AC and Heat

WHY IS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE NECESSARY?

Preventive Maintenance is essential to the proper functioning of HVAC equipment. If preventive maintenance is not performed regularly or if it is done haphazardly, the equipment will require extensive and costly repairs at a later date. This is not just a case of "pay me now or pay me later." It is a case of "pay me now or pay me considerably more, later," and lose reliability in the process.

Preventive maintenance of HVAC equipment, regular inspections each year. During these inspections, proper operation of the equipment is checked and verified. All mechanical equipment is designed to operate within certain limits. HVAC equipment is no exception, and if not properly maintained, the equipment will exceed its design limitations with the result being equipment failure.

Why must we replace air filters?

Air conditioning equipment is designed to operate with a specific quantity of air passing over its indoor coil surface. When air filters are not replaced, they clog and become coated with dirt. Similarly, the indoor coils get coated with dirt. This dirt reduces the amount of air through the unit below the design limit, leading to catastrophic failure.

In the cooling mode, if there is not enough air over the indoor coil, the coil temperature drops. When it drops below the freezing point, ice forms on the coil, which further reduces the airflow, which further reduces the coil temperature. The compressor within the unit is a pump, which is designed to pump a vapor. As the airflow through the indoor coil drops, there isn't enough heat being removed from the air passing over the coil to vaporize the liquid refrigerant inside the coil. Thus, instead of receiving a vapor, the compressor receives liquid refrigerant. This is called "liquid slugging". The effect of "liquid slugging" is similar to the effect of pouring liquid into the cylinders of a gas engine. As liquids are not compressible, cylinder pressure exceeds the design limits, of the cylinder, and the valves, connecting rods, pistons, or other internal components are destroyed. The units start out requiring that its filters be replaced. Now it needs a new compressor.

In the heating mode, low airflow causes the heat exchanger to overheat. Heat exchangers are designed to operate at temperature between 120°F and 200°F. At higher temperatures, the heat exchanger oxidizes, its life-span is reduced, or it cracks and breaks. In either case, It makes far more sense to replace air filters regularly than to replace a heat exchanger costing far more.

Why must we replace drive belts? ( usually Commercial )

Loose or broken drive belts cause the same problems that dirty filters cause. They cause the airflow through the equipment to be reduced below design limits. In addition, loose drive belts slip on the pulleys. This wears the groove in the pulley so that when the belt is replaced, the new belt is ruined in a short period of time by the worn pulleys. Once again replace the $15.00 belt on a regular basis or spend much more replacing pulleys.

Why must we clean condenser coils?

Equipment is designed to operate between certain outdoor temperature limits. Cooling and condensing of the refrigerant vapor is designed to occur with a particular volume of air flowing through the condenser at a maximum outdoor ambient temperature. (Usually 115°F) If the finned surfaces of the outdoor coils are fouled with dirt, the ability of these coils to transfer heat is reduced and the airflow through the condenser coil is reduced. When the ability to transfer heat is reduced, the operating temperatures and pressures of the unit increase. A unit, designed to operate at ambient temperatures of 115°F or more, may stop operating at an outdoor temperature of 90°F. Due to the reduced heat transfer capability, the operating temperatures and pressures within the unit exceed the manufacturer's safe limit and the unit shuts down. If the unit does not exceed the manufacturer's limits by enough to shut down, it will continue to run at reduced capacity and efficiency, and at an increased rate of wear due to the increased work load.

Why Inspect Relays and Contactors?

Electrical relays are designed to open and close a certain number of times with a particular current load, before the contact points are damaged and relay requires replacement. If more than the design current is passed through this relay due to a motor working too hard, or low voltage conditions, the contact points overheat and become damaged. If the electrical contacts in a contactor (large relay) begin to get pitted, and the contactor is not replaced, eventually the compressor motor or the fan motor controlled by the contactor will burn up and require replacement. Once again, if we exceed the design limitations of the device, or its anticipated life span, additional damage is caused.

Why Must We Lubricate Bearings and
Rotating Components?

