Austin Air Companie Blog : Archive for the ‘Furnace Repair’ Category

RUUD Air Conditioning Repair Katy Texas

Tuesday, March 21st, 2023

Hello and welcome to the #1 Katy, Texas air conditioning blog with video content. Hope everyone is well, happy and more importantly –comfortable.

Comfort and what it means to you is the purpose of this blog. Everyone is unique in how they view comfort and the choices they make in regards to their HVAC comfort decisions affecting their house life and those that reside there.

Timing can sometimes have a dramatic impact on the choices you make. It’s not uncommon for me to get air conditioning trouble calls at the drop of the hat. Most of the time this happens when it’s hot.

So this AC blog post I have another unique air conditioning story to tell you about. This particular ‘cool’ story involves the Ruud brand of HVAC equipment. I embedded the video clip below. Another example to show the brand name game is truly just a game in a hot climate. They all break and as this story demonstrates they are not always easy fixes and not always really old equipment. HVAC equipment can break at any time, regardless of age or brand.  

I repair a Ruud Air Conditioner in a more non traditional way due to the problem this air conditioner had.

This story from the video clip above should highlight the fact that any air conditioner, brand, or model can break. There is no magical ac brand here that is exempt from breaking in a hot climate. I work on and repair all brands of them in a hot climate. As illustrated in the video above repair means more than just replacing a part sometimes. Because it puts the current home owner in a position in which they want to be in later down the road.

What do I mean by the term “hot climate” mentioned above? When summer hits every where people will say: It’s no hotter in Katy, Texas than anywhere else right now. That would be true, you know without actually thinking about it. But if you actually live here you would understand that what I mean by that is the time we spend at those higher heat levels. Time, what is it worth? If you’re younger, time isn’t worth quite as much if you’re my age or older. When you get to be my age and older you begin to realize the time you have left isn’t imaginary. Remember what we just went thru in 2020? When I was young they called this wisdom. Today what do they call this?

In Katy, Texas our climate for AC ‘use’ is typically 10 months of the year. 2022 was exceptionally a hot year. How so you might ask? The number of days at or above 100F. Time again? I explain it to you like this not to belittle you or anyone… but to make sure not a single one of you reading this will leave this post without understanding what it is that I mean in what I say. They call this “context”. We live in a world of enthusiasts in which the only reason they exist is to tell you what you want to hear so they in turn get clicks and notoriety. If that’s what you want, you’re in the wrong place. I hope this explanation is clear to you.

The latest tech in the enthusiast realm is to get AI or artificial intelligence to write and or produce content. It’s interesting as I’ve played around with it some, but to this date as of 2023 it’s merely just interesting. The biggest downfall is primarily in the land of “context”. AI has trouble in the contextual realm. Why is context important? It also has trouble with remembering what it just said to you… unless you remind it what it just said. So to be clear you’re going to have to understand what context truly means in this new age we find ourselves in.

Another problem is that AI will produce a lot of dander and make what it says sound so convincingly true, that if you don’t know the subject at hand and “just run with” what ever AI produces for you and take it as fact? I shouldn’t have to spell out how dangerous that is – should I?

My point in this AI spiel I’ve found myself in is that this is me Ray Austin writing this. I filmed the video you see embedded in this thread, I edited the video for content, I came up with the idea of how to portray it to you and tell you this particular story (it’s real, nothing artificial about it). I also provided you the context so there is a far less likelihood that you misconstrue what I am talking about here. I know from my 29 years in the HVAC industry and 15 years of running my own HVAC company as of 2023 that as a homeowner your views of comfort are probably not to the level I am talking about here. This isn’t to put you down it is to help you understand my point of view and hopefully show and prove to you why I have the view I do. On a national average an HVAC system lasts around 15 years and within that time frame changes have taken place. Changes that you probably aren’t aware of. Even 2023 has changes you may not be aware of… I brush every so slightly on this topic in the embedded video above if you pay close attention.

In addition to that the video above also has a “special” segment toward the end of that video to demonstrate how things are changing in the residential air conditioning realm. This is merely but a small facet of “change” effecting the HVAC residential market. More changes beyond that are coming very soon. This particular blog post isn’t about telling you or showing you everything. It is to drive your interest to explore these things if you so desire. I have other blog posts dedicate to such things as this.

Freon Wars has a become a long running series now on my You Tube Channel. I plan to update this series annually as information about this subject comes out. I have this subject all nice and neatly laid out on my main website here. Currently there are 5 video segments there each about 30 minutes long. I cover this “Freon Wars” topic in depth. You will never be able to say I haven’t warned you. If you do I will refer you to these videos.

You can subscribe to my You Tube channel here so you don’t miss these important updates.

