AC Comfort Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Katy’

Why Aren’t All the Rooms in My House Getting Enough Cooling?

Monday, October 4th, 2021

family-before-electric-fansCentral air conditioning systems exist so an entire house can enjoy comfort. They overtook window air conditioners, which can only cool a limited space (and have other disadvantages as well, but that’s a whole other post). If you have a central air conditioning system that isn’t evenly cooling your house, leaving some rooms much hotter than others, it can mean one of several problems. 

You don’t have to just accept that your AC can’t give you even cooling. You deserve a comfortable house, and we recommend you call for a new AC installation or air conditioning repair in Katy, TX. Below we’ll look at why your AC may have problems with whole-house cooling.

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Tips for Keeping Cool When Your AC Gives Out

Monday, July 12th, 2021

woman-in-front-of-fan-hand-on-headThere are few things worse for people living in Texas in the summer than to find that their air conditioner has broken down and turned their homes into literal ovens. The hot summer months can leave a house feeling like it is a sauna. We’ve heard of many customers spending on getting hotel rooms after scheduling services for air conditioning repair in Katy, TX, to avoid suffering in the heat while they wait for their air conditioning to work again.

If you pay attention to your air conditioner’s maintenance and repair needs, a complete system breakdown should never occur. If it has happened, you might not need to burn a deeper hole in your pocket by getting a hotel room or suffer in the heat. We’ve written this guide to give you some helpful tips for keeping cool when your AC gives out, and you await repairs.

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A Note to Our Customers About Price Increases

Friday, July 9th, 2021

We want our customers to know about recent price increases due to the pandemic and other disruptions to the supply chain. All major HVAC manufacturers are encountering equipment shortages, causing them to raise prices to retailers like us all across the country—and more price increases are likely to occur in the future.

To help us provide you with the best and most cost-effective service, we recommend that you plan ahead with calls for repairs and maintenance. Most importantly, if you are considering installing new HVAC equipment this summer, such as replacing a faulty old air conditioning system, it’s best to arrange for the work as soon as possible—you don’t want to get caught in the heat at a time when it’s more expensive and challenging to have a new AC installed!

For those who do plan on a new air conditioning installation, there’s another reason to schedule your appointment with us right away: we’re offering 36-Month No Interest Financing on qualifying equipment. This offer expires at the end of July, so call now to get started!

At AC Comfort, Your Comfort Is Our Business! Schedule HVAC service in Katy, TX.

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Is This the Spring You Replace Your AC With a Heat Pump?

Monday, May 3rd, 2021

trane-heat-pumpYou’re making plans for the coming summer, which will be another scorcher. You have an older air conditioning system and you think it’s time to replace it. This brings up a thought you’ve had before: why not replace the air conditioning system with a heat pump? Heat pumps are similar to air conditioners—they do the same job of cooling—but they can change the direction they work to provide heat as well. 

It’s an idea worth considering, even if you ultimately decide the best choice is an AC installation in Katy, TX. If a heat pump is right for your house and situation, it can be an immensely beneficial and energy-saving investment.

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Getting the Best Start With Your AC This Season

Monday, April 5th, 2021

AC-maintenance-toolsThe weather is getting warmer, and you know the blistering heat isn’t far off. Is your air conditioning system ready for another hot summer in Katy, TX? Chances are that even if it is ready, it could also be more ready. We have some tips to make sure you have the best possible start to using your air conditioning system this season. 

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Just Getting a High-Efficiency AC Isn’t Enough: Here’s the Secret!

Monday, March 22nd, 2021

air-conditioner-on-leavesWith summer coming up, you might be in a position where you’re ready to replace your old air conditioning system and start fresh. We think this is a good idea, especially if your air conditioner is more than 15 years old or it is showing signs it can’t keep up with the heat the way it used to. And if you’re thinking about investing in a high-efficiency air conditioning system with features like a variable-speed fan and multi-stage compressor, we also think that’s a good idea. 

But we want to caution you that simply purchasing a high-efficiency AC isn’t an automatic ticket to lower cooling bills. It might not even be a way to get sufficient cooling. 

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A Gentle Reminder in Strange Days of AC Maintenance

Monday, March 8th, 2021

air-conditioner-condenser-3D-renderA few weeks ago, we posted about air conditioning maintenance, which is an important job to have done each spring to prepare a residential cooling system for the rigors of another summer. And then the big chill hit Texas, and we have to wonder if the people who read that original post still have AC maintenance in mind. We wouldn’t be surprised if you and everyone else was strictly focused on heating systems. We certainly were busy helping customers handle heating difficulties during this time.

