Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

What Happens When You Skip AC Maintenance?

Monday, June 13th, 2022

As your prospective (or reoccurring) HVAC contractor in Arlington, VA, you’ve probably heard us mention routine maintenance quite a few times. It’s an excellent service that’s well worth the money it costs. Over time, maintenance can halt repairs before they become bad, keep efficiency levels high, and do a lot more for your home comfort. As far as yearly services go, this is one of the best you could hope for.

Unfortunately, the majority of HVAC system owners don’t schedule maintenance yearly. In fact, many people think they don’t need HVAC maintenance at all, and that they’ll be fine without it. This is what we’re going to address in this blog post.

Skipping AC maintenance won’t spell out the end of the world–but it will be pretty devastating to the condition of your system. We’ll see what happens when you skip maintenance over 1, 3, 5, and 10 years.

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Upgrade Your Thermostat–It’s a Smart Move!

Monday, May 2nd, 2022

Most people think upgrading to a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat is just an expensive, unnecessary luxury.  They’re wrong! Smart thermostats are hands down one of the best investments you can make for your home. Who doesn’t want their house to be more comfortable and energy-efficient? With smart technology, you’ll save money and keep your family happy.

This post discusses the benefits of switching to a smart thermostat in your home.

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3 Great Reasons to Join the Polar Plus Program

Monday, April 4th, 2022

Investing in air conditioning is one of the smartest choices you can make for your home and comfort. But, it can also be expensive. That’s why we created the Polar Plus Program! Our program is designed to help those who need AC maintenance in Washington, DC, without the hassle of large unexpected repair bills. 

This article discusses three reasons you should consider joining the Polar Plus Program.

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Upgrade Your AC System Today

Monday, March 21st, 2022

The Washington metro area has some of the hottest summers in the country and Washingtonians know all too well how much it costs to keep cool during these scorching months. With air conditioning units that are up to 20% more efficient than older models, Washingtonians can enjoy lower cooling bills year-round while helping reduce energy use and our reliance on fossil fuels. 

But you shouldn’t wait for summertime heat waves before upgrading their system – now’s the time! Need another reason to upgrade? You can save money by doing it. 

Washington, D.C. offers a number of tax credits and rebates for energy-efficient appliances, including air conditioners. These incentives make it more affordable than ever to ditch your old, inefficient unit in favor of a high-efficiency model.

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Here’s Why Your AC Is Short-Cycling

Monday, October 4th, 2021

We’re coming up on one of the last blog posts this year that we’ll be writing about air conditioning. It’s true, the summer quickly came to a close and now we’re almost a quarter of the way through October! This means that heating season is upon us and we’ll be shifting topics to people in need of heater help.

But wait! There’s one last subject we’d like to discuss before we jump into the heating season. We’ve been a little quiet about short-cycling air conditioners this year, and if yours started to short-cycle at the end of the cooling season, then this blog post is for you.

We need to talk about what this phenomenon is, why it happens, and what causes it. The more informed you are about your short-cycling air conditioner, regardless of the season, the more likely you are to call for professional air conditioning repair in Arlington, VA when things are uncomfortable.

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When Should I Replace My AC?

Monday, September 20th, 2021

That’s a very good question. The truth is that the answer depends heavily on your specific situation, the condition of your air conditioner, and your unique comfort needs. All of these things can be figured out with just a little bit of leg-work and the help of a trained professional.

Today, we’re going to focus primarily on some qualities that will cause you to think about replacement as a viable option for your cooling system. If any of the following can be applicable to your situation, then replacement might be a more cost-effective solution than simply calling for repairs. Things like an aging air conditioner, frequent repair needs, and constantly rising energy bills can be a sign that your AC has met the end of its lifespan and you’re better off saving money in the future with a new unit.

Well, let’s get into it!

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3 Noises You Never Want Your AC to Make

Monday, September 6th, 2021

How is your air conditioner doing? Is it causing you to cover your ears multiple times a day because of a noisy problem? Or is it running silently in the background while you enjoy time with your friends and family. Most houses lie somewhere in between.

Your home could be dealing with a particular problem that you’re detecting through sound, and today we’d like to talk about some of these sounds. Noises coming from your air conditioner are never good, but some are much worse than others. That’s why our team is available for AC repair in Arlington, VA to help you alleviate the problem and get your home back to normal.

Keep reading as we decrypt these puzzling noises coming from your AC. If you detect one of these loud or uncomfortable noises, you should shut your system off and seek help immediately.

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How an Air Conditioner Actually Cools the Air

Monday, August 23rd, 2021

A lot of us wish air conditioners just functioned magically. You plug them into your home’s electrical system, and maybe a fairy turns that electricity into ice cubes that then cool the air off in your home. Or perhaps there’s a creature living inside that outside box, and the creature eats heat and drinks electricity but gives off cooling power. Wouldn’t that be something?

Unfortunately, the reality is a bit more boring but simpler to understand. If you thought that your air conditioner functioned like some complex experimental device then you would be mistaken. Air conditioning in McLean, VA is actually a fairly simple process that involves the evaporation and condensation of refrigerant.

Want to know a bit more? We don’t blame you! Keep reading as we get into the juicy details about air conditioning and how it works behind the scenes.

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3 Tips to Remember About AC Repair

Monday, August 9th, 2021

Air conditioning repair can be a stressful experience. While a professional might be able to take care of you, you’ll be stuck contemplating just how much it’s going to cost and whether or not there was anything you could’ve done to prevent it. It’s stressful, it’s draining, and it can sour anyone’s experience with the HVAC industry.

Firstly, we’d like to mention that we’re not the kind of company to just fix your AC and charge you an exorbitant price. We’ll always tell you how much something will cost before we charge you, so you know you’re making a good decision. Plus, we won’t shame any homeowners for not taking care of their systems. It’s been a difficult year and you’ve had a lot on your plate, so we understand that things fall into disrepair every once in a while.

Stick around and read further if you’d like to hear a few tips about air conditioning repair in Alexandria, VA.

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3 Electrical Problems That Occur in ACs

Monday, July 26th, 2021

We think it’s important for homeowners to shift their perspectives a little bit. Instead of thinking about your air conditioner like some kind of separate machine from the rest of your household devices, think of the entire home as an ecosystem. Your air conditioning in Leesburg, VA depends not just on the airflow of your house, but also on the electrical system. Without proper electrical input, your air conditioner will be unable to function properly.

That’s why we see things like SEER ratings for air conditioners—these systems rely on efficient energy consumption in order to compress refrigerant and provide cool temperatures. We want to focus today on the boundary between your HVAC system and the electrical system that feeds into it. If you’re noticing tripping circuits, an AC that’s constantly shutting down, or other electrical issues, then you’re in the right place. All you need to do is keep reading and call us when you need help.

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