When You Should Consider Upgrading Your Sacramento Home HVAC System

how long should my AC last?

Many Sacramento homeowners often find it hard to decide whether they should keep repairing their existing HVAC system or replace it with a new one. This article discusses some of the things which can alert such homeowners that it may be time for some HVAC upgrades.

Frequent Sneezing or Coughing

The HVAC system plays an important role in ensuring that the members of your household breathe high-quality air. Frequent coughing or sneezing is an indicator that the system is failing in this role.

Upgrading to a better HVAC system may improve the indoor air quality in many ways. For example, a properly sized system is able to extract most of the particulates from indoor air.

Spiraling Energy Bills

Have you noticed that your energy bills are higher than they used to be? The HVAC system may be responsible for that increased energy consumption. This is particularly possible in case the system is aging and its components can no longer work as well as they once could.

Upgrading such an HVAC system will result in a reduction of your energy bills since the energy consumption of the new system will be lower. Energy Star or SEER rated systems are particularly energy-efficient.

Noisy HVAC Operation

You should also think about upgrading your HVAC system in case it has become unusually loud as it is working. Some systems may remain noisy even repairs have been conducted to fix any components which were defective.

The only way to restore calm and quiet conditions is by replacing the noisy HVAC system with a newer one which operates more quietly.

Extended Run Times

Be observant and find out whether your heating and air conditioning system in Sacramento cycles on and runs for a longer duration than it used to. Those extended run times should concern you because they indicate that your system is finding it harder to keep your home within the desired temperature range.

That extended operation increases the amount of energy that the HVAC system uses. The rate of wear also increases since the components will be working harder to condition the air in your home. Upgrade the system before it fails completely.

High Repair Costs

It may be time to upgrade your HVAC system if the frequency of having repairs done is increasing. High repair costs point to a system which is breaking down, one component at a time.

It is never a good idea to hang onto a system that needs HVAC upgrades because it will become there’s no guarantee that nothing else will fail and require more money. Upgrade to a better/newer system so that you avoid those high repair costs.

Uneven Temperatures

It can be inconveniencing to have some rooms of your Sacramento home warmer or colder than others are. A functional Sacramento ventilation, heating and air conditioning system should maintain uniform conditions across all the rooms of a home. Any difference detected could be a sign that the system can no longer meet your requirements. Upgrade to a better system so that you can enjoy uniform conditions in all parts of the house.

Age

Age is an important factor to consider when contemplating whether or not your HVAC system should be upgraded. Each system comes with a manual which stipulates its expected service life, such as 15-years.

HVAC Upgrades

However, the way in which that system was maintained over its life can shorten or increase this useful life. It is generally advisable to upgrade the HVAC system if it is nearing the end of its expected useful life. This is because that end-of-life period tends to be characterized by the failure of the major system components, such as the compressor. Upgrading saves you from incurring those high repair costs for a system approaching the end of its life.

Each of the signs above may not on its own justify the decision to replace your HVAC system. However, a combination of those signs is a sure sign that you may be better off upgrading the system instead of sinking money into a system which is showing multiple signs of failure. Contact a Sacramento air conditioner replacement expert so that you can get help in selecting the best replacement system.

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.