Why Do Air Conditioning Units Freeze Up?
We all understand how hot the summer can be in Houston. It can get really, really hot and this is the time most of us turn down the thermostat and send our air conditioning systems into an overwork mode to keep us fresh and our homes comfortable. This may seem like a great idea until the time your AC unit freezes up. Keep in mind that a frozen air conditioner can ruin a hot summer day very fast. But what can make your AC unit freeze up? Here are some of the common causes of this problem.
Low Refrigerant Levels
Your system might be low on refrigerant if it has frozen up. This means that you either have a refrigerant leak somewhere, or your refrigerant charge is turned off. When your unit is low on refrigerant, the pressure drops in the system and the temperature also drops along with it. This will lead to a scenario whereby the evaporator coil gets too cold and freezes up. If you notice that your system is low on refrigerant, be sure to have an expert diagnose it for any leaks before you refill your container with the refrigerant.
Dirty Air Filters
If your outdoor unit is frozen and you can’t remember the last time that you changed/cleaned your air filters, then you might have identified the problem already. Dirty air filters usually restrict the air flow through your system which can lead to this problem. If you change or clean your air filters according to the recommendations of the manufacturer, then you are safe. A typical AC unit consists of an indoor and outdoor unit.
The indoor unit usually has an evaporator coil where the compressor sits. When a dirty filter restricts air flow between these two components, there will be no enough air passing through your system to transfer heat from your indoor air spaces to the refrigerant. This means that the refrigerant will stay colder than usual leading to a freeze up.
Damaged Blower Fan
Your AC Unit’s blower fan helps to get the cold air where it needs to go and transfer the warm air to the outside. However, as the air cools inside your unit, it tends to become denser and can no longer travel well. Your system depends on the blower fan to create cool air and push it out. Sometimes, the blower fan can break or malfunction leading to significant changes in the airflow inside your unit. Too much condensation will build up on the coils which can lead to AC freeze up.
Superior HVAC Services
At P&M, we fix all types of air conditioning issues for residents and businesses in the larger Houston area including air conditioning freeze ups. We are a BBB accredited business with an A+ rating. We offer 24/7 emergency service and guarantee customer satisfaction. Contact us today and let us help you keep your home comfortable during this summer.
The Importance of an AC Tune-Up
Maintaining your AC system is one of the most important things you can do to save yourself a great deal of money and aggravation over the years. A well-maintained system offers many benefits you may not even recognize until you find yourself dealing with a poorly maintained unit. These are just a few of the reasons it is so important to have yearly AC tune-ups.
Prevent Unnecessary Breakdowns
There are few things more frustrating than having your air conditioner flatline in the middle of a Houston heatwave. It can be brutal out there when the temperatures climb. It’s even worse when you’re trapped inside your home with no operating air conditioner to cool things off.
Your yearly tune-up can not only help to prevent ordinary breakdowns that occur from lack of maintenance but can also warn you of potential problems on the horizon so you can take care of them before the heat of summer sets in.
Extend the Life of Your Air Conditioner
It’s true, air conditioners are a sizable investment in the comfort of your home and the people who live there. Extending the life of your air conditioner by even one more Texas summer is a substantial financial feat. The longer you can keep your unit going, while operating efficiently, the less the unit ultimately costs.
Improve AC Efficiency
Energy efficiency is on the minds of every Texas homeowner when the temperatures climb. You want your home to be cool and comfortable, but don’t want to break the bank to make that happen.
AC tune-ups help you keep your air conditioner at maximum efficiency throughout the season – especially when performed along with regular filter changes.
Improve Indoor Air Quality
With growing concerns over indoor air quality and the effect it has on your family and guests, it makes sense that you’ll want to do everything possible to improve the air quality inside your home. Routine air conditioning tune-ups ensure that your air conditioner isn’t allowing things inside your home that might harm the health of you or your family.
Regular filter changes further enhance these efforts for even greater indoor air quality and overall health benefits for all.
P & M Air Conditioning and Heating has been serving the heating, AC, and indoor air quality needs of Houston area families since 1947. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you save big on your energy bills and more with routine air conditioning tune-ups.
5 Benefits of Indoor Air Quality
According to the EPA, indoor air quality is a much greater concern than the average household realizes. It can be up to 100 times more harmful than outdoor air quality if you don’t take steps to protect the air inside your home. P & M Air Conditioning and Heating wants you to know the five benefits you can enjoy by improving indoor air quality in your home, such as these:
1. Better Health for You and Your Family
Perhaps the biggest benefit of improving indoor air quality for the average household involves the health of the people living there. Improving indoor air quality can have a remarkable effect on health by reducing coughing, sneezing, eye irritations, headaches, and other respiratory concerns.
