Found in many homes across the U.S., central air conditioning keeps residences comfortable during the hottest months of the year. For Colorado homeowners, this is an essential tool used to stay cool for many of the sunny days found in the local climate.

Learning about how central air conditioners work can help you stay ahead of any issues that might arise so that you can avoid costly repairs. Keep reading to discover more about central air conditioning units and where to find Denver air conditioner repair if your system shuts down.

About Central AC

Using a central air conditioning unit is one of the best ways to cool down an entire home. These quiet units are virtually unnoticeable, unlike bulky window units. Plus, they have enough power to cool multiple floors and rooms. This helps free up window space while keeping your home at a comfortable temperature all summer long. Your central air conditioning unit will become such a staple of your day-to-day life, you’ll probably forget it even exists.

Central AC units can also be programmed with all the new technology. These smart AC units can pair to a phone app or other smart device so you can control it remotely. This can help you save money on your energy bills, since you adjust the settings from room to room. Keep air from flowing into unused areas or turn the thermostat off when you’re not home.

How it functions

Every central air conditioning unit features two primary functions occurring simultaneously both inside and outside your home.

Located inside the home, the cold side of the system cools warm indoor air with a cooling device. This device is a cold coil filled with refrigerant that absorbs the warmth from the air. The refrigerant then transforms from a liquid into a gas during this process before pushing the cooled air back into the space.

At the same time, the external hot side of the system is compressing the refrigerant gas before pushing into another coil. Heat from the indoor air is released outside while the refrigerant transforms from a gas back to a liquid. In tandem, the fan of the AC unit sucks in outside air through the coil so that no heat from the house is absorbed into it.

This results in a cycle of humidity and heat leaving the home by being removed from the air inside while cool air is being created and pushed in.

Let’s take a look at the step-by-step process of how this system works:

1. Located in a central location of your home, the thermostat monitors the indoor air temperature. This control pad includes sensors that signal to the unit when the air temperature is meeting the cooling threshold.
2. Once the unit is signaled, the indoor unit fan starts to pull in hot air through the air ducts. Any airborne particles like dust, lint, or pet dander are collected in the air filters.
3. The warm filtered air travels over the cooling cool and the refrigerant inside the coil turns from a liquid to a gas. The refrigerant then absorbs the heat from the air.
4. The cool air is blown back into the home by the indoor blower fan.
5. The refrigerant gas travels outside into the outdoor compressor unit where it is pressurized and sent to the outdoor condenser coil.
6. Outdoor air is pulled into the condenser coil by the outdoor unit fan so that it can absorb the excess heat energy from the indoor air.
7. While this is happening, the refrigerant turns back into liquid form and travels back inside where the cycle continues.

Contact Go Green Heating and Air Conditioning for Denver AC repair, maintenance, and installation.

No matter the season, HVAC systems can keep your living space at a comfortable temperature. But not every HVAC system is a good fit for every home. What’s the best unit for you? To find the answer, you’ll need to consider the following:

HVAC Size

If you select a HVAC unit that’s too small for your home, the system will need to work harder to regulate the temperature. The consequences of the mismatch may not be immediately apparent, but the unit will eventually experience breakdowns and excessive wear from overworking itself. In other words, it’ll have a shorter-than-average lifespan.

An HVAC that’s too big for your home can also be problematic. They may turn on and off too frequently, leading to excess noise, excess wear, and sudden temperature changes. An oversized system may also fail to dehumidify your living space. Lastly, you’ll be overpaying for the unit and its installation.

To determine the ideal HVAC size for a home, experts use a Manual J load calculation. Call an HVAC technician today for an evaluation.

Personal Preferences

Although size is perhaps the most important factor, here are a few other things to consider:

●  Do you need a unit that can cool the entire home?

If the answer is “no,” think about purchasing a ductless mini-split model. These are intended to regulate the temperature in a single room or space. As the name implies, these models forgo ductwork, which can save you money in the long run.

●  Do you want a single-stage or variable-speed system?

