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 Helpful tips for Air Conditioning & Heating Helpful Hints What you should know before you buy an air conditioning unit! Maintenance Tips Energy Saving Tips
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| 4810 E. Speedway Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85712 (520) 327-6311 E-mail: info@rinconac.com |
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ROC 020039
ROC 067997 |
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Member of:
Better Business Bureau. Southern Arizona Mechanical Contractors Association Tucson Chamber of Commerce |
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| HELPFUL HINTS • Clean or change your filter frequently. We recommend checking it at least every 4 weeks in our dusty desert climate. • Do not set your thermostat lower in the cooling mode than is comfortable. The average resident is comfortable at a setting of 78 to 80 degrees. For every degree that you lower your thermostat below 78 degrees, you increase your electric consumption by 2% to 5%. • In the summer, setting the fan to the “on” position will allow the indoor fan to run continuously, thus providing continuous circulation of air between cycles. • Set the thermostat 1 or 2 degrees higher while still remaining comfortable. • Use fans to circulate air and make you feel cooler at a higher temperature setting. Be sure to turn the fan off when the room will be unoccupied. • If you have a routine schedule each day, consider a programmable thermostat. It can save you money by offsetting the temperature in the house when no one is home. • Do not turn off your air conditioner during the day when you are away. It is much more cost effective to raise the temperature to 82 or 83 degrees. This will use less energy and still allow for the air conditioner to recover when you lower the thermostat to your desired comfort level when you return home in the evening. • Keep all windows and doors closed. • Close draperies on the sunny side of the house to block the sun's summer rays. |
• Verify that your attic space is well ventilated to decrease the heat build up. • Do not close off more than 20% of the registers in the home. This can cause high resistance in the ductwork system. The result may be unnecessary heat build-up in the furnace in the winter. In the summer the reduction in air-flow can cause icing up on the cooling coil, higher humidity levels, and can lead to possible compressor damage. • In the cooling season, don’t run kitchen and bath exhaust fans longer than necessary. • Do not place lamps, TV sets or other heat-producing devices beneath a wall-mounted thermostat. Rising heat from the equipment may cause the air conditioning system to over-cool your house, thinking that it is warmer than it actually is. • Never store anything combustible near your gas furnace. • If you have a gas furnace, make sure that flue connections and venting are always unobstructed. • If you smell natural gas, call the local gas company at once. • If you have a power outage or brown out, turn off your air conditioner immediately. This may save the components from damage. • If your system is 10 years or older, consider the benefits of replacing it with a more efficient system that consumes less electricity. • Have your heating and cooling system serviced each season to keep it in tip-top shape. You can avoid costly repairs and unnecessary down time when you need your system the most. Back to top |
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| WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY AN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT! A. When considering purchasing a new air conditioner for your home, you should know that today’s best air conditioners use less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners from the mid 1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may be able to save up to 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, and more efficient model. An air conditioner’s efficiency, performance, durability, and initial cost depend on matching its size to the following factors: 1. The size of your home and the number of windows it has 2. The amount of shade on your home’s windows, walls, and roof 3. How much insulation is in the ceilings and walls of your home 4. The amount of air that leaks into your home from outside 5. The amount of heat the appliances and occupants in your home generate |
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| B. Know that a larger air conditioner will not provide the best cooling. Buying an oversized air conditioner will only serve the following consequences: 1. It costs more to buy a larger air conditioner. 2. The larger-than-necessary air conditioner will cycle on and off more frequently, which will reduce its efficiency. 3. Frequent cycling makes indoor temperatures change more and results in a less than comfortable environment. 4. Frequent cycling also reduces moisture removal, which is critical for comfort. 5. This cycling also wears out the electrical parts and compressor more rapidly. A larger air conditioner will use more electricity and create added demands on electrical generation and delivery systems. Back to top |
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| MAINTENANCE TIPS Evaporative Cooler: 1) Change aspen pads twice in summer. 2) Check fan belt, water pump, water distributor, clean cooler thoroughly, check electrical cords for any sign of weathering and / or fraying (replace as required), oil motor with type of oil recommended by motor manufacturer, fill with water & set float level. 3) An old trick for keeping lime & mineral deposits from building up in cooler is to place an unfired red brick (rough porous surface) in bottom of cooler & remove & replace when brick is covered with "whiskers". |
Air Conditioning: 1) Check air filter(s) once a month & replace or clean if dirty. 2) Check outdoor unit for any air blockage caused by leaves, tree limbs, shrubbery & remove as required. 3) If your air conditioning system(s) is not cooling or heating as it has in the past, call your service contractor to send a service technician to make necessary repairs and / or adjustments on your system(s). Back to top |
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| ENERGY SAVING TIPS Evaporative Cooler: 1) For most effective cooling, do not let the cooler pads become loaded with mineral & lime deposits, replace them when this occurs. 2) Keep water distributors (spiders) open for maximum water flow to pads. 3) Leave open windows and /or doors so cooler air can escape to outside. 4) Experiment with amount of openings to achieve best cooling. |
Air Conditioning: 1) Check air filter, clean or replace if dirty. 2) Set thermostat at desired temperature setting and leave it there. 3) Do not block air registers (high or low) with furniture, drapery, etc. 4) Have system(s) serviced twice a year, once in the spring (cooling season), once in the fall (heating season) or as required by manufacturer. Back to top |
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