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Air Conditioning Repair Questions | Frisco, TX

Air Conditioning Repair Questions | Frisco, TX

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You hear the term HVAC a lot. People use the term like they know exactly what it means. In truth, these people mean well but don’t know exactly what HVAC means. You might not get into air conditioning repair in Frisco, TX after reading this but at least you’ll know all about HVAC.

What Is An HVAC?

The acronym means Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. An HVAC system delivers heating and cooling to residential and commercial buildings. A 2,000 square foot home will require a three-ton to four-ton unit, depending upon the climate zone where you live. In Frisco, TX, we’re in climate zone one, which means you’ll need a three and one-half to four-ton unit. In case you’re wondering, the world’s largest HVAC system is in the Holy Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. That system generates 135,000 tons of cooling and requires 27 centrifugal chillers. You can be sure that air conditioning repair for this system is handled by more than one person.

Types Of HVAC Systems

There are three basic types of systems and it is important for you to know about the system in your home or office. This will help you communicate with and understand your air conditioning expert.

Forced Air Systems – The name gives you a good idea how this system functions. Your HVAC system creates hot or cold air and forces it through your duct system using a blower. One of the most common problems with a forced air system is called a blowout. As your blower reaches the end of its lifespan, it can break down or completely stop working. Blowers that are dying will also have problems delivering enough hot or cold air throughout your building.

Most homes and offices, especially those recently built, have forced air systems. Note that it is important to have these systems checked at least one per year by an air conditioning repair professional.

Gravity Systems – Cold air sinks, hot air rises. That’s the basis of a gravity system. A gravity system is placed on the lowest level, usually a basement, and sends warm air throughout the home up to the ceiling. When the air cools, it sinks and is reheated. A gravity system cannot be used in conjunction with an air conditioning system.

Radiant Systems – These systems use hot water, distributed through pipes in floors, walls or ceilings. The heat from the water then warms the room. Radiant systems can also feature radiators. The primary issue with Radiant heat is that the water pipes will eventually require maintenance, due to either mineral deposits from the hot water or simply from years of use. That means having to remove and replace drywall. Radiant systems, like gravity systems, are generally found in older buildings.

Remember that your HVAC system is the primary way to heat and cool your building, be it a home or office. A high-quality system, maintained by an air conditioning expert, will keep you comfortable all year long.

The Components Of A Heating, Ventilation, And Air Conditioning System

Your HVAC system is created using several parts, each working together. This is why the failure of one part of your system can result in a total failure of your system. These are the parts of an HVAC system and information about the part each plays in heating and cooling your home:

Furnace – A major part of your HVAC system. Your furnace is designed to produce heated air, which is sent throughout your home. The type of heat sources used by your furnace depends upon the model you have. The four different heat sources are combustion, heat pump, solar energy, or electric resistance. It is important to have your furnace system inspected at least once per year by your air conditioning repair professional.

Combustion Chamber – This is where the heating cycle starts. If you have a gas furnace, it adds oxygen to the gas in the combustion chamber, which is then ignited by the pilot light or glow stick. More gas and oxygen move into the chamber, created the heat necessary to warm the air. Newer furnaces use a glow stick, which is an electronic ignition system. Glow sticks light automatically as opposed to pilot lights, which need to be re-lighted by hand if they go out.

A high-efficiency gas furnace will have a second combustion chamber. This feature captures carbon monoxide and unburned fuel, compressing it before relighting it. This makes for an efficient system that burns all the fuel. There are also systems on newer furnaces that activate warning lights if there’s a problem in the system. Be sure to discuss these and other features on new furnaces with your air conditioning repair expert.

Heat Exchanger – This is the component that is activated when you turn on your furnace using the thermostat. It is called an “exchanger” because it draws in cool air, heats the air, then distributes the heated air through your system’s ductwork. The heat exchanger lives inside the housing for your furnace.

All types of furnaces have a heat exchanger, including those using electric heat. This part of your system is made from stainless steel made with alloys to prevent cracks. There are models with a special duct that allows cool air to enter the exchanger quicker, resulting in faster heating of your home.

A damaged heat exchanger can result in carbon monoxide leaks, which can cause headaches, nausea, and death. Keep in mind carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless. That’s why it is important to have your system inspected by an air conditioning repair professional.

Evaporator Coil – This is the opposite of your heat exchanger. This provides cool air when you need it. The coil is contained within a metal enclosure outside your furnace. Maintenance by an air conditioning repair professional will help ensure that you have cold air when you need it.