At the end of the day… if you live in or near the Katy, Texas area you will have to choose something to cool your home. I wouldn’t live in this area without air conditioning. Due to the nature of this climate and how much we use and depend on air conditioning to live here – for those reasons alone you will always need a good HVAC repair man. Probably more so now than any other time before. The new refrigerants come in 2025. R410a is likely to be hard freeze on new equipment January 1, 2025 unless something happens to push this date back.

The new refrigerants aren’t perfect. They too will be phased out again maybe as soon as 2035/ 2036 to hit the targets set by the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

The “possible” advantage to replacing an air conditioner this year and next (2023-2024) is that you may be able to skip an entire generation of equipment. Remember AC’s from a national perspective last on average about 15 years.

My perspective is to not choose a brand name just because it’s a brand you recognize. All brands make a number of different models. You as a consumer need to know that brands at the lower cost spectrum are all primarily the same. There are very little differences among brands in that realm. Efficiency doesn’t always mean saving money. Make sure you understand this. Pick HVAC equipment for what it does and the comfort factors that are important to you. Realize in the higher realms of equipment including the Inverter Realm of equipment that not all brands are created equal. You must “clearly” understand those differences to truly get what you think you may be getting but are not. I like to call this looking under the “hood”. Look past the name on the box. What does it truly do AND how does it do it? These are all important things if you are looking for a quality AC system in 2023 and beyond.

If you’re looking for just an entry level machine brand names mean very little. What is more important is the installation. Comfort cooling isn’t magic. It is based on science. Just because it turns on an off doesn’t mean it’s working.

If you spend any amount of time on my website(s) watching video content from these sources you will see many instances in which repairing without replacing equipment is performed. This isn’t always possible due to a myriad number of factors as the Ruud AC video embedded above highlights. So if you call me and a AC repair is possible I will provide that option. Due to the nature of what is coming is primarily why this customer in the Ruud AC video chose what he chose along with the time constraints to getting his AC system back up and functional.

Thank you for visiting with me today. As always I hope your day is comfortable.

About the Author of Katy, Texas #1 Air Conditioning Blog with Video Content:

My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas | Richmond, Texas | Fulshear, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with 29 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems as of 2023. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

I write my own AC blogs, create my own AC content via video filmed by me, I then edit that content so as to not bore you too much. Everything you see I do it myself. Hundreds and hundreds of your neighbors already know. You don’t need a spy balloon to see what is going on at your neighbor’s house. Subscribe to my you tube channel and you will be notified when your neighbors ac problem becomes my highlight reel.

I am not, nor have I ever been at the mercy of investors or any outside influence. I am skilled to serve those that call me – I offer solutions that will work – I am skilled to fix problems as they arise afterward. Important to note: I am a capitalist. Austin Air Companie is a for profit business. You will always need a skilled HVAC contractor, probably more so now (2023 and beyond) than at any other time before.

I also own a rental property so I have a unique understanding of this part of the real estate market. Due to the nature of rental real estate the challenges coming soon (2025) could shake things up in a profound way. Your tenants won’t keep paying higher rents without proper air conditioning in a hot climate.

Thank you for considering my HVAC services.

Austin Air Companie

A Ray Austin HVAC Service Company

832-475-6895

“Your home comfort from A to Z”

Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @

www.austinairco.com 

Better Service. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

Air Conditioner Does Not Turn On

Thursday, May 24th, 2018

If your air conditioner doesn’t turn on it’s typically a frightening thing, because often times the thought is that the AC has died. Death of anything is never a pleasant thought.

Just because your AC does not come on, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have to buy a new one. Sometimes that is the case, but many times this situation is due to various electrical communications that determine whether the air conditioner will turn on or not. If there is a break in the electrical communication your AC needs to operate, often times it will simply shut off because it’s either a control problem or power problem in which power is interrupted for some reason.

Is my AC a goner

Heat Kills Air Conditioners

Air Conditioning Electrical Systems

Air Conditioning requires electricity to run or operate. So the reason the AC is not operating (turning on) has to be inspected to determine the cause. Because there are varying voltages from 24 volts to 115 volts up to 240 volts and multiple circuits for your HVAC system to operate it’s much more complicated than most people realize.

Differing Electrical Voltages Do Not Mix

HVAC Electrical Systems Require Maintenance

We all take electricity for granted, until the day in which the power goes out. We all know the electrical grid that supplies our homes require maintenance such as the replacement of transformers and tree trimming. These services are provided to us by the power company that maintains the electrical grid that provides electrical power to our homes. We pay for these kinds of services indirectly when we pay our electric bills. A portion of your electric bill pays for the maintenance service of the electrical grid.