2. Fewer Allergies and Asthma Attacks
While this could qualify as health, it deserved a category of its own. Indoor air quality specifically involves allergens known to cause allergies in many and trigger asthma attacks in those prone to suffer them. Common allergens associated with poor indoor air quality include:
- Pollen
- Mold
- Mildew
- Pet Dander
- Dust Mites
- Smoke
The problem is that once they find their way into your home, they have a nasty habit of lingering unless you take active steps to improve indoor air quality.
3. Better Fragrance
The things the stick around in the air inside your home and ruin the quality of the air, are also things that often have odors to them. Improving indoor air quality, as a happy side effect, also clears the air inside your home of these unpleasant odors.
It also helps to rid your home of other odors, like the food you cooked last night, your pet’s favorite blanket, and your teenager’s soccer cleats. It does all this without adding new odors into the mix, which is what happens when you use artificial sprays and such to attempt to mask the odors in your home.
4. Reduce Energy Costs
Once you improve the air quality inside your home, you’ll notice yet another unexpected and certainly welcome side effect: lower energy costs. Your HVAC system operates more efficiently when it isn’t having to push through years of debris, dust, mold, and allergens to get the cool or warm air to its intended locations. This saves you money.
5. Less Static Shock
An effective air quality system also helps to balance the moisture in your home. This eliminates mold and mildew that arise when there is too much moisture and static shock and dry skin that result when there is too little moisture in the air.
P & M Air Conditioning and Heating understands the unique challenges Houston homeowners face when it comes to air quality, heating, and cooling concerns. Call us today to learn more about our air quality services and how we can help your family breathe easier inside your home.
What Does SEER Rating Mean?
Seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rates an air conditioner's efficiency. The Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute defined it in 2008.
A machine's SEER rating is its cooling output in a typical cooling-season divided by its total energy input in the same timeframe. It is directly proportional to the energy efficiency of equipment. In America, it is calculated by dividing the British thermal unit (BTU) with the energy consumption in watt-hours. This is important in ensuring your equipment runs efficiently and effectively.
How Does SEER relate with EER and COP?
A cooling machine's energy efficiency ratio (EER) is calculated by dividing the output cooling power (BTU) with its input electrical power (Wh) at a particular operation point. To calculate the EER, you should use 95F external temperature, the internal 80F temperature and the 50% relative humidity.
EER is associated with the coefficient of performance (COP).It's common in thermodynamics whereby an air conditioners COP is a unit less than the EER. Also, EER uses several units as it is calculated by multiplying the BTU/h conversion factor by the COP.
Maximum SEER Rating
Some modern ductless air conditioners have SEER ratings 0f 33.also, other residential AC units have maximum SEER ratings of 75.However, a ground-source heat pump's effective efficiency depends on the water source temperature.
Usually, hot regions have a higher ground temperature than cold places hence not being able to reach such high efficiencies. Also, ground heat pumps' ARI rating enables them to function without reaching their maximum pump power. It reduces the SEER values to be below their highest efficiency. Moreover, there are varying technologies which permit EER and SEER ratings to increase. Some of them include inverters, DC motors, rotary compressors and variable speed drives.
Are you planning to purchase a new air conditioner? P & M Air Conditioning and Heating serve people living in Houston. We provide them with a variety of services including indoor air quality, heating and AC installation, comprehensive repair and maintenance services to enhance the comfort, efficiency, and lifespan of their equipment. Visit our Houston office for more information.
What are the Benefits of a Ductless HVAC System?
Have you noticed that some rooms in your home have a different temperature than the rest of your home? Then you should consider installing a ductless HVAC system. The primary reason why you may be experiencing this problem is your AC unit isn't providing a consistent level of comfort.
The ductless systems are efficient and offer consistent comfort in every room. The ductless system usually consists of a wall-mounted indoor unit attached to an outdoor compressor via a small 3-inch hole for power and refrigerant lines. Now let's get into the top benefits of going duct-free.
Quiet Operation
Typically, a ductless air system consists of both the indoor and the outdoor components. Therefore, contractors usually install the noisy elements of the system such as the motor and the compressor outside. In fact, you won't believe how quiet these ductless systems are while in operation. The ductless system will operate at approximately 26 decibels which is quieter than even the average whispers in a library.
