Does Changing Your Air Filter More Often Make For Cleaner Air?

Our team of HVAC technicians at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling always stresses how important it is to change your air filter at least once a year when you change from heating to cooling or vice versa. Depending on the type of filter, how often you use the heating or cooling system, and other factors like if you are a smoker or the presence of pet hair, they will likely recommend you change it much more often. You may think it is for optimum air quality, but that is not quite true. While one of the benefits of changing an air filter is that you get better indoor air quality, the truth is that the air filter isn't necessarily there for you.

What the air filter in your HVAC system does is it keeps debris, dust, and other contaminants from the internal working parts. The air filter doesn't filter the air directly pumped into your home, instead it filters the air coming from the return duct as it goes into the blower fan. In its own way, because the air is filtered before it goes into the system, it does improve your air quality.

Unfortunately, air filters are often mistaken for being here to improve air quality. If you are really looking to improve the air quality in your home, then you will want to ask one of our experts at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling about adding a whole home air purification system into the mix. This will specifically target contaminants in the air being pumped in your home and can do a lot to improve your overall air quality. Air filters come with qualities that state they can reduce allergens or other air contaminants, and they will, but it is too often confused that doing so is your air filter's primary job. Instead, it is meant to protect your HVAC system from damage or excessive wear from the air coming in.

JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing the Phoenix area, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com.

Top 4 Reasons to Hire a Professional Air Conditioning Contractor

Whether you have a simple or complicated HVAC issue at your home or place of work, it's strongly recommended that you hire a professional air conditioning contractor to help you get it fixed. Here at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling, we think the following reasons are why you should consider doing so:

1. Safety
Attempting to repair an air conditioning unit yourself can be very dangerous, especially if it involves an electric fault. There are also risks of you getting injured by frayed wires, hanging fan blades or other sharp metallic objects. Refrigerant leaks and fumes can also cause serious health problems to children and pets. To be on the safe side, look for a professional who is trained to diagnose and fix HVAC issues without putting anyone in danger.

2. Knowledge of HVAC Systems
Professional air conditioning contractors have the relevant knowledge needed to keep heating and cooling systems in good working condition year-round due to their training and experience in the field. Apart from having the ability to diagnose various issues, they are also fully equipped with state-of-the-art tools that enable them to do their work in a timely and efficient manner.

3. Warranties
Most air conditioning models require regular professional servicing and preventive maintenance to work effectively. Hiring professionals gives you an added benefit of setting up an ongoing maintenance plan with the company. They will always update you on the servicing tasks needed and the right time to perform them.

4. Saves You Money
Being that our HVAC professionals at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling will be coming with our own tools and safety gear, you won't have to hire or buy any equipment for your project. You can only imagine how much you could have spent by worsening the problem.

JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing the Phoenix area, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com.

Does The Cleanliness of an Air Conditioner Matter?

Leaves, dirt, dust, basically anything that can waft in on the breeze – your air conditioner will be subjected to it. Usually outdoor air conditioning units are installed in pretty protected areas, meaning they won't see excessive exposure to a lot of debris. However, the cleanliness of an outdoor air conditioning unit is crucial to the health of your cooling system.

What many AC unit owners don't realize is part of yearly maintenance done on your air conditioner by a professional is just cleaning the unit. Our JR Perkins Heating & Cooling technicians ensure that during a maintenance check, they also go inside and apply lubrication and make sure everything seems to be working as designed, and go in and remove debris and clean the interior so that everything keeps working that way for another year.

Air conditioners are designed to be pretty adept at dealing with moisture such as rain exposure. It drains away and evaporates well, but debris on the interior will impede that ability. Furthermore, even if there aren't leaves, sticks, or large debris, dust and dirt must also be regularly cleaned away. It tends to stick onto the inner workings, which will inhibit the air conditioners ability to disperse heat. It makes the whole system work harder to cool your home and can shorten the lifespan of it. This is primarily why it is so important to have at least yearly maintenance. As an outdoor unit, the air conditioner is exposed to dirt and that needs to be cleaned away to keep it working.

While it might be tempting to keep your air conditioner cleaner by covering it, this should generally be avoided. Covering an air conditioner when it is used prevents it from getting the air intake that it needs. Covering an air conditioner outside of air conditioning season will prevent moisture from evaporating efficiently, making rust a likelihood. It is best to just make sure it is as clean as possible and leave the rest to your JR Perkins Heating & Cooling HVAC technician.

JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing the Phoenix area, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com.

How Long Does Air Conditioner Installation Take?

You're busy; we respect that! You need that new air conditioner installed, but you don't exactly have all the time in the world to wait for that to happen. If you need a new air conditioner installed, you may want an estimate on how long that will take. The short answer from the trained technicians at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is that it can vary depending on certain factors.

The first factor that can affect how long it will take is whether you have had an air conditioner before. If you are replacing your air conditioner, there is already infrastructure in place. Even if you are replacing an air conditioner, the technician still needs make sure you have the electrical system to support that new model, but in most cases, the home is already well set up. It will cut down dramatically on the time needed.

Another factor is the state of your duct work. You will likely already have usable ducts installed, but they may not be in the best shape. If your ducts need to be repaired, it adds onto the time, but is well worth it.

Finally, installation can also be dependent on where the air conditioner is installed. If you and your JR Perkins Heating & Cooling technician agree on an area, the more accessible it is, the faster the process will go. If it is hard to get your unit into or there are ten tons of toys or other obstructions there, it will add onto your installation time.

If you are looking to install a new air conditioning unit and want a time estimate that is adjusted for your specific circumstances, contact your chosen air conditioner technician. We can do an inspection to help you choose the right unit and give you a firm estimate on how long it will take for them to install it in your unique home.

JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing the Phoenix area, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com.