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

Tips For Your A/C When You Turn on the Heater for the First Time

Monday, November 16th, 2020

As temperatures slowly get cooler in the Jacksonville area, you can expect to start using your heater soon. Before using it for the first time this season, though, you should make sure it’s in good condition. This helps ensure that you’ll have efficient heating in your home all fall and winter long.

Don’t Switch From A/C to Heat Suddenly

If possible, you should avoid having your air conditioning turned up high and switching over to your heating system later that day or the next. Doing this could make it hard for your HVAC system to work efficiently. Gradually change your indoor temperature over time, so that you’re not going from a very cool temperature to a very warm one. Turn up your thermostat a degree or two while you’re still using your a/c. As the weather gets cooler, stop using your a/c and put your heating system on low when you first use it. You can slowly adjust your thermostat so that the interior of your home stays warm enough on cold days. Taking this approach prevents excess wear and tear on your HVAC system.

Test Your HVAC System

Since your heating system hasn’t been on for months, it’s important to test it before using it regularly. Turn your heating system on for about an hour just to test it and make sure it’s working right. This also helps you check to see if your thermostat is functioning properly. Your heat should come on without any problems and blow heated air out of your vents. Keep in mind that you’ll need to have your heating system checked if it’s blowing cool air from your vents, not coming on at all, or turning on and off frequently.

Set Up HVAC Maintenance

HVAC maintenance is among the most effective ways to make sure your heating system is all set for winter. Having professional maintenance done can also help identify any issues your a/c might have after running for several months. You can have these issues handled now so that you won’t need to have repairs done next spring when you turn your a/c on again. During a routine HVAC maintenance visit, technicians can do a thorough inspection of your heating and cooling equipment. In addition to looking for possible problems with your HVAC system, technicians can clean equipment, adjust or tighten components as needed, and do other tasks to ensure that it’s in good condition and able to work properly.

If you need to schedule HVAC maintenance this fall or winter, contact A/C Designs today. We provide high-quality HVAC maintenance and other services in the Jacksonville area.

Tags: ac unit tips, air conditioner preparation, air conditioner tips, Happy Holidays, Heating, heating and cooling, Heating Repair, Heating System Maintenance, HVAC Maintenance, Jacksonville, St. Augustine
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4 Heating Mistakes that are Costing You Money

Tuesday, January 29th, 2019

Winter is here and with it brings chilly homes, high heating costs, and leaving people to wonder if there are any money-saving steps they could take. The key to improved home comfort (and more money in your pocket) is understanding common heating mistakes you might be making and how to fix them.

Tags: Air Conditioning Efficiency, Air Conditioning Maintenance, Heat Pump, Heating, heating and cooling, Heating Repair, Heating System Maintenance, Heating System Repair, Heating System Replacement
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Defrost Cycle: How It Works

Wednesday, December 26th, 2018

Did you know that your heating and air conditioning unit will need to run through a defrost cycle at various times of the year? This important feature is designed to help your unit work properly throughout the cooler winter months. In fact, without the defrost cycle, and the regular maintenance provided by trusted professionals, your HVAC won’t be able to operate properly.

Tags: ac company jacksonville, AC Maintenance, AC Repair, AC Service, Defrost Cycle, Heating, heating and cooling, Heating Repair, Heating System Maintenance, Heating System Repair, HVAC Maintenance
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Why Won’t My Heating System Work?

Wednesday, December 19th, 2018

A heating and air conditioning system is one of those pieces of equipment that we all take for granted and expect to be working to cool or warm our home whenever we need it. However, like all pieces of equipment, HVAC systems are susceptible to issues every now and again. One of the more troublesome problems that homeowners may face is a lack of adequate heating. To further complicate matters, this lack of heating may occur after a summer season where the air conditioning worked just fine.

Tags: Air Conditioner Repair, Air Conditioning Efficiency, Heating, heating and cooling, Heating Repair, Heating System Maintenance, Heating System Replacement
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What Is That Burning Smell Coming From My A/C?

Monday, November 26th, 2018

As temperatures continue to cool in Jacksonville and homeowners kick on the heat for the first time since last winter, it’s common to notice a burning smell coming from the vents. This can be very unsettling, but luckily the smell (usually) only lasts for a short period of time.

Tags: ac company jacksonville, AC Maintenance, AC Services, ac system, AC unit, heating and cooling, Heating System Maintenance, Heating System Repair, Heating System Replacement
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Inaccurate Temperatures in the Home? It May Be the Ducts!

Monday, December 7th, 2015

The temperature in your home struggles to reach the temperature you have set on your thermostat, and some rooms may feel a lot colder or warmer than others. For many people, the first assumption is that there is a problem with the air conditioning or heating system—which has mechanical, electrical, and/or gas components and is likely to suffer some damage over time. But few suspect that the main culprit may actually be something that does not have all of these moving components—the air ducts.

