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AC Compressors & What To Do If It Malfunctions

June 30, 2022 | Home Functionality, Home Improvement, My Blog | No Comments

Have you ever thought about how your air conditioner cools your home or business? An air conditioner takes heat out of the air inside your home, sends it outside, and then sends cool air back inside. Find out how the compressor, an essential part of your air conditioner, works and how to take care of it, so it keeps working. Need help with other HVAC services like heating repairs?

How Air Conditioners Work

An evaporator, condenser, and compressor comprise a central air conditioning system. The compressor connects the evaporator, which is inside the air conditioner, to the condenser, which is outside the house.

The evaporator and a fan are on the cold side of an air conditioner. The fan blows air over the chilled coils and into the room. The compressor, condenser, and another fan are on the hot side. This is where the hot air that comes from the compressed refrigerant is sent outside. There is an expansion valve between the two sets of coils. It controls how much of the compressed liquid refrigerant moves into the evaporator. 

When the refrigerant gets to the evaporator, the pressure drops. It then expands and changes back into a gas. The compressor is a big electric pump that puts pressure on the refrigerant gas as part of turning it back into a liquid. The main components of an air conditioner are the evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion valve. There are some other sensors, timers, and valves as well.

Even though this is a common way for an air conditioner to be set up, there are a few things you should know. All these parts are put together in a small metal box that fits into a window opening to make a window air conditioner. Hot air comes out of the back of the unit while a fan and condenser coils cool and circulate the air inside. 

Different things happen with bigger air conditioners: A home’s central air conditioner and heating system share the same thermostat, and the hot side of the unit, the compressor, and condenser, isn’t even in the house. It is outside in separate, all-weather housing. The outside condensing unit is often put on the roof of huge buildings, like hotels and hospitals.

Reasons for Compressor Failure

It can be a big problem when your air conditioner compressor problems starts to break down. Not only is the weather getting hotter every day, but you also need to find time to fix it. Worse still, you might not even know why the compressor broke in the first place! 

Knowing that, let us talk about some of the most common things that can go wrong with an AC compressor. By knowing what led to these problems, you can take steps to stop them from happening again.

Dirty Coils

Over time, dust and dirt will naturally build up on the condenser coil of an AC unit. This dirt can make the coil-less effective at transferring heat, which means the system has to use more energy to get to the temperature set by the thermostat.

When heat can’t get out, and the system works harder than usual, the compressor tends to get too hot and break. If your AC unit seems to be working hard, try cleaning the coils with special cleaning foam and see if that fixes the problem. Changing the air filter often keeps dust from building up on the evaporator coil and lets more airflow over the coil.

Damaged or Clogged Suction Lines

Problems with the suction lines are another thing that can cause a compressor to stop working all of a sudden. As refrigerant lines get older, they can get cracks and holes from the constant changes in temperature they experience over their lifetime.

If your lines are damaged, the compressor might not be able to move the refrigerant around the system as quickly, which will lower the cooling capacity of your system.

This puts more stress on the compressor motor because it must work harder to move enough refrigerant through the system. This usually leads to a breakdown at some point.

If your system is having trouble making cool air, you should have an HVAC technician check the suction lines to see if they are broken. They can change the lines and add more Freon if they find something.

Inadequate Lubrication

Like any other motor, the motor in your compressor needs to be oiled so that all its moving parts can work smoothly. If your compressor motor has to keep running without being oiled, it won’t be long before it wears out and must be replaced.

Most of the time, you can add lubricant to a compressor motor on your own, even if you have never worked with AC before. Find the oil lubricant entry point on your compressor and add some of the same lubricant recommended in the unit’s manual (be careful not to overfill and check the lubricant levels while filling). But if your compressor’s motor breaks before you can do this, you’ll need the help of a professional to install a new one safely.

Insufficient Refrigerant Charge

Freon, a refrigerant gas, is pumped through a series of refrigerant lines by the AC compressor. The lines that carry refrigerant are closed systems, and the amount of refrigerant should stay the same. But sometimes, a refrigerant line can leak, letting the refrigerant escape. 

When this happens, the system will overheat, making your air conditioner’s compressor stop working. If you think your system is leaking refrigerant, you should immediately call a professional to check it out. Leaks of refrigerants that aren’t fixed can hurt your AC unit and are hard to fix if you don’t have experience.

Electrical Malfunctions

No electrical system lasts forever; the same is true of an AC unit’s circuit board and wiring. Over time, acids and oxidation will build up and eat away at the circuit contacts, causing the power to go out.

