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HVAC & Refrigeration Resource Tips

Ins and Outs of a Garage Air Conditioner

When the temperature outside becomes unbearable, it quickly becomes too hot to work inside your garage. That’s where garage air conditioning comes in. While most homes aren’t built with them, installing one is easier than you might think. Different Types of Garage AC Units There are several garage AC units, each with its benefits and drawbacks. Your choice will depend on your personal preferences and how your home is set up. Ductless Mini-Split The ductless mini-split is one of the most popular garage AC units, and for a good reason. They combine all the benefits of regular heating and AC units that you might find in your home in a small package. Ductless mini-split systems can be operated via a thermostat, and some newer models even allow you to control them using your smartphone. One of the drawbacks of ductless mini-split systems is their price. They are more expensive than other garage AC unit options and must always be installed by a trained HVAC technician. They also require space outside for the unit to be installed and a hole to be drilled in the wall to connect it to the inside of your garage. Window Unit If you have a…read more →

Knowing When to Change Your Air Filters in Your HVAC

Deciding How Often To Change Air Filters For HVAC System Air filters are an essential part of your HVAC system. Regularly replacing them ensures that you have clean air to breathe in your home and that your HVAC system stays in tip-top shape. When to Change Your Air Filters: General Recommendations The answer to how often you should change your air filters isn’t clear-cut. Instead, it depends on several factors, including the type of filter you have. Cheaper fiberglass filters will need to be replaced every 30 days and are generally not recommended, as they don’t do a great job filtering. Pleated filters can have a wide range of time before they need to be replaced, up to 6 months for higher-end ones. The amount of time recommended between replacements may also depend on the size of the filter and the location you live in. It is generally recommended to replace pleated air filters every 90 days. If you wait longer than this, the efficiency of your filter will decrease as it becomes clogged with dirt, dust, and allergens from the air.  When Someone in the Home Has Asthma or Allergies People who have allergies and asthma are more sensitive…read more →

4 Types of HVAC Filters

Air filters are everywhere; your home, car, work, and even at businesses you visit. Air filters have one job: removing the impurities and allergens in the air. Using the correct air filters may significantly impact your home’s indoor air quality. Our AccuTemp Refrigeration and Air Conditioning team in Phoenix, Arizona, has put together this article to discuss the different HVAC filter types. HEPA FILTER High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters shield the user from the most harmful contaminants in the air. These filters capture 99.97% of all airborne particles, even particles as tiny as 0.3 microns. In addition, the MERV rating of HEPA filters ranges from 17 to 20. If you have a household heating and cooling system, you may not be able to use this type of HVAC filter. If you want to use HEPA filters in your house, an HVAC professional will need to make some adjustments. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) ratings for HEPA filters are the highest in the industry. As a precaution, HEPA filters should only be used in places where air quality is a concern, such as hospitals and other medical facilities. You should never use a higher MERV rating than the one advised…read more →

Winter Heating Tips for Arizona Home

Properly heating your home in the winter is essential, wherever you live. Even in Phoenix and Maricopa County, where temperatures are hardly as cold as in other parts of the country, energy efficiency is paramount. Read on to discover some helpful tips to ensure you are maximizing your energy efficiency as much as possible in the coming winter months. How To Prepare For Winter in Arizona Winter in Maricopa County and the valley may not be as severe as in Montana or Michigan, but it still marks a significant change. Brutally hot, dry summer weather gives way to nights that can sometimes become quite cool. For this reason, enjoying the cold weather in Phoenix is not as simple as letting it roll in. In fact, there are a number of steps that are vital to take to make sure your home is well-prepared for winter months — and that your average electric bill in Phoenix, AZ, does not excessively balloon when the temperature dips. Prepare Your Heating System Preparing your heating system for winter is one of the most important steps to take towards energy efficiency. A few simple steps can make a world of difference in terms of smoothly…read more →

Noticing a weird smell when you turn on your heater? Signs of Heater Maintenance or Repair

Heater Maintenance or Repair and the Signs to Watch Heater Maintenance. Our blog post on what to do if your heater smells like burning, or gives off strange smells, will walk you through: What the different odors your heater gives off may indicate Other warning signs that your heater needs maintenance Why getting regular maintenance can prevent larger issues We’ve all had that moment where we turn on our heater, and something just seems off. Our nose picks up a weird smell in the house, and it’s hard to tell from where exactly it is coming. At best, these strange odors may just be something obnoxious you have to deal with. At worst, though, it could be a troubling sign that something has gone awry with your heater. Knowing what these strange smells indicate can help you know what exactly has gone wrong with your heater. It can also help your professional HVAC maintenance team know where to look when assessing the problem and working to resolve it. Heater Maintenance: Weird Smells You Might Notice When Turning on Your Heater As temperatures begin to drop and Phoenix residents turn on their heater for the first time in a couple of…read more →

