|
|
|
A Checklist For Bathroom Remodeling Plans
Careful planning is the key to a successful bathroom-remodeling project. Before you begin any work in the bathroom, create a budget, a floor plan, a list of supplies, a timetable, and important legal considerations. Let's break it down by subject.
...
Buying an Unfinished Home maybe Your Answer
For the first time “want-to-be” homeowner, purchasing an unfinished new home maybe just the answer. With mortgage interest rates still at record lows, there has not been a better time to purchase a home in decades. However, home prices have...
Finishing your Basement Can be Very Rewarding
Transforming your home's basement into a finished space can prove to be very rewarding. Frequently the additional living space is used for a variety of entertainment functions including: Recreation Rooms, Bars, Gyms, Billiard Rooms, Home Theatres...
Lighting up Your Life
You are visiting a friend that has just had a beautiful kitchen remodel done. It is a lovely kitchen with stunning granite countertops and a sharp looking tile backsplash. The glass door cabinets are filled with the good china. Somehow after...
Mahogany's Beauty and Durability Makes it Ideal for Deck Construction
A couple of years ago I had the chance to tour several newly constructed Adirondack homes. One of the areas that particularly stood out for me while touring these homes were the decks. All used Mahogany lumber for both the decking and the railing...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Caring For Your Air Conditioner
When it comes to getting the most from your air conditioner
there are some things you can do that will extend its life and
keep it operating at maximum efficiency. All of these things
fall under the category of maintenance. Much of this maintenance
you can do yourself. Some will require hiring a contractor.
1) First on the list are filters. The filter in your air
conditioner is very important and should be changed every three
to six months, depending on how fast it becomes dirty.
There is nothing wrong with changing the filter too often but
not changing it often enough can cost you in many ways.
- Ice build up - This happens from low airflow through the
evaporator coil. If the ice build up is severe enough it can
damage the evaporator coil.
- Poor equipment performance - A dirty filter will decrease the
efficiency of the air conditioning unit and increase operating
costs by as much as 20% or more.
- Increased wear on the compressor - This is because it has to
run for longer periods of time to do its job. More run time
equals shorter life span. Compressor changes are very expensive.
2) Check the evaporator coil located inside the air handler
(section inside your home) once a year to make sure there is no
dust build up on the coil surface. This condition causes the
same symptoms as a dirty filter.
3) At the beginning of each
cooling season it is a good idea to
check the outside section of the air conditioner (condensing
unit). Check around the unit and make sure there is no debris on
the surface of the condenser that will restrict airflow. Also
check between the fins of the condenser to see that it is not
plugged with dead bugs or pollen. This stuff usually accumulates
over time and depending on where you live may not be a problem.
Spraying the condenser with a garden hose is usually enough to
remove this debris.
4) Check the belt in the air handler and replace as required.
Many air conditioners made today use direct drive motors and
therefore only require that the motor bearings be oiled once per
year.
5) It is also important to check contactors and all electrical
components. Most of these will be located inside the condensing
unit. The contactor operates the compressor and the contacts get
pitted and need to be replaced occasionally. Different
manufacturers use different types of contactors. Some last much
longer than others. Check all electrical connections for
tightness and make sure no wires are rubbing against metal
surfaces.
About the author:
There are some very important things to consider when selecting
home air conditioners.
Visit ac-central.com where Don shares twenty years of experience
in the air conditioning industry.
|
|
|
|
|
|