ABC Blog
Choose a City

Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance

. Posted by in • San Antonio
an AC vent

https://blog.abchomeandcommercial.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Air-Conditioning-Preventive-Maintenance-1.mp4

Anyone living in central Texas knows the importance of having a good, working heating and cooling system. That goes for winter as well as summer. As blazingly hot as it can get outside in July and August, it can get just as bitterly cold during the winter months. But did you know that regular air conditioning preventative maintenance can keep your AC working efficiently for many years?

An efficient AC system uses less energy and fuel to run. That’s better for the environment, and also for your bank account. Regular checkups from an HVAC professional can save you money on your utility bills. Checkups also save you money over the long term by extending the life of your air conditioning system. If you have a home warranty, annual AC maintenance check-ups may even be a requirement for staying covered.

Furthermore, your family will be safer, healthier and more comfortable in your home … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Ever Heard of Dirty Sock Syndrome?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a vent with an ac that has dirty sock syndrome

It’s never a good thing to catch a whiff of a foul smell coming from your home. It’s even worse when you can’t name it or find it. It seems familiar, like gym socks that fell behind the washing machine. But that isn’t quite it. A quick check of the laundry room finds everything in order.

You know when the cat’s litter box needs changing, or if the laundry has been sitting in the hamper too long. A fragrant trash bin is easily identified. Maybe the house just needs a good cleaning? No, even after the kitchen, bathroom and floors get a good scrubbing, the off-putting scent lingers.

Once you have run through the list of usual suspects and still haven’t discovered the source, you might want to zero in on your HVAC system. Your house might have caught a case of dirty sock syndrome!

Why Is the House So Smelly?

Your home’s heating … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

What Is a SEER Rating?

. Posted by in • Austin
a living room

https://blog.abchomeandcommercial.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Is-there-a-way-to-measure-which-systems-are-the-most-energy-efficient.mp4

If you’re shopping for a new AC, you might feel confused by how many different units there are to choose from. One way to narrow down your choices is by looking for a unit with a higher SEER rating. But what is SEER rating? Think of it as an indicator of how efficient your heating and cooling system is—and the more efficient, the better.

If you’ve never heard of SEER ratings before, you aren’t alone. Lots of people aren’t familiar with the term. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s calculated by dividing an AC unit’s total BTUs of cooling output during a given period of time by its total watt-hours of energy input during the same time period.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do complicated math to understand that a higher SEER rating means better AC unit efficiency. The concept is pretty simple. When your heating and cooling system runs … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

My Heating Won’t Turn Off: What’s Going On?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
a light gray room with a beige couch

It’s frustrating when you find that the heating won’t turn off and your furnace is running nonstop. Could it be something simple that you can fix yourself? It’s possible, and it’s always a good idea to check the simplest things first.

Thermostat Setting Is Too High

You might have accidentally set the thermostat to a temperature that’s too high. The heater then has to work overtime to make the house warmer than it needs to be.

Fan Set to On

Or maybe the fan setting on your thermostat was accidentally switched from “Auto” to “On,”. This causes the furnace blower to run constantly. Switching it back to Auto allows the furnace to cycle on and off again as needed to keep your house at the temperature that you set on the thermostat.

It’s important to note that your furnace itself isn’t actually running nonstop when you set the fan to On. Only the blower runs … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Why Are the Coils Frozen on My AC Unit?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
A white kitchen with flowers on the table

If your AC seems to be cycling on and off more often, running longer, blowing warmer air or in general not working well, it’s time to investigate. The sooner an AC problem is fixed, the better. When an AC stops working, it’s not only uncomfortable and inconvenient; it can be downright dangerous. When your AC malfunctions, you may wonder, “Are the coils frozen on my AC unit?” If you fear you have a frozen evaporator coil on your AC unit, it should be diagnosed quickly to avoid bigger and more costly problems.

