5 myths revealed: What your technician may or may not tell you…

Parts are obsolete:

This is more often than not a false claim. Repair parts are made by a variety of different manufacturers, so just because the original part you had may no longer be available, there is usually a functional if not exact direct replacement out there. It just takes a little digging, and sometimes you might have to be the one to pick up the shovel. You have to keep in mind, it is more time efficient and profitable for the technician to just replace a unit versus having to try and source your part and then come back and install it. And some companies just don’t have enough cross reference information or tools available to be able to find that other replacement. The internet is a very powerful tool. Before succumbing to the technician’s claims, you may just want to take a trip on the information super highway.

The manufacturer is out of business:

Again, this is usually false. There are a few companies that have fizzled out over the years, but that is literally only a few. And just because they might have gone out of business, it still does not mean that you can’t find a replacement part. Think of your unit like a car. Sure, the body style and emblem tells you what brand it is such as a Chevy, but not all of the components inside and under the hood are made by Chevy. They source out different companies to make certain parts for them and then they install them into the vehicle. This is the same with heating and air conditioning units. You may have a Lennox unit, but the contactor could be made by White-Rodgers, the motor by GE, the circuit board by Robertshaw and a compressor by Copeland. If your repair part can’t be found by the Lennox unit model number, it usually can be found by a part number from the part itself.

R-22 compressors are no longer available:

We hear this one a lot. While it is true that R-22 refrigerant is being phased out, this is not going to be til around 2018. In the meantime, Copeland, Bristol and Tecumseh among other manufacturers will continue to produce the R-22 units. They are not defunct, they are not illegal.

The repair part you picked up is incorrect for your unit:

While this is quite a possibility depending where you go for your part and what information you used to find it, I can speak for our company in saying that this is an absolute rarity. As long as you provide the correct information from your unit or part, and not from a manual that came with the unit then you should be in good shape. The manuals that come with the units are sometimes a reference guide for a gambit of units in the same series, so it won’t provide the correct or complete model number information. And sometimes the manual that you get isn’t for the unit you actually have at all, so always reference the equipment or part for the part or model number information. That being said, with the correct information, sometimes the repair part has been upgraded or switched to a different manufacturer, which will usually result in a part that looks a lot different. So what. Like the old saying goes, looks can be deceiving. And there are some technicians that will tell you that you have the wrong part. Some because they are unaware of the upgrade or change in manufacturer, and some because they would rather you buy the part from them. If they tell you the part you got is incorrect, before you take their word for it, contact the company you placed the order with and go over everything once again. What can usually be done here is the company will double check all cross references that were made against the part that you were shipped, and assuming the information all points back to the same part, documentation and proof along with replacement wiring instructions can be provided. Now, I cannot speak for all other companies, but I can say that for certain with parts purchased from AmericanHVACParts.com.

And the 5^th and BIGGEST myth of all…

Your unit or entire system needs to be replaced:

This is the most common and most outrageous claim we tend to hear from our customers. For even the smallest and most common parts, customers will call us and explain how they were told that because their contactor or capacitor or motor is bad that the entire unit or even worse, the entire system is in need of replacing. This can sometimes, on a very rare occasion be true. VERY RARE. We would highly advise that you either get a 2^nd or 3^rd opinion, or simply call us and describe the situation. Most often it is a quick simple fix that can be done by yourself without having to call out a technician again, and for a fraction of the cost of what the whole new replacement system would cost. I can’t say it enough, use the internet. That’s what it is there for is information, and there is a wealth of it out there to be found. You just might surprise yourself with how much time, money and headache can be saved just by crawling along the world wide web or simply call us at (866) 432-8551.

Split System Air Conditioner Not Working: Diagnosing the problem

It’s the peak of summer, and the heat couldn’t be any worse. You go to your thermostat and turn on the air conditioning expecting an icy summer treat to bring the temperature in your house down to a comfortable temperature. The blower kicks on, but there is no cool air coming out of the vents. Your mind goes into a panic with thoughts racing through your head… What should I do? Do I call a technician? How much is this going to cost me? Do I have to replace the whole outdoor unit? Don’t fret just yet. There are ways of diagnosing the system fairly easy without having to be a technician or calling one out, and odds are it probably is an easy and affordable fix.

