What You Can Do Yourself
Before you call a technician to service your system, cross these tasks off your maintenance to-do list.
Clean What You Can
Pro tip: Keep plants, weeds, shrubs, and other vegetation at least 18 inches away from your outdoor unit to avoid debris buildup.
Watch Out For Leaks
Keep Your Ears Open
Perform A Smell Test
Keep Your Vents Clear
When to Call Us for Service
There are some situations only a professional should handle. Here’s when you need to call in an expert.
Your Energy Bills Keep Rising
Your Comfort Isn’t Consistent
Your Unit’s Fins are Damaged
Your Unit Takes on A Lot of Water
You Smell Electrical Burning
What’s the difference between a single-stage and a two-stage air conditioner?
The main difference between the two types of ACs is the type of compressor they use (the part of the AC that compresses the refrigerant).
A single-stage air conditioner’s compressor only works one level of operation— cooling your home at full blast.
A two-stage air conditioner’s compressor works at two levels of operations:
- High for hot summer days (the equivalent of full blast for single-stage ACs).
- Low for milder days when you don’t need as much cooling.
Basically, a two-stage air conditioner will, by default, run on the lower setting until it gets too hot outside. Then it runs on the high setting to make sure you stay comfortable.
What are the benefits of getting the two-stage over the single-stage air conditioner?
The two main benefits of getting the two-stage air conditioner are:
Greater energy efficiency (meaning lower energy bills):
Like a car, an air conditioner costs less to operate when it turns on and off less often. Each time the AC starts up, it costs more because of the greater energy needed to start it up.
A single-stage air conditioner turns on and off more frequently because it can only cool at one speed, and then turn off once it reaches your thermostat setting.
But the two-stage air conditioner can meet your cooling needs about 80% of the time with its low setting, meaning it will run more often without as many starts and stops.
Greater comfort:
Because the two-stage air conditioner runs more often, it will provide more even cooling and can remove twice as much moisture/humidity from your air.
What is a variable-speed air conditioner?
Variable speed, or variable stage, systems are the most efficient and advanced systems on the market. When you set a temperature on your thermostat, a variable speed system takes into account the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the indoor and outdoor humidity levels, and the run time needed to reach your desired temperature, to determine the appropriate output. Variable speed systems can operate anywhere from 25 percent capacity to 100 percent capacity to meet your temperature needs. Variable speed systems reach and maintain your home’s desired temperature within half a degree, and because they can operate at lower speeds, they consume less power, which makes them the least expensive to operate over time.
What filter should I use for my air conditioning system?
Selecting the correct air filter is essential for maintaining your HVAC system’s efficiency and your home’s air quality. While high MERV-rated filters capture more pollutants like dust, mold spores, and pollen, they can also restrict airflow and strain your system if it’s not designed to handle them. This restriction can lead to reduced airflow, increased utility costs, and potential damage to your system components, negating the benefits of a cleaner indoor environment.
Experts recommend opting for lower MERV-rated filters to protect your equipment without compromising air flow, suggesting a balance between air quality and system efficiency. Regular replacement, particularly during high-use periods, is crucial to prevent dirt buildup and maintain system performance.
For those unsure about the best filter for their system, consulting with an HVAC professional can provide clarity. Technicians can assess your ductwork, system components, and current indoor air quality to recommend solutions that enhance air cleanliness without overburdening your HVAC system. These tailored recommendations ensure your air conditioning works efficiently, keeps utility costs down, and improves your home’s air quality, aligning with your specific needs and system capabilities.
What is a heat pump?
Heat pumps and air conditioners use the same technology to cool your home. They share the same energy-efficient features. Minus a few small technical differences, heat pumps and air conditioners cool your home in the same way, with no real difference in comfort quality, energy efficiency or energy costs.
The main difference between heat pumps and air conditioners is that a heat pump can also heat your home while an air conditioner can’t. An air conditioner needs to be paired with a furnace for a home to have full central heating and cooling.
