How to Detect a Refrigerant Leak in your Air Conditioning Unit

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Are you worried that your air conditioner may be leaking? We at J.R. Perkins Heating & Cooling would like to educate our readers on how to detect a leaky AC unit. Keep reading to find out why this happens, how to detect it, and how to solve for it.

When AC fans draw warm air from a room, the air travels through the ducts and flows over the refrigerant which is in liquid form. The refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air and cools it. The cold air now travels through the ducts back into the room. After absorbing the heat, the refrigerant vaporizes and moves to the compressor where it is compressed to increase its temperature and pressure. From there, the pressurized vapor goes through the condenser unit where the evaporator coils absorb the heat. The refrigerant cools and changes back to liquid, and the cycle starts all over again.

 

The refrigerant is an indispensable element in the AC unit, and without it, the system would malfunction. That’s why you need to look out for the following signs of leakage:


Your Home Takes Long to Cool

Does your home take a longer time than usual to cool? This could be as a result of a refrigerant leak. When there is a leakage, there will be little refrigerant to cool the air, and this means that the fluid will take a much longer time to absorb all the heat from the air inside your home. If you have lost too much of the liquid, the air won’t be as cool as you want it. So if you notice that your AC is on and the air is still warm, the chances are that the refrigerant is leaking.


Unusual Hissing Sounds

Refrigerant leaks usually result from small holes on the refrigerant lines. As the air passes through the punctured lines, it produces a hissing sound. Since the refrigerant lines run through the compressor and condenser units, the sound can be heard either from the inside of your home or the outside near the outdoor unit. It can be hard for you to locate the leak, so contact us for an extensive inspection of the entire system.


Frozen Evaporator Coils

As aforementioned, the evaporator coils have a role of absorbing heat from the vaporized refrigerant so that it can change back to a liquid. If there is a leak, there will be little refrigerant flowing to the condenser in vapor form. As a result, there won’t be much heat for the evaporator coils to absorb, and this will leave them cold or frozen. Additionally, it may also cause condensation to form on the coils, and this can cause the entire unit to malfunction.

 

Contact us if you notice any of these problems with your air conditioner. Refrigerant leaks should be addressed immediately to prevent damage to other parts of the AC. Contact us by calling (480) 422-4437 or visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com. We serve the East Valley area including Phoenix, and more specifically Scottsdale.

3 Ways an Air Conditioning Contractor Can Help You When Installing a New Air Conditioning System

Posted by & filed under Air Conditioning .

When it comes to installing a new air conditioning system, it is important that you work hand in hand with a professional air conditioning contractor. Your contractor will be able to help you from start to finish and can make sure that the process is a complete success. Here are three great ways that an air conditioning contractor can help you when installing a new air conditioning system.

They Help You Choose the Best Air Conditioning System

One important task that an air conditioning contractor can help you with is picking out the perfect air conditioning system for your home. At J.R. Perkins Heating & Cooling, our contractors will help you choose one that is not only the correct size, but is also energy efficient. They will include you in this entire process so you know exactly what you are getting and how much everything will cost you. This can help you feel confident and pleased with the final decision.

They Ensure the System is Correctly Installed

Once you and your air conditioning contractor have picked out the perfect air conditioning system for your home, they will then take the next step and ensure that your air conditioning system is properly installed. They will work with their crew to properly install all of the ductwork inside of your home as well as the actual unit and connections outside of your home. They will then test the entire system multiple times until they are sure it functions as it should and you are pleased with their service.

They Can Answer All Questions and Address Your Concerns

Once the unit is installed and running, you can call your J.R. Perkins Heating & Cooling contractor with any questions or concerns that you may have. This may include questions about setting your thermostat, when to change your air filter, opening and closing your vents, etc. They will also be at your home right away if you run into any functional issues with your air conditioning system.

An air conditioning contractor can help you out a great deal by helping your choose the best air conditioning system for your home, ensuring the system is installed correctly, and they are there to answer all of your questions and address all of your concerns.

J.R. Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the Easy Valley servicing Phoenix, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com or call (480) 422-4437.

Air Conditioning Service: Combing the Fins

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Air conditioners run better and last longer when they are serviced and attended to in a timely and efficient manner. Combing the fins of an air conditioning unit means to straighten and/or clean the outdoor condenser coils. Combing the fins can allow for better overall operation of an AC unit when it comes to cooling a home or building. The professionally trained staff at J.R. Perkins Heating & Cooling has tons of experience when it comes to performing preventative maintenance tasks and combing the fins of an outdoor AC unit.

What are the Fins of an Air Conditioner?

The fins are an important part of an air conditioner’s design. They can be seen from all sides of an outdoor AC unit if a person is looking at the cooling equipment closely. They are underneath the outer cover and have a metal, grill type look to them. They are typically made of aluminum.

