Blog | Peaden Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical

Basic Guide to Maintaining an Air Conditioning System and Avoiding Premature AC Repair

March 17th, 2016

When it comes to owning an air conditioning system in your home, it is similar to maintaining other necessary machinery. Just like cars, ACs need regular maintenance and repairs to take care of minor and major issues. This basic guide will provide you with some tips on getting the most out of your AC and extending the system’s function, all the while helping you avoid premature AC repair.

Bare Necessities to Avoid AC Repair

Change the Filter – In order to get the most out of your air conditioning system, a general rule is to change the filter on a monthly basis. This helps deter any clogs that may occur and decrease the effectiveness of the system. If filter clogging does occur, it will cause the fans to work at below-optimum performance and can also cause overheating. So remember to change those filters once a month. If you haven’t done this in months (or ever), go ahead and change them immediately.
Keep the Area Around the Unit Clean – Because the air conditioning system is design to allow air in effortlessly, it is possible for any debris, grass, and leaves to get sucked into the system. Debris can also collect on the outside of the system and hinder air from entering the system or letting it breathe. Keeping an area of about 6 inches around the unit clean from any type of vegetation will help avoid possible issues. If the area around the outside unit is clear but you’re still having issues with your unit, contact Peaden for an AC repair.
Turn Off Humidifiers – If you have a humidifier, it is very advisable to turn it off while operating the AC. Having the humidifier on will increase the need for more cool air to circulate, requiring your unit to work harder.
Schedule Regular Maintenance – Regularly scheduling professional maintenance will allow AC repair technicians to check up on your system and all of its components. A maintenance tech will do certain things to ensure proper working order, such as making sure there aren’t any clogs, cleaning any coils, and measuring the Freon levels. The technician may point out any minor problems that can be taken care of quickly to help avoid a more costly AC repair in the future.
Be Aware of Irregularities – Irregularities, such as the air conditioning system not maintaining a comfortable temperature or strange noises coming from the unit, may indicate problems that should immediately be addressed by an AC repair specialist. Be aware of how your unit works and sounds normally so that you can catch any irregularities quickly.

Following this very basic guide will help you get the most out of your air conditioning system and help it provide you with optimal cooling whenever you need it. For more information about AC repair and maintenance, or to schedule an appointment with an AC repair specialist, contact Peaden today!

An AC Repair Prevention Checklist For Your Home

February 6th, 2016

In order to protect your home while also saving money, you’ll have to keep a few prevention checklists around, and AC repair and maintenance is one of them. You can display this on your fridge or next to your calendar, and you can get the entire family involved with the chores that are required to keep your AC unit working in prime condition. Here are a few tasks that you should be doing everything month so that you save money on your energy bill as well as prevent future AC repairs.

Listen to Your Unit

The sounds your air conditioning unit makes will be one of the first signs when you’re in need of a repair. Once a month, listen to your unit from the outside and inside to ensure that everything is running smoothly. If you hear odd pops, hums, clanking, and other strange sounds, then you’ll want to call an AC repair company.

Check Your Thermostat

If you suspect your thermostat isn’t reading temperatures correctly, then it may be time to invest in a new one. You don’t have to get a new unit when you invest in a new thermostat and you’ll find that this is an affordable option for many people that want a more efficient unit. Even if your thermostat isn’t the reason you need an AC repair, talk to a specialist about how a new one with better technology features can benefit you.

Change or Clean Filters

Changing and cleaning filters should be done on monthly basis, and it should always be on the checklist. While most people follow the rule to change filters once a month, if you find that they are extremely clogged, then you might want to change your filter every twenty-five days and see if that is better. To prevent an AC repair, you need to make it easy on your unit when it’s working, and a clean filter will provide that.

Clean the Outside of the Unit

Take care in cleaning the outside of the unit if you want to prevent AC repair. Keep outdoor debris off of it and make sure the unit stays level and doesn’t sink into the ground. If you think you need a new pad for the unit to sit on, seek the advice of an expert. As you start to notice the outside of the heating and air conditioning unit getting dirty in places you can’t clean, you’ll know it’s time to call in the pros for routine services.

