For the most part, the components of your air conditioning system are largely hidden from view. Sure, you can see the compressor unit outside, and you may be aware of the registers throughout your home which blow conditioned air therein, but the thermostat is really the only component that you have much direct interaction with. To be sure, though, even those components which are hidden from view play a major role in determining the overall success – or lack thereof – with which your air conditioning system operates. Your air ducts in particular have a major influence on the quality of your AC’s performance. Read the following information to better understand the importance of your ductwork in Washington, DC. Remember to call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. if you require any ductwork services throughout the area.
Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category
How Air Ducts Impact Your Air Conditioning System
Monday, June 15th, 2015Why Schedule Prompt Air Conditioning Repairs?
Monday, June 1st, 2015We understand that you are likely quite busy. Between work, keeping the house clean, feeding the family, and all of the other day to day responsibilities you have on your plate, it is perfectly reasonable to accept that some things are going to fall through the cracks or be put on the backburner. Just remember that, when it comes to air conditioning repair services in Washington, DC, you cannot afford to bide your time. The longer that you wait to schedule any necessary air conditioning repairs for your system, the worse off it, and your comfort, is likely to be. That is why you should contact Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. at the first sign of trouble with your home cooling system.
When Is the Time Right for an AC Replacement?
Monday, May 25th, 2015While we fully understand that running out to replace your whole-home cooling system is probably not the most exciting way you can think of in which to spend your money, it is going to be advisable at some point. Even the best air conditioning systems on the market, after all, have finite lifespans. When your system’s is up, you need to work with a skilled, trained professional to ensure that your new air conditioner is precisely what you need to cool your home effectively and reliably.
Of course, it is also a good idea to replace your air conditioning system before it becomes an absolute necessity. After all, you don’t want to go without effective cooling for any duration when the heat of summer is at its peak. Here are a few tips to help you decide if the time is right to schedule your air conditioning replacement in Washington, DC. Contact Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. today if so.
3 Factors to Consider When Purchasing a New Air Conditioner
Monday, May 18th, 2015There is certainly no shortage of options when it comes to the ways in which modern homeowners may choose to cool their homes. This is great for consumers, of course, as different homeowners will want to cool their homes in different manners. However, the sheer number of available systems alone can make determining which is the best fit for your home rather difficult.
The good news is that the Washington, DC air conditioning installation experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. are here to help. While it is ultimately up to you to weigh the pros and cons of different systems prior to choosing one for installation in your home, we have some tips to help you get started. Keep them in mind, and contact us if you are ready to schedule your air conditioning installation with a skilled professional that you can trust.
Here’s What You Can Expect During Air Conditioning Maintenance
Monday, April 13th, 2015Have you scheduled spring maintenance for your home’s air conditioning system yet? Right now is one of the best times: the weather still hasn’t reached summer heights and HVAC technicians have more open schedules that make it easier to arrange for a convenient appointment. Call a local professional HVAC company and ask about their maintenance programs.
3 Things to Check When You Give Your AC a Spring Test-Run
Monday, April 6th, 2015Spring has arrived, and with warmer weather ahead—and summer weather right behind it—you will turn your air conditioning system back on, if you haven’t already. Now is an excellent time to analyze your AC’s performance and check if anything seems wrong with it. You want to schedule any necessary repairs for the system during the spring season, before the serious change in the weather occurs and it becomes more difficult to arrange for a convenient time to have the system repaired.
If you need speedy and effective air conditioning repairs in Washington, DC, call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. We have a history of quality service keeping homes comfortable no matter the season.
It’s a good idea to give your AC a test-run during the early spring and pay attention to indications of malfunctions. Turn on the air conditioner for a half-hour during a day when you otherwise don’t need it. Here are 3 things you should check on during this test run:
- Proper airflow: Go to all the vents into the rooms. Make sure none of them are blocked by furniture that was moved during the last few months. Check on the airflow coming from the vents. If it seems sluggish or weak, something may be wrong with the AC.
