How Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC does a Tune-Up, aka air conditioning Start-Up:
For Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC, it’s that time of the year. Or should I say that OTHER time of the year? Living and working in the NorthEast, we genuinely pay attention to two seasons – winter, when we need to ensure our heating system works as designed. And summer, when brutally hot and humid days and nights can make a living in New Jersey and the tri-state area painful.
In this edition of Mike’s Tips, we focus on what we, as trained air conditioning techs, do to ensure that your air conditioning and ventilation system keeps you comfortable without surprises. Let’s focus on the starting point, assuming that you have a central air conditioning system, a compressor outside your premises, and an airbox that distributes the cooled air throughout your home. Here’s where annual maintenance will help you avoid surprises when the outside temp is 95, and the inside temp is a comfortable 72.
However, beyond relying on your air conditioning system working when you need it, we do other things that reduce the costs of the energy used to run your air conditioning system. We also know which parts can be serviced to extend their life and the entire system’s life.
Coils:
The coils are the central part of the system and when not, cleaned, they reduce the ability and efficiency of the unit to cool your home. What do coils do? Coils are used for evaporation and condensation purposes. When Team Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC is done cleaning coils, it permits the conductive properties to do their job. Or to think of it another way, dirty coils force the system to work harder to circulate and handle evaporation and condensation. Working harder equals higher energy costs and generally reduces the system’s life.
Refrigerant:
Our next step is to check the refrigerant level. While there is an owner’s view of the refrigerator level, Team Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC brings tools that inspect the refrigerant level. Since it’s a sealed system, if there is a significant loss of refrigerant, it tells us there is a leak somewhere. If such a leak is discovered, our techs will initiate the repair and refill the refrigerant level to it an exact point on the gauge per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Often we find that homeowners will add refrigerant to get a quick fix and avoid a service call. Very often, this creates a new problem as too much refrigerant is equally as bad as too little. It can eat away at the system components and significantly shorten the system lifespan.
Air Filters:
As the name suggests, these filters allow warm air from inside the home to be sucked into the airbox, which gets cooled and redistributed.
Changing an air filter is often not a difficult job, and most homeowners can do it as long as they can physically balance themselves on a stool or ladder to open the filter cover.
The only other step is ensuring the airflow goes in the right direction. On the sides of the filter will be an arrow indicating which way the filter should be placed. If the filter is going into a trap it should fit snugly and the airflow should go in the direction of the AC unit. If you have a question, note the direction in the arrow is pointing when you begin to pull it out. If you are still unsure, call Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC to help guide you. But remember safety first. Having a trained tech do the filter exchange and not fall off a stool, or ladder is not worth a few dollars. Filters should be changed once a month. Depending on the size of your home, you may have several filters to change.
Conclusion. Just like a dirty oil or engine air filter can cause an automobile to run poorly and consume excessive gasoline, a dirty air conditioner filter can drive up costs and cause premature failure.
Air Flow:
Just like a clean air filter is essential to providing warm air to let cool air out of the air conditioning system, the Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC Inspection includes inspecting the system’s airflow parts.
When you pull out the filter, dust, pollen, dirt, and debris can pass thru and clog the flow of air. Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC-trained techs will do an end-to-end inspection of the airflow vents. It’s often amazing how much dirt and dust can get past the filter, especially one that hasn’t been changed in quite some time or exceptionally low-cost filters that don’t do the job properly.
Thermostat(s):
One of the most straightforward items to service yourself is replacing the batteries in your thermostats. We have all heard the expression to change smoke detectors twice a year – when you move the clock back an hour and move the clock forward an hour, BUT do you do the same with the batteries in your thermostats? You may have separate ones for different “zones” or heat and cool on separate thermostats. Here’s an easy one, since thermostats don’t require getting on a ladder. They are usually 2 AA batteries, and as long as you have them go back in the way they came out, there won’t be a problem.
Summary:
Let’s face it. Whether these heat waves are man-made or natural, summer in NJ has gotten progressively hotter, and the humidity makes us feel like we are living in the desert. If you have medical issues such as Asthma or COPD or require medically ordered oxygen, being uncomfortable in your home is risky and frankly unnecessary. Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC, serving Bergen County for over 40 years, is your trusted advisor on what you need to avoid breakdowns and enjoy the summer. Our service book for AC tune-ups fills up quickly this time of year, so we encourage you to get your appointment scheduled ASAP. We want you to have a happy, comfortable, and worry-free summer.
Call us TODAY at 201-343-1414 or visit our website at mucciaplumbing.com
PS. If you visit our website, mucciaplumbing.com/coupon/, there is a $25 off coupon which is good for the AC tune-up. Place your trust in us and we will not disappoint you.
About Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC
Exclusively Serving Bergen County, New Jersey
Michael Muccia is a Master Plumber and the owner and operator of Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC. Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC is a full-service Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) service company based in and serving Bergen County, NJ, since 1978. The Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC team of trained and certified service technicians offers various services, including general plumbing and heating maintenance, for residential and commercial clients.
Whatever your plumbing, heating, air conditioning, or ventilation needs are, it’s easier with Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC. We treat our customers, large and small, with the best service in the industry. We know you have a choice when considering an HVAC company, and no matter what we do for you, we treat it as the most crucial job in our history. Our experience proves that we know how to work efficiently, which keeps costs low, uses only the best components within budget, and stands behind the work we do.
Muccia Plumbing, Heating & AC has locations in the following areas:
Hackensack | Hillside | Ramsey | Waldwick | Maywood | Tenafly