However, these exterior electrical maintenance services do not extend to inside your home. When your electrical grid in your home breaks down and various things in your home quit working properly it’s either the device itself or the outlet or power connection to the device in question. We’ve all gone to turn on a light switch and the light bulb blows and burns out the minute the switch is turned on. Your HVAC system is similar to this kind of wear and tear, just on a larger scale.

Electrical Power For Your HVAC System

Your HVAC system is unique in that the AC system nearly always has multiple circuits and as many as 3 different voltages at most residential homes. Commercial HVAC equipment can be considerably different so realize for the purpose of this Katy, Texas Air Conditioning Blog Topic I am mostly referring to the residential HVAC market. Due to the complexity of these multiple and varying voltages required for your HVAC system to operate properly it is in your best interest to seek a LICENSED HVAC Professional to correct and repair electrical problems with your HVAC system.

Safety First

Each Electrical Circuit Is Important

Electricity & Personal Safety

You can’t mix voltages. For your safety it is in your interest to seek a ‘Licensed’ HVAC professional to work on and service your HVAC system. Without proper repairs, you are risking your own safety, damage to your HVAC system up to and including major system damage. In addition to those risks you also risk the possibility of creating an unsafe condition that could cause a fire. Your home is the single largest investment that you will make in your lifetime. You do not want the experience of a house fire on your life resume.

I speak from experience: It’s not uncommon for me to go to various calls through out the year in which a home owner has attempted to repair their HVAC system and more often than not they have only made the situation worse. Please do not risk your own safety. Hire a Licensed HVAC pro, it’s the best way to go. (TACLB28416E)

Resetting Your Air Conditioning Breaker

It’s not uncommon that a situation may occur in which your AC breaker trips due to a electrical storm that blows though the area in which you live. I provide you with a video below that provides basic (safe) instructions on how to perform this task to reset your AC breaker. If your system is elaborate or different than the norm it is my recommendation that you hire a licensed HVAC professional to perform this task for you and give the AC system a thorough check.


You can subscribe to my You Tube Channel here.

If your AC breaker continually trips the breaker or does not reset, your system is telling you there is a bigger problem that should be investigated thoroughly. Seek the wisdom of a Licensed HVAC Contractor in these situations.

Thank you for visiting me today. I hope your day is comfortable.

About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas | Richmond, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with 23 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems (TACLB28416E). I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

About Austin Air Companie: Celebrating 10 years in 2018.

Happy Birthday

Austin Air Companie Celebrates 10 Years

Austin Air Companie
832~475~6895
“Your home comfort from A to Z”
Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website at:

www.austinairco.com

Better Service. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.

Furnace Repair

Sunday, December 17th, 2017

This is a furnace repair video of a fairly common problem among this particular brand of furnace. (Carrier) I embed a video clip of the call so you can see what I am talking about in this HVAC repair blog post for Katy, Texas area.

For whatever the reason this particular furnace has problems with blower wheels getting blown apart. While I don’t have video of past repairs I’ve made of other Carrier furnaces over the years this is a problem I’ve seen numerous times over the past 15 or so years that Carrier has been manufacturing this furnace.

Many times shaking problems like this shown in the video above are related to what is called ‘ excessive static pressure’ with in the duct system so just because you see a shaking system doesn’t necessarily mean what I show in the video. I can tell you that this problem (shown in the video) is not likely from excessive static pressure, because it’s the only brand I’ve seen with this problem in 23 years of running service. (noisy blower wheel)

Just to be clear though, this isn’t a blog post just to pick on Carrier. All brands sometimes have their own unique way of failing to one degree or another. I have seen system failures on new equipment as early as 1 year old and the brand wasn’t Carrier. So you understand there isn’t one HVAC brand that is somehow better than another brand. All HVAC brands break.

With that said, the real purpose of this blog post is to show that this problem can be repaired and the furnace can live another day. Many times on repairs of this nature your HVAC company may try to sell you a new furnace.

This is where you have to be careful. It’s not that a new furnace won’t fix your problem of a noisy, shaky furnace, but the furnace you choose is a very important part of your HVAC equipment. Choosing the proper one can make a big difference in how your Air Conditioner operates and can determine how efficient your air conditioner can operate.

A furnace should last more than 20 years for a climate like Katy, Texas. This is why if and when it does come time to replace your furnace that you choose one with performance not only for heat, but also keeping in mind the efficiency of your air conditioning system as both of them work hand in hand to keep you comfortable year round.

About the author of this blog:

My name is Ray Austin. I am the video creator / editor of AustinAirCo youtube channel, author of this blog and the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas | Richmond, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with 23 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.

 

Austin Air Companie

832.475.6895

“Your home comfort from A to Z”

Air Conditioning | Controls | Heating | Zoning

For more information you can always visit me on my main website @

www.austinairco.com

 

Better Service. Done Right. On Time. Guaranteed.