Air Conditioning Repair and Installations

Willis Carrier, who is an American engineer and a graduate of Cornell University, is credited with inventing the first modern air conditioner. However, the idea of using evaporated liquids (water or other coolants) to cool off the space very well precedes Willis Carrier 1902 invention. His invention came to life when a publishing house in Brooklyn, New York tasked him to come up with a solution to treat humidity in the air as it had serious impact on multi-color printing. That is when the modern air conditioner was born.

Ancient history shows that ancient Egyptians and the romans experimented with ways to cool off the air. More recent history shows that Benjamin Franklin in 1758 and Michael Faraday in 1820 experimented with refrigeration properties of gases. In 1851, a Florida physician named John Gorrie developed a machine to keep yellow fever patients cool. Finally, in 1902, Willis Carrier invented the modern air conditioner. It wasn’t until 1924 that Carrier’s idea caught on for other applications such as department stores and movie theaters.

Choosing the correct size of your air conditioner is an important factor that determines the operating efficiency and level of comfort in your home. An over-sized air conditioner will cycle on and off (quickly over-cool the air, shuts off too soon and starts up again). An undersized air conditioner may operate OK during cool days but will not effectively cool your entire home, when needed. On hot days, it will run continuously trying to keep up with the demand but will not succeed because it is undersized. A correctly sized air conditioner should run a full cycle ensuring your home stays cooler longer, will not cycle on and off and will not fall short of meeting the temperature demand when needed.

Factors that impacts sizing the air conditioner include:

• Total volume of the living space – not just the area.
• The area of the exposed exterior walls.
• The orientation of the home with respect to the sun.
• The condition and number of panes of windows.
• The age of the home and type of construction material.
• Rating of the various insulation barriers (walls, attic, basement, crawl space, etc.)
• Amount of duct leakage and air infiltration.
• Shading from trees or shrubs.

Air conditioners are mechanical systems that should be maintained on a regular basis to ensure proper operation. In addition to checking gauge pressures, blower motors and other components, maintenance includes changing filters and cleaning the coils (both the outdoor condenser coil and the indoor evaporator coil). If the outdoor coil is clogged, it can cause the refrigerant copper lines to burst or even the compressor to stop functioning due to an electrical overload. If the inside coil gets clogged, the evaporation/condensation process will be impacted causing the coil to ice over. Complete icingwill stop air from flowing through the coils and will eventually stifle the coil and stop the entire cooling process.

Preventive maintenance is key to preventing or reducing chances of an air conditioner breaking down when it is needed the most – on hot and humid summer days. Additionally, preventive maintenance improves system performance, reduces energy costs and helps to extend the service life of your system parts and equipment. Here are some of the items that a qualifiedtechnician performs during an annual maintenance visit:

• Tighten all electrical connections
• Lubricate all moving parts
• Check and inspect the condensate drain
• Check controls of the system
• Clean evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils
• Check your central air conditioner’s refrigerant level
• Clean and adjust blower components
• Check thermostat settings

In short, the air in an ocean environment is salty and it is harmful to air conditioners as well asmetals, wood, etc.Salt in the air is harsh and it shortens the life of the equipment. Salt air exposure causes corrosion of the condenser coils (component of air conditioner located outside) andin the long run, turns aluminum coils into powder.

Occasional rinsing and washing of the condenser coil with fresh clean water reduces the effects of salt air corrosion. Another method that will prolong the life of the condenser coil is cleaning and applying a specialized coating. In addition, applying a lubricant to the moving parts, on a weekly basis during the summer months is also recommended.

The noise that is associated with older air conditioner starting up mostly comes from the compressor. Today’s air conditioners are quitter than ever. Noise could also come from several sources, here are a few:

• • • A fan that produces a rattling or harsh humming noise indicating a loose fan.
    • A humming or grinding noise coming from a motor indicates that it needs lubrication
    • Vibration from a working air conditioner can cause screws to come loose.
    • Coil fins clogged with dirt and debris restricts the flow of air and can result in a noisy air conditioner.

So if you hear an unusual noise from your air conditioner, it is an indication of a malfunction somewhere. Delaying investigating the cause of the noise may further damage the unit, may result in more costly repairs down the road, and may shorten the life of the unit.As a precaution, turn off the unit and call a professional to have your unit thoroughly inspected.