Air Conditioner Repair Call Ride Along

Complicated AC repair Sacramento

What seemed like a simple AC repair call turned complicated…

It’s no secret Sacramento has been delivering some unbearable summer heat these past few weeks! With the heat comes a lot of broken air conditioners. We try and gauge the type of call we are going on as we schedule appointments. With this air conditioner repair call we had a pretty good idea of the problem and were ready to tackle it.

Check out the details in our latest VLOG. See if Greg fixed it and if so how and what it took to get the cool air blowing again. Contact us for all of your Sacramento area AC repair needs.

5 Preventive Measures to Keep the AC Cooling Your Sacramento Home

It is can be very inconvenient to return home to an air conditioning system which is blowing heated air instead of cooling the home during the hotter months of the year. Sacramento homeowners can take several measures to avoid the costs and inconveniences associated with such a malfunction. This article discusses some of those preventive measures.

Your HVAC System & Landscaping

One of the most common reasons why an AC may fail to cool a home is the lack of the recommended clearance around the outdoor unit. Flowers and shrubs can overgrow and block the flow of air around that external unit of the AC. Debris, such as litter from trees, can also constrict the flow of air around the unit.

This reduced airflow affects how easily the heated air from your home can be cooled before being recirculated through the ductwork. Avoid this problem by trimming any shrubs or flowers which reduce the clearance around the unit. Clean the yard frequently so that debris isn’t allowed to accumulate close to the external unit of your air conditioner. The prolonged accumulation of debris around the outdoor unit can result in high HVAC repair Sacramento bills.

Check the Filter Frequently

The air filter of your AC system can also have an adverse effect on how well the system can cool the home when the weather is hot. Clogged filters prevent air from flowing freely through the system. Consequently, the rate at which the AC cools your home will be compromised.

Different models of filters come with different recommendations about the interval of cleaning or replacing them. However, those recommended filter change or cleaning intervals can be affected by the specific conditions in your home. For example, the filter in a home with several pets may clog faster than a home without pets that shed dander.
It is therefore a good habit to set a reminder so that you can check the filter on a monthly basis. Remove that filter in accordance with the procedure stipulated in the user manual of the AC unit. Hold it against the light and clean or replace it in case you cannot see light filtering through it. This method will ensure that you can always intervene before a dirty filter causes the AC to blow heated air through your home.

Enclose the Units

The system can blow heated/warm air in case something affects a section of the electrical wiring within the indoor or outdoor unit of the air conditioner. This is particularly possible in case you have young children or pets which damage any exposed wiring.

You can protect your kids and pets from being shocked by electricity and also protect the AC from damage by enclosing the indoor and outdoor units in a protective cage or wall. This will keep curious kids and pets from the electrical wires of those components.

Use a Programmable Thermostat

Warm air coming from your AC can also circulate in your home in case some components of your HVAC system, such as the condenser, wear out due to working excessively when you set the thermostat low during the hot months of the year. The AC will keep cycling on and off frequently in a bid to maintain the desired temperature. Over time, some components will wear out and unfortunately fail.

You can avert such premature failure by installing a programmable thermostat. Set that device to change the temperature setting depending on the hours when you are away or within the home. For example, the thermostat can automatically raise its temperature setting during the hours when you are at work. The settings can then change shortly before you get back home in the evening. Our technicians always have the latest technology available to install.

Using a programmable thermostat will reduce how much work the different AC components have to do. Consequently, they will last longer and you will reduce the chance that your home will be warm yet the AC is running. Heating and air conditioning professionals in Sacramento can help during the installation of the new thermostat.

Clean Inside Your Home

The dust and other contaminants inside your home can clog the filter and ducts of your air conditioning system. Those clogs affect how freely conditioned air can flow into the different rooms of the home. Regular vacuuming and dusting can remove that dust before it takes a toll on the AC system and affects how well the home is cooled during the summer.

Keeping your home dust and dander free will go a long way towards averting many of the reasons why an air conditioning system blows warm air when it is expected to cool the home. However, the steps above are no guarantee that the system will not have any defects over time. Call an air conditioning repair technician in Sacramento and let that experts at Fox Family Heating and Air inspect and fix any issue which could have compromised the effectiveness of the AC.

When It Is Better to Replace Instead of Repair Your HVAC System

what to expect from us

Some homeowners in Sacramento may not know when they should pull the plug on an HVAC unit and replace it. This article discusses some of the considerations you should have a mind as you decide between repairing the unit and replacing it. So when is it better to replace instead of repair your HVAC system?

Level of the Defect

The level of malfunction from your HVAC unit is a good starting point when thinking about repairing or replacing that unit. Some defects, such as shorted electrical wires, are a no-brainer since they cost very little to fix. However, it may be wiser for you to replace the unit in case a Sacramento heating and air expert tells you that a major component, such as the compressor, has failed.

