Ambient Comfort LLC Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

You Don’t Expect This to Happen to Your AC!

Sunday, May 26th, 2019

woman-looking-shocked-and-covering-mouth-on-grey-backgroundThere are, unfortunately, a number of calamities that can impact an air conditioner at any time. Of course, you can prevent most of these with regular professional maintenance—in fact, professional maintenance prevents approximately 85% of the repair needs your air conditioner may need throughout its lifespan!

But what about unexpected air conditioner problems—problems you should never even have or are so rare you don’t hear about them much? They do happen, and it’s a good idea to be aware of them so that if you’re affected, you won’t be surprised, and you’ll know to call for professional repairs right away. Read on to learn more!

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If You Skipped AC Maintenance, It’s Not Too Late!

Monday, May 13th, 2019

air-conditioner-with-tools-sitting-on-topWith May just about halfway over and temperatures already warming up, you might have come to the realization that it was time to schedule maintenance for your air conditioner. But is it too late? Should you just skip it now that you’re going to need your air conditioner on a daily basis soon? Well, no!

It’s never too late to get your air conditioner tune-up. This is a prime example of “it’s better late than never,” and there are a number of benefits to maintenance, as well as becoming a member of our maintenance program, which we’ll share more details on below.

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Can You Add an Air Conditioner to a Heat-Only System?

Monday, April 29th, 2019

top-view-of-an-outdoor-ac-unitThe short answer to this is, “yes.” Yes, you can add an air conditioner to a forced-air heating system. It is, however, a complex process and we never recommend it be attempted by a homeowner. Of course, we’ll say this about any air conditioning or heating installation. There are many factors that go into matching the right system to the right home—take sizing for instance.

Many homeowners in Pennington, NJ believe “the bigger the better” when it comes to their HVAC installation. But actually, just as too small of a system won’t be powerful enough for your home, too large of a system will be too powerful and will go through a process called “short-cycling,” which is damaging to the system. But we digress.

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Ocean Air and Your AC: How to Prevent Saltwater Erosion

Monday, April 15th, 2019

ben-franklin-bridge-in-new-jerseyIf there is one thing we’re quite familiar with living near the Jersey Shore, it’s saltwater and salty air. As a result, we need to take special care of our HVAC equipment to ensure it’s not in danger of damage. Ocean air can actually lead to a good deal of corrosion, and impact the functionality of your air conditioner. Keep reading to learn more about how salty air impacts your AC so you can take steps to mitigate system problems. If you need AC repair in Burlington County, NJ, we’ve got you covered!

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What Are the Steps Technicians Take During HVAC Maintenance?

Monday, September 17th, 2018

An air conditioning technician welds a connection prior to installing AC unit.In our previous post, we spoke a little about how important HVAC maintenance is. And with the official start of fall just a few short days away, the time to schedule heating maintenance is definitely now, if you haven’t already had this service done for the season.

Or maybe you are proactive, and have maintenance done like clockwork, in the fall for your heating system and in the spring for your air conditioner. This routine preventive maintenance keeps your HVAC system running well and can even extend the lifespan of the system.

But what actually happens during maintenance. What are our technicians actually doing? What are they looking for?

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Don’t Ignore the Benefits of HVAC Maintenance

Monday, September 3rd, 2018

technician working on outside unit of an air conditionerWhen was your last Gloucester County, NJ AC maintenance appointment? Have you ever scheduled maintenance? We get it—you might have a newer air conditioner. Or perhaps you’re a new homeowner and haven’t heard that this is a service that is required (versus being a “luxury” service) for one of your most expensive home appliance investments.

There are a couple of maintenance tasks you can, and should, do on your own when it comes to keeping your cooling system in good shape. But full, professional maintenance should definitely be handled by a trained and experienced HVAC technician, since we know how to handle any AC task that comes our way. This includes inspecting electrical connections and thoroughly cleaning the system—tasks that can be dangerous and cause injury in the wrong hands.

Still not convinced? Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of AC maintenance.

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Keeping the Home Dust-Free in Winter

Tuesday, February 20th, 2018

It is during the winter months, when our homes are sealed up tight against the cold, that the air indoors needs to be as clean as possible. Key to achieving healthy indoor air quality is to dust the home properly. Keeping the heating system well-maintained and functioning properly is also important. These two steps are sufficient for most families, but if your home requires the cleanest possible air, consider installing an air purification system in your Cumberland County, NJ home.

Dust Removal In Your Cumberland County Home

The most effective tool in maintaining good indoor air quality, which is crucial to good health, is the trusty vacuum cleaner. Run it at least weekly over all your floors and rugs. At least once a month, use the attachments to remove dust and pet hair from furniture. Don’t forget to look up at walls and ceilings to clear away cobwebs.

New vacuum cleaners do a great job trapping even the smallest dust particles if you keep the filter clean and replace it when necessary. Older units that don’t filter the air so effectively may do a great job picking up the dust, but they might also blow tiny particles right back into the air. If you have an older vacuum, consider replacing it with a new one that has a HEPA filter, which will trap almost all allergens.

Keep your kitchen counters, furniture, desks, and other hard surfaces clean with microfiber dusting cloths that are designed to trap dust, not just spread it around.

HVAC Maintenance in Cumberland County, NJ

Forced hot air heating systems draw air in, heat it, and distribute it throughout the home via the ducts. The air it draws in inevitably contains at least some dust, but the furnace’s filter traps the dust before it gets heated and blown through the ductwork to the rest of the home.

If the filter is dirty or damaged, it won’t trap dust and, instead, the furnace will blow dust all over the house, keeping it airborne, where it can be breathed in and aggravate allergies. A dirty filter also reduces the efficiency of the furnace, requiring it to use more energy and making it harder to keep the house warm.