Bearings and other rotating parts are designed to have a useful life span of hundreds of thousands of hours, provided they are lubricated at appropriate intervals and are not overloaded due to vibration from defective drive belts or dirty blower wheels. If bearings are not lubricated regularly, they will overheat and seize. When this occurs, the bearings fall apart, and the blower wheel, shaft, and housing are destroyed. This is a prime example of a situation where inexpensive maintenance was neglected with catastrophic results.

Why Must We Check the Refrigerant Charge
on a Regular Basis?

A unit operating with an insufficient refrigerant charge can ruin its compressor via two scenarios. The unit icing up due to a low-pressure condition causes the first type of failure, causing the compressor to fail due to liquid slugging, as described before. The second type of failure is due to the fact that the compressor requires a certain quantity of cool refrigerant vapor to cool its motor windings. If the refrigerant charge is not sufficient, the motor within the compressor will overheat and burn up.

The scenarios described all cause damage to occur slowly, over a period of time, usually without being noticed by the occupants of the conditioned space until catastrophic failure has occurred.

Regularly scheduled preventive maintenance properly performed, in addition to lowering overall annual HVAC service costs, and reducing the number of emergency calls due to catastrophic failures, will also result in lower utility costs.

Properly maintained equipment operates more efficiently.

Air Conditioning Maintenance & Tune-Ups

Air conditioners lose capacity with use. The coils become plugged, filters get dirty, belts slip and often there is a refrigerant leak. While comfort is lost, energy costs soar. A 20% increase in operating cost is not uncommon. You may not recognize this problem until comfort is lost and, by then, the extra dollars are gone. With oversized air conditioning equipment, the recognition time is longer and dollar losses are greater.

The solution to the problem is -- get a complete tune-up.

Here is what a complete tune-up accomplished with one system when the outside temperatures (ODT) were in the range of 80-85 degrees F.

Capacity Restored

The capacity was restored 18% with a complete tune-up. A partial tune-up restored capacity only 5%.

Energy Use Down

Cleaning the condensing unit not only restored capacity 5%, it reduced actual energy consumption 10%. The additional restored capacity from cleaning the blower did not further reduce energy use.

Energy Efficiency Up

A complete tune-up outperformed a partial tune-up. The partial cleanup resulted in only 54% of the total increase in efficiency. For the same running time, the partial tune-up reduced the utility bill by 14% and the complete tune-up reduced it by 24%.

Longer Compressor Life

The compressor in the air conditioner described may have a shortened life. Some authorities say that the hot gas temperatures should be below 200 degrees F for extended life. A complete tune-up reduced the temperature from 208 to 195 degrees F.

Check Thermostats

Often thermostats are influenced by heat sources other than room temperature. When thermostats are located near table lamps in houses , or receive direct sunlight during a portion of the day, air conditioners run longer than normal. Of course this increases energy use as well as erratic comfort cycles.

You can shorten running time by raising the temperature setting on the thermostat. For example, the air conditioner ran 15% less when the thermostat was adjusted from 75 degrees to 77 degrees. Your influence on the thermostat can reduce energy bills significantly.

Tune-ups Save

Tune-ups are profitable. In most cases, they should be performed at least every year, some even more often. Remember, without tune-ups, a 3-ton air conditioner may perform like a 2 1/2-ton unit while you are paying the operating cost of a 3 1/2-ton unit. That's not profitable, nor energy efficient.

Tune-up Check List

Here are some of the items that should be checked in a complete tune-up:

Air flow through outside condenser coil
- clean coils
- straighten coil fins
- remove obstruction to air flow (bushes, boxes)
Air flow through inside evaporator coil
- change filters regularly
- clean coils
- clean blower wheel
- stop duct leaks
Check refrigerant charge after cleanup
Check control system for proper performance

Use Qualified Service

Qualified service personnel should conduct the tune-up. You change the filters.
Whether your air conditioner is in your home, office or business, air-conditioning tune-ups are profitable.

Furnace Maintenance

Simple maintenance can pay big dividends for comfort, efficiency and safety.
When it comes to furnaces (we'll focus on natural gas), an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure. To help you avert the hassle of your furnace dying or simply not putting out enough heat-- just when you need it most.