The decision to replace the air conditioning unit becomes more obvious in case the system is no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Install a new unit so that you reduce your anxiety about more costly repairs.

The Type of Refrigerant

The type of refrigerant in your HVAC system can also help you to decide whether you should replace the unit. Many AC defects, such as refrigerant leaks, require the system to be charged with additional refrigerant after repairs have been completed.

Older refrigerants, such as R-22, are more costly to use because their supply is limited. Such refrigerants are being phased out due to environmental concerns. Switching to a new system can save the cost of recharging the system each time a defect develops.

Changes to Your Home

Has an HVAC defect come at a time when you recently made major changes to your home? It may make more sense to replace an HVAC unit instead of repairing it at such a time.

Why is that recommended? Major home modifications can affect the sizing of the HVAC unit. For example, extensions increase the load which the AC unit must deal with on a daily basis. The AC may now be overworked because it was selected to address a different set of conditions.

Replacing that AC is, therefore, a good move because you will be able to pick a unit which is ideal for the new conditions in your modified home.

Older Units

The different components of your AC are designed to last approximately the same number of years. Does it make sense to keep repairing one component after another as they start breaking down due to age?

It may be more cost-effective to replace an older unit instead of spending money on various repairs.

Reliability Issues

How often do you find yourself having to call a Sacramento HVAC professional each year? Frequent repairs mean the HVAC unit may be approaching the end of its life.

Think of the cost of repairing that unit when compared to replacing it. For example, multiply the repair estimate by the age of that AC unit. Any result which exceeds $5000 (the average cost of a new unit) should bias you towards buying a new unit. Talk to an air conditioner replacement expert in Sacramento in case you are unsure about the correct calculations while determining whether repairing or replacing the AC unit will address the reliability issues which you have been experiencing.

So is it bettert to replace instead of repair your HVAC system? It may not always be easy to decide whether it is worthwhile to keep repairing an existing system or replace it with a new HVAC system. Consult with heating and air conditioning professionals in Sacramento to avoid replacing an HVAC system that has many years left. Whether you decide to replace or repair your HVAC system, Fox Family Heating and Air is here to help.

Wet HVAC Filters in Sacramento Homes

The summer comes with several potential air conditioner problems, such as soggy AC filters. The wetness can compromise the performance of the HVAC system by blocking the flow of air and giving a chance to mold and other biological matter to grow within the system. Today we share some of the common causes of this problem and also explores the ways Sacramento homeowners can deal with it should this happen to you.

Improper AC Installation

You should suspect that the filter is wet due to improper HVAC system installation if you recently replaced your AC unit with a new one. The filter can become wet if the condensate line wasn’t installed appropriately. Improper condensate line installation prevents the accumulated moisture from flowing away from the HVAC unit under the force of gravity. Consequently, the water will stay stagnant within the system and eventually find its way into the filter.

This problem can be addressed by altering the position of the condensate line so that it slopes away from the AC unit. Often times this problem goes unnoticed until lots of water has built up leaving you with a big mess to clean up. Moral of the story, check your filters monthly.

Clogged Drain Lines

HVAC systems that have been in place for long may develop clogs within the drain line (condensate line). Such clogs may be a result of the intrusion of various forms of debris or insects. Water will be unable to flow out and away from the AC unit when such a clog exists. This defect can be prevented by asking an AC maintenance technician to visit your Sacramento home regularly in order to perform routine maintenance on the entire AC system.

The clog can be removed using appropriate equipment, such as a small plumbing snake. This task should be left to professionals in order to avoid damaging the system. We have seen all too many DIY cleaning jobs go wrong.

Excessive Air Conditioner Pressure

Excessive system pressure can also cause the filters in the HVAC system to become wet. How does the pressure reach this undesirable level? Some Sacramento homeowners block the vents in some sections of their homes in order to reduce the cost of conditioning the air in the living spaces in those homes. Such deliberate or accidental closures of vents can cause the remaining ductwork to be exposed to intense pressure as the AC strives to maintain the desired temperature within the home.

Condensation will form at a high rate during such high-pressure conditions. That condensation can easily find its way into the filters and cause them to become wet. Make sure that all the AC vents are open in case you notice that the filter is becoming wet. Ask an HVAC system maintenance professional to inspect the ductwork of your Sacramento home so that any debris clogging the ducts can be removed.

Defective AC Seals

The difference in temperature between the air around the exterior AC unit and the temperature inside that unit can cause the filters to become wet in case the seals of the AC unit deteriorate and allow condensation to form within that unit.
The water vapor inside the evaporator coil may freeze. Some of that moisture can easily end up being carried throughout the HVAC system until it reaches the air filters and makes them wet.