A single-stage system operates at a single speed. It’s the simplest and cheapest option upfront. Variable-speed systems have more than one speed setting, meaning they won’t operate at full power unless it’s absolutely necessary. They are more efficient and have a longer lifespan. Variable-speed systems also result in the most comfortable experience, as you won’t have to deal with sudden temperature changes or abrupt noises.

●  Do you want hybrid heating?

A hybrid system uses both natural gas and electricity as fuel. Although some Denver residents simply stick with a gas-fired furnace or electric heat pump throughout the winter, a hybrid system can be more efficient, saving you money over time.

●  Do you want any extra features?

Modern units have advanced features such as compatibility with smart thermostats. Don’t feel pressured to pick a system with all the latest bells and whistles. A system that fits within your budget and perfectly regulates the temperature is really all you need. If you want to be on the cutting-edge of HVAC tech, carefully research all your options before making an expensive purchase.

Judging Efficiency

When efficiency is your top priority, be sure to familiarize yourself with SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings. The yellow sticker will tell you what you need to know about a unit’s efficiency. The federal minimum rating is 14, but some units have a rating that exceeds 20z.

One final tip: Reach out to local HVAC contractors to find out what types of units they can install, maintain, and repair. To lower the overall cost, you’ll want to buy a unit that nearby technicians are familiar with. If your HVAC experiences problems, a local repairman can make repairs ASAP. Visit our website to learn more about the  best HVAC Denver options.

Not all HVAC woes require a pro to come out and offer an opinion and repair. Some items can be tackled by you, DIY style, though we do offer some guidance and education there. There’s a lot of common reasons you may be experiencing issues with your HVAC unit or system, and many of them can be tackled all by yourself, without the need to call out a pro or pay the labor costs. We love to offer you world class service, but we also want your HVAC system to be running as smoothly as possible, even when we’re not there.

Among the most common causes for troubleshooting and DIY HVAC fixes is the various parts of the system or unit that should be cleaned. Proper inspection throughout the year is one of the best moves you can make to save yourself time and money by preventing problems from coming up. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to fix units in need of a good cleaning and you avoid an even costlier fix later down the road.

Dealing with dirty filters

If you have an airflow malfunction, there’s a very good chance that the first place you should look for to find the culprit is the air filter. Air filters are designed to capture debris like dust particles out of the air to keep them from circulating and being breathed in by you. But, they don’t last forever; that dust has to go somewhere. So, you need to be vigilant about your air filters. A dirty air filter can cause more than just airflow problems, they can cause AC units to freeze and furnaces to overheat. They can become dangerous, which is why you should routinely monitor and replace them when they’ve become too dirty.

Cleaning the condenser coil

The condenser coil has the crucial job of cooling the liquid refrigerant in the system that keeps the air and machine cool. A condenser coil that’s dirty will fail as a method of heat transfer and cause the system to freeze up. It can even kill the compressor, causing even more problems. The good news is, they’re an easy clean. As long as the machine is turned off, you can easily hose down the condenser coil to clean off dirt and debris and get it working again. Be sure to routinely check it for cleaning needs.

Indoor coil maintenance

The evaporator coil is located inside your home and sits on top of your furnace or air handler system. It has the important job of capturing hot air from inside your home. If it gets dirty, it runs into a similar problem as the filter — air flow gets restricted. While this one is cleanable by you, it’s often hard to diagnose problems on your own and requires a set of professional eyes to get right. Having your furnace inspected regularly is one way to prevent this.

Give us a call to discuss your HVAC troubleshooting needs or have a professional head out to your home to help!

When the air conditioner in your home goes on the fritz, you really don’t want to wait to get it fixed. Especially if you’re in the peak of summer or about to be facing some very hefty heat waves before you can get it working again. It’s not just about comfort, it’s also about safety. The air conditioner in your home provides a necessary and vital function and without them you could find the health and safety of your household at risk.

Common Air Conditioner Problems

There are some chronic and common problems that plague most air conditioner units. While not all units and not all their problems are created equal, there are some common calls that come into service centers with requests for a technicians help:

Low refrigerant

This is the substance inside the unit that actually cools the air that’s pulled in. Without it, the air conditioner unit can’t really do its job right. More often, the cause behind the low levels of refrigerant are more important than the problem itself. A leak or block needs to be diagnosed and fixed quickly.