Maintenance

Maintenance can keep you safe and save you money and hassles. Would you let your car go a year without a tune-up or oil change? By maintaining your heating system annually, Eric Kjelshus Energy experts can pinpoint potential problems before they become a costly, inconvenient emergency repair or worse, a safety hazard.

Because a well maintained system runs more efficiently, you can be sure to get peak performance from your equipment to help save on your monthly utility bills.

In addition, if you or a family member suffer from asthma or allergies, regular furnace maintenance including air filter replacement is recommended to reduce aggravating dust particles, bacteria and plant spores in your home.

Listed below are some of the key services that should be performed for proper furnace maintenance:

Monitor exhaust gases before and after for safe and efficient carbon monoxide level
Check for hazardous debris in the chimney and flue
Check air filters and re-install
Check operation of thermostat
Check gas pilot and clean as required
Check motor and blower
Clean by hand brush and vacuum the heat exchanger, inspect for safety
Clean burners and set for proper operation
Check gas piping to furnace for leaks
Make all necessary gas and air adjustments then check results by digital combustion analyzer
Check furnace cycle

Your furnace should be checked and maintainted by professionals. Furnace maintenance by Eric Kjelshus Energy includes the most comprehensive safety check-up and cleaning in the KC Metro Area.

You need the peace of mind that your furnace will be checked and cleaned by experts in natural gas equipment servicing. All of our Service Technicians are fully certified and receive extensive ongoing training.

During the service call, our Service Technician will be pleased to answer any questions you may have about your heating system and will advise you about proper filter maintenance.

