Hometown Heating and Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning’

How to Save Big on a New AC

Monday, September 25th, 2023

When it’s time to install a new air conditioner in your home, you want to get the best deal possible. However, the best deal doesn’t always mean getting the cheapest air conditioner you can find. You get what you pay for, and that can be good or bad depending on how you look at it.

If you’ve been searching for ‘AC installation near me,’ you landed in the right place. Our team are the local experts at air conditioning installation and would love to help you with an upgrade. You can keep reading to learn more about how to be smart when shopping around for a new air conditioner and make the best investment. After all, the upfront cost is not the only thing to consider when buying an air conditioner.

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It’s Not Too Late for AC Maintenance!

Monday, August 28th, 2023

Each homeowner has a preference for when they like to schedule AC maintenance. Some people prefer to schedule the appointment in the spring ahead of summer. Other people like to schedule their appointment now as summer is ending.

If you would usually schedule an AC maintenance appointment earlier in the year and haven’t yet, it’s not too late. Scheduling an appointment with our Walnut Creek heating and air team is crucial, and it’s better to have maintenance done late than not at all. Keep reading to learn more about what might happen if you skip out on AC maintenance this year.

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Our Guide to Getting Through a Heatwave

Monday, August 14th, 2023

Summers are hot, but when the heatwave passes through, temperatures can become unbearable. On these days, you want to stay inside and stay cool and away from the extreme heat. However, even indoors, you still have to take certain precautions and understand just how your air conditioner works so you know what to expect out of it.

And when you need help with your Walnut Creek heating and air conditioning, our team is always here to help. We can answer your questions, talk to you about concerns, and even schedule an appointment to assess your air conditioner if you think that something is wrong. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more about tips for getting through a heatwave.

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Why Is Ice Forming on My AC’s Evaporator Coil?

Monday, May 8th, 2023
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A common question that we get from homeowners during the summer is: Why is ice forming on my AC’s evaporator coil? Although you might think that the appearance of ice on an air conditioner is normal–after all, it’s a system designed to make things cold–it’s an indication that something is wrong with your AC. 

Ice should never appear on any part of your AC system. Not only does the ice itself create a problem, but the reason why the ice is forming may be an even worse issue. Let’s go over why your AC ices over in the first place and what it can possibly mean. That way, if you see this happening with your air conditioning in Walnut Creek, you’ll know what to expect. 

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What’s Causing That Annoying Noise From My AC?

Monday, April 24th, 2023
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We’re well into spring and by now, you’ve probably had a chance to determine how well your air conditioner is doing so far this season. How would you rate its performance? Is it quietly and efficiently cooling your home down to your desired temperature? Or does it seem like it’s taking longer than usual?

A surefire way to tell if your AC is struggling is to give it a listen. Just like any complex piece of machinery, your AC will make noises when it’s having a hard time doing its job. Booming, hissing, screeching, and bubbling are all annoying noises you don’t want to hear from your AC. Let’s go over each one and what the possible cause is.

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4 Reasons to Change Your Air Conditioner’s Filter

Monday, July 5th, 2021

Have you ever wondered why your ac service professionals tell you to change your air filter? Perhaps you think it’s a problem because a clogged air filter doesn’t protect your indoor air quality. You’re not wrong, however, not quite right either.

This particular air filter–the one that comes standard with your HVAC systems–isn’t in place to protect your indoor air quality anyway. It’s in place to protect the interior components of the HVAC system itself from dust, dirt, and other debris that can get inside and damage parts.

This air filter, depending on the type and the level of contaminants in your home, should be changed every 1-3 months. Why? We’ve highlighted 4 reasons below.

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Why You Don’t Want an AC with This One Problem

Monday, June 21st, 2021
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Short cycling is one of the most common and also one of the most harmful problems that an air conditioning system can have. It’s both the symptom of a problem and the cause of future problems. In some cases, a few simple adjustments might be all that’s needed to repair your ac problem. However, in many cases, it will require professional repairs from a trained and experienced HVAC professional–which is what we’re here for!

Short-cycling is definitely not something you want to ignore and it should be addressed ASAP. Otherwise, you might find yourself needing to replace your air conditioner far sooner than you thought you would have to. Read on to learn more!

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Getting Your AC System and Home Ready for Summer

Monday, April 26th, 2021
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With temperatures already warming up (with the exception of a few chilly days last week) you may have come to realize that it’s time to start thinking about whether your air conditioner is ready for summer. Or, maybe you think since your cooling system seems to be working okay, you can skip maintenance just this one year. We really want to discourage you from skipping, though!

It’s never too late to get your air conditioner maintained, and it’s never a bad idea to do so. In fact, there are a number of great benefits to having routine, professional maintenance done.

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Don’t Neglect These Late-Season AC Repair Needs

Monday, September 28th, 2020

Fall is officially here! It’s time to turn off our air conditioners and not worry about them until next spring, right?!

Well, not quite. Temperatures don’t always agree with whatever season it happens to be at the time. Still though, there’s no arguing that in the next several weeks, we will be able to use our air conditioners a lot less. So, that means you can wait on any repair needs that have cropped up, right?

No! At least, we don’t recommend it. The longer you wait to address an air conditioner in disrepair, the higher chance there is that you’ll experience severe HVAC problems. This is particularly true if your AC system shares ductwork with the furnace or if you’re using a heat pump, since that means your heating efficacy can be impacted too.

Even though it’s late in the cooling system, it’s a good idea to watch for the signs of AC problems we’ve listed below, and give our team a call if you notice any of them.

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Why You Don’t Want to Ignore the Size of Your New AC

Monday, July 6th, 2020

Several weeks ago, we published a blog post letting you know why it’s so important to hire a professional for your air conditioning installation. We mentioned briefly how a professional will know how to properly size an air conditioner, but do you know why this is so important?

When you’re purchasing a new air conditioner at this time of the year, it’s likely you’ll be tempted to rush, and buy the biggest system that will fit your budget, but this can actually be a big mistake. You don’t want to just assume that bigger is better—because it’s not. In fact, too large or overpowered of a system can be just as detrimental to HVAC efficiency as a system that’s too small or underpowered.

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