Condensation on your evaporator can result in the need for air conditioning repair. Condensation helps the growth of mold, which can obstruct your system’s airflow. The same problem can happen if there’s a leak in your refrigerant line, resulting in ice on the evaporator. Ice will also block airflow, which can cause an expensive breakdown. This is another reason for an annual system check-up by your air conditioning repair professional.

Thermostat – This is the part of the system with which you have the most contact. And probably know the most about. The thermostat starts either the heat exchanger or evaporator coil, creating warm or cool air to moderate your home or office temperature. Thermostats can be programmed in advance or adjusted manually to control your indoor temperature.

Blower Motor – Once the air in your heat exchanger reaches the temperature set on your thermostat, this component will start a fan that will force the warm air into your ductwork and into the rooms of your home or business. The blower motor will continue to power the fan after the heat exchanger shuts down. This is to ensure all the warm air in the system is distributed throughout your building. Consult your air conditioning repair expert about a variable-speed blower motor. These types of motors make it easier to control the air temperature in all rooms of your home or office. Variable speed blowers can monitor your HVAC system and help to compensate for problems that occur. Another plus is that variable speed motors reach full speed gradually, so they are not as noisy as regular blower motors. Often, your building will reach the temperature set on your thermostat before reaching full speed, which will help reduce your energy costs.

Ductwork – Another component of your system with which you are likely familiar. The ductwork is the system that carries the warm or cool air from your HVAC system throughout your home or business. Ducts are generally made with aluminum but can also be made from fiberglass, plastic, or steel.

Vents – You probably know about these, as well. These are the rectangular-shaped objects on your floor, in your ceiling, or on some of your walls. The vents can direct the air coming through the ducts. Vents can be manually controlled to help manage heating and cooling in individual rooms. Vents have a lever that allows them to be wide open or completely closed.

Refrigerant Lines – These are the tubes running from your condensing unit into the evaporator coil. The tubes, made with temperature-resistant metal, carry the refrigerant to the condensing unit as gas and send it back to the evaporator coil as a liquid. By the way, that gas is Freon. Your air conditioning repair professional will make sure that your Freon is at the correct level.

Condensing Unit – Anyone expert in air conditioning repair will tell you this is the heart of your HVAC system. This is the part of the system that sits on the side of your home or maybe behind your home or office. The condensing unit is full of refrigerant gas and is connected to the evaporator coil via your refrigerant lines. The heat outside your building will turn the gas into a liquid. The condenser unit sends that liquid to the evaporator coil and vaporizes the liquid into a gas. That’s what results in cold air coming out of your vents.

Your air conditioning repair expert will tell you to keep your condensing unit clear of dirt and vegetation. You can turn off the condensing unit and hose it off to eliminate dirt. You should also make certain that leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and plants are kept away from this unit.

There are many components to your HVAC system. That’s why you want an expert in air conditioning repair, especially in Frisco, TX.

The Difference Between An HVAC System And Air Conditioning

You’ll hear the term HVAC used in place of Air Conditioning. That’s becoming more common. Remember, HVAC means heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. It also includes ductwork. The term AC or air conditioning applies to window units and central air conditioning systems. These systems are widely used in Frisco, TX. Be sure to tell your air conditioning repair company what type of system you have.

Air Conditioners

Central air conditioners can cool an entire home and regulate the cooled air sent through the ducts in different ways. A window unit is designed to cool one room and is much less powerful than a central AC unit.

Heat Pumps

A complete HVAC system will provide central heating, generally a heat pump. These can provide both heating and cooling for a building. Heat pumps can be built as a combined unit or split into heating and cooling units. A combined unit is kept outside your building while a split system has the evaporator coil inside the building. Consult your air conditioning repair professional about what’s best for your needs.

A Word About Your Ductwork

Your annual inspection, conducted by your air conditioning repair expert, will include your ductwork. This inspection will make sure there are no leaks and that the ducts are properly attached to the building.

Air Conditioning Repair In Frisco, TX

One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas has the air conditioning repair experts to handle your heating and cooling problems. The professionals at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating offer emergency services as well as routine maintenance. Experienced HVAC repair experts are on call at night, on weekends, and on holidays at no additional cost. The staff at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating know what it can be like to lose your air conditioning in the middle of a Texas summer. You’ll have trained professionals taking care of the problem.

Every technician is NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certified. NATE is the largest non-profit certification organization for HVAC and refrigeration technicians. NATE certification is good for two years, which means One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating of Dallas consistently trains its technicians in the latest techniques in HVAC repair.

Click here to book an appointment in Frisco, TX or to get more information about One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating of Dallas.