Ok, so where do you start? That is a good question. First off we need to identify what’s happening at the unit. So with the thermostat set for cool and the fan inside running, you will need to go to the outdoor unit and make a visual and audible observation. These split condenser units are fairly simple with only a few parts in them. There would be a compressor, a contactor, a fan motor, a fan blade, and a capacitor.

Now let’s run down the items and determine what’s happening here.

Is the fan motor running and the blade spinning?

Is the compressor running?

Are both the compressor and fan motor not running at all?

If either of the motor or the compressor are working but the other item is not, then this is a pretty simple diagnosis. If the compressor is running but the fan motor is not, or vice versa, chances are it is just a capacitor issue. This is definitely the least expensive part to purchase if you are uncertain. To tell, simply take a stick and fish it down through the fan guard and try to spin the blade. If it kicks on, it is a bad capacitor for sure. If not, then your motor is bad and you would want to replace both the motor and the capacitor. If the motor is running and the compressor is not, then by changing the capacitor you will know if the compressor is bad by whether or not it fires up at that point. If after changing the capacitor the compressor does not kick on, then your compressor is bad. If neither of the compressor or motor is running, you can easily find the culprit to this problem. You will need to locate the access panel and remove it. If you follow the power lines coming from the house to the unit, the part that they are going to connect to is the contactor. On the top of the contactor there is a plunger style button, which when electricity is applied to the contactor coil, it becomes a magnet and pulls in that button bridging the live power across the contactor thereby giving power to the compressor and fan motor. If you turn the unit on and the button is not pulling in, this will tell you that either the contactor is bad, or the thermostat is not providing power to the contactor. To know for sure, take something non-conductive, like a stick, and push in the button. If you do this and the power to the compressor and fan kicks on, then we have identified the location of the problem. All there is left to do is verify that there is power coming to the contactor from the thermostat by using a volt meter on the thermostat wire. If there is power, the contactor is bad. If there is none, then there is a break somewhere between the thermostat and the wire. Tracing the wire to the break will tell you that the thermostat is either not sending a signal, or if the wire has a dead spot.

And that’s pretty much the jist of diagnosing your condenser problems. If you have determined what part you need, you can visit our website or call us and we would be happy to assist you in locating the part you need. Have a cool summer.

Maintaining your HVAC system: Why and How?

So, your allergies are kicking up when you’re at home and you’re not sure why? Think back to the last time you changed your air filter. How long ago was that? If it was any more than 3 months ago, you’re already late my friend. It is recommended that your air filter be changed at least 4 times a year. And especially if you are prone to allergies. For those with a serious problem with allergies, you may want to look into an electrostatic air filter, an electronic air cleaner or even a UV filtration system. These little changes can make a world of difference in caring for your health.

Think that’s all there is to maintenance? Wrong. That is just the easiest to reach tip of the ice berg. So what else can you do? Follow along…

Ok, well depending on your set up, you will either have only an indoor air handler or furnace if your system is for heating only, so let’s start there. Just like your home, you might not do much to mess it up, but dust and dirt still settles and collects in corners and crevices. This is the same for your indoor blower unit. Over time, dirt and dust collects and settles in the unit, which eventually gets kicked up into the duct work and blown back into your house, and you breathe it in without even knowing. YUCK! This settlement can also go toward clogging your coil over time, thereby reducing air flow and cooling capacity. Luckily, there is an easy solution to preventing this. All you need is a household vacuum with a hose attachment. It only takes a few minutes, and a few times a year to prevent a headache in the future. Just vacuum it out, and you’re done.

Now when it comes to your outdoor unit, whether that be a heat pump, condensing unit or package unit, the maintenance is still roughly the same. Your outdoor unit collects much more dust and dirt from being out in the elements, as well as bugs and spiders, leaves and twigs, even the possible occasional rodent. I’m just kidding about the rodent… or am I? Anyhow, again, just take a vacuum with a hose attachment, preferably a shop vac style in this case, and vacuum it out every few months. It only takes a few minutes, and can extend the life of your unit.

