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Should I Repair or Replace my Heating and Air-Conditioning?

Posted by  on Thursday, October 20th 2011     
Probably the chances are that at some point are going in your life you’ll need to consider the question, “Should I repair my heater and air conditioner or replace it. There are several factors to take into account.
  1. Your homes heating load.
  2. The condition and age of your current heating and air conditioning system.
  3. The energy efficiency of your current heating and air conditioning system.
Let’s begin  with the heating load. If your heater and air conditioner isn’t the correct size for your home, you may be spending more on utility bills than you need to and you may not be a comfortable as you should be.
Have you remodeled your home and added on additional square feet? Then the unit may not be sufficiently and economically heating and cooling your home. Most remodels may extend the existing ducting system, which may not be the best way to warm and cool your home.
Hot air always seeks cooler air. In the wintertime, when you fill your home with warm air, it tries to escape through doors and windows, to the cooler air outside. In the summer, the warm outside air tries to come in to your air conditioned home through the windows and doors. The purpose of measuring the heat load is to determine the exact size of the equipment  required by your home.
The rate of heat transfer is the movement of air going from warm to cool. We can determine the amount of BTU loss or gain by considering specific conditions and measuring them. We know that it takes an equal amount of BTU’s to replace the lost BTU’s. Once we have the measurements, we can recommend the size of equipment that will cool and heat your home perfectly. Or we will know that your heater/airconditioner is the correct size for your home, is energy efficient and will recommend that you repair it.
Your heating and air conditioning system maybe 10 or 15 years old, but it still maybe time to replace it. Technology is advancing at a rapid rate. Your system may have out dated features and  systems. Newer systems have a distinctive energy advantage. Your system may be well maintained, and you may still have problems. It’s common for furnace heat exchanger to crack over time. If this happens you make have deadly carbon monoxide leaking into your home.
How energy efficient is your current unit? Will utility rates continue rising in your area? Installing a new heating and air conditioning system may be, in the long run, a money saver. There maybe some rebates or tax credits that will reduce the cost of a new system.
Need an energy analysis on your current system vs the energy usage of a new system? Please give us a call at (760) 918-0456. 

category: Air Conditioning, Heating, HVAC
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DIY Air Conditioner Maintenance

Posted by  on Tuesday, June 28th 2011     

With our beautiful Oceanside weather heating up, it’s an excellent time to check your central air conditioning and make sure it’s running at it’s tip-top condition. If you don’t feel comfortable doing the maintenance yourself, just call your Oceanside Air Conditioning guy John Stevenson at (760) 918-0456.

  1. oceanside-air-conditioner-repair-john-stevensonInspect your unit. – Make sure it’s not covered by debris and  dirt. Clear all weeds and plants that have sprung up around your air conditioner. Your main unit needs to be free to draw in enough air to cool the house. Be careful of your delicate wiring if your using a week whacker around your unit. If you notice any damage, call out a qualified repairman like John Stevenson Heating and Air Conditioning in Oceanside, CA.
  2. Change the air filter. – Air filters need to be changed regularly and cleaned once a month. A dirty air filter can choke your unit, cause it to run inefficiently or even worse, ice over.
  3. Tighten all the screws. – This will help keep the repairs away.
  4. Check the freon levels. – If your freon is low you may have a leak which may cause your compressor to overheat. It’s very expensive to replace a condenser. Better to catch this early so that easy, fast and inexpensive repairs can be made.
  5. Check the thermostat. – Make sure your thermostat is set on the “cool” mode. Your air conditioner should turn on when the temperature of your home is  a couple of degrees higher than the temperature your thermostat is set at. Does your air conditioner cool your home to the temperature set on the thermostat? Or does it run longer and go cooler? This could be a potential repair. In Oceanside call, John Stevenson Heating and Air Conditioning, before your thermostat goes bad.  It maybe more affordable to fix your thermostat rather than to have it replaced.
category: Air Conditioning, Green, HVAC
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4 Tips to Save Money With Your Home Air Conditioning System

Posted by  on Thursday, May 19th 2011     

Probably the most expensive appliance you’ll ever purchase for your San Marcos home is your air conditioner. Not only is it the most expensive to purchase, but it’s probably the most expensive to operate daily. So with the thought of all those dollars you’re sinking into making your home a comfortable place to live in the summer, here are 4 tips to keep your air conditioning running in tip-top condition and economically efficient.

1. This is the most important thing you can do to keep your furnace and air conditioner running at it’s most efficient… Change your filter monthly. When your system is used, large particulates are trapped in the filter. These large particulates of mold, animal dander and pollen can choke off the air supply to your system and make it work harder to get the air  that it needs to operate. That translates into more money you’ll need to pay for your power bill.

2. Do a quick system check.

  • Make sure your outside air conditioner unit is free of dirt and debris.
  • Keep all your air vents open just a bit. By closing off a vent completely, you can cause duct work issues.
  • Vacuum  your ducts and vents once a year.
  • Check the drain pan and lines for any issues. These can become plugged and will cause water damage that your homeowners insurance may not cover.