Increased Comfort
When you are installing the ductless system, you determine where you want to place it and how many units you prefer for your home. You can put it in any part of your home you wish. Since we have already established that different rooms in your home record different temperatures, you place the unit in a strategic place to boost the overall comfort of your home. You can have more than one unit and install them in different rooms.
Energy Efficient
Every homeowner would love to make their home energy-efficient to cut down on energy bills. Typically, more than 30 percent of energy consumption in your home is through the traditional ductwork. The ducts tend to consume a lot of energy even before the conditioned air reaches your home. With the ductless systems, you are getting 100 percent of the unit’s output. The energy saving of a ductless system goes beyond the system’s output. Since you are heating or cooling the required rooms only, you use less energy.
Environmental Friendly
Apart from being energy efficient, the ductless system also operates on the R410A refrigerant which is specially designed to prevent damage to the ozone layer. Since your home is also energy-efficient, its overall negative impact on the environment is significantly reduced.
Are you looking for heating and cooling experts in Houston? Contact us here at P&M for quality HVAC services today and we'll take great care of you!
What Are Different Types of Thermostats?
Do you know which type of thermostat to buy? A thermostat is a device which controls the temperature of cooling and heating devices. We sell quality thermostats in Houston, TX. Here is a highlight on the various types of thermostats you can purchase.
Manual Mechanical Thermostats
It is a traditional thermostat variety. Once a homeowner sets it at a particular temperature, it remains constant until they manually switch it off. Also, it remains turned off until one manually turns it on. Moreover, you should manually switch it from cooling to heating or heating to cooling mode. However, many people no longer use them as they have mercury.
Manual Digital Thermostats
They typically use a solid-state temperature monitoring tool, a thermistor, which senses a room's temperature. It energizes the equipment through a circuit board or user settings. One can efficiently use them if they are knowledgeable in HVAC electrical control. When you intend it replace the thermostat, it recommended that you hire a certified HVAC technician. It avoids creating electrical problems such as faulty wiring.
Programmable Digital Thermostats
They offer essential and multiple functions for a variety of HVAC equipment. Some thermostats may be challenging to operate while others are quickly programmable. However, it's vital to understand different thermostat programs and to read their user guides.
Programmable Mechanical Thermostats
They have been in use for decades. Most HVAC stores no longer sell them. The thermostat operates through its mechanical timer, multiple switches, and user settings. It has a mercury switch that completes its circuit. Also, most American states have banned their sale. They have established laws that regulate the disposal of these thermostats.
More types of thermostats include:
- One-Stage Cool and Heat: Single-stage thermostats are used for packaged units and split systems
- Two-Stage or Multi-Stage: Appropriate for heating and cooling equipment that automatically adjusts output capacity to match the existing load
- 24mV Controls: A 24mV thermostat is usually installed in modular cooling and heating units or appropriately equipped fireplaces.
If you intend to purchase a thermostat in Houston, Texas, contact [company_name]. We sell a variety of thermostats at affordable prices and we teach clients on how to maintain and operate their new temperature control system.
Can A Heat Pump Replace A Furnace?
With cold weather comes the need for a heating solution. Homeowners will want either a heat pump or a furnace to meet this need. Hotter weather brings different challenges. Before choosing one over the other it's important to understand the differences between the two.
Heat Pump Vs. Furnace
A heat pump is essentially the reverse of an air conditioning unit. Heat pumps bring warmer air from the outside to heat a home. They have one advantage over a furnace: cooling mode. If heat pumps have this feature they may double as an air condition unit in the summer.
A furnace, on the other hand, heats a home mostly using oil or naturals gas. Heat pumps use electricity. There are electric furnaces available. However, they consume a high amount of energy and may not be cost-efficient based upon the overall usage.
Weather and Usage
Freezing winters, hot summers, mild climates — these are the types of weather which should be taken into consideration. Freezing winter and hot summer will require the most energy usage. Mild climates will require the least energy usage.
A heat pump is generally considered a better choice for a mild climate. A furnace is generally considered a better choice for a more extreme climate. This is because furnaces work better than heat pumps in freezing temperatures. Therefore, a heat pump may replace a furnace depending on how mild a climate is.
Maintaining the Unit
Heat pumps and furnaces both break down over time. This is why regular maintenance is crucial to extend the life of the unit. Proper maintenance can save the owner hundreds or even thousands of dollars. We offer routine maintenance on both heat pumps and furnaces.
To learn more about our maintenance services click here. We also offer 24/7 service in the event of any system emergency. You may also contact us through our website or by dialing 713-987-4687.
Should I Have an AC or a Heat Pump in Houston?
