Tuesday, April 19, 2016

3 Tips for Outside Air Conditioner Placement in Tempe AZ

outside air conditioner placement in Tempe AZCarefully placing an AC unit in Tempe, AZ is a very important decision and not one that should be taken lightly. You have to keep a lot of things in mind, or you could find yourself handing out a lot of money for a very little reward. If you’re not a trained technician or have much of a background in HVAC technology at all, it may feel like you’re over your head. Don’t worry. Following these tips on outside air conditioner placement in Tempe AZ is a great way to make sure you’re making an informed decision that you won’t regret later. 


Choose a Spot with Easy Access for Service Workers


Accessibility for an air conditioning installation company in Tempe is one of the most important aspects to keep in mind when finding a location for your outdoor air conditioning unit. Obviously, it should be in a place that’s easy to access for any technician that may need to service your AC, but the unit itself shouldn’t be in such a conspicuous position that it becomes an eyesore. There’s no hard rule here. As long as a worker can get to the outdoor air conditioning unit without breaking any bones or damaging any equipment, you’re probably in the clear.


Decide between a Rooftop AC Unit and Side Yard AC Unit


This is another major decision you’ll have to make. Most people are used to the bulky outdoor unit in the side yard that pumps hot and cold air into your house, and there’s nothing particularly wrong with installing a side yard AC unit. Rooftop air conditioners, by comparison, can be a bit more beneficial over time but are a little more expensive to install. Due to their placement, however, a rooftop AC unit can save on energy costs by taking advantage of the fact that warm air naturally rises. A rooftop air conditioner also makes maintenance a lot easier by centralizing the different parts of the total AC system into a single unit.


Regardless of where you choose to put the AC unit, as long as it’s placed in an open space with a free flow of air and is set on a rigid, flat surface, you’ll probably be just fine. Another thing to keep in mind is keeping your outdoor AC unit away from spots where standing water could accumulate.


Install the AC Unit on the Most Shaded Side of the Home


This final tip seems simple enough, but many people tend to forget that your air conditioner unit should always be installed on the side of your home with the most shade. Whether you choose to place it on the roof or in the side yard, you should do your best to keep the air conditioner out of the sun whenever possible. Over time, sun damage can overheat your unit and cause it to break down steadily. Especially for outside air conditioner placement in Tempe, AZ where the sun can be unforgiving, keeping your air conditioner cool will go a long way to keeping you cool too.


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Contact the Tempe air conditioner installation experts at Scottsdale Air Heating & Cooling to learn more about where you should place your AC unit. Email us or call 480-359-7141 now!


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3 Tips for Outside Air Conditioner Placement in Tempe AZ

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Is It Smart to Install Zoning Air Conditioning in Tempe?

zoning air conditioning in tempeHaving a working air conditioning unit in Tempe is much more than a convenience: it’s an outright necessity, especially when it really starts to get hot. Having only a single AC running throughout the house, however, may not be the answer to your heating and cooling needs. Houses, after all, don’t get equal amounts of sunshine throughout the day, and due to insulation or circulation issues, not all parts of the house heat and cool at the same rates. In situations like these, a zoning air conditioning unit in Tempe might just be the best bet for your home. Find out below the benefits a Tempe air conditioning company can give you by installing a zone AC unit.


What Is a Zoned Air Conditioning System?


Zone home control AC breaks your home into different areas or “zones” that are each controlled by a separate thermostat. Dampers in the ductwork control each zone electronically, functioning like valves to control the flow of hot and cold air throughout the home. The thermostats control these electronic dampers, telling the damper to let in more or less air as desired. When a specific area has reached the right temperature, the thermostat will send the air to other parts of your home.


Improved Energy Efficiency


Air conditioning units can be very expensive, so any options to save some money on your next energy bill should be explored. A zoned AC unit is particularly helpful at reducing energy costs. Instead of running high or low temperatures throughout the entire house, you can keep unused parts of the home at a more manageable temperature while keeping whatever space you’re in at the perfect level, giving you energy efficient home air conditioning.