To avoid these problems, the filter on your home’s heating system should be replaced every three months, and definitely at the start of the winter heating season. (If you didn’t do it before the furnace kicked in this fall, do it now.) This is an easy task that most homeowners can perform, but if you don’t know how or don’t like dealing with mechanical issues, a home heating professional will be glad to do it for you.

Ductwork in a home may collect dust over the years so that, no matter how often you change the furnace filter, the heating system will still blow dust throughout the home. A home heating pro can inspect your ducts, determine whether they’re dirty on the inside, and clean them if necessary. This is something that has to be done only every few years – it’s not an annual expense.

Air Purification Systems in Vineland, NJ

If these measures don’t suffice, or if someone in your household is strongly allergic to dust or other allergens, you should consider installing a whole-house air filter that traps dust out of the air column before it can settle on surfaces. The HVAC professionals at Ambient Comfort can install an air filter and purification system that will maintain superior air quality in your home so you and your family can breathe easy.

Ambient Comfort has the indoor air quality experience and resources to keep your family comfortable through the winter months. Call us today at 856-213-6586 to schedule winter service on your HVAC system or for a quote on a whole-house-filter. We are located in Vineland, New Jersey, and serve clients throughout most of South Jersey.

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Five Efficiency Tips for Commercial Heating Systems

Monday, February 5th, 2018

Heating costs can be a big business expenditure, but keeping costs under control should not mean turning down the thermostat. If your employees are uncomfortable, they won’t work efficiently or happily. And if your customers or clients are cold, they’ll make their visits to your establishment as short as possible – if they visit at all.

The key to controlling commercial heating costs is to make sure your HVAC system is running efficiently. This isn’t difficult with the attention of a committed facilities manager and the assistance of a professional HVAC services contractor. Here are five tips to guide your procedures and keep your employees and customers comfortable, economically.

  1. Stay up to date. If your HVAC system is more than 10 years old, it lacks the latest technology. If your facilities have expanded in size but your HVAC system hasn’t, it’s likely being overburdened and running beyond its limits of efficiency. Replacement might be a shortcut to achieving quick payback. At the very least, have your older system inspected and upgraded or repaired as needed.
  2. Have it maintained regularly. Most HVAC contractors offers annual maintenance plans to keep your heating and cooling systems running as efficiently as possible, and to identify and solve potential problems before they become actual problems that could cause expensive downtime.
  3. Maintain the duct system. Check your sheet metal! Leaky ducts waste hot air, sometimes draw cold air into the facility, and may distribute dust and dirt throughout your place of business.
  4. Ensure that air dampers and heating/cooling valves are working. This is definitely a job for the professionals. Dampers should be opening and closing fully. Heating and cooling valves that are malfunctioning can result in simultaneous heating and cooling, which in turn can result in a very high utility bill and uncomfortable or uncontrollable temperatures.
  5. Upgrade your thermostats. Programmable thermostats have improved significantly in recent years. New ones are relatively inexpensive and they do a better job maintaining constant temperature. They also allow for great flexibility in conserving energy when your building is not occupied on weekends or in the evening hours.

Your facility’s HVAC system is a large investment and one you want to protect by having it regularly and professionally maintained. The team of heating professionals at Ambient Comfort have the experience to keep your employees and customers comfortable throughout the winter months and all year long. Call us today at 856-213-6586 to schedule service or to learn about our maintenance plans. We are located in Vineland, New Jersey, and serve clients throughout most of South Jersey.

 

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Signs Your Duct System May Need Repair

Friday, January 19th, 2018

Breached or leaky heating ducts indicate maintenance and, possibly repair, is needed. Sometimes, your duct system may just need a good cleaning. Signs your home’s duct system is not functioning properly include unexpectedly higher heating bills that don’t appear to be weather-related, reduced air flow through heating vents, colds spots in your home, and even odd noises coming from the duct work.

One of the challenges homeowners face is duct work is not visible, so determining a breach or leak from a hole in the duct work can feel like a guessing game. Once you run through the basic actions listed below and decide you may indeed have a duct issue, it is time to call in an HVAC heating professional to repair the problem.

Checklist for Leaky or Breached Ducts

  • Cold Spots
  • Strange Noises
  • Reduced Air Flow
  • Cool Air
  • Increased Heating Bills

Most duct breaches are triggered over long term wear and tear. Sections that are bolted together can eventually become unhinged and need to be reconnected with new bolts. Another common problem is the impact of animals, such as rodents, which have gotten into your home and entered the HVAC system. Once a duct is breached, your HVAC system has to work harder to carry warm air through a compromised delivery system – resulting in higher utility bills. Breached ducts also create the opportunity for dirt, dust and other debris to be pumped into your home’s indoor air, impacting the air quality in your home.

At Ambient Comfort, we deal with ducts day in and day out and apply the latest technology to zero in on duct breaches. We don’t waste your money or time exploring but get right to the resolution of your problem. Duct sealing can include having to rebuild a section of compromised duct, or sealing the duct with duct mastic or other materials. We will have your HVAC pumping at optimal levels in no time.

Our team of heating professionals at Ambient Comfort can inspect, clean and replace your home’s duct work. Call us today at 856-213-6586 to schedule winter service on your HVAC system. Check us out online for special savings and promotions. We are located in Vineland, New Jersey, and serve clients throughout most of South Jersey, including Atlantic, Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties.

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5 Tips for HVAC Winter Efficiency

Friday, January 12th, 2018

The colder weather is upon us and will require your home’s HVAC system to consistently perform for at least five months.  To meet your home’s heating needs over the long term, there are a few easy actions you can invest in as a homeowner to make sure your furnace, boilers and heat pumps will reward you with a warm and comfortable home all season long.

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