The Clean Air Act Blog: Archive for August, 2013

Low Refrigerant: One of the Many Reasons Air Conditioning Repair Service is Necessary

Wednesday, August 28th, 2013

Your air conditioning system has a ton of moving parts in it that allow it to efficiently remove heat from your home and exhaust it outside. One of the most important components of the system is a refrigerant that your AC circulates through the system. If you don’t have enough refrigerant in your system it can cause a number of different problems. We wanted to let our customers know about a few of these problems so that you can recognize them and call for comprehensive air conditioning repair services in Oregon City, OR. Give us a call here at Clean Air Act if you need any kind of services for your AC system.

Oregon City, OR Air Conditioning Repair: Low Refrigerant

In order to understand why low refrigerant is such a problem, it is first necessary to understand why the refrigerant is so important.

If you have a central air conditioning system then you likely have an indoor unit that contains a series of evaporator coils and an outdoor unit that contains the condensing coils. These two sets of coils are filled with the refrigerant and they allow your system to absorb heat out of your air and then exhaust it outside.

These are a few of the signs that could indicate that you have low refrigerant.

  • Not enough cooling – If you don’t have enough refrigerant in your air conditioning system then your system won’t be able to remove as much heat from your home.
  • Increased energy usage –If you start to notice that your energy bills are increasing even though you haven’t been using your AC system any more, it could be an indication that you have low refrigerant. If your air conditioner doesn’t have enough refrigerant it will have to work harder to cool your home using the refrigerant that it does have.
  • Icing – If your air conditioning system is icing up it could be because you have low refrigerant.
  • Gurgling – When your air conditioning system makes a gurgling sound it could be caused by low refrigerant in your system.

For any air conditioning repair services that you need, call the Oregon City, OR air conditioning technicians at Clean Air Act. We can work on any type of system that you might have.

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Energy Efficient Home Cooling Tips

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

Every homeowner wants to stay cool in their home but no one wants to have to pay an arm and a leg to do it. So with energy prices seemingly on the rise every year, what can you do to make sure that your home is as efficient as possible? Here at Clean Air Act we offer a full range of air conditioning services in Portland, OR including installation, repair and maintenance. We wanted to help out our customers by putting together a few things that you can do to make sure that your home operates efficiently.

Portland Air Conditioning Efficiency Tips

Check out a few of our tips about how you could be able to increase the efficiency of your home.

  • Regular maintenance – Probably the most important thing that you can do for your home’s efficiency is to get regular maintenance for your air conditioning system. As your AC operates, it will develop small problems that will cause your system to have to work harder to cool your home which reduces its efficiency. When you  get your air conditioning system regularly inspected and maintained your technicians will look for those problems and repair them which could return some of the efficiency to your system.
  • Change the air filter – One of the most common causes of air conditioning repairs and inefficiency is a clogged air filter. Your AC system needs the air filter to protect the moving parts from dust and dirty. If the filter isn’t changed it can clog which will restrict the flow of air through the system and cause it to work harder than it needs to and reduce its efficiency.
  • Take care of your ducts – Over time, your ducts can start to develop cracks and leaks and they can also collapse in certain places. These will greatly reduce the efficiency of your air conditioning system. In fact, Energy Star estimates that in the typical house up to 20% of the air passing through the ducts can leak out. Getting your ducts cleaned and repaired regularly could be able to help improve the efficiency of your home.

When you need any kind of air conditioning repair or maintenance services, call the Portland air conditioning experts at Clean Air Act.

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How Duct Cleaning Affects Your Air Conditioning System

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

All homeowners want their homes to be cool and comfortable throughout the long, hot summer months. In order to achieve this goal, it is important that you schedule professional air conditioning maintenance with a qualified technician. Some issues, though, such as very dirty air ducts, require more specialized services. If your air ducts are impeding the operation of your air conditioning system, contact the air conditioning technicians at Clean Air Act. Our professional Portland duct cleaning technicians have the tools and training they need to clean up your air ducts from the inside out. There are many great benefits to be had by doing so, so call now to schedule service.

As dirt, dust and other debris accumulate within your ductwork system, they can begin to negatively impact your air conditioning system in a variety of ways. First of all, if there are a lot of airborne pollutants within your air ducts, it is very possible for them to clog up your air filter. This means that your air conditioning system will have to work harder and harder in order to distribute air throughout your home. In doing so, more and more energy will be used in the process. This means that you may actually wind up paying more money for a weaker performance from your air conditioning system.

Professional duct cleaning can also help to reduce the risk of air conditioning repair needs developing. As your system works harder to distribute cooled air throughout your home, more strain is put on the system. The more strain that your air conditioning system faces, the more likely it becomes that damages will result. Do not allow an overworked system to suffer damages due to dirty air ducts. Call now to learn more.

Unsurprisingly, very dirty air ducts can also really take a toll on your indoor air quality. All of the air cooled by your system must travel throughout your air ducts in order to reach throughout your home. If your air ducts are full of dirt and dander, these substances can also make the rounds into different areas of your home. Let our skilled ductwork technicians ensure that your air ducts are able to function properly.

For more information about how professional duct cleaning can benefit your home, call the Portland air conditioning experts at Clean Air Act. Our air conditioning technicians are happy to answer any questions you may have. Let us know what your concerns are regarding the ductwork in your home.

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Why a Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioning Might be Right for Your Home

Friday, August 9th, 2013

Are you tired of conventional HVAC systems that use ductwork to circulate air throughout your home? Are you looking for something more energy efficient and versatile? Few innovations in the HVAC industry have been so momentous as the development and ensuing popularity of the ductless mini split system. Such systems allow homeowners like yourself a flexible, energy-efficient, and effective cooling experience. But many homeowners are still wondering about ductless mini splits: how do they work, and are they right for me? It’s hard to tell without a professional consultation, but we can offer some reasons why it might be worth your time to consider having one installed in your home. Call Clean Air Act for comprehensive Beavercreek, OR air conditioning services, whatever your need may be.

  • What is a ductless mini split air conditioner? It has a funny name, to start. A ductless mini split system is a “split” system just like central air, which means it has a rather conventional outdoor compressor/condenser and an indoor evaporator/air handler. The “mini” term refers to the relatively compact size of the indoor unit, which, unlike the large steel housing of a conventional AC, sits high on the wall or recessed in the ceiling. These indoor units are nearly silent. The “ductless” refers, of course, to the absence of ducts. Instead, the drainage, electrical, and refrigerant lines that run from the outdoor to the indoor unit function as the refrigerant cycle.
  • How does it work? A ductless mini split air conditioner works like any refrigeration device. The circulation of refrigerant through a compressor allows the chemical to absorb heat from one area and transport it elsewhere. The chief difference lies in that the indoor unit sits directly in the living space, and thus does much of its work for that respective zone. That is why ductless mini split air conditioners often require multiple indoor air handlers for every single outdoor unit. The benefit of this layout is that the system has built-in zone control, which can help you cool only those parts of your living space that you need to at any given moment.

A ductless mini split air conditioning system makes a great choice if you want to save money on energy consumption in the long-term and want to take greater control of how the cool air flows throughout your home. Call Clean Air Act today for all of your air conditioning needs in Beavercreek, OH.

 

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