R&K SERVICES 972-442-7300 Wylie Texas		TACLA26916E		FAITH makes the difference
Air Conditioning and Heating -Repair, Replacement, and Installation -Commercial & Residential - Licensed and Insured
Schedule Services	Equipment	Specials	Discounts	FAQ	Service Area	Contact	More	Secure Online Payments
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE WHY IS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE NECESSARY? Preventive Maintenance is essential to the proper functioning of HVAC equipment. If preventive maintenance is not performed regularly or if it is done haphazardly, the equipment will require extensive and costly repairs at a later date. This is not just a case of "pay me now or pay me later." It is a case of "pay me now or pay me considerably more, later," and lose reliability in the process. Preventive maintenance of HVAC equipment, regular inspections each year. During these inspections, proper operation of the equipment is checked and verified. All mechanical equipment is designed to operate within certain limits. HVAC equipment is no exception, and if not properly maintained, the equipment will exceed its design limitations with the result being equipment failure. Why must we replace air filters? Air conditioning equipment is designed to operate with a specific quantity of air passing over its indoor coil surface. When air filters are not replaced, they clog and become coated with dirt. Similarly, the indoor coils get coated with dirt. This dirt reduces the amount of air through the unit below the design limit, leading to catastrophic failure. In the cooling mode, if there is not enough air over the indoor coil, the coil temperature drops. When it drops below the freezing point, ice forms on the coil, which further reduces the airflow, which further reduces the coil temperature. The compressor within the unit is a pump, which is designed to pump a vapor. As the airflow through the indoor coil drops, there isn't enough heat being removed from the air passing over the coil to vaporize the liquid refrigerant inside the coil. Thus, instead of receiving a vapor, the compressor receives liquid refrigerant. This is called "liquid slugging". The effect of "liquid slugging" is similar to the effect of pouring liquid into the cylinders of a gas engine. As liquids are not compressible, cylinder pressure exceeds the design limits, of the cylinder, and the valves, connecting rods, pistons, or other internal components are destroyed. The units start out requiring that its filters be replaced. Now it needs a new compressor. In the heating mode, low airflow causes the heat exchanger to overheat. Heat exchangers are designed to operate at temperature between 120°F and 200°F. At higher temperatures, the heat exchanger oxidizes, its life-span is reduced, or it cracks and breaks. In either case, It makes far more sense to replace air filters regularly than to replace a heat exchanger costing far more. Why must we replace drive belts? ( usually Commercial ) Loose or broken drive belts cause the same problems that dirty filters cause. They cause the airflow through the equipment to be reduced below design limits. In addition, loose drive belts slip on the pulleys. This wears the groove in the pulley so that when the belt is replaced, the new belt is ruined in a short period of time by the worn pulleys. Once again replace the $15.00 belt on a regular basis or spend much more replacing pulleys. Why must we clean condenser coils? Equipment is designed to operate between certain outdoor temperature limits. Cooling and condensing of the refrigerant vapor is designed to occur with a particular volume of air flowing through the condenser at a maximum outdoor ambient temperature. (Usually 115°F) If the finned surfaces of the outdoor coils are fouled with dirt, the ability of these coils to transfer heat is reduced and the airflow through the condenser coil is reduced. When the ability to transfer heat is reduced, the operating temperatures and pressures of the unit increase. A unit, designed to operate at ambient temperatures of 115°F or more, may stop operating at an outdoor temperature of 90°F. Due to the reduced heat transfer capability, the operating temperatures and pressures within the unit exceed the manufacturer's safe limit and the unit shuts down. If the unit does not exceed the manufacturer's limits by enough to shut down, it will continue to run at reduced capacity and efficiency, and at an increased rate of wear due to the increased work load. Why Inspect Relays and Contactors? Electrical relays are designed to open and close a certain number of times with a particular current load, before the contact points are damaged and relay requires replacement. If more than the design current is passed through this relay due to a motor working too hard, or low voltage conditions, the contact points overheat and become damaged. If the electrical contacts in a contactor (large relay) begin to get pitted, and the contactor is not replaced, eventually the compressor motor or the fan motor controlled by the contactor will burn up and require replacement. Once again, if we exceed the design limitations of the device, or its anticipated life span, additional damage is caused. Why Must We Lubricate Bearings and Rotating Components? Bearings and other rotating parts are designed to have a useful life span of hundreds of thousands of hours, provided they are lubricated at appropriate intervals and are not overloaded due to vibration from defective drive belts or dirty blower wheels. If bearings are not lubricated regularly, they will overheat and seize. When this occurs, the bearings fall apart, and the blower wheel, shaft, and housing are destroyed. This is a prime example of a situation where inexpensive maintenance was neglected with catastrophic results. Why Must We Check the Refrigerant Charge on a Regular Basis? A unit operating with an insufficient refrigerant charge can ruin its compressor via two scenarios. The unit icing up due to a low-pressure condition causes the first type of failure, causing the compressor to fail due to liquid slugging, as described before. The second type of failure is due to the fact that the compressor requires a certain quantity of cool refrigerant vapor to cool its motor windings. If the refrigerant charge is not sufficient, the motor within the compressor will overheat and burn up. The scenarios described all cause damage to occur slowly, over a period of time, usually without being noticed by the occupants of the conditioned space until catastrophic failure has occurred. Regularly scheduled