In the end, this will stop power from getting to the air conditioner’s compressor, which will cause it to shut off quickly and without much warning. If you are not a trained electrical engineer, it will be hard for you to figure out what is wrong and fix it. On the other hand, an experienced HVAC technician can quickly and for a fair price replace the lousy wire or circuit board.

Contamination

If your house has central air conditioning, the compressor is usually in the outside unit or the condenser coils on the roof. Dust, dirt, leaves, bird droppings, and soot can get into your AC unit if left outside for a long time. If this junk gets into the compressor, it could cause it to stop working. To keep contaminants from getting in, you should clean the area around the outside unit and the unit itself. As part of regular maintenance, it should be done every couple of months.

How to Prevent the Malfunction

There are simple ways that you can do to stop the failure and degradation of your AC compressor, the easiest and most common are as listed:

Inspect for Leaks: Your system should be checked for leaks regularly. If there is a leakage, you should clean and deal with it right away.

Clean the Coils: Make sure the coils on your compressor are always clean. This will help ensure the air flows well and keep the car from getting too hot.

Check for Electrical Issues: Ensure enough power goes to your compressor. If you’re having trouble with your electricity, you should call a professional electrician for help.
Schedule for Maintenance: AC repairs and maintenance inspections are best left to the professionals, so if you require expert guidance and help, contact Oak Lawn HVAC Services via call at (708) 556-2336 or by visiting https://oaklawn-hvac.com/ to send a free quote.

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By Claudia Stephens

The Basics of Energy Deregulation

June 28, 2022 | Home Functionality | No Comments

How It Works

Prior to deregulation, the electricity sector was primarily composed of significant monopolies that were approved by the government. Electric utilities were in charge of the entire energy chain, from production to distribution, and the government imposed rules on the businesses to prevent them from exploiting their customers.

These regulations specified the maximum profit margins, rate caps, and environmental requirements that utilities had to adhere to. However, other significant businesses (such as telephones, railways, and airlines) were liberalized in the 1980s.

This method was so effective that the energy sector was motivated to adopt it. When Congress approved the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) in 1978 to bring competition into the monopoly network, the foundation for deregulation was established.

PURPA mandated that utilities purchase the electricity that independent electric firms were permitted to produce. By the middle of the 1990s, the deregulation movement had expanded beyond PURPA, and several states had begun dismantling the monopolies on their own.

Because of deregulation laws, utilities had to sell their power plants, which were then bought by private companies. This led to the creation of a retail market for electricity suppliers. Although the utilities continue to handle consumer billing and distribution, independent suppliers can now deliver power in place of the utilities.

This procedure aims to increase competition among energy firms. Competition pushes suppliers to cut costs, try new things, give better customer service, and come up with new products like fixed-rate pricing and green energy.

Energy markets aren’t liberalized in every state. Others have deregulated both natural gas and electricity, or vice versa. Below is a list of the states with deregulated energy markets as of right now:

  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Illinois
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Montana
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Texas
  • Washington D.C.

Benefits of Deregulation

The ability to pick where one gets their electricity is the most frequently mentioned advantage of energy deregulation. When there are numerous choices, a client may always be on the lookout for lower costs and better offers.

Additionally, more people may choose to purchase green energy thanks to the freedom of choice.  For clients who wish to help the environment, several Retail Electric Providers (REPs) offer 100% renewable energy programs.

Deregulation makes suppliers more competitive. This implies that energy suppliers develop better rates and cutting-edge, new goods to persuade clients that they are the best choice in order to set themselves apart from competing businesses. 

Energy providers are driven to discover the most affordable prices, offer the most practical energy supplies, and deliver the greatest customer service because they are aware that unhappy consumers will go elsewhere to do business. The public is now paying attention to something they didn’t have to previously because of all the political wrangling about deregulation. 

Since consumers now have choices about their energy source, there is a greater awareness of, a need for information about, and an increase in conversation about the energy we use, where it comes from, and how we purchase it.

Drawbacks of Deregulation

Retail Energy Providers (REPs) competition forces utilities to reduce spending, and these trimmed funds frequently come from initiatives that support low-income consumers’ access to energy. 

Many states have made provisions for low-income families in their deregulation legislation in an effort to buck this tendency.

Electric firms started going to places where they could create inexpensive electricity using technologies that produced a lot of pollution, taking advantage of jurisdictions with low environmental regulations. 