3. Keep your outdoor condenser and evaporator coils clean. Dirty coils will increase your energy consumption. Dirty coils are one of the most common causes of air conditioning system failure and costly repairs.

4. Once a year schedule an air conditioning tune-up/maintenance with a HVAC professional. They will inspect your system, tighten up any loose connections, check drain lines for clogs and corrosion, clean your coils and get rid of any dirt and debris that maybe affecting your systems performance. They will change your filters for you and will even teach you how to change your filters yourself.

The best time to schedule your annual air conditioner inspection/maintenance is in the Spring before it gets hot. HVAC technicians aren’t busy, and they’ll  give you the attention you deserve. Call John Stevenson HVAC at (760) 918-0456 to schedule your appointment today.

category: Air Conditioning, HVAC
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To Sleep Better, Use Your Air Conditioner

Posted by  on Monday, May 16th 2011     

air-conditioner-repair-john-stevenson-oceansideHave you ever noticed that you sleep better in the winter than in the summer? The optimum sleeping temperature for most people is between 60° and 68°. The cooler we are at night the deeper we’ll sleep and better rested we are. (No one likes a grouch!) Hot nights can really impact babies. In warm weather, babies and small children sweat a lot. With all that sweating, young children have a tendency to get dehydrated. A warm nighttime environment, makes for a restless sleeper, sweating and waking up for a drink of water. With the warm summer nights quickly approaching, it’s a good time to get a tune up for your air conditioning, so you can sleep through the night, every night. Spring is the perfect time to schedule your annual air conditioner maintenance and tune-up. Call your Oceanside air conditioner maintenance expert, John Stevenson at (760) 918-0456.

category: Air Conditioning, HVAC
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Asthma and Air Conditioning Maintenance

Posted by  on Friday, May 13th 2011     

air-conditioner-repair-john-stevenson-vista-san-marcos-escondidoIn Vista, Escondido and San Marcos, we have some extremely hot days, so hot, that having an air conditioning unit is almost mandatory. Air conditioners make our Escondido homes and office environments tolerable to be in, and clean the air. The filter systems in air conditioners remove the large particles of mold, pollen and animal dander out of the air.  If you’re someone with asthma, you know that these large particles, if left unfiltered, can trigger asthma attacks. Your air conditioner is an excellent tool to help you control your asthma attacks. Air conditioners also help to eliminate humidity in your Vista home. Humid environments are an ideal environment for mold and mildew to grow rapidly. The drier the air is in your home, the less likely you suffer mold and mildew triggered asthma attacks.

Air is pulled into your air conditioner and forced through blowers, compressors, condensers, filters, coolers and evaporators and then blown back into your San Marcos home at the temperature you select. This keeps the air circulating through your Vista home or office. If your air conditioning unit and your filter aren’t maintained and cleaned on a regular basis, you maybe at risk for an asthma attack.

Have your air conditioning unit serviced each year. Spring is the perfect time, because HVAC technicians aren’t busy yet, and your unit will be ready and working when the weather gets hot. Your Vista air conditioning maintenance technician will check your units coolant level and will make sure the coolant is clean. He’ll make sure your unit is working well mechanically and operating at it’s top level. He’ll check the cooling coils for mold and mildew. If they have traces of mold or mildew, he’ll clean or replace them.  He’ll check your blower for corrosion, dirt and debris, and clean or replace as needed. He’ll clean or change your filter and your drain line.

You can take steps yourself to make sure your asthma isn’t triggered or aggravated. Clean or replace your filter once a month. If you change or clean the filter on the 1st Saturday of the month, you’ll have a schedule for filter maintenance.

To schedule your air conditioning maintenance before the busy season sets in call (760) 918-0456.

category: Air Conditioning, HVAC
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Save Energy and Money with a Programmable Thermostat

Posted by  on Wednesday, April 20th 2011     

Now that spring has sprung and the hot months of summer are just around the corner, lets look at how you can save energy by utilizing your thermostat properly.

Maybe you’ve heard this urban myth…
Your air conditioner works harder than usual to cool your home to a comfortable temperature, once your home has warmed up during the day when you’re gone. So you need to run the air conditioner during the day, even if your not a home. This is not true!  Your house will lose it’s cool to the hot outdoor environment. Warmer inside temperatures will slow the cold air loss. So by keeping your home at a warmer daytime temperature, while you’re at work, you’ll save energy and money. Your air conditioner works the same to chill the air whether it has to chill the air 10° or 3°. It may cycle on and off more often, but that doesn’t mean it’s working harder. Set your programmable thermostat to start the air conditioning 30 to 45 minutes before you’re scheduled to arrive home. Your home will be nice and cool for you. By keeping your house warmer than normal when you’re not home, and lowering the thermostat setting to 78°F when you are at home, you can save up to 15% a year on your cooling bill.

