Residential & Commercial HVAC and Refrigeration Tips Blog | Atlantic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Inc.

Is an AC Supposed to Be Replaced Every 10 Years?

October 10th, 2022

You may have heard this bit of advice from someone, possibly an “HVAC contractor” with less than reliable credentials: “Your AC is 10 years old, so it’s time to get a new one.”

The truth is that air conditioning systems don’t have an absolute “replace by” date, and most air conditioners that have regular maintenance will last past 10 years without problem.

But this does lead to another question: when should an air conditioning system be replaced? It’s a good question to consider during the fall, since it’s a convenient time to arrange for a replacement system when you’re not using either your AC or your heating system.

This Is the Time to Arrange for Commercial HVAC Maintenance

September 26th, 2022

Now that it’s officially fall, you’ll start to think about preparing your business to handle the change in the weather and how to help it face the rigors of another harsh winter. One of the first steps we recommend you take is to call us to schedule the most important service for commercial HVAC in Sussex County, DE that we offer: regular maintenance.

Maintenance for HVAC equipment is important for both homes and businesses. But much more rides on the HVAC system for a commercial building than for a home. Your HVAC system does more than provide a decent level of comfort for people inside. It also helps protect your facility and the equipment inside. Losing any time due to failed HVAC equipment—especially during the winter months—translates into significant loss of revenue. You simply can’t afford to have HVAC equipment that isn’t performing at peak levels throughout any season of extreme weather.

Is a Heat Pump a Good Choice for My Home?

September 12th, 2022

If you’re asking this question, it’s probably because you’re looking at upgrading either your air conditioning system at the end of the summer or your heating system before the winter cold arrives. (As we’ll soon explain, we hope it’s both.) Although heat pumps aren’t new technology, they’ve only started to recently rise in popularity for homes, and we think this is a great trend. There are plenty of advantages to using heat pumps in Sussex County, DE.

But you want to know if a heat pump is specifically right for your house. The best way to answer that is to work with our HVAC specialists, who can determine what kind of heating and cooling systems are ideal for your household needs. We can provide you with some important general information about heat pumps below to help guide you—but eventually you’ll want to talk to professionals.

Main Causes of a Failed AC Compressor

August 15th, 2022

Perhaps the biggest AC problem you want to avoid is a failed compressor. The reason is simple: the cost to replace a compressor (unless it’s still under warranty) is expensive enough that it’s often more cost-effective to have the whole air conditioner replaced.

What can cause a compressor to fail? There are several common sources we’re going to look at below. Understanding the ways a compressor can fail will help you avoid this problem and call for air conditioning repairs in Dover, DE, to head off a much more expensive repair or replacement in the near future.

Help, My AC Can’t Keep Up With the Heat!

August 1st, 2022

We’re in the middle of a severe heat wave in the Northeast of the US, with record-breaking temperatures and heat advisory warnings. This is a time when you’ll be glad to have a working central air conditioning system in your home. It can literally be a lifesaver.

Yet the extreme heat can also expose an air conditioner that can’t keep pace with demands. Is it just because the heatwave is more than the air conditioner was designed to take? That’s unlikely. If your AC was accurately sized for your house when it was installed (and we’ll talk more about that below), it should still manage a comfortable temperature indoors even with 100°F heat outside. It will need to run for longer to maintain comfort, but it should be capable of delivering.

Breaking Down 5 Common Myths About Air Conditioners

July 18th, 2022

Air conditioning technology has been around for a long time, but many people still have misunderstandings about ACs. Although it’s easy to access information about air conditioning systems, it’s also easy to come across incorrect information—and that’s why many myths about ACs still spread around.

In this post, we’re going to break down 5 common myths about air conditioning systems. Knowing the truth about ACs can help you with your own home cooling system. Whenever you need help from experts with your air conditioning in Delaware, call our team for help.

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The Pros and Cons of Getting a Tankless Water Heater

July 4th, 2022

The tankless water heater isn’t a new piece of technology: the earliest tankless water heaters were developed at the end of the nineteenth century. However, the tankless water heaters didn’t become viable options for homes until fairly recently, when technological advancements made them capable of providing entire households with the hot water they need at a cost-effective price. Now tankless water heaters rank among the most popular choices for new water heater installations.

If you’re considering a tankless water heater in Smyrna, DE, you’ll want to know as much as possible about the potential benefits of these systems, as well as potential drawbacks. The tank water heater is still a good option when it comes to providing for the hot water needs of a house. We’ll look at the pros and cons of going tankless to help you better understand if your house is a good candidate.

Are Ductless Mini Splits New Technology?

June 20th, 2022

When customers are looking for new HVAC installations, they’ll often come across the option to have a ductless mini split installed. These comfort systems, which provide both heating and cooling to large areas without having to use pre-existing ducts, aren’t as familiar in the US as conventional central HVAC systems. People might recall seeing ductless mini split units hanging on walls and wondering exactly how they worked, but wouldn’t have thought about the technology in their homes.

Because of this unfamiliarity, it’s easy to think that ductless mini split heat pumps are new technology that only recently hit the market. Although ductless mini splits aren’t as old as central air conditioners, the technology has been around for many decades. In fact, ductless heating and cooling was invented in 1959, which makes it not much older than the invention of the window AC unit.

What Happens If You Run an AC Without the Filter?

June 6th, 2022

A major piece of advice we like to give our clients about their air conditioning systems is to regularly change the air filter. This filter is sometimes called the “blower filter,” since it’s usually housed near where the blower pulls air into the HVAC system. Changing the filter is a part of regular maintenance for an air conditioner: it’s something our technicians do as part of air conditioning maintenance in Milford, DE, and it’s also a job homeowners need to take care of themselves during the rest of the season. We recommend changing this filter every 1 to 3 months, depending on the filter’s strength. Leaving it in place will lead to it clogging up, which severely affects AC performance and efficiency.

“So why bother with it at all?” you might ask. “Why not just run the AC without the filter?”

This isn’t a solution! The filter does an important job, and removing it entirely will lead to damage to the air conditioner, extra repairs, and likely an early replacement for the system. Below are some of the specific problems that running an AC without a filter can cause.

Answering Your Questions About an AC Leaking Water

May 23rd, 2022

If you listen to the sounds your air conditioning system makes when it’s running, you will hear the occasional drip and splash of water. This isn’t a malfunction but a normal sound you can expect from an AC working the way it should. The sound will also help explain why at some point you may notice water leaking out of your air conditioner.