JD's Prompt Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

Refrigerant Updates in 2025: Why Now Is the Best Time for an Upgrade

Monday, October 14th, 2024

From time to time, major advances occur in various fields, whether it’s psychology, paleontology, or HVAC manufacturing. When new information becomes available, new things become possible! And the HVAC industry has seen some major improvements in recent years. A lot of these improvements are making air conditioners and heat pumps more efficient and environmentally-friendly.

One such change is the types of refrigerants that can be made. Now that we don’t have to use less-efficient and environmentally-harmful types of refrigerant, a mandate is taking effect which will require HVAC manufacturers to use these newer, better refrigerants. While the 2025 refrigerant mandate has positive impacts, it does pose some challenges. Here’s how you and your air conditioner might be affected.

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenance, Lubbock
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Is Your AC Short Cycling? Here’s What to Do

Monday, August 19th, 2024

person-with-chin-on-fist-looking-thoughtful

Your air conditioner runs in cycles. The thermostat calls for cooling, the compressor kicks on, and the system runs for a little while before shutting off to wait for the next call for cooling. This should only be happening three or four times an hour. But sometimes it happens much too frequently. It could even be every three or four minutes! What’s going on?

This is called short cycling. It’s a symptom of a variety of potential root issues with your air conditioner. It will also be the cause of other problems if you don’t get it repaired promptly! Why is your AC short cycling? What should you do about it? How can you make sure it won’t happen again? We’ve got the info you need.

Tags: Air Conditioning Service, Lubbock
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Prep Your Home for AC Installation

Monday, August 5th, 2024

One question people often ask is how long AC replacement appointments take. And the answer is that it varies! Not very helpful, we know. But we do have something more helpful to offer: a checklist for how to get your home all ready for your installation appointment. When you prep your home for AC installation, the process will be faster and simpler, and you’ll be enjoying your new system sooner.

Tags: Air Conditioning Replacement, Lubbock
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Why Does My AC Have Ice on It?

Monday, July 22nd, 2024

ice-and-frost-in-a-beautiful-feathery-pattern

Air conditioners make the air around them colder. The refrigerant which runs through the coils sucks the heat right out of your house. That means that the coils themselves are very cold. No wonder you sometimes see air conditioners with layers of ice developing on the coils!

Unfortunately, that’s actually a very bad sign. Ice does not form on air conditioners during normal operation. The coils should be cold, yes, but they should also be absorbing heat, and thus never actually freezing. If your air conditioner has ice on it, what in the world is going on? What can you do about it? Does it need repair? We’ll investigate together.

Tags: Air Conditioner Repair, Shallowater
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Is It Time to Replace Your Old Air Conditioner?

Monday, May 13th, 2024

very-old-air-conditioner-in-need-of-replacement

In Texas, you don’t want to be starting the summer with an air conditioner you can’t rely on. How’s your air conditioner doing? Were you happy with it last summer? Or was it struggling? Does it perhaps need a major repair in order to be up and running for the heat that will hit us so soon? Or could it be time to retire that air conditioner entirely?

It can be hard to determine whether you should keep investing in your existing AC system or give up on it. You don’t want to buy a new air conditioner if it’s not necessary. But you also don’t want to need that new air conditioner in a desperate hurry after a breakdown in a heat wave. We’ve got some tips for you on how to decide whether it’s time to replace your old air conditioner.

Tags: AC Installation, Wolfforth
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Clean and Prepare Your AC This Spring

Monday, April 15th, 2024

The beautiful Texas springtime has arrived, and you know what that means. It won’t be long before the summer heat arrives! It’s time to make sure you’re ready for it. What should be at the top of your springtime to-do list? Cleaning and preparing your air conditioner, of course! Here are the steps you should take.

Tags: AC Repair, Shallowater
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Fall Tips: Evaluating Your Comfort

Monday, October 2nd, 2023

autumn-leaves-on-the-outdoor-unit-of-an-air-conditioner

Welcome to autumn! The weather is lovely, fall activities are in full swing, and you’re taking steps to prepare your home for winter. (Have you scheduled your heating maintenance? Don’t forget about that!)

Fall is also the perfect time for looking back on the summer and considering how well your air conditioner handled the hard work it had to do. Was your AC doing a great job? Or do you have some concerns? If your air conditioner struggled to keep you cool enough this summer, caused very high electric bills, or needs major repairs, it might be time for an upgrade.

Tags: AC Installation, Wolfforth
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Why a Heat Pump Upgrade Is Worth It

Monday, September 4th, 2023

Heat pumps are amazing. Not only do they function as fantastic air conditioners, they also heat your home in the winter. And in our climate, they can do that more efficiently than any other heating system. This is because, instead of generating heat, they simply transfer it from one place to another. Even when it’s quite chilly outside, they can bring warmth in, because the outdoor air doesn’t need to be warmer than the indoor air, it only needs to be warmer than the refrigerant.

But there have been major advancements in the technology that air conditioners use in recent years. And that same technology is used by heat pumps. If you have an older heat pump, it won’t have these impressive new features. Here’s what you would gain by upgrading to a new heat pump.

Tags: AC Installation, Levelland
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Refrigerant Leaks: Our Guide to Fixing Them

Monday, August 21st, 2023

Refrigerant is the lifeblood of your air conditioner or heat pump. With the compressor, like a heart, forcing it to flow through the indoor and outdoor coils in a continuous circuit, it absorbs and releases heat and provides the cooling you so desperately need during a Texas summer. Because it is a continuous circuit, a closed loop, there should never be a need for more refrigerant. The system doesn’t use it up like fuel. But there are times when it must be refilled. Occasionally, a leak occurs, causing refrigerant to be lost from the AC system. Catching this issue early will prevent it from causing bigger problems.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Lubbock
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Don’t Ignore These Signs That You Need AC Repair

Monday, July 24th, 2023

It can be easy to ignore your air conditioner as long as it’s working well. But if you’re not sure that it’s working as well as it should, don’t just cross your fingers, hope for the best, and let it keep running while it struggles! If you’re not sure whether there’s a problem with your AC unit, you’re not alone. Here’s what to look for, so you can get prompt AC repair when you need it.

Tags: AC Repair, Wolfforth
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