HVAC System Enhancements

            Technology has launched the shopping experience into a new level of convenience. Household internet shopping can include stocking up on toilet paper, baby food, light bulbs, cereal, clothes, kitchen sinks and even air conditioners or furnaces; these items can be delivered to your home with the touch of a button.  Buying  household basics online makes sense and frees up your around town errand time, which is valuable.  However, purchasing HVAC equipment or parts online is not as cost effective as it seems.  Air conditioning and heating system online shopping  could cost 3x more money than purchasing the parts or equipment and labor directly through a contractor.

            If you buy online and have a tradesman install it, the tradesman is not going to warranty a part he did not provide.  After installation, if the part or equipment fails, there are more costs involved to diagnose and repair.  Your choices are to pay the tradesman again to repair it or replace it with his or her stocked part at an additional fee.  Or pay the tradesman to remove it so you can send it back to the supplier, wait for the new part to arrive, then call the tradesman back to repair it and pay him again.  During this wait, you are likely inconvenienced and uncomfortable.   When a contractor supplies parts and equipment, a warranty is included to cover potential failures for labor and parts. Contractors have established relationships with local suppliers for access to parts for a variety of manufacturers. Some parts and equipment installations require permits and inspections.  Repairs and installations involve specialized tools for proper wiring, certifications, gas piping or proper refrigerant pressure readings, which should be followed with safety measures and city code compliance.  There are pros and cons when purchasing online when you do not possess the skillset to install:

                Cons:                                                                                            Pros:

              -Does not include installation                                                 -Initial savings on product
              -Does not include warranty                                                     
              -Does not include code compliance
              -Does not include EPA compliance
              -Does not include safety measures
              -Does not include guarantee right product was purchased
              -No direct relationship with the supplier
              -If part fails, have to remove it, return it, pay tradesman again

          A $13 air conditioning capacitor online is not as simple as ordering a light bulb and screwing it into the fixture. The correct size of the capacitor needs to be obtained, correct installation and proper benchmark readings should be achieved for it to work properly.  Mini-split heat pumps can be found online for $1,300.00 including shipping.  Now what? Did you get a load calculation, order the right equipment size, line sets or permits?   A skilled professional may charge $130 for a capacitor repair.  A tradesman may charge $4,200 to install a mini-split system.  It is not just about the value of the equipment or part online, it is the value of the skilled professional, city code compliance, inspections, EPA regulations, warranty, proper installation, achieving safe benchmark readings, convenience of his/her office on wheels, stocked parts and carrying a business license and insurance.   

         Skill is a developed ability.  Tradesmen deliver comfort with their repairs and installations based on their training and have earned respect for their knowledge and education.  For those DIY readers, be proud of your skill.  It is valuable to be able to repair, manage and maintain your own household projects. If you do not possess the skills, the value of a skilled tradesman outweighs online shopping.  When doing air conditioning and heating system online shopping, click on a local contractor website instead of the big box stores.  If you need a skilled tradesman, schedule here:

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Air Conditioning condensate clogged drain lines are common in our humid Tidewater region and can cause costly water damage.  It is important to keep your air conditioner regularly maintained to avoid this inconvenience. Drain lines clog when dust, dirt, algae, insects, grime, rust or insulation settles in the drain pipe. This causes water to back up at your indoor air handler equipment which overflows the drip pan and potentially leak through your ceilings, floors or walls.  It can also allow for bacteria, mold and mildew to grow, circulating spores through your ductwork, affecting your breathing space.  It is advised to turn your system off, then call a professional to clear the drain to prevent further home damage and system failure.

Consider preventing this inconvenience:

1. Invest in an annual HVAC maintenance program. Kellam Mechanical loves the annual maintenance program since it pays for itself through energy savings, program benefits and discounts. Drain lines are inspected at each visit and cleared when there are signs of clogs.
2. Schedule a professional technician install a float switch and EZ trap to automatically shut your system off when water is detected backing up.

Are you a DIY nut? Attach a wet/dry vacuum to the ¾ PVC primary drain line that exits the exterior of your house located close to ground level near your outdoor air conditioning or heat pump equipment. Ensure your vacuum has a good seal for effectiveness.  Power up for 3-5 minutes.  Examine the contents that were obstructing the drain line. You might be surprised with the lovely remnants. However, if you are DIY nut, the leftovers probably won’t faze you. Now your breathing air is cleaner and your system is in better operating status.  If no junk has been extracted and you still have system failure symptoms, you may need further trouble shooting from a qualified technician.

If you have not thought about your comfort equipment maintenance in a while, now is the time! All mechanical equipment needs regular maintenance, so spending the money to maintain it is saving more than repair costs! Know someone who needs equipment maintenance? Tell ‘em Kellam!

As the summer heat progresses, homeowners discover their air conditioners are working longer and harder, which can lead to failures. The harder and longer their equipment runs, the more likely it will demand attention to be maintained.  A common cause of failure is refrigerant leakage.  Temperatures higher in your home incapable of satisfying the thermostat setting is a probable symptom related to refrigerant leaking. Properly trained and certified technicians can diagnose this issue quickly and simply add more refrigerant based on the measurement their gauges determine.  This may just be a temporary fix, so it is advised to perform a leak test using bubble soap solutions or an electronic leak detector to pinpoint the leak location.  Leak tests can be time consuming dependent on the leak location and size. We recommended performing the repair in addition to recharging the system with the proper level of refrigerant per the manufacturer’s specifications. It is important that the technician is EPA certified to ensure refrigerant is properly handled and complying with regulations. There are several causes for refrigerant leaking:

1. Mother Nature: Coastal environments can contribute to advanced coil damage with sand and salt water corrosion. Storms are not friendly with air conditions or heat pumps delivering debris in the outdoor units, causing airflow restrictions and corrosion. Living on or the near coastal regions can expedite equipment aging and shorten the equipment life.  Virginia Beach resort area, Croatan and Sandbridge specifically have seen equipment last only 5-7 years when not regularly maintained or coil coated. Air conditioners and heat pumps inland should experience a life span of 10-12 years.  Copper coils are also subject to microscopic cracks from nature’s affects of formicary corrosion.
2. Installation: Brazing joints incorrectly can create pinhole leaks that could likely cause slow leaks, taking several years to notice the uncomfortable affects.
3. Manufacturer Processing: improper welding, packing or shipping may create holes as well.
4. Inadvertent Damage: Nails through the line set in the wall when hanging wall décor, outdoor project mishaps: weed eating too close to equipment damaging lines, standing on equipment attempting to work on exterior improvements or materials/tools falling in unit causes damage, outdoor kids activities, power washing or animals/pets digging or clawing at equipment. Even an animal’s urine can corrode the components.
5. Huffing: It has been reported from enforcement agents that teens have been caught huffing refrigerant to get high. This is dangerous and can cause brain damage, lung damage or even death. Refrigerant locking caps are a great solution to prevent refrigerant theft and save lives.

The cost of refrigerant has fluctuated tremendously over the past several years for R-22. We have seen R-22 rise to approximately $190 per pound for the consumer in the past 4 years. R-22 operated equipment is no longer manufactured, so there is a limited supply controlled by the EPA, so costs have risen.  More efficient equipment has been designed in recent years requiring R-410 which is a more environmentally friendly product and in ample supply.

Best solutions to prevent discomfort and inconvenience due to air conditioning failures:

1. Invest in an annual maintenance agreements with a qualified HVAC contractor. Research shows that annual maintenance reduces failure rates and saves you up to 30% on heating and cooling energy bills annually.

2. Change your filters monthly. Dirty filters can restrict airflow and cause system failure.