- Sounds from the AC cabinet: Go to both the indoor and outdoor cabinets of the air conditioner and listen to the sounds from the system as it goes through a standard cooling cycle. Do you hear any unusual noises? These can include hissing, banging, screeching, grinding, and clicking. Anything that sounds unfamiliar should have a professional investigate it.
- Even distribution of cooling: Are all the rooms receiving the level of cooling they should? Although some rooms will probably be naturally warmer than others (such as an upstairs bedroom with widows that receive direct sunlight), you shouldn’t come across any “hot spots.” Such spots are a sign of something wrong with the AC or the ventilation system.
This short DIY diagnostic will help identify serious troubles. But it’s no substitute for arranging for a professional maintenance session. Make sure you call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. and schedule an inspection and tune-up during the spring to find any malfunctions that you may have missed, as well as to adjust and clean the system so that it works its best all summer. Give us a call to find out more about our Preventative Maintenance Agreement.
When Is It Time to Call for Air Conditioning Services in Alexandria?
Friday, March 27th, 2015We are inching toward warmer weather, and as such, it’s good for homeowners to know when it’s time to call for AC services in Alexandria. Nothing is more frustrating than turning on your AC the first hot day of the season only to find that it isn’t working, or that it’s working poorly. It may seem sometimes as if problems come out of the blue, but if you are aware of the signs, you’ll know when it’s time to call for help, and better yet, you’ll know who to call that you can count on: Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc.
When Is It Time to Call?
Here are some signs that it’s time to call for air conditioning services for your Alexandria home:
- When there is low or no cooling – there can be many reasons for this, so it’s best let an expert find the problem and repair it
- When lots of dust and dirt are blowing through your vents – this is usually indicative of dirty ductwork, and it can also indicate faulty ductwork
- When you smell strange odors coming through your vents – your AC shouldn’t have any kind of odor, so it’s time to call for an expert when you smell something
- When you hear strange sounds while your air conditioner cycles – there are some basic, operational sounds that your AC should make; if there are more sounds than that, it’s time to call for a specialist
- When it’s time for replacement – replacing an air conditioner is great opportunity to increase your energy efficiency and comfort, but only when you work with an expert
- When you need repair – all AC repairs should always be handled by trained professionals
- When it’s time for maintenance – it’s strongly recommended that you schedule your AC for maintenance every 12 months
- When you need new air conditioner installation – new AC installation takes knowledge and experience, otherwise you could be stuck with an air conditioner that is too large or too small for your home or problems from poor installation
Expert Help Is the Key
That’s quite a list above, but when you call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., you can rest assured that you are calling a company that has the trained and certified staff to handle all of it and more.
Need air conditioning services in Alexandria? Look no further than the experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc.
Is Your AC Ready for Summer?
Friday, March 13th, 2015It may be hard to think about summer after the snowy, cold winter we’ve had, but spring is just around the corner and summer isn’t far behind. There is nothing more frustrating than turning on your air conditioner on the first hot day of the year only to find that it isn’t working, or is working poorly. But, the experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., have a great solution for that: spring maintenance for your air conditioning system in Arlington, VA. And now is a great time to schedule it!
What Happens During a Maintenance Visit?
Maintenance isn’t a simple check of your air conditioning system; it is a full tune-up, complete with a thorough inspection and testing. Here is a general overview of what happens during a routine maintenance appointment:
- Inspection and cleaning of evaporator and condenser coils – dusty, dirty coils can reduce a system’s ability to properly operate, so your technician will inspect them and clean them if needed.
- Check of the thermostat – your thermostat is the control center for your air conditioning system, so it’s important to make sure it is in good working order.
- Lubrication of moving parts – ball joints and other moving parts need to be properly lubricated in order to work correctly because friction can cause resistance in motors, which can lead to an increase of energy usage and poor operation.
- Inspection the condensate array – faulty condensate trays can leak water, and clogged condensate drains can cause overflows and water damage. These items will be inspected during your maintenance appointment to ensure that all is working as it should.
- Check of the system’s cycling – multiple checks to ensure that the system cycles properly.
