Boehmer Heating & Cooling Blog : Archive for May, 2013

Happy Memorial Day!

Monday, May 27th, 2013

Every year on the final Monday of May, citizens of America come together to honor those who have served our country. Formerly known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day came to prominence after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen soldiers on either side. Although its origins are somewhat ambiguous, it has always been about bringing people together to recognize our country’s military personnel and history. We want to take this opportunity to thank all the men and women who have served our county.

Memorial Day also marks the beginning of summer. We hope that you have a wonderful day off, and that it is a great start to your summer!

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Basic Components of Your Air Conditioning System: An AC Tip from Pittsburgh

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013

Your air conditioning system is made up of various components, including electrical, and mechanical systems. From the compressor, condenser, to the expansion valve and evaporator, each of these components circulates the most integral part of the cooling cycle, the refrigerant. This chemical has been designed especially for radical fluctuations of temperature that vary with differences in pressure.  In today’s post, we’d like to review some of the basic components that make up your AC. A little bit of knowledge about your cooling system can help you recognize when things aren’t working as they’re supposed to. Call Boehmer Heating & Air Conditioning today for comprehensive Pittsburgh air conditioning service.

  • Compressor: The compressor resides in the weatherized unit outside of your home and it is responsible for pressuring the refrigerant. It works by taking the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator and placing it under a significant amount of compression. When it emerges from the compression stage, the refrigerant is still in gaseous form but it is now highly pressurized and also very hot, much hotter than the outside temperature. This allows the heat in the refrigerant to easily transfer to the outside air.
  • Condenser: The condenser coils are responsible for taking this hot gaseous refrigerant and removing much of its heat. As the refrigerant circulates through the condenser coils, an exhaust fan pulls in the outside air, causing the refrigerant to rapidly cool and condense into a liquid, hence its name.
  • Expansion valve: Once the refrigerant has entered a liquid state, however, it is still too hot to cool your home. The expansion valve is a relatively compact device that controls the flow of refrigerant as it passes through, thus depressurizing it. The refrigerant is now very cold, and it is ready to cool your indoor air.
  • Evaporator: This set of coils resides in the air handler of your indoor unit. As the blower motor extracts warm indoor air from the interior of your home, it moves through the evaporator coils where this thermal energy is absorbed by the refrigerant as the air is cooled. This thermal exchange makes the refrigerant evaporate into a gas. And the cycle continues.

We hope this brief guide to the major components of your AC helps. Call Boehmer Heating & Air Conditioning for comprehensive Pittsburgh air conditioning services. 

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Pittsburgh AC Question: Is it Worth it to Repair Your Air Conditioning System?

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Knowing the difference between repair and replacement can be tricky. One question we often get from customers who are tired of paying for constant repairs, or whose AC is old, concerns whether it’s still worth it to repair their Pittsburgh air conditioning system. It’s not an easy decision and it depends on numerous factors, all of which are unique to your home and situation, as well as your budget and your cooling needs. The first step involves calling your local AC professional for advice. A consummate analysis of the state of your system should precede any major decision-making. Considering the resources required for a system replacement, you need to make a good decision, one that you and your family will be happy with for the years to come. In this post, we’d like to give you a few pointers. Call Boehmer Heating & Air Conditioning for comprehensive air conditioning services, from installation and repair to system replacement.

  • Energy efficiency: You need to think about energy efficiency if you’re considering replacement. This is where performance and energy cost intersect. Knowing what the difference is between your old and new systems’ respective energy efficiency ratios can allow you to estimate how much you might save on your energy bill every month with a new system. This is particularly important if your system is more than ten years old. Today’s systems are much more energy efficient than older systems and this can work to your advantage.
  • Performance: The decision comes down to performance, and if you’re sick and tired of paying for repairs knowing that your old system barely keeps up with your cooling needs, then you should definitely consider replacement. Not only will you avoid constant service calls, but you will also ensure the future of your home comfort. By choosing a professional technician, you’ll also be able to find a new system that exactly matches the size of your home so that your new AC will easily outperform the older system.

If you’re thinking about replacement instead of repair, but don’t know where to start, call Boehmer Heating & Air Conditioning for all of your air conditioning needs in Pittsburgh. We can help you make the right decision for your home and budget.

 

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Air Conditioning Repair in Pittsburgh: Why is My Refrigerant Low?

Monday, May 6th, 2013

As we enter the cooling season, you need to make sure that your air conditioning system is ready for the heat and humidity of the summer. Even if you haven’t yet turned it on, then do so now. Take a listen, and see if your home reaches your desired temperature. One of the common root causes of inadequate cooling is low refrigerant, which needs to be of a certain “charge” at all times in order for the AC to function effectively and efficiently. In this post, we’d like to look at the reasons why your refrigerant may be low. For superior air conditioning repair in Pittsburgh, call Boehmer Heating & Cooling today!

The refrigerant in your AC is chemically designed to undergo intense changes in temperature and pressure to facilitate the removal of heat from your home and to send cool air throughout your ducts. The compressor takes the low pressure gas from the evaporator coil and turns it into a high pressure, high temperature gas; so hot, in fact, that when this refrigerant circulates through the condenser coils, its heat dissipates into the outside air, no matter what the temperature is. The evaporator coil takes the now cool liquid refrigerant and cools the air, while the air handler sends the conditioned air back through the ductwork. If your system has too little refrigerant, then these processes will simply not be as effective, and may not work at all.

There are basically two reasons why your refrigerant is low:

  • Undercharged at installation: One of the reasons why professional installation is so important is that it very much matters what the “charge” of your refrigerant is during installation. Only a certified technician will know exactly how much refrigerant to put into your system.
  • Refrigerant leak: This is the most prevalent reason for low refrigerant. Some leaks are microscopic punctures that are hardly noticeable. Your tech has various equipment and techniques for refrigerant leak detection. Only a certified technician should ever handle refrigerant, so it is always best to call a professional if you think you have a leak.

If you’re concerned about the levels of refrigerant in your AC, call Boehmer Heating & Cooling for air conditioning repair in Pittsburgh today! 

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