Regular maintenance can prevent such a problem since the technician will identify and replace any damaged seals on the indoor or outdoor AC units.

Clogged Air Filters

The air filters themselves may also be responsible for the wetness that you notice. A clogged filter will not allow air to flow easily through its filter media. Consequently, any water vapor contained in the air struggling to pass through may cool and form water droplets which gradually make the filter media to become soggy. It is, therefore, necessary for you to check the air filter in your Sacramento home regularly so that you replace or clean that filter as soon as you notice that it has become clogged.

Avoid simply replacing the air filter as soon as you notice that it is wet. Investigate and find out the root cause of that wetness. Ask an experienced HVAC repair company in Sacramento for help in case you are unable to establish the underlying cause of the sogginess. This will save you from wasting money on replacement filters that quickly become wet since the cause of the wetness hasn’t been addressed. At Fox Family Heating & Air, we are honest, affordable, and respectful of your time and property.

Why is My Outdoor AC Unit Not Starting?

DIY HVAC Repair

Some homeowners in Sacramento may panic and call an HVAC technician for help as soon as they realize that the external unit hasn’t come on after they turn the AC on. Some homeowners are great at DIY when it comes to repairing appliances. You can save some money by trying some basic solutions before asking a professional heating and air company for help. Today we share some insider trade secrets with you.

Check the Thermostat Settings

The outdoor unit of your air conditioner may fail to turn on when adjusting your thermostat. Adjust the temperature setting to a level which is lower than the current ambient temperature. If it is working correctly the outdoor unit will start humming a few minutes after you input those new thermostat settings. One of the most common culprits, when the thermostat is not connecting to the outdoor unit is the batteries. Believe it or not, we get calls often and the problem is a corroded battery in the thermostat.

Check the Circuit Breakers

It is also important for you to open the electric panel in order to check whether the breaker of the external AC unit has tripped. That breaker is usually labelled as “AC”. Flip it to the “off” position and wait a few minutes before moving it to the “on” position.

Call a Sacramento heating and air company to inspect the AC in case the outdoor unit starts and stalls shortly after you have reset the circuit breaker. This precaution is necessary because the system may have a serious underlying problem that is causing the breaker to keep tripping.

Check the Power Switch

The power switch of the air conditioning unit usually looks like any other switch within the home. This power switch may be located in the attic, crawl space or closet close to the furnace of the unit. Locate this switch and turn it back on in case it had been turned off inadvertently.

Clean the Outdoor Unit

You should also consider cleaning the outdoor unit in case your AC fails to start. Cleaning the unit can remove the debris which may be causing it to overheat each time it runs for a while. Getting rid of all the debris around it will therefore allow air circulation to be restored around that unit so that it stays cool and doesn’t trigger the shutdown switch.

Reset the Outdoor Unit

The outdoor unit may also be failing to start simply because its safety switch was triggered and it turned off the unit. Electrical overloads and overheating are some of the reasons why the safety switch may be engaged to protect the unit from damage.

Start by turning the power switch off from the thermostat inside the home. Wait for a few minutes (five minutes, for example) and turn that switch back on. This will reset the safety switch and the unit will power up once more.

Check the Condensate Pump

The external unit of the air conditioner in your Sacramento home may fail to start in case someone accidentally disconnected the condensate pump. That pump helps to force out any water that is collected as the AC system does its work.

Water can therefore accumulate within the AC unit in case this pump is disconnected. The outdoor unit fails to start as a way to avert any serious damage which can result once the condensate pump isn’t working to get rid of the water which collects as warm air cools and allows water droplets to form. Reconnect this pump and the exterior unit will start working.
You should make sure that the power is turned off before you attempt to perform any repairs or maintenance work on your AC unit. This will safeguard you from any electrical hazards that you may be exposed to while you work. We recently published a blog about causes of wet AC filters which gives you a more in-depth look at the condensate pump.

Enlist the help of a Sacramento HVAC professional in case you are unsure about what you should do to get the external unit to start working again.

Is an AC tune-up worth it? Yes!

AC tune-up

People who have just bought their first home or have recently installed a new AC may be asking themselves “is an AC tune-up worth it?”  Is it really necessary to have the air conditioning system tuned-up annually?  This article discusses some of the key benefits that Sacramento homeowners will enjoy when they hire a Sacramento heating and air conditioning company like Fox Family Heating and Air Conditioning to tune-up the AC.

Improved Energy Efficiency

Dirt, dust, and other debris gradually accumulates on the different components of the AC, such as the evaporator coils. Those accumulations affect the efficiency of the system in different ways. For example, the dust can prevent the exchange of heat from the evaporator coils. This impediment causes the system to use more energy as it struggles to maintain the desired temperature in your home. Regular tune-ups will prevent this inefficiency.

