Monsoon conditions impacting AC units and repair crews - KVOA | Monsoon conditions impacting AC units and repair crews wnRenderDate('Tuesday, August 2, 2016 1:15 PM EDT', '', false); wnRenderDate('Tuesday, August 16, 2016 1:35 PM EDT', '', false); The monsoon rains combined with high humidity and scorching hot temperatures, has taken a toll on air conditioning units and repair crews.James Beard owns Family Air Cooling and Heating in Tucson. He said humidity leads to dirty condensate lines and air filters, resulting in extensive water damage.Beard believes the monsoon conditions can have a negative effect on AC units and their ability to function properly.In addition, he said homes located in dryer areas of Tucson have experienced issues with dust particles interfering with ACs.Beard said, “There’s so much moisture, our houses aren’t draining as quick as it should because we get the fine dirt in the summer and the dust and when the water hits it, it does create a small clog and it does need to be resolved on a yearly basis.”

The summer heat is also causing problems for the repair crews. Beard recalled experiencing heat stroke a few times while on the job.Beard said attic-situated AC systems make for brutal work environments, especially with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.He calls it an issue of safety but noted it comes with the job of AC repair work in Arizona.Beard said, “Attic units are a special nice breed of extreme for my guys working in there. It gets to be 140 to 160 degrees in some of these attics and I personally do not like them there for my guys’ sake and your system works harder there.”Beard and his crew try to keep hydrated when repairing ACs in extreme heat by having gallons of water handy. WILLCOX, AZ (KVOA) -- A Willcox police officer wearing a bullet proof vest is recovering this morning after a man opened fire, hitting the officer in the upper chest Thursday night. WILLCOX, AZ (KVOA) -- A Willcox police officer wearing a bullet proof vest is recovering this morning after a man opened fire, hitting the officer in the upper chest Thursday night.

A home invasion that turned deadly has yet to be solved.electric ac units for carsThis news may be especially hard to hear for Libras, who crave balance and order.  small window unit air conditionerThis news may be especially hard to hear for Libras, who crave balance and order. stand up ac unitsA Tucson High Magnet sophomore is calling out Tucson Unified School District for its dress code, saying it unfairly targets girls. A Tucson High Magnet sophomore is calling out Tucson Unified School District for its dress code, saying it unfairly targets girls. The AC-Safe Air Conditioner Fin Repair Tool is designed to straighten evaporator and condenser fins. The tool also cleans scum and dust to clear plugged drains and pans and help prevent overflows.

Straightens condenser and evaporator fins Cleans accumulated scum and dust Helps to prevent overflows by eliminating plugged drains and pans Promotes optimal cooling efficiency Suitable for use with central and window units Fits most fin sizes and styles 3 can this tool be used to straighten fins on a window air conditioner I bought this frigidare window unit from home depot and some of the fins are bent. Need to know if this tool will straighten the bent fins. 2 Where is this product,I can't find it anywhere 2 How do you use a/c safe fin-tool?I’m excited to let you know that today’s Pro-Follow is the work of a new contractor named Chuck Thompson. Chuck is the owner of County Comfort LLC and an experienced HVAC specialist. Look for his information to appear on our Meet the Pros page soon and more Pro-Follows to come. Chuck received a service call that a homeowner’s air conditioning wasn’t working, and he let me shadow him on the job.

A homeowner’s A/C can quit for several different reasons. In this case, the homeowners realized that there wasn’t any cold air circulating, and on further inspection, they found the indoor air coil wasn’t even cold. This is the information Chuck had when he arrived. Chuck performed a few diagnostics to determine what the problem was. Here are the steps he took (most of which homeowner’s can do too). Chuck started with the easiest diagnostic of examining the air filter. The homeowners was using a 3-month filter, and it was almost due to be changed. As you may expect, it was quite dirty which hampers air flow causing the unit to work even harder to regulate the temperature. Instead of trusting the manufacturer’s instructions, Chuck suggests visually inspecting the filter periodically or simply changing it monthly. Pro-Tip: Inexpensive filters, changed monthly work just fine to protect your HVAC equipment. Consider upgrading to pleated filter to better remove allergens.

Since the outdoor unit was attempting to cool air, it was unlikely that the fuse had gone bad. Even so, Chuck grabbed his multimeter and checked the fuse and the fuse box. Chuck checked the fuse by setting the multimeter to the ohm function and touching the probes to either side of the fuse. A good fuse will read zero (or about that) resistance, and a bad fuse will read infinity or OL on some multimeters. He did the same for the fuse box and found both were functional. The next diagnostic Chuck performed was a coolant pressure check to look for any leaks. He connected a pressure gauge to the high-pressure and low-pressure lines. Pro-Talk: The small diameter line is called the high-pressure or liquid line, and the large diameter, insulated line is called the low-pressure or suction line. Next, he compared the readings to the pressure charging table found on the side of the unit. Chuck found that all the readings were within the normal range. The next step was to check the high-pressure line temperature and compare that to another chart.

He placed his temperature probe along the high-pressure line and wrapped it with an insulated tape. Chuck found the temperature was within range too. Pro-Tip: The new freon, R410A, is actually composed of three different types of freon. Back inside, Chuck measured the temperature of the air after the coil and the temperature of the air in the return, and ideally the difference should be 18° (16° – 20° is acceptable). He found this temperature difference was 17°. Pro-Tip: You can check these temperatures with a simple, digital cooking thermometer. The last thing Chuck examined was the HVAC drain line to make sure it wasn’t clogged and that the trap wasn’t too large (inhibiting drainage). While a little nasty, he found it working properly. Pro-Tip: During the winter months, water in the drain line can stagnate and create a blockage. That’s why it’s recommended to pour a little bleach through the line. Pro-Tip: In some areas, an emergency drain line is required, and if you ever see your HVAC draining through the emergency line, you know there’s a problem with the primary drain.