Condenser coil problems

The condenser coils are the device that absorb heat from the air to help the refrigerant do its job. There’s a couple of different reasons they could be faulty including frozen coils from too little warm air or dirty coils when they become too covered with dirt and grime pulled out of the air. This can be a problem in cities where smog circulates.

Fan problems

There are multiple fans in your air conditioner unit and problems with any one of them could cause a real problem in air flow and could cause your unit to become faulty. A neglected fan problem can lead to worse mechanical issues like compressor failure and more.

Clogs

Your air conditioner pulls moisture out of the air and it needs somewhere to go. If the drains that funnel the collected moisture out clog, then you’ve got the potential of a leak or worse. If you notice leaking around your unit, this could be the issue.

Dangers of Not Getting Problems Fixed

If you neglect any air conditioner problem and allow it to persist without proper maintenance, you could be risking a lot and not just further breaks to your system. There are some real health and safety risks that can arise from an air conditioning unit that’s not properly working:

Mold

Your AC unit pulls moisture out of the air, if you live in a particularly humid place, then mold can begin to grow unabated if your AC unit is not working. This can be dangerous for those with respiratory issues

Electric failure

This can be very dangerous. If your AC unit faces an electrical failure then it could cause further electrical problems or even become a fire hazard.

Allergens

With the filtering system of the unit, then allergens and debris in the air will be allowed to circulate, causing problems for those with allergies.

If you’re looking for a Denver air conditioning repair company, Go Green Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. We have the experience to fix your air conditioner when it starts acting strange or replace it altogether. Don’t wait to get it fixed. Contact us today.

Choosing the right air conditioner can help you save time, money, and energy costs. However, since there are a lot of options out there, it’s essential to be prepared. Find out how to choose the right Denver air conditioning with this quick air conditioner home guide.

Size Matters

Sizing factors vary from home to home, but did you know that choosing the wrong size of air conditioning unit decreases efficiency? Many homeowners and installers swear by the method of sizing based on square footage. This air conditioning sizing method doesn’t always provide the most reliable information, however. Many untrained air conditioning contractors who follow this sizing method end up installing the incorrect system for your home.

The Manual J sizing method calculates factors differently than other sizing methods by using precision. Everything from exterior surface areas, window quality, possible air leaks, and insulation values are calculated using the Manual J method. This method is the only one used at Go Green Denver Heating and Air Conditioning. Avoid over spending on utilities and repair costs with a company that calculates every factor, including size, when it comes to air conditioning installation.

Consider Energy

Many recent air conditioning models feature new and improved efficiency features. These new ratings are the result of technological advancements and are required to be listed by their manufacturers. Most units include an energy guide label that shows estimated operating costs, so this is a good thing to consider when looking into new units.

Considering energy not only helps in overall operating cost, but is more environmentally friendly with a more efficient and quieter unit. Each unit rating is dependent on the product’s SEER, seasonal energy efficiency ratio. Choosing an AC unit with a SEER of 20 or higher means that your unit is 60 percent more efficient than the older air conditioning models. Although the price tag may be higher for the installation and unit itself, energy savings in the long run will be much more than the predecessors.

Budgeting Factors

There are many things to include in your budgeting plan for a new air conditioner. Size and installation, as well as unit brands, determine initial costs. However, existing ductwork for heating and cooling systems could decrease the installation costs since the installer won’t have to start from scratch. The best way to determine the overall cost of your new air conditioning system is to call a professional. Ask any questions you can and be upfront about your needs and budget.

Although an initial “deal” on an air conditioning unit sounds nice, you may run into more long-term problems with the unit. Spending a little more from your budget on the correct installation and unit up front may protect your wallet in future. A professional at Go Green Heating and Air Conditioning can help you decide which unit is right for you and help calculate installation costs. Choosing the right AC unit can help lower energy bills and repair costs, so you’ll continue to save money in future.