Fins are a part of the AC unit process that pull in the air to provide a cooling climate in hot weather. If the fins are bent or pushed inward, they can obstruct air flow and make for an uncomfortable situation temperature-wise within an indoor environment.

Why Would Fins Need to be Combed?

The compressor fins of an air conditioner are located near the condenser. They also are often constructed out of thin metal pieces. Therefore, they can be easily bent or flattened during a severe storm that produces high winds, hail, or debris damage. A fallen tree could slam down on an AC unit and press the fins inward to make them go flat, while balls of hail have the ability to punch marks on an air conditioner’s fins and panels.

If the AC fins of a unit ever get bent, it is important to have them combed so the unit can get back to operating at full capacity with little to no interruption. J.R. Perkins Heating & Cooling has a lot of experience with combing fins for all sizes and types of air conditioners. They are familiar with the process of removing an AC’s outdoor panel or shield to gain access for combing and cleaning the fins in order to keep the unit in good condition.

JR Perkins is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing Phoenix, specifically Scottsdale, AZ. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com or call (480) 422-4437.

It’s the Service that Counts!

Posted by & filed under air conditioning service Scottsdale AZ .

It’s May and getting hot again, the phones are ringing with people looking for service and maintenance prices.  We give these callers options with prices and hear, “just checking around, I’ll get back to you”, or “don’t you have a Free service call or a $29 maintenance fee?”  These calls come from people that do not have a relationship with an HVAC company that they can trust. Our answer is always, “No, we don’t offer that!”  Here is why…

Companies like the J.R. Perkins Company do not have commissioned sales agent operating as service techs.  Ask your HVAC service provider or the Tech that arrives if they receive a commission on what they sell, and ask it to them exactly that way.  You can see that there could be a problem with your “Service Tech/Commissioned Sales Agent” being objective about repairs that may be needed.  If the more they sell you, the more take home pay they get…you can see where that could become a problem. Companies that can afford to advertise on TV often operate just that way.

Nothing is free, and people know that but we just can’t help ourselves.  “Free Service Call with Repair” gets lots of attention.  But, few people ever ask, “How much is the Service Call if there is no repair, or I don’t do the repair?”  You may get a “Free” service call, but more than likely the repair is going to be much more money than you’d normally pay.

No company can do a $29 or $39 maintenance service and survive, that would not even pay the vehicle cost much less the cost to pay and insure an EPA certified technician.  Unless the tech sells you something the company will lose their shirt.  So once again, you are most likely getting someone who is going to push repairs and “options” to increase the bottom line.

You can see how a “good boy can go bad” knowing that they can increase their take home pay by loading up customers with repairs.  Managers of companies like these always stress honesty but they also weekly and publically reward the “high earner” to encourage everyone to sell.  Those that do not yield high enough tickets get counseled or they get fired.

Most HVAC companies actually do service calls and maintenance calls at a slight loss knowing that repairs or sales may come of it.  It helps to keep service techs working in the slow season and handled properly can actually yield some revenue.  By doing a good job and not badgering the customer to constantly buy things, you can develop a long and trusting relationship with a customer that will ultimately be satisfying to both.  HVAC businesses like that are a dying breed, sad to say.

Valuable Services Provided by an Air Conditioning Contractor

Posted by & filed under Air Conditioning .

During the hot summer months, your home air conditioner is an extremely important appliance as it will help to keep your home cool, comfortable, and safe. Due to the importance of an air conditioner, having access to an air conditioner contractor from JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is beneficial. An air conditioner contractor can provide you with a range of different valuable services.

Installation

One service that an air conditioner contractor can provide is installation. When you buy a new air conditioner, making sure that it is properly installed and incorporated into your home is very important. The contractor will be able to make sure that the air conditioner is installed properly and that it is functional and easy to use. The contractor will also explain to you what you need to do to maintain the air conditioner, what troubling signs you should look out for, and how you can make sure it runs efficiently.

Annual Service

While an air conditioner contractor can help with installation, they can also provide you with valuable annual services. When you have an air conditioner in your home, having it serviced on an annual basis will be very beneficial. An air conditioner will be able to inspect it, make sure it is running as efficiently as possible, and make any necessary repairs. The contractor will also be able to identify problems with the AC unit before they develop into more serious concerns. This could ultimately save you a lot of money.

Emergency Services

Having access to an air conditioner contractor is also beneficial as they will be able to provide you with emergency services. While you can take great care of your air conditioner, there are still situations in which it may not work correctly. In these situations, the contractor will be able to come to your home and make necessary repairs to ensure the air conditioner works when you need it most.

JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing Phoenix, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com or call (480) 422-4437.