HVAC Maintenance Service

If you live in Arizona, you understand how important a working HVAC system is during the hottest summer months. When temperatures soar into three digits, you need that cool air pumped throughout your home to simply survive. Keeping your HVAC unit working properly ensures you avoid the heat and can help you save money. Arizona’s energy rebates are another perk of being aware of your cooling needs. It is possible to make maintenance something that pays you back. HVAC Preventive Maintenance Is Essential By properly maintaining your HVAC system, you can get the best possible performance from it. Check out six benefits you can reap from sticking to a routine schedule for upkeep on your unit, including many that can lead to energy savings and Arizona energy rebates. 1. Air Quality Enhancement Regular maintenance of your system helps keep the air in your home healthier. Routine processes clean out parts, filters, and vents to remove harmful and irritating debris. Servicing also increases the equipment’s ability to properly filter out unwanted pollutants and odors. 2. Environmentally Friendliness A well-maintained HVAC unit runs more efficiently. When a system is more energy-efficient, it uses less fuel. It also can reduce the chances of…read more →

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

This easy-to-understand guide can help you take control of humidity levels in your home, apartment, or business location. We answer several FAQs about getting the ideal indoor humidity in Phoenix, AZ: What are the signs your home is too humid? How can you lower humidity in the house? How does air conditioner maintenance help with humidity levels? A common misconception is that Arizona weather is always dry. Actually, during the summer months and monsoon season, humidity increases significantly in Phoenix, AZ. Elevated humidity levels can cause problems for indoor surfaces, potentially leading to mold growth and structural problems. Fortunately, our tips can show you how to lower humidity in the house and stay comfortable year-round. How Can I Reduce Indoor Humidity? One of the best things you can do to lower humidity is to keep excess moisture out. Hidden moisture is one of the main causes of indoor humidity problems for homes and businesses. This includes things such as roof leaks, leaky pipes, cracked cement, and even houseplants. How Can I Tell If My Home Is Too Humid? Generally, humid indoor air is stuffy or heavy. Do you frequently have clammy skin or feel like your clothes stick to you?…read more →

When Should I Replace My AC Unit?

This article is designed to help homeowners and business owners know the signs that it’s time to replace an air conditioner, not just repair it: The average lifespan of different kinds of air conditioners The benefits of upgrading older ACs with new models The best things in life don’t always last forever. A great air conditioner keeps your home cool for a long time, but there comes a time when even top brands start to break down. When that happens, you have a choice to make: call a pro for air conditioner repair or replace your air conditioner with a new one. How can you make the right choice? When Should I Replace My Air Conditioner? The age of your AC is one factor to consider, but there are other things to think about as well. The number of times you’ve had to schedule repairs, the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of the unit, and the type of parts you’ve had to replace can affect your decision. Your budget also comes into play, and you have to weigh the short-term costs of replacement with the long-term energy savings of a new model. Should You Repair or Replace Your Air Conditioner?…read more →

Replace Evaporator Coil or Whole AC Unit

AC Evaporator Coil Replacement or Replace Entire Unit? Should you replace the evaporator coil in your central or just spring for a new HVAC unit? This article will help you make a smart decision: Learn what happens when you replace an evaporator coil Discover the pros and cons of upgrading your HVAC Find out how much it costs to replace the evaporator coil versus the HVAC system So you heard, “The evaporator coil is shot,” from our expert air conditioner repair technician. Your heart sinks in your chest because you know it’s a costly part. Now, you have to make an important decision. Is it better to replace the evaporator coil or the whole unit? Replace Evaporator Coil or Whole Unit: The Quick Answer Do you have to make a quick decision right now? Focus on three main factors: Age. If your air conditioner is older than ten years, it’s usually smart to just replace it. That way you get a brand-new AC with modern advantages, a fresh warranty, and awesome performance. Price. It costs three or four times more to replace the whole AC system compared to just the evaporator coil. If you have a tight budget, a replacement…read more →

Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance Agreements FAQs

The last thing anyone wants or needs is for a commercial refrigeration equipment failure, least of all during business hours. At AccuTemp we offer regular Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance for our clients’ refrigeration systems where our NATE certified technicians thoroughly test your equipment to ensure that it is operating accurately and reliably. Routine maintenance is crucial in order to extend the life of your Refrigeration equipment. Our Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance services can help save you hefty repair costs that are often due to premature Refrigeration system failures. We can make sure your equipment and systems continue to operate at peak efficiency, resulting in lower monthly energy costs. Here are a few of the problems that can occur when your Refrigeration units are not properly maintained: Condenser Coil Maintenance The condenser coil location on a unit can vary, and can be found either by checking the owner’s manual or asking the installation technician to point the unit out to you. This part should be cleaned at least once a month to keep it free of dust, dirt and lint. Clean the condenser coil with a commercial condenser coil cleaner, which can be purchased at many kitchen equipment retailers. Brush the condenser fins…read more →