preventive maintenance properly performed, in addition to lowering overall annual HVAC service costs, and reducing the number of emergency calls due to catastrophic failures, will also result in lower utility costs. Properly maintained equipment operates more efficiently. Air Conditioning Maintenance & Tune-Ups Air conditioners lose capacity with use. The coils become plugged, filters get dirty, belts slip and often there is a refrigerant leak. While comfort is lost, energy costs soar. A 20% increase in operating cost is not uncommon. You may not recognize this problem until comfort is lost and, by then, the extra dollars are gone. With oversized air conditioning equipment, the recognition time is longer and dollar losses are greater. The solution to the problem is -- get a complete tune-up. Here is what a complete tune-up accomplished with one system when the outside temperatures (ODT) were in the range of 80-85 degrees F. Capacity Restored The capacity was restored 18% with a complete tune-up. A partial tune-up restored capacity only 5%. Energy Use Down Cleaning the condensing unit not only restored capacity 5%, it reduced actual energy consumption 10%. The additional restored capacity from cleaning the blower did not further reduce energy use. Energy Efficiency Up A complete tune-up outperformed a partial tune-up. The partial cleanup resulted in only 54% of the total increase in efficiency. For the same running time, the partial tune-up reduced the utility bill by 14% and the complete tune-up reduced it by 24%. Longer Compressor Life The compressor in the air conditioner described may have a shortened life. Some authorities say that the hot gas temperatures should be below 200 degrees F for extended life. A complete tune-up reduced the temperature from 208 to 195 degrees F. Check Thermostats Often thermostats are influenced by heat sources other than room temperature. When thermostats are located near table lamps in houses , or receive direct sunlight during a portion of the day, air conditioners run longer than normal. Of course this increases energy use as well as erratic comfort cycles. You can shorten running time by raising the temperature setting on the thermostat. For example, the air conditioner ran 15% less when the thermostat was adjusted from 75 degrees to 77 degrees. Your influence on the thermostat can reduce energy bills significantly. Tune-ups Save Tune-ups are profitable. In most cases, they should be performed at least every year, some even more often. Remember, without tune-ups, a 3-ton air conditioner may perform like a 2 1/2-ton unit while you are paying the operating cost of a 3 1/2-ton unit. That's not profitable, nor energy efficient. Tune-up Check List Here are some of the items that should be checked in a complete tune-up: Air flow through outside condenser coil clean coils straighten coil fins remove obstruction to air flow (bushes, boxes) Air flow through inside evaporator coil change filters regularly clean coils clean blower wheel stop duct leaks Check refrigerant charge after cleanup Check control system for proper performance Use Qualified Service Qualified service personnel should conduct the tune-up. You change the filters. Whether your air conditioner is in your home, office or business, air-conditioning tune-ups are profitable. Furnace Maintenance Simple maintenance can pay big dividends for comfort, efficiency and safety. When it comes to furnaces (we'll focus on natural gas), an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure. To help you avert the hassle of your furnace dying or simply not putting out enough heat-- just when you need it most. Maintenance Maintenance can keep you safe and save you money and hassles. Would you let your car go a year without a tune-up or oil change? By maintaining your heating system annually, Eric Kjelshus Energy experts can pinpoint potential problems before they become a costly, inconvenient emergency repair or worse, a safety hazard. Because a well maintained system runs more efficiently, you can be sure to get peak performance from your equipment to help save on your monthly utility bills. In addition, if you or a family member suffer from asthma or allergies, regular furnace maintenance including air filter replacement is recommended to reduce aggravating dust particles, bacteria and plant spores in your home. Listed below are some of the key services that should be performed for proper furnace maintenance: Monitor exhaust gases before and after for safe and efficient carbon monoxide level Check for hazardous debris in the chimney and flue Check air filters and re-install Check operation of thermostat Check gas pilot and clean as required Check motor and blower Clean by hand brush and vacuum the heat exchanger, inspect for safety Clean burners and set for proper operation Check gas piping to furnace for leaks Make all necessary gas and air adjustments then check results by digital combustion analyzer Check furnace cycle Your furnace should be checked and maintainted by professionals. Furnace maintenance by Eric Kjelshus Energy includes the most comprehensive safety check-up and cleaning in the KC Metro Area. You need the peace of mind that your furnace will be checked and cleaned by experts in natural gas equipment servicing. All of our Service Technicians are fully certified and receive extensive ongoing training. During the service call, our Service Technician will be pleased to answer any questions you may have about your heating system and will advise you about proper filter maintenance. Heat Pumps 1-17. Heat Pumps will receive all of the Air Conditioning services plus: 18. Defrost timer will be checked. VALUE TO YOU - A defrost timer that is not working properly can cause loss of heat & can shorten the compressor's life. 19. Reversing valve will be operationally checked. VALUE TO YOU - A reversing valve that is not operating properly can waste energy & cause a loss of heat. 20. Auxiliary heat strips will be checked. VALUE TO YOU - Heat strips that are not operating properly can cause a loss of heat or increase electric costs higher than necessary. . Preventive Maintenance



air conditioning repair wylie tx garland tx plano tx allen tx frisco tx sachse tx rowlett tx mesquite tx

R&K SERVICES 972-442-7300 Wylie Texas

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

air conditioning repair wylie tx garland tx plano tx allen tx frisco tx sachse tx rowlett tx mesquite tx

R&K SERVICES
972-442-7300
Wylie Texas

air conditioning repair wylie tx garland tx
plano tx allen tx frisco tx sachse tx rowlett tx mesquite tx