Warranty Protection

Manufacturers of air conditioning systems offer buyers warranties that have conditions. One of the common requires that the air conditioner be maintained regularly (at least annually) by certified professionals. Any warranty claim made without proof that an AC tune-up was performed at the required intervals can result in a rejection of that claim.  Air conditioning repair technicians in Sacramento can perform the required maintenance so the AC manufacturer honors any warranty claim.

System Longevity

It is also worthwhile to have your AC tune-up completed because that maintenance helps to enable the system to last for as long as the manufacturer intended it to. For example, Fox Family Heating and Air technicians check the lubrication of the moving parts of the HVAC equipment. Proper lubrication protects the components from premature wear due to excessive friction. Tune-ups are therefore a good investment since they save you from having to buy a new AC sooner than expected.

Eco-Friendliness

Air conditioning tune-ups have the added benefit of making your HVAC systems environmentally friendly. How does this happen? An AC tune-up can detect problems, such as refrigerant leaks before they worsen and discharge greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Secondly, barriers to efficiency are removed so that the system uses the least amount of energy needed to keep the home within the desired temperature range. You will be contributing towards protecting the environment when you take care of your AC tune-up.

Reduced Repair Costs

Sacramento air conditioning repair professionals perform tune-ups as a way of averting frequent system failures. The tune-ups forestall bigger problems by catching them early. For instance, the technician may check how much energy the motor is consuming as it works. This tune-up activity helps to fix any defects before those defects cause a malfunction that may be costly to repair.

Improved Air Quality

The air that you and your family members breathe while inside your home depends on how well the air conditioner is doing its work. For example, a defective filter can allow contaminants to keep recirculating within the home. Similarly, a clogged condensate line can result in higher humidity levels in the home. This can allow mold and other biological matter to thrive and compromise the health of the home’s occupants. Fox Family Heating and Air Conditioning can provide AC system tune-ups to improve the quality of the air in your home.

Peace of Mind

Having an air conditioning system tune-up performed will ease any fears or concerns about your AC.  Get a clean bill of health with a professional tune-up, with any anomalies found and fixed. Rest assured that the AC will not suddenly fail, unless an unforeseen calamity, such as a flood, damages the equipment.

The cost of having the annual ac tune-up done pales in comparison to the higher costs and inconveniences that you may expose yourself to when you neglect to have the tune-ups done. Hire an experienced heating and air conditioning repair or maintenance company in Sacramento. Contact Fox Family Heating and Air Conditioning to keep your home’s AC at its best throughout the year. Our maintenance club is an affordable solution many clients find to be a great value while enjoying comfort and peace of mind. 

How Your Air Conditioner Works

HVAC system repair

Some Sacramento homeowners may think that their AC works by removing hot air from the home and replacing that hot air with cool air. However, this is far from the truth. Read on and learn how experts from Fox Family Heating & Air, a Sacramento heating and air conditioning company, explain how your air conditioner works in order to cool your home during the hot months of the year.

Two Synchronized Movements

Two kinds of movement work together to deliver comfort to you in your home. The first movement involves the sucking of warm air into the vents in your home. Remember, warm air rises, so the warmest air in your home is the one that gets sucked into the vents for circulation through the AC system. This same air returns through the return air registers when it has cooled down. How it cools down is connected to the second kind of movement in the AC system.

The second movement has to do with the refrigerant in the AC. This refrigerant is cold before it gains heat from the air moving around it. The refrigerant then heats up and goes through a system that cools it before returning it to absorb more heat. The same refrigerant keeps undergoing these transformations without needing to be recharged. You should, therefore, contact air conditioning repair experts in Sacramento in case you see any signs of a refrigerant leak. The process of heating then cooling the refrigerant will become clearer once you understand the workings of the two key parts of the air conditioning system as discussed below.

The Indoor Unit

The indoor unit of an air conditioner is normally installed in the basement or the attic in most homes. The main component of this indoor unit is the evaporator. The evaporator has coils within which a refrigerant circulates. The refrigerant is initially cold.

The hot air which has been sucked by the vents in the different rooms of your home passes over these coils containing the cold refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs the heat from this warm air and that heat causes the refrigerant to turn into a gas (that is why the unit is called the evaporator). The air is now cool and is returned to the different rooms in order to make you feel more comfortable.

Meanwhile, the heated refrigerant (which is now a gas) travels towards the outdoor unit in order to be cooled so that it can absorb more heat from the next batch of heated air coming from the rooms in your home.

