Monthly Archives: June 2013

Your Split Air Conditioning System: Bringing the 2 Sides Together

A split air conditioning system is compromised of two units. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coils. This part of the system removes the heat from the air it circulates through your home. The outdoor unit expels to the outside air any heat that’s absorbed. This outdoor section is compromised of the condenser and the condensation coils. These units are connected by refrigeration lines and need to work well together.

Your contractor shouldn’t have any problems matching the separate units if you’re installing both a new indoor and outdoor unit. The trouble with matching units comes when just one of the units breaks.

There have been multiple changes in air conditioners over the years that can make it hard to find a matching unit for an older split air conditioning system. The government raised the minimum efficiency of air conditioners in 2006, so new air conditioners are more efficient. They’ve also been phasing out the old refrigerant that’s harmful to the environment.

Units manufactured since 2010 use a more environmentally friendly refrigerant, R-22. Units that use different refrigerants shouldn’t be paired together. As part of the same refrigeration system, one of them would be using the incorrect refrigerant. This stresses the components, leading to inefficient operation and unnecessary early breakage. Putting units of different efficiencies together can have the same negative consequences. Even though it’s cheaper, the inefficiencies will lead to higher energy bills.

The younger your split air conditioning system, the easier it will be to find a suitable replacement unit and the more inclined you should be to just replace the broken side. If your air conditioner is older and near the end of its life, you may want to replace both units.

If you have any further questions about your split air conditioning system, contact the experts at Keith Air Conditioning. We’ve been providing professional, reliable service to the Mobile and Baldwin County since 1964.

Manual J and Manual D: Does Your HVAC Tech Know Them Chapter and Verse?

There are a number of factors that affect the size of air conditioner that your home requires. The best way for your air conditioning contractor to be sure that they’re all accounted for is to use Manual J and Manual D. Using the detailed calculation methods that these manuals provide will ensure that your cooling system is appropriately sized and designed.

The problem with oversizing

An oversized air conditioner will cost you throughout its life span. Larger air conditioners cost more to purchase and they’re less efficient when operating. They’re able to cool your home quickly so they turn on and off frequently. This is inefficient because they spend less time running at their ideal speed. This also makes them worse at dehumidifying the air since the evaporator coils don’t get as cold as needed and they therefore don’t remove as much moisture through condensation.

Manual J

Manual J enables the selection of an appropriately sized air conditioner by providing an accurate calculation of your home’s cooling load. It takes into account everything from your home’s location and insulation to the heat generated by the lighting, appliances and occupants in the home. It’s rather complicated, so most contractors use a computer program to help with the calculations. The results not only tell you how much heat that your air conditioner needs to remove, but they also tell how much moisture needs to be removed from the air. Your contractor should also use Manual S to determine which air conditioner will provide the correct performance levels for your South Alabama climate.

Manual D

Manual J also gives the cooling load of individual rooms. This is important when designing ductwork. The results should be used in conjunction with Manual D to ensure that the ductwork delivers the correct amount of cooling to each room.

If you want a contractor who will use Manual J and Manual D, contact the experts at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. We’ve served Mobile and Baldwin county since 1964.