You have plenty of choices when it comes to heating and cooling your home, each with its own pros and cons. One thing you'll have to consider when you're purchasing a new air conditioning system is whether to get a standard AC or opt for a heat pump. Here are some of the benefits of choosing a heat pump over an AC in Houston.
Versatility
The biggest reason to choose a heat pump over an AC is its versatility. A whole-house air conditioning system will be great during the hot summers, but it's not going to do you much good on cold winter nights. While ACs use a refrigerant to create the cold air that's pumped into your home, heat pumps work by pulling heat from outside to heat your home. This also means that heat pumps can be used to pull the heat out of your home and keep it cool. With a heat pump, you only need one system to handle everything.
Efficiency
Because heat pumps work on a set of basic principals and primarily use air, they're efficient. If you have an older system or your furnace runs on oil, switching to a heat pump can reduce your heating bill while upping the comfort level in your home. Since heat pumps are so efficient, there are plenty of utility companies out there that will give you a sizeable rebate for purchasing and installing a heat pump in your home.
Heat pumps still require ductwork, though—and maintenance. You'll have to measure for airflow and refrigerant charge, check for and seal leaks in the ductwork, make sure your thermostat is working correctly, and inspect various parts of the heat pump.
These tasks aren't for everyone. If you need help choosing a heat pump, getting it installed, and keeping it running for years to come, the heating professionals at P&M HVAC can help. Give us a call at (713) 987-4687 or contact us through our website.
Natural Home Cleaning Products
Did you know that consumer products such as cleaning detergents contribute an average of 20% pollution of indoor air quality? Various researchers have shown that these products released either volatile or semi-volatile organic substances responsible for air pollution. There is a high need to opt for natural cleaning products to maintain air quality in the home. P&M Indoor Air Quality services provide state of the art cleaning services. If you are looking for non-toxic cleaning supplies or information today is your lucky day.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is the best natural deodorizer with a mild abrasive action. You can use this for cleaning instead of the harsh commercial ones that reduce your home air quality. Baking soda is also easy to use. To remove food deposits in the sink, all you need to do is sprinkling it on a sponge and then scouring. If the grime is too tough, you can create a paste of the soda then applying it on the sink and let it stand for about 25 minutes.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is appreciated by many for its ability to soften clothes and reduces detergent residues. However, you need to be careful if your skin is sensitive. You can manage it by just adding a cup of vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has been used for cleaning for decades because it is not only cheap but also nontoxic. Apart from being antibacterial, hydrogen peroxide is antiviral which is why every home must have it for cleaning. It can be used to remove stains in carpets and on plastics.
Essential Oils
Homemade cleaning supplies must have essential oils. The oils are naturally antibacterial and also have the best smell. If you want to sanitize your kitchen or the bathroom, then the oils are a perfect solution.
Here are some of the all-natural cleaning essential oils:
• Lemon
• Tea Tree
• Rosemary
• White Orange
• Lavender
• Eucalyptus
P&M indoor air quality is your reliable, caring partner. When you require home heating and cooling services, contact P&M.
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Carbon Monoxide Safety in Your Houston Home
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that comes from car exhaust, appliances, and the furnace. When the gas is not properly ventilated, the indoor air quality is significantly impacted. Because it can not be seen or smelled, it easily poisons people as they go about their daily routines, and can and can be fatal for those who inhale it while sleeping. But there are ways that you can protect your home and practice carbon monoxide safety.
Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector
The first thing you can do to protect your home from carbon monoxide is to install a carbon monoxide detector. A carbon monoxide detector acts similar to a smoke detector in that it will sound an alarm when carbon monoxide is detected. Remember, you can not see or smell the gas, so do not ignore the alarm. Open windows and doors to let fresh air inside, get everyone outside, and call 9-1-1. Do not go back inside until the authorities have cleared your home, and it is safe.
Know the Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Unfortunately, the symptoms of carbon monoxide are similar to that of the flu and thus are confusing. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and Fatigue. However, unlike the flu, as the poisoning worsens fainting, increased heart rate, confusion, and loss of consciousness can occur. If there is a chance you may have carbon monoxide poisoning, seek medical attention immediately.
Service Furnace Regularly
A furnace that is not maintained or is not properly vented can emit carbon monoxide into your home. Have a reliable Houston heating repair and installation contractor perform routine maintenance on your furnace to ensure that it is not poisoning your home. If your furnace is old and can not be fixed, replace it immediately.
Call us today to schedule an appointment to have your furnace serviced. Rest assured we will check that everything is working properly to keep your home safe and carbon monoxide free.