The Outdoor Unit

The main components of the outdoor unit of your air conditioner are the compressor and the condenser. The heated air from the indoor unit travels out and finds the compressor. This compressor pressurizes the heated air and pushes it towards the condenser.

The condenser has fins similar to those in the radiator of your vehicle. These fins provide a large area into which the compressed refrigerant is released. The large surface area allows the pressurized gas to spread out.

Meanwhile, fans blow air across the surface of the fins into which heated air has been released. That ambient air absorbs the heat from the refrigerant and the refrigerant cools. The refrigerant converts into a liquid as it loses heat to the air around the condenser fins. That is why this section of the outdoor unit is called the condenser (it facilitates the condensation of the hot refrigerant gas into a cold liquid). This cold liquid flows towards the indoor unit where it will absorb heat from the warm air coming from the vents in your home. You may need to consider air conditioner replacement (Sacramento) in case a major component, such as the compressor, fails and the outdoor unit can no longer do its work.

The process described above is repeated until the thermostat detects that the temperature inside the home has dropped to the desired level. A signal is then sent to the control unit of the AC to shut off the system. Another signal will be sent later to restart the system once the thermostat detects that the temperature has risen beyond the set level. Your AC keeps cycling on and off throughout the day in order to keep the home at the desired temperature.

The discussion above only covers the basics of how your air conditioner works. Other activities, such as the removal of contaminants (by the filter) and the removal of excess humidity (by the dehumidifier) take place while the heated air is moving from the rooms to be cooled and then returned once more.

Any defect at any point of this well-coordinated process will affect the degree of comfort that you experience in your home. That is why it is important to call AC maintenance and repair and repair professionals from trusted companies, such as Fox Family Heating and Air so that an inspection can be conducted to locate and fix the defect.

Why is My AC Overheating?

my A/C has a refrigerant leak

The compressor is one of the most important (and expensive) components of your air conditioner. This crucial component can sustain irreparable damage in case it overheats, and the cause isn’t identified and fixed quickly. This article discusses some of the reasons given by a leading Sacramento heating and air conditioning company, Fox Family Heating and Air, to explain why your AC compressor is overheating.

Electrical Issues

Any defect in the electrical supply can cause the compressor to overheat. For example, a spike in the power supply to your Sacramento home will trigger overheating in the sensitive electrical components of the compressor. Loose connections and compromised insulation can also cause overheating in the compressor. Air conditioner repair professionals in Sacramento can fix this problem before it causes your AC to stall.

Blocked Suction Lines

The compressor of the AC may overheat in case something has constricted the refrigerant line from the indoor unit. This constriction will prevent the refrigerant from flowing at the right pressure and volume as it gets into the compressor. The compressor is therefore likely to overheat as it tries to compensate for that low pressure by sucking harder on the refrigerant.

Dirty Condenser Fins.

The fins on the condenser help to dissipate the heat carried by the refrigerant when it leaves the compressor. This heat may not be lost fully in case those fins are caked by dirt. Consequently, the refrigerant will go back to the evaporator when it isn’t as cool as it should be. The net result is that the refrigerant will be further heated by the warm air in your home and that excessively hot refrigerant will cause the compressor to overheat. Technicians at Fox Family Heating and Air warn that such a problem can cause the compressor to fail and require replacement.

Poorly Sized Refrigerant Lines

The compressor can also overheat in case the refrigerant lines are either too small or too wide. This improper sizing may cause the compressor to overheat as it works overtime to compensate and keep the refrigerant at the required pressure. Get an experienced air conditioner replacement (Sacramento) technician to inspect the AC in case it recently underwent repairs, and you suspect that the wrong refrigerant line was used.

Incorrect Cycling

Oversized or undersized AC units can also cause the compressor to overheat. For example, an undersized AC will stay on for very long to keep the temperature in your Sacramento home at the desired level. This strains all the components, especially the compressor. Overheating becomes inevitable in such situations.

Conversely, an oversized unit will start and stop more times than is usual for a correctly sized unit. These short cycle times also cause overheating because the compressor strains a lot as it is starting up. Contact a Sacramento air conditioning company for help in replacing that oversized or undersized AC.

Insufficient Refrigerant

A refrigerant leak can leave your AC with less refrigerant than is required. Inadequate recharging after air conditioner repairs can also leave the system low on refrigerant. Low refrigerant levels cause the compressor to overheat because the AC will work harder to cool your home. This situation needs to be corrected urgently before it causes a total breakdown of the compressor.

Contaminants

The compressor of your air conditioner is also likely to overheat in case contaminants, such as particulates and other gases, find their way into the refrigerant. Those contaminants are harmful because they prevent the compressor from compressing the refrigerant as it usually does. Insufficient compression strains the compressor and causes it to overheat.