Enhanced Comfort in Your Home


A zoned air conditioning unit naturally makes for a more comfortable home. By evening out the distribution, you’re able to keep every inch of the house at a comfortable temperature without thinking. If hot and cold spots are a problem for you, consider them gone with a zoned air conditioning unit. This is particularly helpful for two- and multi-story homes, many of which suffer from uneven heating and cooling levels. Typically, upper levels are warmer than lower levels, so by installing separate zones for the upstairs and downstairs, you’ll never again have to feel like walking in and out of a sauna inside your own home.


Added Control of Your Cooling System


Hot or cold, your house should always be exactly as you want it to be. Installing a zoned air conditioning unit will go a long way towards giving you that total 100 percent control any Tempe homeowner deserves. You can even adjust the system to heat and cool specific rooms. Maybe someone in the family likes it much colder or hotter than everyone else. A zoned AC system makes for the ideal solution, or perhaps you want a certain room to be very hot or very cold the moment you walk into it. Setting the temperature beforehand ensures this. A trained HVAC professional can implement this system for you easily enough, and it’s something you may never regret. In the Tempe area, having your home at the right temperature all the time is almost a requirement, so you might as well satisfy it with this unique kind of Tempe central AC system.


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Contact the Tempe zoned AC installation experts at Scottsdale Air Heating & Cooling to learn more about improving the control of your home air conditioner. Email us or call 480-359-7141 now!

 


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Is It Smart to Install Zoning Air Conditioning in Tempe?

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Using a Tempe Home Air Conditioning BTU Calculator [Tips]

Tempe home air conditioning BTU calculatorAny resident of Tempe knows how hot it can get in Arizona, and it will only get hotter if your air conditioning unit is not up to the task of cooling your home. More often than not, your home AC unit just might not be big enough to get the job done, which begs the question, just how big does your AC need to be? For the inexperienced, this can be a hard question to answer. AC units can be expensive, so you obviously don’t want to purchase one that’s useless for your home.


Luckily, there’s an easy way with some good advice from an air conditioning company in Tempe to find out the right size air conditioner for your home. You just need to collect a few measurements around the house and plug them into a Tempe home air conditioning BTU calculator.


What Is a BTU?


First thing’s first, what exactly is a BTU? It’s technically known as a British Thermal Unit, which is a measurement of the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. One BTU equals roughly 1,055 joules, and one BTU per hour burns about 0.293 watts. Typically, about 20 BTUs are considered for each square foot in the home.


For air conditioners, the BTU specifically measures the amount of heat an air conditioning unit can remove from a room per hour. As the BTU rating increases, the weight, the size and (especially) the cost of the air conditioner increases as well.


Now, this may seem like a lot to handle at once, but don’t worry. Measuring BTUs for potential AC installation is not as hard as you might think. You really just need to know the size of your home, as this will determine how many tons of BTU the space needs to be cooled most effectively.


How to Calculate Your Room Size


Actually calculating your room size is where the bulk of your work will go, especially since there are really no shortcuts to take here. To calculate BTU, you need to calculate the sizes of all the rooms you are targeting. Maybe it’s just a single room; maybe it’s the entire house. You need to first decide for yourself where you want to target the air conditioning unit.


After having pinpointed the space, you need to find out the width, length, and height of the room or rooms in feet. This may require you to get down on your hands and knees with a ruler or tape measure. You may also want to consult the blueprints of the house itself. Whatever you have to do to find the dimensions, do it. You’ll need these numbers for the BTU calculator.


How to Convert BTU Measurement to AC Size


After you’ve gotten all the dimensions, you’re practically done. Use this online BTU calculator to find out just how many BTUs are required for your space. Keep in mind, however, that this BTU calculator will take into account not just dimensions but also the insulation quality and the desired temperature increase and decrease. A trained HVAC professional can then use this calculation to determine the perfect Tempe AC unit size for your home.


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Contact the Tempe AC installation experts at Scottsdale Air Heating & Cooling to learn more about which AC unit is right for your home. Email us or call 480-359-7141 now!

 


Read related articles:



Using a Tempe Home Air Conditioning BTU Calculator [Tips]