Another thing for maintaining an outdoor unit is to take a garden hose and wash down the condenser coil every so often. This will keep it clear of debris, allowing for a smoother airflow through the coil. Sometimes, things can even happen that smash your coil fins flat, once again restricting airflow. There is a kit you can purchase that is inexpensive, that will allow you to comb through those fins leaving them straight and allowing for that smooth air flow through the coil. It is called a, what else, Fin Comb Kit and is available for purchase at our site. Just click the link below. There is also something called coil cleaner which you can spray on your coil for added cleaning and just simply rinse away leaving a fresh lemon scent behind, which I have also included as a link below.

	Fin Comb Kit for Condendenser & Evaporater Coils. Code:TOLFC636 Price: $23.44

	Blast-A-Coil Cleaner for Condensers, Evaporators and Room Air Conditioners. (GROUND SHIP ONLY) Code:COIBAC20 Price: $24.99

For those of you who have a HVAC system that is still under warranty, did you know many of the contracts pertaining to these warranties stipulate that you have to have a certified technician come out once to twice a year to inspect and maintain the units in order not to void your warranty? Just some food for thought, you might want to break out those warranty forms and give them a quick glance just to be certain. I realize calling out a tech once or twice a year for maintenance can be a bit costly, but in retrospect of what the charges for fixing or replacing your system by not doing that can be much more expensive and time consuming in the long run.

As long as you follow these few simple tips, you should see fewer problems and a longer life come out of your HVAC system.

O.E.M. parts vs. Aftermarket or Universal parts: What’s the difference?

O.E.M. stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, which basically means if you order a part that is O.E.M., it will be a direct factory replacement part straight from your equipment’s manufacturing factory warehouse. Sometimes O.E.M. is the only option available for replacing a part, depending on how special the part may be. For instance, let’s say you are wanting to replace a condenser fan motor for your outdoor condensing or heat pump unit. In some cases, the motors will be designed with an odd RPM or be an ECM motor, otherwise known as an Electronically Controlled Motor. These are cases where you can’t just go with an aftermarket or universal part. You would have to go with the O.E.M. which will always be much more expensive than an aftermarket part.  But then again, there are a lot of times when using an aftermarket is perfectly fine. It all just depends on the particular unit you have.

So then what’s the real difference? Well, there are certain specifications that need to be matched up depending which part you are looking to replace. As long as there is nothing really special to that part’s inner workings, finding an aftermarket replacement is fairly easy. Part numbers in a situation like this will ultimately be your best friend.

For instance: For these types of parts if a part number is not available, the important points are…

Blower motors or condenser fan motors:  

1.       HP or horsepower

2.       RPM

3.       Voltage

4.       Phase

5.       Positioning and mounting

6.       Rotation

7.       Diameter

Fan Blades:

1.       Number of blades

2.       Hub size

3.       Rotation looking at the hub side

4.       Pitch degree of the blades

Contactors:

1.       Amps

2.       Voltage

3.       Coil voltage

4.       Number of poles

Gas Valves:

1.       These are a bit tricky. The best suggestion here would be to get the part numbers from the valve itself. As an example, let’s say you have a Carrier furnace. Carrier does not actually make the gas valve that’s in there. The part is actually manufactured by a number of different manufacturers. So let’s pretend this one was made by White-Rodgers. There will be 2 part numbers on the valve, the Carrier number which might look like EF32CE233, and the White-Rodgers number which might look like 32C14-285. If you look for the Carrier number, you are looking for the O.E.M. which will always be more expensive. If you search under the White-Rodgers number, at this point you are looking for the aftermarket part. As you see, both numbers reference to the same part, just depending what part number you search for will determine how much the part will cost. Same part, different part numbers. All in all if you go with the O.E.M. you are really just paying for a name.

The rule above can be used in almost every case when looking for a replacement part. And as explained before, there is no difference between O.E.M. and aftermarket parts aside from the cost and paying for a name. All that is needed to find the aftermarket is to search for the actual part manufacturer’s part number to bypass that O.E.M. pricing. Now that you are armed with the proper information to locate the parts needed, you will save yourself a lot of time and money in the future when tending to your HVAC parts needs.