Old Age

The AC may overheat due to age-related wear and tear. The increasing inefficiency of the aging air conditioner makes the compressor to overheat as it tries to keep up with the demands placed upon it during the cooling season of the year. This is particularly common in ACs which have been in use for more than ten years. Such units should be replaced instead of trying to pay attention to the compressor alone.

Although the causes of overheating in an air conditioner compressor seem unrelated, only one measure can keep most of them at bay. Proper maintenance can prevent many of the reasons why compressors overheat. Negotiate an AC service contract with the experts at Fox Family Heating & Air so that your air conditioner is kept working at its best for its entire service life.

5 Reasons My Air Conditioner Needs Locking Safety Caps

Air Conditioning Safety Tips for the Sacramento Region

Today I’m going to give you the top 5 reasons your air conditioner should have locking safety caps on the access ports.  Welcome to Fox Family Heating Air and Solar!

Starting Out

When I started my career in HVAC in 2010, locking safety caps were already required by the International Mechanical Code. The International Mechanical Code is something all 50 states have adopted as their rule for the installation of air conditioning systems.  However, HVAC companies were slow to adopt this rule, most likely because it was just another expense to complete their services for you the homeowner.  So today, I wanted to give you 5 reasons you need locking safety caps on your air conditioner.

In 2009, the International Mechanical Code adopted the code 1011.10 which says “…refrigerant circuit access ports (which carries the refrigerant to and from your outdoor AC, and indoor cold coil) shall be fitted with locking type tamper-resistant caps or shall be otherwise secured to prevent unauthorized access.”

Later in the chapter it says in 1012.3 those same, “…refrigerant circuit access ports shall be protected in accordance with 1011.10 whenever refrigerant is added to or removed from an air conditioning system.”

Taking Care of Those You Love

Here are 5 more reasons why we as homeowners should follow this rule.  No single reason given here is more important than the other, so pay close attention to all of them.  They could affect someone you love.

1.  Prevent someone from deliberately inhaling the refrigerant to get high

It’s called huffing, and it seems to be some sort of game or addiction to obtain a certain feeling in the user’s body and mind.  Pay close attention here.  Did you know the refrigerant in your simple air conditioning system outside your house actually displaces oxygen?  It will literally take your breath away.  According to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (NIPC) and the Alliance for Consumer Education’s (ACE) Inhalant Abuse Prevention, “huffing can cause someone to suffer cardiac arrest and die whenever they 1. inhale, the 1st or the 100th time.”  There are several videos online about this and it’s been happening for a while.

2.  Prevent drug users from stealing your refrigerant

With the cost of R-22 skyrocketing over the last few years because of supply and demand, the second reason we should be putting these locking caps on your air conditioners is to prevent drug users from stealing your refrigerant. Drug users can make a quick buck by stealing it and selling it to someone locally.  This enables them to continue their habits on your dime because now you’re going to have to pay top dollar to have the AC recharged.  At the current price of $100-$200 dollars a pound, that could get expensive real quick!

3. Refrigerant is Poisonous

Number three is simple. AC refrigerant is poisonous, and poison must be kept away from children.  Nobody thinks something bad can happen until it does.  Just doing your part to protect the lives of children can do a world of good.   These locking caps are tamper-resistant, so instead of being able to unscrew the normal caps off the access ports, these locking caps will just keep spinning and spinning until they lose interest in whatever they were trying to do.

4. Protecting the Environment

R-22 is an ozone-depleting substance which the EPA has deemed a controlled substance. The chlorine in R-22 that gets into the air is burning a hole right through the ozone layer.  We should all be trying to do our part in preventing anyone other than a licensed HVAC technician access to your refrigerant.  HVAC techs must add and recover refrigerant in a manner that minimizes refrigerant loss to the atmosphere.  The EPA even requires we carry a card proving we’re allowed to this.  Next time your “HVAC technician” or handyman comes to service your AC, perhaps you’ll want to ask to see their EPA 608 card.

5. Protecting You

The fifth reason to have these locking caps on your AC is to protect you! Protecting yourself from liability in this day and age is crucial.  Everyday business owners, HVAC company owners, and yes even regular homeowners could face negligence charges by not protecting society from the dangers of air conditioning refrigerant.

Okay, Let’s Do It!

I think this is one of those topics we should be proactive about.  As a homeowner, don’t wait until something happens on your property before you agree, “OK, let’s put those locking caps on the AC.”

HVAC company owners, you should know every time your technicians add or remove refrigerant, it’s your responsibility to replace those old twist-off caps with locking caps.  This doesn’t have to be another great selling opportunity.  They’re just locking caps.  Yes, they cost about $350 dollars for a pack of 50 of these caps, but this is just another opportunity for us to protect ourselves from liability.  Charging a reasonable price to cover your costs is really all we as HVAC owners should be doing here.