We want to bring up AC maintenance again because even with the bizarre cold weather we’ve just gone through, the march toward summer has already begun, and you still need to have air conditioning maintenance in Katy, TX to get you off to the best start. If you’ve managed to settle any heating problems you experienced recently, it’s time to move on to preventing cooling problems.

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Too Early to Schedule HVAC Maintenance? Not at All!

Monday, February 8th, 2021

service-blue-markerIt’s early February, and the ol’ groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter. However, the groundhog has been right approximately 30% of the time, which is less than chance, and we live in Texas where we generally don’t need to worry about long winters.

And that’s a lengthy way of saying that we’re already heading toward warmer weather here and it’s time to think about scheduling routine HVAC maintenance so your AC is ready to go into spring. But you shouldn’t just abandon your heater. Take advantage of this slower time to have any lingering heater repair in Katy, TX taken care of. In fact, why not arrange for both at one time? Call us up about your heating problems and ask to get on the schedule for HVAC maintenance through our Safety and Efficiency Cool Club.

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How Does an Electric Furnace Fare Against a Heat Pump?

Monday, January 11th, 2021

HVAC-iconsIf you live in an all-electric home, there are several choices available to you when it comes to heating during the winter. The two main ones are the electric furnace and the heat pump. Because we don’t experience fierce winters here in Katy, your heating system will run for only a short season—but that doesn’t mean that just any heater will do. 

In fact, choosing between a heat pump and an electric furnace is a big decision, because it will also affect how you cool the house. A heat pump is a two-in-one system that works as both an air conditioner and a heater, so if you choose a heat pump installation, you’re also making the decision on how you’re cooling the house. If you choose an electric furnace, you’re also deciding to either keep your current AC or install a separate AC unit.

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Proper Thermostat Handling for a Texas Winter

Monday, December 28th, 2020

setting-thermostatIt’s the end of the year, and we’re experiencing bone-chilling temperatures here of around … let’s see … 67°F during the day. Yes, not exactly the Blizzard of 1888 (fun facts on that, if you’re interested) and not quite the temperatures that will make you depend on your home heating system. 

But the mild temperatures of winter do pose a challenge to us because finding the ideal setting on the thermostat can be tricky. Sometimes days will warm up just enough that you’ll need the AC running, and then the next day drop down just cool enough to have the heater come on. If you’re moving the thermostat setting up and down all the time, that’s probably creating energy waste without giving you the comfort results you want. 

No Matter the Temperature, Remember these Two Facts…

These two facts will help you understand the “why” of how the thermostat is set.

  1. Heat loss or heat gain slows down the closer indoor and outdoor temperatures are to each other. This is why extreme temperature settings on a thermostat are so wasteful. Cranking the heat up too far means heat leaves the house faster. Blasting the air conditioning causes heat to move into the house faster. Aim to find a temperature inside that’s comfortable but also as close as possible to the outside temperature.
  2. The thermostat is a switch, not a throttle. You won’t get more heating or cooling delivered faster with extreme high or low settings. You’re only telling the heater or AC to stay on for longer. Steady settings are better for energy efficiency and comfort. 

Now let’s look at the recommended thermostat settings.

When You Have the Heater On

Set the thermostat at 68°F during the day when people are home. This is a comfortable enough temperature for most people. Most of the time, the heater won’t even need to turn on or stay running for long. Lower the temperatures further at night or when the house is empty, usually around 60°F. 

When You Have the AC On 

The best daytime setting for staying cool is 78°F, and with proper ventilation, open windows, and fans you may not even need to have the AC running until the temperature has risen into the 80s. At night time or when the house is empty, raise the temperature by 8°F to 86°F.

A Smart Thermostat Is a Great Help

The best way to avoid having to change the programming regularly on the thermostat to adjust to days that are hot or cold is to have a special “smart” thermostat installed. This thermostat learns from your patterns of climate setting and from the house conditions to create its own programs that maximize energy use. In our area, this kind of thermostat is especially beneficial, since it adapts to our mild climate and can change between heating and cooling easily. 

Get in touch with us for thermostat installation, as well as AC and heating repair in Katy, TX whenever you run up against serious comfort trouble. 

At AC Comfort, “Your Comfort Is Our Business!” Reach out to us today if you need help with your heating and cooling. 

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