification tests that repair technicians can take to demonstrate their familiarity and expertise with all manner of heating and air conditioning repair. They recommend at least five years of experience for senior level technicians, and their testing covers both general subjects and specialty exams testing more specific areas of expertise.  NATE certification lasts two years, which means that technicians who want to keep their certification will continue to take the tests throughout their careers.

Because NATE is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization, its testing standards are unbiased. That means that a NATE-certified technician possesses knowledge and expertise noted by an outside organization dedicated to providing proper verification. You can trust a NATE-certified technician to know what he or she is doing and to conduct repairs in a competent and professional manner. Considering the variety of repairs a heat pump may need to undergo, and considering that some of those repairs may involve obscure or hard-to-find cause, a NATE-certified technician can be trusted to handle the problem.

If you need Orange Park, FL heat pump service, call AC Designs Inc. Our technicians are NATE certified and possess the skills needed to do the job right the first time, every time. Let us take the worry out of the repair process and get your heat pump back up to speed!

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Signs of a Problem with Your Heat Pump Defrost Cycle

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

Heat pumps use the same basic cycle as air conditioners to both warm and cool your home, making them an excellent all-in-one system for your home. They work especially well in areas with warm winters, making them a very good fit for places like Jacksonville, FL. You can help minimize repair costs by identifying potential trouble spots early and calling in a qualified repair technician with all deliberate speed. For example, look for signs of a problem with your heat pump defrost cycle.

The defrost cycle is activated by the defrost control, which detects ice building up on the evaporator coils and uses the reversing valve to briefly reverse the heating process to melt the ice on the coils. When the ice has melted, the control turns off, and heat pump returns to its normal heating mode. You probably can already spot places where problems may occur:

  • The defrost control may misread the temperature, preventing the cycle from starting.
  • The reversing valve solenoid my malfunction, preventing the heat pump from reversing the heating.
  • The defrost control may misread when the ice has melted, meaning that the process will continue to run even when it’s no longer needed.

When you spot signs of a problem with your heat pump defrost cycle, you can contact the experts at AC Designs, Inc. to help. We operate in Jacksonville, heating repair is our specialty, and we understand the particular repair needs of all varieties of heat pumps. If yours is acting up, whether it’s the defrost cycle or some other issue, don’t hesitate to give us a call right away. You’ll be glad that you did!

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How Can a Heat Pump Heat When it’s Chilly Outside?

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Here in Daytona Beach, heat pumps are an attractive option for keeping your home comfortable. The system combines the functions of a heater and an air conditioner into one unit, allowing to work in the summer and the winter alike. It works best in areas where the temperature doesn’t drop below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it’s optimal for homes in Florida. Even here, however, we get the occasional chilly evening, which is the one time when a heat pump might struggle. How can a heat pump heat when it’s chilly outside?

Heat pumps use the same basic system that an air conditioner does. Refrigerant gas passes through a compressor, which first subject the gas to a great deal pressure (which raises the temperature). Then the gas goes to the condenser coils, which release the heat into the outside air and condense the refrigerant to a high-pressure liquid. The liquid then travels into a series of evaporator coils, where it returns it to a gaseous state: pulling heat from the surrounding air in the process.

In the summer, the heat pump’s indoor coils acts as the evaporator, cooling the air and using a fan to blow it into your home. The compressor coils are located outside, allowing the heat to dissipate into the outside air. In the winter, the indoor coils act as the condenser coils, generating heat for use in your home while the outside coils act as evaporators and absorb heat from the outside. Even if the weather is cold, there is always some heat in the air for the heat pump to absorb. However, when the temperature gets around freezing, the heat pump will stop being able to heat efficiently. Most heat pumps are equipped with electric resistance coils that can kick on when the weather is very cold to keep your home comfortable.

If you’re interested in a heat pump in Daytona Beach, contact AC Designs, Inc. We can discuss your options with your before installing a heat pump in your home. Give us a call today!

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Why Does My Heat Pump Shut Off Prematurely?

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

Few home comfort systems work better for the Florida climate than a heat pump. It provides superb air conditioning during the summer (and helps remove humidity from the air) and can almost always draw in enough heat from the outdoors during the winter to keep you warm. A heat pump also costs less to run during the cold months than most competing heating systems.

But heat pumps can malfunction, and a common problem that you might encounter is when one shuts off early, before it gets your house warm or cool enough. What’s the reason for this, and what can be done about it?

We’ll answer those questions in this post. If you need further help, or if you want repairs for your heat pump in St. Augustine, FL, get in contact with AC Designs Inc. We’re about to start our next decade of providing St. Augustine residents with excellent HVAC services.

When a heat pump turns off prematurely, it’s known as “short cycling.” The most common reason for this is that the heat pump is too large for the space it’s supposed to heat/cool. If you installed your heat pump without professional assistance in selecting the model, you may have ended up with too large a system for your home. An overlarge heater will reach its target temperature too fast and shut off early, then restart a little while later. This will make the heat pump drain extra power and also overwork itself toward repair needs and eventually a full breakdown. If this is the case, you should have a new heater installed with professional assistance to make sure it will match your home’s heating requirements.

However, there are some other explanations for short-cycling. One is that you’ve put the heat pump on too powerful a setting: excess heat or cold. During the summer, don’t lower the thermostat too far below 78°F (a recommended energy-saving temperature), and during the winter don’t try to punch it all the way up to 90°F. The heat pump will shut off early, and you’ll waste energy.

It’s also possible that a poor, amateur installation mismatched the indoor and outdoor coils, making them incompatible. This is another reason why it’s so important to have professionals handle your HVAC installation.

If you’re unsure about why your heat pump has started to short cycle, contact AC Designs Inc. Our experts can find out what’s behind the trouble with your St. Augustine, FL home’s heat pump and offer you the best solution to keep you comfortable no matter the season.

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