Doing Due Diligence

At Fox Family, we use NoVent locking caps.  They’re color-coded green for R-22 and red for R-410 refrigerant.  Each color has its own specific key, so I always carry the red and green keys with me in my tool bag.  There are also silver locking caps that are universal.  Either way, a special key is required to place them on, or remove them from the access ports on an air conditioner.

We usually buy these NoVent locking caps and keys at the HVAC supply stores around town.  And these stores try their best to restrict purchases of HVAC tools like these to not just anyone, but, in a pinch, I’ve found the caps are pretty easy for anyone to buy online.  So, even if someone was to be successful getting past your locking caps on your AC, you’ve done your due diligence by adhering to the International Mechanical Code.  In my judgment, you’d be protected because you were trying to do your part to protect others from gaining access to your AC’s refrigerant.

Cover All the Bases

You might say, “well my AC is a package unit up on the roof.”  These units are still required to have locking caps on them unless you have some sort of locked area enclosing the system to prevent anyone from tampering with the equipment.  People can still get on your roof and steal your AC unit if they really want to.

View my video on this very thing: https://youtu.be/9iqJ3QRHEYM.  Just a few months after we installed a brand-new system on a rooftop in Sacramento, the copper coils were stolen right out of the system.  Reports from neighbors said they saw a guy messing with something up there, and all the sudden they saw something white spraying from the unit.  That’s was the copper refrigerant lines that he simply cut and removed from the system.

If someone really wants your system, they can take it, but adding locking safety caps to your AC system WILL help to prevent access to the system.  And that’s really all you can do.

Summary

I hope this has helped explain what locking safety caps are and why you need them on your system.  Once again, let’s be proactive about this and not reactive.  Protect your friends and family and get these locking caps on your system as soon as possible.

Thanks so much for watching and we’ll see you on the next blog!

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Courtesy KJRH-TV, Tulsa, Channel 2

How to Handle a Refrigerant Leak in My Home

how to handle a refrigerant leak at my home

If your HVAC technician tells you your A/C has a refrigerant leak, I want to tell you how we handle that here at Fox Family Heating and Air Conditioning.

The Environmental Protection Agency has updated the requirements related to ozone-depleting and global warming substances like R-22 and R-410, a refrigerant that’s very likely in the HVAC system at your house.

So, how do we handle a refrigerant leak at your home?  After some recent schooling online and some back and forth, I found that we can’t REQUIRE you to fix the leak in residential applications that have less than 50 lbs. of refrigerant or less.  This likely describes your system.  We’re not and you’re not required to find or fix your leaking HVAC system.  This means that if you wanted to gas it up and repeatedly let that refrigerant leak out, you’re apparently not forbidden to do that.

Fox Family’s Position

We at Fox Family have strong feelings about continuing to allow the release of harsh chemicals that contribute to the degradation of our planet, namely the ozone layer, as well as other contributors to global warming.  We also want future generations of plants, animals, and humans to have a chance to enjoy their lives, breathe clean air, and thrive!

Here’s what happens when your system leaks.  Large amounts of CFC’s, HFC’s and HCFC’s (which is what refrigerant is) are spewing into the atmosphere every day.  Industrial and commercial buildings are the main culprit, but far more homes than commercial buildings exist.  Regardless, leaking refrigerants mix with wind currents, air pressure and updrafts, bringing those chemicals into the lower atmosphere.  No matter what people say about chlorine being heavier than air, it’s been proven several times over that these chemicals are amply mixed with our lower and upper atmosphere where they linger.

Unfortunately, rain doesn’t bring them down.  As those chemicals rise even further through updrafts and pressure differences in the air, high energy solar radiation breaks down those chemicals, releasing the damaging chlorine.  Those chlorine particles stay in the stratosphere for several years, where it eats away at the ozone layer.

Having a Conversation

But back to your refrigerant leak.  Some HVAC companies can and do continue to come out and refill your refrigerant for as long as you need it, because face it, you need to be comfortable.  I get it!  But at some point, a Fox Family technician is going to have a conversation with you about finding that leak and coming up with a plan to repair the leak or change out your system.  It’s the right thing to do.

So, do we “gas and go” year after year?  Two to three times at your house is perhaps our limit.  If you don’t want to fix it, your love for the planet may not be in line with ours.  HVAC companies make pretty good money by selling you refrigerant.  It’s easy labor for us, and not very time consuming either.  That’s why it’s called “gas and go.”

Refrigerant Leak Searching

But refrigerant is expensive.  If you’ve got to keep refilling your refrigerant, who knows how often, it can really add up quickly.  If we’ve been to your home before, then we have a baseline from which to draw our information.  But if it’s our first time out, it would be unfair to you for us to recommend you start a leak search immediately.