Hire an AC Repair Company

Even if you don’t need an AC repair, you should have a professional company to call just in case something does go wrong. This way, you’ll have an expert to call when something goes awry, and they’ll have an understanding of your air conditioning system from the yearly maintenance that is performed. Start the search now for a quality company and put their phone number by your checklist, and you’ll rest easy knowing that you have a plan for your investment.

Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner?

July 2nd, 2015

Replace Your Air Conditioner Before it Costs You More

Besides your air conditioner breaking down unexpectedly, how can you tell if it is time to replace your home’s air conditioning unit? Like any piece of equipment, air conditioners can wear out. When air conditioners become worn they can break down more frequently. As air conditioners age they can struggle to cool your home effectively. If you find that your energy bills are increasing your A/C unit could be costing you money.

Here are a few signs that you might need a new air conditioning system

Your AC unit requires frequent repair- If your air conditioning system is requires regular service calls to stay running, it is a sign that you may need to replace your system. The cost to replace your system could be cheaper than continuing to repair your air conditioner.
Increased energy bills- If your energy bills have been increasing, and you are not using more appliances than normal, your air conditioner could be the culprit. Over time air conditioners can become less efficient, which means they use more energy to cool your home.
Your home is always humid- Your AC unit makes an impact on the humidity levels in your home, so if you start to notice dampness inside, then this may be a sign that you need an new AC system. Having extra moisture in the air can also leave other areas of your home in need of attention because hardwood can swell and paintings can warp when they are in humid areas.
The air conditioner is noisy- A loud air conditioning system could be an indication that your have a mechanical problem. It can also be a sign that your air conditioner is running at its max capacity to cool your home. Either way a loud AC unit is a sign that your air conditioner is in need of replacement.
The air conditioning system is more than 10 years old- As air conditioners get to be older than 10 years, some of the major components can become worn and break. The saltwater environment on the beach is very harsh and can accelerate the deterioration of your air conditioning.

If you need help evaluating your system, let Peaden Air Conditioning take care of your home cooling needs. We can dispatch one of our expert NATE certified technicians to evaluate yours system. Our technicians can perform a diagnostic survey on your air conditioning system to determine if you should repair or replace your system. If you determine you would like to replace your air conditioning system, one of our Comfort Consultants can help you find a system that fits your needs and your budget and financing programs are available.

Peaden Air Conditioning Plumbing and Electrical is there for all your home service needs. We install and replace air conditioners in Panama City, Panama City Beach, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola, Gulf Shores and all the other great communities in Northwest Florida. Let us show you why we are the “Professionals You Can Trust.”

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What is a Heat Pump and How Does it Work?

April 3rd, 2015

What is a Heat Pump and How Does it Work?

When many people hear the phase heat pump they think of a heater. A heat pump is a type of heating and air conditioning system. Heat pump refers to how the mechanism of the system uses a pump to pump refrigerant.

Refrigerant

In order to understand how a heat pump works, you must first know the basics principle of refrigerant. Refrigerant is a fluid that has a very low boiling point that can be manipulated by increasing or decreasing the pressure to absorb heat through phase transition. When these refrigerants change from a liquid to a gas it absorbs a lot of energy or heat. All air conditioning systems have heat pumps that use refrigerant. Air conditioning systems use relationship between pressure and temperature to transfer heat. As stated earlier when the refrigerant changes from a liquid state to a gas state it absorbs heat at a high quantity. Refrigerants have a low boiling point and they are used because they will boil at room temperature. The boiling point can be altered by adjusting the pressure of the refrigerant allow the system to control the evaporation of the refrigerant.