Same thing for a furnace. During the cold winter months, your house is always losing heat to the outside environment. Cooler interior temperatures slow  heat loss. You save energy by keeping your home at this cooler temperature while you’re asleep or away during the day. Just set your programmable thermostat to start warming the house 30 minutes before you wake up or return home. Then your house will be nice and toasty for you. By turning back your thermostat to 68°F when you’re awake and setting it even lower while you’re asleep or out of the house, you can save up to 15% a year on your heating bill.

You can obtain a savings of as much as 1% for each degree, if the setback period is eight hours long.

During the month of April, John Stevenson Heating and Air Conditioning is offering $50 off any new thermostat you have installed. Call to schedule your appointment at (760) 918-0456.

category: Air Conditioning, Heating, HVAC
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Programmable Thermostats – Make Heating and Cooling Savings Easier

Posted by  on Monday, April 18th 2011     
programmable thermostat john stevenson hvac

Want to save 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills? Just turn your thermostat down by 10°–15° for eight hours (or up when the air conditioning is on). Sounds pretty easy? Just adjust the thermostat before you go to bed. But what if you’ve had a very long day and forget to adjust the thermostat? Then a programmable thermostat maybe right for you.

A programmable thermostat allows you to adjust the time and temperature of your heat and air conditioning. You probably don’t need so much heat on while your sleeping and don’t need to use your air conditioning during the day when you’re at work. A programmable thermostat will allow you to set it and forget it when it comes to your home temperature.

You can store and repeat up to six temperature settings a day on a programmable thermostat. These thermostats allow you to manually override the current temperature without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program.

By automatically raising or lowering temperatures at night and when you’re away programmable thermostats can help save energy. But confusing controls on some units can make it challenging to save energy. That’s why John Stevenson Heating and Air Conditioning proudly recommends Honeywell Thermostats.
Call John Stevenson Heating and Air Conditioning to schedule your appointment at (760) 918-0456.
category: Air Conditioning, Green, Heating, HVAC
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How to Choose a Programmable Thermostat

Posted by  on Friday, April 15th 2011     

The majority of programmable thermostats are digital. These digital thermostats usually offer the most bells and whistles in terms of multiple setback settings, manual overrides and daylight savings time adjustments. But they may be challenging to program.

Here are 3 essential steps to take to help you choose the programmable thermostat that’s right for you.

1. Compatibility – First and foremost, find out which thermostats work with your furnace and air conditioning system. This should narrow your choices down some. Also, check to make sure the thermostat works with the wiring of your home. Thermostats have anywhere from 2 to 8 wires. Make sure the thermostat you choose matches your current wiring system.

2. Features – Decide which features you’d like your thermostat to have. There are many models to choose from which have all sorts of settings and options. You may want lighted, digital displays or touch-pad programming, a hold and resume features, and heating and cooling system reminders. More features usually means a higher cost.

3. Scheduling capabilities – Think about how you will be using your thermostat. Do you have 1 schedule that you follow 7 days a week? Or do you need 2 schedules, 1 for weekdays and 1 for weekends? Choose a thermostat that will fit your needs and follow your schedule.

During the month of April, John Stevenson Heating and Air Conditioning is offering $50 off any new thermostat you have installed. Call to schedule your appointment at (760) 918-0456.

category: Air Conditioning, Heating, HVAC
tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

April Specials

Posted by  on Friday, April 1st 2011     

earth-day-special-john-stevenson-plumber-200-off-thermostat-300-off-tankless-water-heater

category: Green, Heating, Water Heaters
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5 Tips to Finding A Reliable Heater Repair Company

Posted by  on Wednesday, March 2nd 2011     

gas-heater-repair-john-stevenson-carlsbadWe usually don’t look for a heater repair company until we have an emergency. Then we’ll accept the first company that shows up, whether their reliable or not. Here are some tips to finding a reliable heater repair company before an emergency hits.

  1. Get referrals from family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Ask around, your neighbors or coworkers may already have a heating repair technician that they like and trust. Even if you  get negative feedback on a repair company, it’ll help you to understand better what you need to look for when you are hiring a heating repair contractor.
  2. Check their license. Make sure they  have a license and there are no complaints against the license.
  3. Ask them to explain the work that needs to be done and make sure you understand it.  If it seems like they’re unnecessarily adding to the cost or scope of the project, don’t use them. Only use a heating repair company you can understand and trust.
  4. Ask what the costs will be up front. Especially if there  is any overtime or after hours charges. Your repair technician should be able to give you an estimate on the work that needs to be done and the parts they will have to use.
  5. Get a contract in writing. The contract should include the work to be done, work completion time line and a bottom-line price. Always ask for a guarantee on the work.

John Stevenson Heating and Air Conditioning are your professional heating repair in North San Diego County. We serve Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Costa, Encinitas, Escondido and all North San Diego County communities. Give us a call at (760) 918-0456 for all your heating and air conditioning needs.

category: Air Conditioning, Heating, HVAC
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