Tags: Duct Repair, St. Augustine
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Schedule an HVAC Maintenance Visit This Fall!

Monday, September 21st, 2015

Any HVAC technician will encourage you to change the filter in your heating and air conditioning systems each and every month. But just as important as cleaning or changing the filter is schedule maintenance with a trained professional. HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) maintenance appointments help to keep your heating and cooling equipment in top shape, and most professionals recommend that you do this twice a year.

Tags: HVAC, Maintenance
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3 Common Heat Pump Problems

Monday, February 16th, 2015

A heat pump is a great choice for a home heating system. They are energy efficient, safe, and versatile. However, heat pumps are also vulnerable to just as many repair issues as any other kind of heating system. As heat pumps tend to be more uncommon than furnaces or boilers, many homeowners are unaware of the symptoms that indicate a problem with them. Let’s take a look at 3 of the most common heat pump problems, and how you can easily identify them.

Loss of Heating Function

When a heat pump loses the ability to heat, it can often be contributed to one of two factors. The first factor is that the heat pump’s outer unit has lost access to the ambient thermal energy that it needs to heat the home. The second factor is that a leak in the refrigerant line has deprived the heat pump of the medium it uses to transport heat.

A good way to check for the first factor is to examine the outer unit. Oftentimes, the unit can be deprived of thermal energy by ice building up on it in cold weather. Normally, a defrost cycle activates periodically to melt any ice off of the unit. If the defrost cycle stops working for whatever reason, however, the unit can ice over and begin to blow cold air instead of warm.

Refrigerant leaks are often identified by a gurgling sound or pooling liquid around the heat pump units. If you see either of these symptoms, call a professional immediately.

Becoming Stuck in One Mode

Heat pumps are unique among heating systems, in that they can switch between heating and cooling modes. This is accomplished through the use of a part called the “reversing valve,” which reverses the flow of refrigerant through the system. Inside the reversing valve is a slide that directs the flow of refrigerant. If that slide becomes stuck for whatever reason, the heat pump can become stuck in either heating or cooling mode. If you notice this happening, you’ll need to have a professional look at your reversing valve.

Broken Air Handler

The air handler is the part of the heat pump responsible for circulating air through the house. The motor that turns the fan in the air handler is put under quite a bit of stress during operation, as it has to move quite a bit of air over a long distance. In order to help compensate for the strain, air handler motors are equipped with lubricated bearings that lessen the friction. As these bearings wear down, however, the stress on the motor increases. If not treated quickly, the motor can overheat and burn itself out. If you hear a grinding sound coming from your heat pump, that is the sound of the bearings wearing out. Have a professional look at it immediately.

If your heat pump is having issues, call AC Designs Inc. to make an appointment with us. We provide heat pump repair services throughout Orange Park.

Tags: Heat Pump, Orange Park
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What to Do Before Calling for Heating Repair

Wednesday, February 4th, 2015

It’s one of those distinct feelings: you can tell, just from your toasty morning bed, that the air in your home is just too chilly. You slough off your covers, go down into your basement, and sure enough, your heater is as quiet as a church mouse. Why? Because it’s off – and it shouldn’t be. Before you jump into panic mode and run to the phone to call for heating repair for your Jacksonville home, there are a few things you should check first:

Is There a Pilot Light?

If you have a furnace with a standing pilot, crouch down and check to see if it’s on. While we don’t recommend trying to re-light it on your own, knowing that the pilot is out will help you to describe the problem to the repair person when you call.

What’s Happening with Your Thermostat?

Your thermostat is the control center for your heating system: it tells your heater when to turn on and when to turn off. First: if it has batteries, have they died? Second: what mode is the thermostat in, heating or cooling? Third: if you use a programmable thermostat, has the program changed? Your goal is to try and rule out that your thermostat may be the issue.

How Dirty Is the Air Filter?

If you have a furnace or heat pump system, then you have an air filter, too. It’s recommended that air filters are changed every three months in order to keep it effective. Otherwise, the air filter can become clogged and restrict air flow in your system, which can cause a shut down.

Check the Fuel Levels

If you have a heater that runs on oil or propane, make sure that you’ve got fuel for your system. If you have natural gas, you may want to make sure that the valve is in the “open” position.

Check Your Electrical Panel

All heating systems need some kind of electricity, especially electric furnaces, so it’s a wise move to check your electrical box to see if any circuits pertaining to your heating system have tripped.

Once you complete the run-down of possibilities, and find that these aren’t the origin of your problems, call the people you can count on for heating repair in Jacksonville: AC Designs Inc.

Tags: Heating Repair, Jacksonville
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