South Texas is hot. Wilks AC & Heating will help you keep your cool. We’ve been doing it for over thirty years. What to do in an AC emergency When your AC goes out, you need help fast! Follow these easy self-diagnostic tips to see if you can fix your AC emergency immediately — or call Wilks  at 210-534-9911 for a service call to diagnose your problem – FREE! If the outdoor unit is not running, check your breaker. The breaker for your outside unit is in the breaker box on the outside wall near your electric meter. Check your drain switch. If the outdoor unit is not running, check to see if you have a drain switch. Drain switches are designed to turn off your outdoor unit in the event your drain line clogs.  Drain switches can be installed in the primary drain or they can clip on safety drain pans installed under your indoor unit. You can attempt to fix the problem by removing the water with a shop style vacuum. Check your air filter.

Is your air conditioning unit running but not cooling? First, check your air filter. A dirty air filter can cause your unit to stop cooling. Second, check for ice on your outdoor unit.  If ice is present, turn your air conditioner off and switch your fan control on your thermostat to the ON position. By doing this, you will melt any ice which may have accumulated on the indoor coil.  After 3-4 hours, you can turn the unit back on for temporary relief. Once you set an appointment for service, turn your unit off to allow the technician to evaluate your system without the presence of ice. Check your thermostat batteries. When you turn the air conditioner on and nothing works. First make sure your thermostat batteries are new. Some thermostats do not use batteries. Most thermostats require 2 AA batteries to operate. If the batteries are new, check your indoor breaker panel. The plug supplying power to the furnace is usually in your indoor panel.  If you have a heat pump system, your breaker for the indoor unit will be outside in the breaker box near your meter.

If your breakers are not tripped, make sure the panels of your furnace are securely fastened on the furnace.The biggest sources of unwanted summer heat in homes are windows and walls (20 to 30 percent), internal gains from appliances and lights (15 to 25 percent), and through the roof (10 to 20 percent). In humid climates, damp outside air leaking into the house can also increase cooling load significantly. Air conditioners are rated by their efficiency levels, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER - commonly pronounced SEAR). Ratings are shown on a yellow tag for room air conditioners and on fact sheets for central units. The SEER is the seasonal cooling output in Btus divided by the seasonal energy input in watt hours for an average U.S. climate. It takes into account the time the unit is not running. The higher the figure the better. A unit with a SEER of 12.0 costs half as much to operate as one with a SEER of 6.0. The higher initial cost of the higher SEER unit is normally paid back within a few years, making the more efficient equipment less expensive in the long run.

New residential central air conditioner standards went into effect on January 23, 2006. Air conditioners manufactured after January 26, 2006 must achieve a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 13 or higher. SEER 13 is 30% more efficient than the previous minimum SEER of 10. The standard applies only to appliances manufactured after January 23, 2006. air handling unit flow rateEquipment with a rating less than SEER 13 manufactured before this date may still be sold and installed. central ac ratings 2012The ratings refer only to operating efficiency, or cost to operate, and have nothing to do with capacity, which is rated in Btus/hr. air conditioning unit londonThe Btus/hr figure indicates how much heat the air conditioner can remove from a room or house in an hour.

Sometimes a tonnage figure is used instead of Btus/hr. One ton of air conditioning is the same as 12,000 Btus/hr. The buyer must make a basic decision - whether to use window units or a central system. The big plus for window units is that they allow for zoned cooling. This can save substantial amounts of electricity and money. Also, the actual purchase price of a window unit is less than that of a central unit; however, you will not have the convenience or comfort of whole-house cooling. The window units are also noisier because the compressor is in the unit within the living space. However, window units can be installed through a wall in an enclosed space and ducted to one or two rooms. Central units provide whole-house air conditioning, which may be desirable if many rooms are used on a fairly constant basis, or it may simply be the choice of the homeowner. Central units, with their larger size and capacity, cost more to buy, install and run. When replacing a condenser (outside unit), the evaporator coil (inside the house at the air handler) should also be replaced.

If this is not done, the air conditioner will not have its high efficiency. If you are installing or replacing a central unit, your contractor will perform the sizing calculations based on the size of the house, window exposure and orientation, construction materials, levels of insulation, air infiltration and lifestyle. In the past, it was standard practice to oversize the air conditioner by 10 percent to 50 percent. However, some researchers now believe that air conditioning systems undersized by 10 percent are more efficient and more effective in removing humidity. It is important not to oversize because such a unit, although it will cool the air, will not run for long enough periods to reduce the indoor humidity to a comfortable level. You may feel cool and clammy rather than cool and dry, a real comfort consideration in Missouri summers. Undersized air conditioning systems will also have lower first costs and longer equipment life due to less cycling. Air conditioners remove moisture from the air by condensing water vapor as the air passes over cold coils.

Water vapor condenses in the same way moisture from the air condenses on a glass of ice water on a hot, humid day. Lowering the humidity makes you feel more comfortable, but it takes more energy, which reduces the efficiency of the air conditioner. One of the ways manufacturers have boosted air conditioner efficiency is by keeping the condenser coils somewhat warmer, which reduces condensation. Some of the new high-efficiency air conditioners do not dehumidify as effectively. Humidity can be reduced by including variable-speed or multi-speed blowers. Although there is no industry standard for rating the effectiveness of removing moisture, most literature does list water removal in pints per hour, which will help you compare one model to another. Some models have the fan speed controlled by a humidistat. If possible, locate an outside compressor unit on the north side of the house. If that is not possible, try to position the compressor where it will be shaded as much as possible. Window units may not allow you the choice.

Outside compressors should be kept clean of leaves, twigs and grass cuttings so the compressor doesn't overheat. Mow grass so that cuttings are discharged away from the compressor unit, or brush or spray the cuttings off the compressor unit with a broom or a water hose. Window units, if left in place during the winter, should be wrapped on the inside, and good weatherstripping should be used to block air infiltration around the unit. If wrapped on the outside, warm moist air from inside the home can condense and freeze inside the unit, possibly causing damage to the system. For general seasonal maintenance, check the instruction manual. With central and window units, change the filters as often as once a month during the summer. Filters are inexpensive for what they give you - clean air, free of dust and pollen - and for what they do for the air conditioner - removing dirt or grit that wears out the moving parts prematurely, and producing a clear air flow for more efficient operation. When setting your thermostat, don't set the temperature colder than you want in hopes it will get cooler faster - it won't.