Cooling Mode

When an air conditioning system is in cooling mode the heat pump, located outside, collects cool low pressure refrigerant, from inside the home. With the refrigerant in a gaseous state, the heat pump then compresses this gaseous refrigerant and pumps into the high pressure side of the system. Because pressure forces the molecules of the refrigerant to get closer together it also causes the temperature of the refrigerant to increase. The hot, high pressure refrigerant gas then travels through a valve known as the reversing valve. From the reversing valve the hot, high pressure gas travels to the outside coil which functions as a condenser. A fan blows air over the condenser coils cooling the hot high pressure refrigerant. As the gaseous refrigerant cools it condenses back into the liquid state. Now in the liquid state the refrigerant bypasses the outside expansion valve by means of a one direction valve called a check valve. The now cooler high pressure liquid refrigerant travels along the liquid line to the indoor unit where it is forced through the second expansion valve. The expansion valve slowly releases the refrigerant through the coils in the air handler. As the refrigerant is released it decrease in pressure and allows the refrigerant to start evaporating. As stated earlier as refrigerant evaporates and changes from a liquid to a gas it absorbs heat at a high rate. As the air blows over the coils in the air handler the heat in the air is absorbed by the refrigerant boiling and changing from a liquid to a gas. As air get colder it has to release moisture. Because of this the air passing over the cold evaporator collects moister which is discarded and provides dehumidification for the home. The now gaseous refrigerant is then transported back through the lines to the compressor where the process is repeated over and over.

Heating Mode

When the heat pump system is in the heating mode, the reversing valve reverses the direction the refrigerant in the system. Now the coils in the outside portion of the system function as the evaporator and the indoor coil function as the condenser. The cool gaseous refrigerant travels from inside the home and absorbs heat from the air outside air through same coils that were used to condense the refrigerant in the cooling cycle. The refrigerant is then brought inside as a gas. The air handler blows are over the coils containing the gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant releases its heat and cools condenses back into a liquid. This release of heat to the air passing over the coils heats the home. This process continues as long as possible until the evaporator coils outside ice over. When the heating mode is in use the outside temperatures are typically very low and because the temperature outside is very low the refrigerant must function at much lower temperatures in order to absorb heat. Because the system operates at a low temperature ice begins to build up on the outside of the evaporator coils. In order to combat this heat pumps have a defrost cycle. When the defrost cycle is turned on the heat pump systems functions like it is in cooling mode. The reversing valve switches the refrigerant path to that of the cooling mode and the indoor heat is picked up by the refrigerant and used to defrost the outside coils on the evaporator. When defrost mode is activated the outside fan turns off to help melt the ice on the coils. Because heat is now being transferred from inside to outside, a supplementary heat strip in the air handler turns on to supply the house with heat. Within a few minutes the ice melts and the system continues to operate as normal repeating this cycle over and over.

Peaden Joins the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce

April 2nd, 2015

Peaden Joins the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce

Peaden Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical is proud to announce it has joined the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce. At Peaden, we strive to be an active member in all the communities that we serve. Peaden believes in supporting community economic development, and we are committed to the Pensacola community. We are currently an active member in many chambers of commerce in the Panhandle, and we are proud to be a new member of the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce. We excited about the economic growth in Pensacola and we want to contribute to the continued success of Pensacola. Peaden is excited about becoming part of the community and we hope to be in Pensacola for many years to come.

Peaden recently opened an office off of Hwy 29 in Car City to better service our customers in Pensacola and the surrounding areas. Our new office allows us to respond to our customers quickly by having personnel on site, a fully stocked parts warehouse, and office for customer consultations. Peaden may be new to Pensacola, but we are seasoned professionals when it comes to air conditioning, plumbing and electrical service. In Panama City, Peaden has been providing the highest quality air conditioning, plumbing and electrical service since 1969.

Over the last 15 years, Peaden has continued to expand our services to encompass Destin and Fort Walton Beach. As our service area grew westward, we began to receive service requests in Pensacola. Over time, the demand in Pensacola required that we open an office to service that demand. Since then we have had a tremendous response from residents and business in Pensacola. We want to thank the residents and businesses in Pensacola for the warm welcome. We hope to have the opportunity to prove to all the residents and businesses of Pensacola why our slogan is “The Professionals You Can Trust.”