What if it’s just a loose Schrader core at the service valve where the technicians hook their gauges up?  I’ve seen this before.  The system was way low on charge, and when I took the cap off the service valve, it was slowly shooting liquid refrigerant into the air.  I tightened the core and the system hasn’t leaked out since, or at least they haven’t called me back yet.  But it’s a start.

Striking a Balance

As an HVAC company, we’re damned if we do, and damned if we don’t.  If we say you need a leak search the first time out, people may think we’re being pushy sales-techs.  If we don’t and they leak out again, we might be criticized for not recommending a leak search at our earlier call.  These people will later want us to come back out and replace the leaked-out refrigerant for free.

Other times, we come upon an R-410 system made between 2008 and 2015 that’s leaking. It has copper coils which we know did NOT mix well during that time of production.  If it’s an Aspen or ADP coil, I know exactly where to go every time to find that leak: in the evaporator coil near the furnace.  If I pop the cover off and look low on the two slabs of the A-coil, I’ll always find oil staining the coils, or an oily feel to the bottom of the primary drain pan, under the evaporator coil.  Sometimes, with a quick look into the p-trap, I’ll see the oily water right there in the PVC.  An easy fix!

The Customer’s Role

But you know your system’s history better than us.  Our customers must help us out by letting us know if they’ve had another company come out and charge their system up.  If you have a big leak, we could refill your refrigerant today, and it will be gone by tomorrow.  Because they’re not liable for your system’s performance, most companies aren’t going to provide a complimentary refill just to get you up and going.  They know it’s just going to leak out again.

Some companies will put some sort of leak stopper fluid into the lines.  It’s a lot like that green slime they put in bicycle tires to find the leak and plug the hole from the inside.  Once again, about half of the HVAC guys out there will tell me I’m wrong, but I won’t put that stuff in your system, because it can clog up the metering device at your evaporator coil, and now I’m on the hook for your TXV not working right.

A lot of manufacturers will agree with me when I say nothing should be in your refrigerant lines besides virgin refrigerant.  At the most, we’ll insert some dye so we can come back later and identify where the leak is.  But that’s only after we come out and use an electronic sniffer and visually check the system for leaks.

Refrigerant Leak Searching: How It’s Done

Let’s say you’ve decided to find the leak so we can figure out what to do next.  Fox Family’s leak searches come in 3 stages:

Stage 1: Inspection

A stage 1 leak search includes an inspection of the condenser and evaporator coils as well as the line set that runs in between for leaks.  We will use vision, soap bubbles, and/or an electronic leak detection device.  This searching process can last for up to an hour.  What will this process cost?  If the necessary repair is easily accessible, the price of the repair and leak search will be covered for the price of the stage 1 leak search.  You’ll be liable for your refrigerant refill one last time.  But we always put the cost of the leak search towards the cost of your repair.

Stage 2: Using Refrigerant Dye

If we can’t find it that way, we go on to a stage 2 leak search.  This means adding refrigerant dye to the system and returning in about a month.  This allows the refrigerant to circulate through the system.  The dye will spray out of the leak along with the refrigerant and oil.  The small spot left behind provides a visual of the leak location.  The cost of this stage 2 leak search will also go towards the total cost of the leak repair.  We almost always find it in this case.

Let me respond to the people out there who say, “I thought only virgin refrigerant was supposed to be in the lines.”  It’s always good practice to recover any remaining refrigerant in the lineset, put on a new filter drier, and evacuate the system properly.  No matter how small or where the leak was, the system surely lost some of its vacuum during this leak.   In my opinion, just pumping the system down and releasing the charge isn’t really good practice.

Stage 3: Pressure Testing

If we still can’t find the leak, a stage 3 leak search is available.  It requires us to isolate the 3 portions of the refrigeration tubing from each other.  We separate the outdoor coil, the indoor coil, and the line set that runs in between.  Fox Family brazes on a valve stem to these pieces of equipment.  The technician then pressure tests each one individually in order to find which one is leaking.  This stage of leak search is very costly and is very rarely ever used.  It also takes a lot of time on the owner’s part as well as the technician. Because it requires that we leave the system isolated for days at a time, it can be uncomfortable for the homeowner in the middle of summer.

Summary

This summarizes how Fox Family Heating and Air Conditioning handles a leak search.  Other companies will handle it in their own unique way.  I hope this sheds some light on the process used by Fox Family for our customers who’ve asked.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to leave them down below in the comments section.  This always sparks conversation, as methods for dealing with leaking systems vary quite a bit from contractor to contractor.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and we’ll see you next time!

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how to handle a refrigerant leak