What is a gas furnace?
A gas furnace is a type of heating system that utilizes natural gas or propane to generate warm air. This air is then pushed through ductwork and distributed throughout the entire home, ensuring even temperatures in each room. Gas furnaces are energy-efficient, cost-effective and easy to operate; they produce more heat for less money than other types of central heating systems.
How does a gas furnace work?
Gas furnaces use an ignition source (such as an electric spark) to ignite the gas as it enters the burner assembly. This ignites the mixture of fuel and air, creating combustion which produces heat. The heat is then transferred into metal chambers where it radiates from hot surfaces within the unit before being blown into the home’s air distribution system. The blower fan within the furnace then distributes the warm air through the ductwork until all rooms of the home are evenly heated.
What services does Arrowhead Air Conditioning and Heating LLC offer?
Residential Air conditioning and heating maintenance, repair and replacment.
How often should I have my air conditioning and heating systems serviced?
In general having your system serviced at least once per year is good. Checking the performance, mechanical and safety systems can be beneficial in several ways. 1. Our technician can find parts that are out of manufacturer specifications and give you options before they decide to quit on you in the middle of summer. 2.Performance problems can rob you of your hard earned money by using more electricity than needed. Also, having your system checked and maintained ensures the longevity of the system. 3. Safety isn’t an accident, so we check components to ensure you and your family’s air conditioner is working safely.
What are the signs that my air conditioning system needs repair?
Some of the signs that your ac may needs to be repaired are: The obvious is it isn’t cooling or heating, the system cant hold the desired temperature it is set at and runs all the time. Odd smells such as electrical burning smells. Any odd noises such as squaling, metal scraping, or thumping as it operates.
How can I improve the efficiency of my air conditioning and heating systems?
Having the system checked yearly is a great way to impove efficiency through cleaning of heat transfer coils and other components that may be out of manufacturer specifications causing the main parts of your air conditioner to draw more power than needed. Air filters are paramount to a clean and happy air conditioner, for the most part we advise folks to use the cheap green filters from your local store, as the filters that remove everything out of the air are very restrictive and slow airflow down and add strain on the ac system causing efficiency problems along with critical component failures.
What is the average lifespan of an air conditioning or heating system?
Average lifespan of an air conditioner is around 13 years in the phoenix area. When an ac gets to 15 years old its not a bad idea to have money put away to replace as they begin to lose efficiency past the 12-13 year mark. If the system is well maintained for the life of the unit, you should get a good lifespan out of it.
Do you offer emergency repair services?
Everything that has to do with ac in the valley during the summer is more or less an emergency. We don’t offer 24 hour service, but we do get out as quick as possible to get you and your family back to comfort.
What size air conditioning system do I need for my home?
Sizing and air conditioner is alot more complex than just what you see on the internet, which is usually 400 square feet per ton, that is nothing more than guess! Properly sizing an ac to the house it serves involves a Manual J heat load calculation which factors in which way the house faces, type of roof, windows, attic space, wall types just to name a few. It is also good to know that insulation is a big part of what size ac you need. We have a software program that we enter all of this data after drawing the footprint and it gives us the heat load for a residence for a design day in the valley. With that information we are able to look at the engineering/performance data of Trane equipment to make sure it will handle the heat load on a design day and indoor temperature setting.
Are there any financing options available for new HVAC installations?
Yes! we have partnered with a few differebnt companies to offer financing options for you and your families investment in comfort.
What should I do if my heating system is not working properly?
Turn it off! And call us, we will send a technician out to diagnose the issue and give you options to take care of it!
How can I improve indoor air quality in my home?
Change your filters monthly! You can also put painters tape around the filter to stop air from bypassing around it! There are different filtration options out there for allergies from pollen, pet dander etc. We recommend that you call a professional and inspect your duct system to see what options there are to install better air filtration!