- Checking and adjusting the refrigerant level of your central air conditioner – too much or too little refrigerant can adversely affect the heat release/cooling process in your AC, so it’s important to make sure your AC’s refrigerant levels are exactly as they should be.
- Check all fans – the condenser and evaporator fans are key components in the heat release/cooling process, and as such, need to be reviewed.
- Check of electrical connections – loose connections are tightened, and voltages and currents on motors are measured. Poorly maintained electrical connections can reduce the life of your components.
As you can see, maintenance involves a number of tasks, all designed to make your AC more energy efficient and work optimally.
Get ready for summer this year by calling Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., and scheduling spring air conditioning system maintenance in Arlington, VA!
How Dirty Coils Lead to Air Conditioning Repair
Monday, September 22nd, 2014Many people are surprised to learn that an air conditioner does not actually create cool air. Rather, it moves the heat from the air in your home back to the outdoors. Your air conditioning system contains two coils that help this to happen—the evaporator coil and the condenser coil. As refrigerant moves to these components, it undergoes phase conversions that allow heat to absorb or dissipate. But these coils, and the rest of your AC system, require cleaning and maintenance to prevent the need for air conditioning repair later on.
Dirty coils are problematic because these parts are so important to the refrigeration cycle. Refrigerant changes from a liquid to a gas at the indoor evaporator coil, absorbing heat as a fan blows the warm air from your home over the coil. The fan then distributes cool air through the ducts. Refrigerant becomes highly pressurized and heated at the compressor outdoors and then moves to the condenser coil, where it condenses into a liquid, giving off heat into the outside air. Refrigerant continues to cycle through both parts of the system, repeating the process over again.
The coils are especially susceptible to dust because fans suck in air to blow over both the indoor and outdoor coils. If a coil is dirty, it means the refrigeration process cannot occur as efficiently as it should. Dirty coils impair their ability to participate in heat exchange, which means that other parts will have to work harder to make up for the deficiency. And as other parts run for longer periods of time, they may begin to wear out, so you’ll have to call for air conditioning repair sooner than is usually necessary. You’ll probably notice reduced cooling capacity when you have dirty coils, or you may even feel warm air from the vents.
Maintenance technicians clean the coils during any maintenance visit as well as other pertinent tasks that help to restore efficiency and keep problems at bay.
Schedule maintenance to prevent the need for air conditioning repair in Washington, D.C. Call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. for maintenance or repairs today!
Why Schedule Commercial Air Conditioning Replacement with a Specialist
Monday, September 8th, 2014You’ve decided to replace your commercial HVAC unit. This is a great opportunity to save some money every month with a more efficient system and to avoid complaints about a failing, insufficient system from the people in your building. But if you don’t schedule commercial air conditioning replacement with a commercial specialist, your system may run into problems quickly, leaving you with repairs or another costly replacement far too soon.
When you contact an air conditioning technician for commercial repairs, it’s important to ensure that this person is trained specifically on commercial units. If you hire a residential technician who is inexperienced with commercial repairs, you cannot be certain that your unit is sized and installed properly, or that the job will be completed in a timely manner.
For one, you want a specialist who knows how to size your system properly for air conditioning replacement. Commercial air conditioners differ from residential units in that they are modular, meaning you can add or take away modules to adjust the cooling capacity of the unit as needed. Additionally, commercial properties are often much larger than the average home, but an inexperienced technician may be unable to gauge the proper cooling capacity in the first place, leaving you with a system that is too small to cool your business or so large that it runs into problems.
Besides, a commercial specialist will get the job done more quickly than an inexperienced technician. Because commercial technicians are familiar installing modular rooftop units, they’ll come equipped with the proper tools to get the job completed as soon as possible so that your business can return to normal operation as soon as possible. Most commercial units are also “packaged,” meaning all the parts are combined into a single cabinet. Traditional split-system air conditioners are installed in two parts, so an inexperienced technician may not know all of the ins and outs of your commercial system.
Don’t leave your AC replacement up to just any technician.
If you need commercial air conditioning replacement in Alexandria, trust the experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Give us a call!