July 15, 2014
Invest in planned maintenance to ensure the operational efficiency and longevity of your air conditioner. If you want to protect your investment in your air conditioning system, planned maintenance is vital. As an expert Pasadena air conditioning contractor, General Heating & Air Conditioning can provide planned maintenance services that will bring the following benefits. Improved Energy Efficiency Without proper maintenance, air conditioners can suffer from many issues that may affect their operational efficiency. For example, dirty air filters can restrict airflow, causing blowers to work harder, and worn parts with low amperage can slow down the whole system. By getting an inspection from a qualified Pasadena air conditioning contractor as part of your routine maintenance, you can get efficiency issues addressed and resolved so you continue to experience reliable cooling at an affordable price. Better Indoor Air Quality A routine maintenance visit is an excellent opportunity to clean or replace the air filters in your AC system. This helps improve your indoor air quality by ensuring that cooled air doesn’t have to pass through dusty, dirty, mildewed, or moldy filters before reaching various rooms of your home. As a Pasadena air conditioning contractor, General Heating & Air Conditioning stocks a…...
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June 27, 2014
Use ductless ac as your sole source of cooled air or as a boost to your central air conditioner. Ductless air conditioners are extremely versatile and provide superior cooling for a variety of applications. They are especially appropriate for situations where you don’t want to add ductwork or you need to achieve highly precise, localized cooling for a specific room or zone. At General Heating & Air Conditioning, we have extensive experience in ductless air conditioners. We know how to install them properly so that they can deliver optimum cooling without affecting the structural integrity of your property, whether you want them installed in the wall or in the ceiling. We carry a variety of ductless air conditioner models from Carrier. This brand has been at the forefront of home and business cooling solutions for decades, and as a preferred dealer for Carrier we are intimately familiar with all the benefits of the various models. Here are some examples of places where ductless air conditioning can provide the best cooling solution. If any of these sound familiar, we invite you to contact us today to learn more about options for your specific needs. Historic Buildings: Often, historic buildings already have…...
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June 25, 2014
5 common AC problems that could be causing your cooling problem. Is your air conditioner acting up? You might have one of the following 5 common problems. You can try to troubleshoot the issue on your own, or call the experts in air conditioner repair at General Heating & Air Conditioning for help. Low Refrigerant No matter what type of air conditioner you have, it is using some kind of refrigerant to help generate cooled air. If your unit develops a leak or otherwise gets low on refrigerant, you won’t be getting the level of cooling you need. Always get a professional to top off your air conditioner coolant to help prevent overfilling. Too much coolant can be just as much of a problem as too little. Electrical Problems If the electrical connections inside your unit are worn out, your compressor or fan may not turn on when they’re supposed to. This can result in no air or hot air coming from your unit. Electrical control problems are especially common in older systems that cycle on and off really frequently. Thermostat Malfunction If your thermostat’s batteries wear out or its temperature gauge starts malfunctioning, you won’t be able to get…...
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June 23, 2014
Learn about the strengths and weaknesses of 5 types of cooling technology. Feeling hot and bothered? Whether you’ve never had a cooling solution at your property or you need to replace a tired old system, you can find relief from the heat with one of these 5 types of cooling technology. Here’s a brief overview of each along with pros and cons and tips for maximizing their efficiency and effectiveness. Central Air Conditioning Central air conditioning requires ducts and registers to circulate cool air through your home. The system itself could be a split system, where you have an evaporator inside and a condenser outside, or a packaged system, where all elements are together in one outdoor unit located on a flat roof or in the yard. Pro: Provides even cooling throughout the home, provided the ducts and registers are properly configured. Con: Can be expensive, especially if you don’t have existing ductwork. Energy-Saving Tip: Check your ducts for leaks and gaps that can cause significant energy waste. Room Air Conditioners As the name suggests, room air conditioners are designed to cool one room at a time. You could get a window unit or a portable unit. Pro: Very inexpensive.…...
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June 19, 2014
Carrier HVAC equipment provides world-class indoor air quality and comfort. On June 17, representatives of the Vatican announced plans to install a brand new Carrier brand HVAC system in the Sistine Chapel. This system must be of the highest quality in order to help preserve and protect the magnificent frescoes by Michelangelo which adorn the Chapel’s ceiling. The new system will actually replace a previous Carrier system which has been in place since the early 1990s. This custom-engineered solution has been designed specifically for the unique climate control concerns of the Sistine Chapel, based on Carrier’s industry-leading research and development resources. It will feature groundbreaking energy-saving technologies enabling it to deliver twice the efficiency of the previous system while actually handling three times the amount of air. Measures have also been taken to make the system extremely quiet, limit the air motion around the fragile frescoes, and reduce indoor air pollutants. Representatives of Carrier report that the new system will be installed by the end of August and will be virtually unnoticeable to visitors. In addition, Carrier and its parent company will be working with the Vatican to implement other solutions designed to ensure the safety and integrity of various…...
