Q. I have been receiving calls from heating and air conditioning compaines offering to tune up my unit for a special price. (telemarketers)

A. First, beware of telemarketers, it could cost much more by the time they leave your house. Our company doesn't solicit over the phone, but we do reccomend regular check-ups on your equipment. Although regular check ups will not absolutely guarantee that a unit will work perfectly throughout the season. They will reveal most small problems that can lead to major, expensive problems if left unattended.

Like most anything you own, you will find that regular maintenance sooner is far less costly than repairs or even replacement later.

Q. I have an older split system, can I replace just my condenser and keep my air handler coil?

A. Yes, but you may have problems with the unit freezing up. It will cost more to operate.

A 13 seer condenser Installed on a mismatched air handler will typically lower the seer rating to 9.2 a 30% loss of efficiency.

Q. Should you repair or place your current unit?

A. More than 100,000 homes in Arizona's desert climate have older heat pumps and air conditioners, averaging 11 to 15 years in age. That's the age when cooling units begin to break down. When faced with a major repair of an older unit, you may want to replace it than repair it.

Q. Can you trust your current system to continue to perform several months from now?

A. In the short run, it may seem less expensive to repair your old air conditioner rather than buy a new one, but it may cost you more in the long run. A properly installed high-efficiency heat pump or air conditioner will save you money on your electric bill each month, and the repair and maintenance costs on a new system will be less. Ask your contractor to give you a written estimate of the installation costs as well as the energy savings of a new unit. You may also qualify for utility rebates and/ or tax credits.

If you're like most consumers, you'll replace the older unit in the summer when your heat pump or air conditioning is working its hardest to keep you cool. The purchase can be complex and expensive.

Why is the efficiency of your system important?
Before you replace your air conditioner or heat pump, you should consider these facts about why the effciency of your air conditioning system is so important:

1. You'll save money
The most efficient new electric heat pumps and air conditioners are up to 40% more efficient than units installed 15 years ago. Replacing yours will result in immediate savings on your energy bill.

2. You'll save energy
An APS study shows that using cost-effective energy efficient measures could save as much as 60% on the energy used to cool your home.

3. You'll help protect the environment
Because today's heat pumps and air conditioners use less electricity, they help protect the environment and save valuable energy resources.

Making wise use of energy, no matter what your needs, will save you money and help protect the environment.

The Supply Vent Myth
A myth many people believe is that they can close off some of their supply registers and save money. This may be true if you only close off less than ten percent. The system installed in your home is designed for a certain amount of airflow. If this airflow is restricted in any way it causes the system to function improperly and could cause system failure. This myth most likely goes back to the early days when people would close off most of their large home in the winter to save on coal and wood usage. Today's modern systems are designed specifically for a certain amount of airflow and if you restrict that airflow, whether it be by a dirty air conditioner filter or closing off supply vents, problems will occur. Open those supply vents, closing too many off is the same as dirty or restricted filter.

Air Conditioning Refrigerant Myth
The myth that most people believe is that if you add more refrigerant to the air conditioning unit it will cool better. This is only true if the evaporator coil is operating below freezing. The air conditioning unit must have a balanced charge and usually only an HVAC professional can charge your air conditioning unit properly. Another misconception about refrigerant is that the air conditioning unit burns it up and it must be replaced from time to time. This is not true. The refrigerant loop is a closed system and barring any leaks the air conditioning system should never need any refrigerant.

Air Conditioning Refrigerant Leaks

Correcting duct leakage & insulation can save 16% on cooling costs.

Over 50% of units tested have less than 50% of air flow.

Over 75% of tested units have been under/ over charged, reducing effciency.

Over 50% of units are over sized causing higher electric bills.