Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

How to Prepare Your AC for Its Winter Break

Monday, October 26th, 2020

During spring, we recommend all of our customers schedule a maintenance inspection and tune-up for their air conditioning system. This prepares the AC to handle the rigors of another summer.

But you won’t use your air conditioning system during the winter, so there isn’t anything you need to do to prepare it for the season … or so you might think.

Although you don’t have to schedule maintenance a second time for your AC (unless it’s a heat pump), there are a few steps you can take to ensure the air conditioning system is protected and in good shape during this period of inactivity. This will help make life easier when spring comes around.

Below are steps to take to help your AC through the winter hibernation.

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenannce, Air Conditioning Repair, Lewes
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Should You Invest in Geothermal Comfort This Fall?

Monday, October 12th, 2020

When summer ends, people start to think about their home comfort systems—and not just heater. Yes, fall is the time to schedule heating maintenance to ensure the heater is ready to handle the coming winter temperatures. But fall is also a time to consider making changes to the air conditioning system if it’s coming to the end of its service life.

Last week we offered a recommendation for an HVAC system upgrade that handles your heating and cooling needs: a heat pump installation. This isn’t the only way you can make a double-upgrade for your heating and air conditioning in Delaware, however. This may be the fall that you finally decide to make your dreams of a geothermal heating and cooling system come true.

Tags: AC, Delaware, Geothermal
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How Did Your Air Conditioning System Do This Summer?

Monday, September 14th, 2020

If you remembered to have your annual spring air conditioning tune-up in Maryland, you probably had a problem-free summer of cooling. That’s what these regular maintenance visits are designed to do: prevent repairs from cropping up, stop abrupt breakdowns, and keep the AC from becoming more expensive to operate.

Before your air conditioning system goes off for a few months, it’s a good time to analyze its performance during the previous season and look forward to the future. And the future may be a new air conditioning system installation.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Air Conditioning Replacement, Maryland
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More Ductless Advantages: You Can Use Them If You Have Ducts Already

Monday, August 31st, 2020

Among the different services for air conditioning installation in Delaware we offer our clients is installation of ductless mini split heat pumps, which provide both cooling and heating without the need to either put in ducts or use up window space. Ductless mini splits are fantastic ways for older homes to enjoy great heating and cooling while not having to make major alterations to find ways to stick in ductwork. They also work as excellent alternatives for new home construction—you can forget about squeezing ductwork into the blueprints.

However, you’re reading this and thinking, “I live in a house with built-in ducts. Is there any point in having a ductless system installed? What’s the benefit?”

It’s true that if you have a central ducted AC and heater in your house that you are better off staying with this type when you have a replacement. But this doesn’t entirely discount ductless systems. There are uses for ductless mini split heat pumps in homes with ducts. Below are a few of them.

Tags: Delaware, Ductless Mini Splits
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Failed Capacitors Can Leave You With a Failed Air Conditioner

Monday, August 17th, 2020

Earlier this summer, we discussed troubles you may encounter with a faulty compressor in your AC. The compressor is an essential part of any air conditioning system, and if it fails, it often means the entire AC must be replaced.

Today we’re going to look at another important part of an air conditioner—one which is connected to the compressor—but which is a part you can expect to replace during the air conditioner’s lifespan. It’s the capacitor. Or the capacitors, since the AC has several of them, with two for each motor. There are capacitors for the compressor motor as well as the motors of the two large fans, the indoor blower fan and the outdoor exhaust fan. A failed capacitor can leave you with a non-working air conditioner. It takes professional air conditioning repair in Delaware and Maryland to put in new capacitors and get the AC back to work.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Delaware and Maryland
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Signs Your AC Has Trouble With Its Compressor

Monday, July 20th, 2020

The compressor is about as an important a component as there is in an air conditioner. All parts of an AC are important, but the compressor is what allows an air conditioner to cool. If your air conditioner’s compressor fails, the central cooling system will just turn into a big fan that circulates room-temperature air around the house.

Something else that makes the compressor vital is that it’s an expensive part to replace if it fails. In many cases, it’s more cost-effective to have the full air conditioning system replaced in case of a compressor failure rather than replace the compressor.

The best way to keep your AC’s compressor in good shape is to have the system regularly maintained. If you’re keeping up with regular maintenance, it’s still a smart idea to watch for any warning signs the compressor is having problems. That way you can schedule AC repair in Delaware in time to stop the compressor from burning out.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Delaware
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Handling Thermostat Settings the Smart Way in the Heat

Monday, June 22nd, 2020

Although there are many advanced types of thermostats available today, many equipped with special Wi-Fi technology and multiple settings, they still operate on a basic principle: raise the temperature setting for a warmer house, lower it for a cooler one.

But if you handle your thermostat during the summer as if it were something you keep changing as gets too cold and then too warm, you’ll end up consuming more energy than necessary and see larger electric bills. You’ll also put more stress on the components of your air conditioner, potentially shortening its service life and making it more likely you’ll have to call for air conditioning service in Dover, Delaware to fix it during the summer.

We’re going to give you a quick course on the smart way to set your thermostat during the summer heat so you’ll save money and give your AC a life-extending break.

Tags: Air Conditioning Tips, Dover
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Things That May Go Wrong With a Neglected Air Conditioner

Monday, May 25th, 2020

We emphasize the importance of scheduling regular AC maintenance in Dover, DE each spring and early summer—it’s that important. And since the summer is rapidly closing in, we want to impress upon all our customers who haven’t yet arranged for their regular air conditioning service visit from our technicians to have it done as soon as possible. It’s simple when you join our Maintenance Agreement Club.

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenance, Dover
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Understanding When You Have an AC Emergency

Monday, May 11th, 2020

As the weather is getting warmer as we get nearer to summer, air conditioners are going to get to work—and some of them will start to not work. We offer 24/7 repair service for our customers when they have an emergency situation with their air conditioning systems. We know how vital a cooling system is for the comfort and safety of your family.

But people sometimes have questions about what constitutes a need for an emergency call. An air conditioner that won’t turn on at all certainly seems like an emergency. But maybe there is a simple explanation? Sometimes there is, and we want to help you understand better when you have an actual AC emergency on your hands and how to tell when there’s a simple troubleshooting step that will take care of the problem.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Delaware, Emergency Repair
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Don’t Forget the “V” in Your HVAC System: Ventilation

Monday, April 27th, 2020

When homeowners think about their indoor comfort, they usually think of their heating and air conditioning: the “H” and “AC” in the acronym “HVAC.” They often forget about the “V” sandwiched in the middle, standing for “ventilation.” But that letter is in the acronym for a good reason—ventilation is essential for comfort in a home and for better indoor air quality. Problems with ductwork in the ventilation system can lead to poor heating/cooling distribution, humidity swings, dusty and polluted air, and a plunge in HVAC energy efficiency.

Tags: Duct Sealing, Duct Testing, Energy Recovery Ventilators, Rehoboth Beach
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