States attempt to stop this by establishing Renewable Portfolio Standards, which mandate that a specific percentage of their energy come from clean sources.

How Effective is Deregulation?

Energy deregulation first appeared to be a failure following its disastrous test run in California in 2000. The unregulated power suppliers raised prices instead of lowering costs through competition. They did this to make money for themselves while putting the utilities out of business and causing blackouts across the state.

Pennsylvania, on the other hand, seized the chance to learn from California’s oversight. 

After Pennsylvania switched to a retail energy market, power costs went down, savings went up, and businesses started coming up with new products to attract customers. All of these things can only be called successes.

Since then, several other states have effectively deregulated their energy markets. It is now obvious that the issue we should be asking how to solve is how, not whether deregulation works. 

As we move forward, states are learning how to develop policies that will highlight the benefits and do away with the drawbacks of any novel method of doing things.

For more information on commercial energy deregulation, learn more at Commercial Utility Consultants.

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By Claudia Stephens

What You Need to Know Before Hiring a Carpet Cleaner

May 12, 2022 | Home Functionality, My Blog | No Comments

Carpets are a perfect complement to any house since they are both comfortable and lovely to walk on. If you don’t preserve and prolong the life span, you’ll have to replace it sooner rather than later. To maintain the value of your prized house carpets, a cleaning service is a need. 

It will take quite some time, and you may not perform a decent job if you do carpet washing on your own. Rather than risk having subpar results, it’s always best to use a carpet cleanup service or cleaning firm. Finding the correct firm is not as simple as most people assume. You don’t want to be conned by fraudsters on the web. Factors to consider while searching for a carpet cleaning service in Jersey City will be discussed in this article.

Level of Expertise & Experience

It’s important to think about how much exposure a carpet cleaning company has had in the industry. Always ask how long the company has been in operation. If a reliable company has been in the industry for many years, they’ll have greater expertise in dealing with customers and cleaning carpets.

Seasoned housekeeping staff will know what to do if anything unanticipated arises. When it comes to cleanings, the more and more competence a company has, the better they can handle your queries. When references from a reputable organization are requested, there will be nothing to conceal and not see as a nuisance. 

Registration & Licensing 


It is a good idea to choose a certified carpet cleaner firm. Regularly, little cleaning services businesses arise and then go. Because of this, working with a firm that is not fully licensed might be dangerous. In a dispute, it will be tough to report to the government. Additionally, the organization should be adequately insured for the possibility of an accident on the construction site. In an accident, you don’t want to be held responsible. The firm should provide laborers’ insurance.

Multiple Ways of Cleaning

You might inquire about the carpet cleaning operations used by the company. Cleaners who employ cutting-edge equipment and appropriate substances to accomplish their aims are the best. In most cases, they will utilize a tractor-trailer apparatus and transport the carpets outside for Cleaning. The debris will be removed with a hoover before using specialized detergents to loosen soils as part of a regular carpet cleaning.

The detergents will now be sucked away before being used to condition the carpet before it is dried. Under ideal circumstances, Cleaning will take longer than a day and might be completed in less than six. Washing businesses that provide steam cleaning for carpets are typically reliable and provide quality jobs.

Customer Service

A firm’s development is based on its ability to provide a top-notch experience to the client. Employing a firm that doesn’t help you feel happy and valued is a waste of time. Don’t overlook the importance of contacting the business directly in your quest for the best carpet cleaners. It is essential to consider the time frame for their responses and if they can answer all your inquiries and complaints.

Equipment Used for Cleaning

The professional cleaning company’s technology is also very important to consider. Various carpet-cleaning tools are available for use. Before hiring a professional, do your homework.

Qualified professional carpet cleaners should utilize only cleaning service tools and components. In addition, they use specialized processes and techniques to restore carpets to their former condition. To make sure you’re covered, consider a new provider if they can’t explain the many sorts of specialized equipment that they use.

Cost

Look for a firm that charges a reasonable price for its services. When a firm seems to be charging a low price, it’s best to watch it. The efficiency of a carpet cleaning business may not meet your expectations. To be prepared for what you may anticipate, you should get various quotations from different companies. The different quotations might also provide a glimpse into where the firms go about their task.

Company’s Reviews

You can learn a lot about the professional cleaning business brand by reading consumer feedback. The company’s online evaluations should be viewed with caution. This is because fake reviews exist. Neutral websites that allow for fact-checking are the most reliable resource for this kind of data.

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By Claudia Stephens