By now, you might be wondering, what is an evaporator coil and what does it do? The evaporator coil is the part of the air-conditioning system that absorbs heat from the air inside a house. It is a series of U-shaped tubes filled with refrigerant and connected to the indoor components of the AC system.

Depending on the AC system, … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Should I Add Insulation to My Attic?

. Posted by in • Austin
a homeowner calculating whether they should add insulation to the attic

Having insulation in several areas of your home is a great way to make it as comfortable as possible. While many of these places can be hard to reach, it is usually easy to access the attic. This means adding insulation in this space can often give you the biggest bang for your buck.

There are many benefits of having insulation added to your attic. For one, it can increase the energy efficiency of your home, which can help you save money on your heating bill. If your attic is insulated, this usually means that your energy bills will be lower than if your home was not protected in this way. Plus, this can also make your home more comfortable by helping you keep your space cool when you want it cool and warm when you want it warm.

Additionally, insulation can help make your home a more pleasant place to live … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

My Thermostat Is Not Working: What’s Going On?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
a thermostat not reaching the set temperature

Imagine that your air conditioning unit stops working just after your family has arrived for a visit in the middle of summer. Or, that your heater breaks down right at the coldest point of winter. Few things are more frustrating than you and your family having to deal with these extreme temperatures. Plus, it is stressful not knowing what might be the problem or how to fix it.

If you are noticing heating or cooling issues, this might mean that your thermostat is not working. One sign that might point to an issue with your thermostat is if your air conditioning unit is not reaching the set temperature. Similarly, if the unit keeps shutting off early or it is running all the time, then your thermostat might be the problem. Another common sign is if the display on the thermostat is blank.

Sometimes, homeowners can fix these kinds of problems by doing … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Blinking Red Light on AC Unit Thermostat: What’s Going On?

. Posted by in
the living room of a home where they just discovered a blinking red light on the ac unit

Any time you see a blinking red light in your home it can be stressful. Blinking red lights are often a sign that something is going wrong. If you see this kind of light on your AC unit thermostat, it might not mean that there’s a major problem. The most likely reason that this red light has started blinking is that your outdoor AC unit has shut off. This can happen even if your indoor unit is still running, and some simple issues might be the culprit.

For example, your outdoor AC unit might not be getting the power it needs to run. This can happen if a circuit breaker has tripped or if a fuse blows. If either of these things are the problem, then you should be able to get your outdoor unit working. Simply flip the breaker back to “on” or contact a professional to replace the blown … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

My Air Conditioner Is Making a Pulsating Noise

. Posted by in • Austin
a white kitchen where you can hear the air conditioner unit making a pulsating noise

When you turn on your AC unit, you expect to hear a soft hum that lets you know your house will cool down in no time. So, when you turn on your unit and hear an odd pulsating sound, you naturally become worried. What is going on?

If your air conditioner is making a rhythmic or pulsating sound, there could be a number of issues going on. The complexity of these issues ranges from a quick fix to a much more complicated problem. While you can investigate on your own, the best way to deal with this kind of issue is to reach out to a professional.

Figuring out why your unit is making noises will involve removing panels to examine the problem further. This can be a complicated process and can lead to even larger issues if you don’t have the training or tools needed for the job. However, if you … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

How to Save on Your Heating Bill

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
a homeowner looking at an energy bill wondering how to save on the heating bill

It’s a fact of life: As winter approaches and outdoor temperatures start to drop, our heating bills start to rise. Fortunately, you don’t have to break the bank by spring just to stay warm. There are several ways to keep your home comfortable without the high energy bill. Even small acts can go a long way toward saving money over the long winter months. For example, adjusting the thermostat when you’re away may not seem like a big deal, but it can make a difference over the course of a month.

Saving on your heating bill really means finding ways to reduce your energy usage all while still keeping your home warm and comfortable. A good place to start for most homeowners is taking advantage of nature’s heater—the sun. During the daytime, open the blinds or curtains on the windows located on the south side of your home to let the … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed