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Can I install my air conditioner myself? |
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Yes, subject to the EPA refrigerant handling laws. Essentially this means that any step in the charging, reclaiming, or adjustment of the refrigerant process must be completed by a properly certified professional.
You are free to complete any other steps if you are qualified and capable of doing so. |
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My service tech told me that higher efficiency products break down more frequently. Is this true? |
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Possibly. However, ask your installer if his automobile has power steering, power brakes and power windows, and even an electronic air conditioning system. These are just more things to go wrong but we all want the convenience and comfort they provide.
Quality control has improved warranties dramatically in the last ten years through the use of manufacturing process certifications and increasingly efficiency assembly methods. Product innovations in efficiency and function will increase complexity slightly but the return in comfort and energy savings will more than offset any potentially slight increase in maintenance.
Base your decision on features, initial cost, ownership costs including energy usage, and comfort. |
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Will you size my central air conditioning system if I call you? |
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Proper system sizing is very important to your comfort and operating costs. In addition to square footage, other important factors used include number and type of windows, attic insulation and wall insulation thickness, your climate, number of occupants and your lifestyle.
Unfortunately, none of the factors can be properly addressed by phone. We offer a number of options to you to ensure that your new system is properly sized for maximum comfort and efficiency.
For more detail on sizing see the FAQ "Can you help me size an air conditioning system for my home?" for full details on system sizing |
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Do your cooling systems come pre-charged? |
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Yes. All of the air conditioning systems we offer are pre-charged to allow for the volume of about 20 feet of refrigerant lines. You must have an EPA certification to handle refrigerant. |
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I need to purchase an air conditioning system. What will I need to know? |
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Central air conditioners are offered in 6000 Btu (one half ton) increments. Proper sizing is critical to function and humidity control. An undersized system will run longer than needed, decreasing your comfort. An oversized system (a more common problem) will "short-cycle" causing frequent on/off cycling.
The shorter run times don't allow for proper dehumidification and will increase your energy costs due to frequent power "spikes", as well as significantly decreasing the system life. You will also want to compare the seer ratings of the systems you are considering.
The higher the seer rating the lower your operating cost will be. As a general rule, each one point increase in the seer rating will reduce operating costs by about 10%. If you live in a humid climate, you should consider a variable speed indoor blower unit.
This feature increases humidity removal and reduces operating sound levels dramatically. See the FAQ "Can you help me size an air conditioning system for my home?" for full details on system sizing. |
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Where can I get more detail and specs for the equipment I am interested in? |
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All of our product ads contain downloads for installation instructions and detailed specifications. Simply open the product ad and click on the "Installation Guides/PDF" link for full details.
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