Water Heater Replacement Costs To Heat Up in 2015

March 27th, 2015

Water Heater Units Will Cost Homeowners More After April 2015

Starting April 16, 2015, the Department of Energy (DOE) will require that water heater replacements and new water heater installs meet new energy efficiency requirements, so now is the time to schedule the water heater replacement you have been planning as prices for water heater units and installation costs are set to go up as a result of the new mandate effective month.

Background

The Energy Conservation Act of 1987, or NAECA, allows the DOE to set energy standards for certain home appliances, which includes electric, gas and oil water heaters being manufactured, and regulate energy consumption of home appliances. One purpose of the law was to establish uniform efficiency standards for home appliances across all states, allowing the government to increase the energy efficiency of appliances, which they plan to do starting next month.

Impact

New water heaters under the new mandate will not be the same as water heaters manufactured in the past. The first change that homeowners will see is prices go up for water heater replacement and installation. Because of the new efficiency standards, new water heaters will cost more to manufacture, and this will directly impact consumers.

The newly designed water heaters will be larger in size and may not fit into existing spaces that your current water heater occupies. The new energy efficient water heaters will approximately two inches taller and two inches wider. This could cause problems for homeowners and condo owners who have limited space for their water heater unit. Existing water heater closets may not be able to accommodate the new water heaters and may require modifications. However, Peaden has the tools and expertise to ensure that your new water heater replacement will comply with the new requirements and will fit correctly work properly for your home.

Are You Prepared For the New Water Heater Requirements?

What You Should Know:

After April 16, 2015, the price of water heaters will increase. Which means now is the time to replace your water heater! After April 16, 2015, new water heater replacements and installs will cost more to consumers. Contact Peaden, and we can give you an estimate to replace your existing water heater. We have plenty of efficiency standard water heaters in stock that will meet the new requirements set to be enforced.

New water heaters may not be able to fit where the existing water heater is located. The new water heaters will be larger in size, and this may cause some issues for homeowners. If the water heater does not fit in the existing space, homeowners may be required to modify the space or upgrade to a tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters are typically smaller than conventional water heaters. Peaden carries many different make and model tankless water heats and standard water heaters.

Homeowners with existing water heaters will not be required by law to upgrade. This law does not affect existing water heaters in your home. It simply states that all new water heaters manufactured after April 16, 2015 will be required to be more energy efficient. However, if you are planning for a water heater replacement in the near future, now is the time to schedule your service appointment before the cut-off date.

Changing your water heater is NOT a do it yourself (DIY) project! Water heater installation is a complicated project, and you should consult with a licensed plumbing contractor to perform your water heater replacement. Depending on what type of water heater unit you have installed, you could be dealing with exhaust systems, copper brazing, and gas plumbing. Peaden replaces and installs water heaters. Please call us, and we will have one of our comfort specialists give you a free estimate.

Design and Build With Peaden

February 24th, 2015

Peaden is equipped to handle your design and build project from inception to completion.

Our skilled drafters and designers rely on years of field experience to create modeling and preliminary drawings. After conceptualization, Peaden will create detailed drawings of the project, making sure to give attention to all important factors including cost efficiency and risk mitigation.

Upon completion of the detailed drawings, our fabrication and construction team will complete the project in accordance with your design plan. Our highly trained staff will ensure that a quality job is done in all phases of the development. Once the project is complete, we are always there to make sure the facility is operating as you intended.

Benefits

Faster Delivery
Cost Savings
Better Quality
Singular Responsibility
Decreased Administrative Burden
Reduced Risk

Basic Guide to Maintaining an Air Conditioning System and Avoiding Premature AC Repair

An AC Repair Prevention Checklist For Your Home

Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner?

Replace Your Air Conditioner Before it Costs You More

Here are a few signs that you might need a new air conditioning system

What is a Heat Pump and How Does it Work?