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May 29, 2014
Before you buy a new air conditioner, consider trying these 4 upgrades. Are you unhappy with the current performance of your air conditioner? Maybe it isn’t keeping your home cool, or maybe it’s putting out dusty or smelly air. Maybe you just aren’t pleased by how much it’s costing you to run your air conditioner each month. In any case, before you throw in the towel and buy a whole new air conditioner, try making one or more of these 4 easy upgrades to get better performance from your current air conditioner. Clean Your AC System The first thing to try is a thorough cleaning of your air conditioner and possibly your ductwork as well. Definitely remove the filter and clean or replace it. A dirty filter can not only result in odd smells, but also reduce the overall efficiency of your unit by restricting airflow. Also try cleaning off the condenser coils so that they can transfer heat more efficiently. Check your drain lines for blockages and the inside of your AC unit for mold or mildew issues. Finally, consider getting a professional duct cleaning and/or duct sealing to help with overly dusty or dirty air. Get Better Window…...
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May 26, 2014
General Heating & Air Conditioning offers fast & affordable air conditioner repair. As we get into the full heat of summer here in southern California there’s hardly a home or business around that isn’t cranking their AC to blast away the heat and transform their indoor spaces into cool retreats from the sun. This is all well and good until something goes wrong with your air conditioner. Then, you’re left with a tough choice. Who to call for air conditioner repair? You want the job done fast but you also want it done right. General Heating & Air Conditioning can give you what you want on both counts. We Repair All Makes & Models of Air Conditioners Whether you have a window unit, a ductless AC system, a residential split system, or a commercial rooftop unit, General Heating & Air Conditioning can provide the expert repairs you need to get your system back in top performing condition again. Our technicians are NATE-certified in air conditioner installation, maintenance, and repair so you know that we know what we’re doing when we open up the guts of your air conditioner and start working on it. We Offer Fast Service We know it’s…...
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May 20, 2014
Before you shop for your next new air conditioner, be sure you understand these 4 terms. Buying an air conditioner can be confusing. There are so many different brands and models to choose from, with different features and price points. It can be tempting to just opt for the cheapest air conditioner to save money, or else just buy the biggest one to get the most cooling, but in reality either of these choices could be a mistake. An air conditioner needs to be properly sized to work properly in your home or business, and it also needs to have solid, reliable construction and energy-efficient features if you want it to be cheap to operate as well as to purchase. Fortunately, simply by understanding these four AC terms you can make great progress towards understanding how to select a new air conditioner that will keep you cool without costing an arm and a leg to run. SEER SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, and is a measure of how inexpensive a given air conditioner is to operate. While an older model produced before the US Department of Energy’s mandated improvements took effect might have a SEER as low as…...
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April 28, 2014
AC does more than just keep you cool For most people, the most important function of an air conditioner is its cooling power. However, cooling is in reality just one of the 3 vital functions of an AC system. Here is a brief overview of these three functions. Cooling Naturally, keeping indoor air cool and comfortable is the top priority of any air conditioning system. Depending on the size of the space being cooled and the architecture of the building, you may be able to choose from central air, a window AC unit, or ductless AC for a residential property. Large commercial buildings typically require special rooftop systems to deliver powerful and reliable cooling. Dehumidifying Another very important function of an air conditioner is dehumidifying indoor air. Even in dry regions like southern California, moisture can become trapped inside a home or business, making the indoor air much more humid than the outdoor air. Fortunately, the very process that creates cooled air within the AC unit also dehumidifies that air. This dehumidifying action is the reason that AC units must have drains to remove the water that they condense out of the air. Ventilation Finally, air conditioning is important for…...
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April 25, 2014
A basic overview of the primary components of a quality HVAC system Like many aspects of modern life, our heating and cooling systems are run by technology that’s easy to take for granted. It isn’t until something goes wrong that we stop and realize we have no idea how this whole thing works. Here is a brief overview of the vital components that make up an HVAC system and how they affect your indoor air comfort and energy bills. Heating The H in HVAC stands for heating. Today property owners have many different options for their heat. The most common forced air options include gas or electric furnaces and heat pumps. Some heat pumps can even be configured to work in concert with a furnace to maximize energy savings—the furnace does the heavy lifting, but special sensors enable the heat pump to take over whenever heat output needs drop into the range this more efficient appliance can handle. As a bonus, the heat pump can also double as an air conditioner. In order to get the best performance from your heating system, it is crucial to have a furnace or heat pump that is neither too big nor too small…...
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