Things to Consider About Portable A/C

At this point, we all know air conditioning is a non-negotiable, but what type is best for you? If you are trying to avoid the time and cost of a full HVAC installation, you might be considering a portable air conditioner. Portable air conditioners are a common replacement for a full HVAC installation; however, the average portable air conditioner is more limited than you’d expect: these units are more expensive, noisier, and less efficient than their HVAC counterparts.

While a portable air conditioner is more effective than a ceiling fan, it won’t offer the temperature control to combat the warm summer months we face in San Diego. In fact, Consumer Reports found that most portable air conditioners struggled to reduce indoor temperatures below 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let’s identify why using a portable air conditioner won’t cut it when compared to an HVAC system.

They Use a Lot of Energy

You may think that getting a portable air conditioner instead of a full-sized HVAC system will save you some cash but the truth is, you’ll spend more money in the long-term.

Most portable air conditioners don’t meet the minimum seasonal energy efficiency (SEER) requirements, and because of this, they often consume more electricity. The SEER ratings are defined by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute and help to clarify an air conditioning unit’s energy efficiency. Even if your air conditioner has a high SEER rating, it’s not a guarantee of energy savings, especially if your unit runs for long periods of time.

A portable unit also won’t be as powerful as a full HVAC system, which means it has to work harder to cool your room or home. And when a portable air conditioner works harder, it also consumes more energy — increasing your energy bill.

Limited Portability

One major selling point of a portable air conditioner is in the name itself: portability. You can relocate it throughout the day depending on where you need it most. Unfortunately, these bulky devices aren’t as easy to move as they may initially seem. Portable air conditioners are heavy and if you have carpet or stairs to navigate, moving your unit could be a real struggle.

Portable air conditioners also need a window or point of ventilation, which makes them location-dependent — and you must keep power requirements in mind to avoid breaking a fuse. This is unlike an HVAC system, which uses ducts and fans to help seamlessly ventilate your home and is installed by a professional, taking all of the guesswork out of the equation.

There’s a Condensation Problem

Air conditioners cool a room and pull humidity out of the atmosphere at the same time. But when this moisture leaves the air, it has to have somewhere to go. You’ll need to either place your unit near a window, where an exhaust pipe carries the water outside, or you’ll need to use a water pan inside the unit. This means more personal maintenance and attention than an HVAC system would require.

Portable Air Conditioners Are Noisy

An HVAC system is quiet, efficient, and powerful, discreetly working in the background to keep your home cool and comfortable. Portable air conditioners, meanwhile, have all of their components packed into one unit. This means you may experience excessively high noise levels while the compressor or fan is running. The harder your portable air conditioner has to work, the louder it will be, with some units becoming so loud that they drown out all conversation, music, or television in the room.

Limited Humidity and Temperature Control

It’s no secret that the summer months in San Diego can bring hot temperatures and humid days. Unfortunately, a portable air conditioner is only able to combat these temperatures and humidity issues in the short-term — it is not a quality long-term solution. Even if a portable air conditioner does offer some relief, it can only cool one small space at a time. You’d have to purchase multiple units to effectively cool an entire home — and the cost of these can quickly add up.

Instead, central air conditioning offers a comprehensive solution to beat the summer heat. A full HVAC system gives you the temperature control you want to cool your entire home — without having to relocate a unit or find a ventilation window.

Portable Air Conditioners: Worth Your Time and Money?

If your AC suddenly stops working or you’re temporarily between homes, a portable air conditioner might make sense and could provide some temporary relief from summer temperatures. However, these devices aren’t enough to provide long-term comfort, especially in places with long summer seasons like San Diego.

Talk to our experts at Bob Jenson about setting up a home evaluation to see how easy and cost-effective an HVAC solution could be for your home.

Articles to Help You Before You Need a Pro

HVAC systems are designed to keep your home environment comfortable for years, but that doesn’t mean you won’t face the odd rattle or creak every now and again.

Though in some cases you’ll need to hire a heating and cooling professional to fix your HVAC system, you can do some troubleshooting of your own to get to the bottom of what’s causing the problem. At Bob Jenson, we’ve rounded up our best blog posts for helping you solve the most HVAC common concerns.

1. Spending a Fortune on Temperature Control?

For you to get the most out of your HVAC system, your machine not only needs to be effective, but efficient too. If you’ve noticed your energy bills going up, you may simply have air leaks that you need to fill so your HVAC can perform at its best.

If you notice signs of air leaks within your home, such as drafty spaces or a rising energy bill, check out our useful infographic for an easy-to-follow guide on how to eliminate gaps for good.

2. Does Your HVAC Smell Terrible?

You can’t enjoy the satisfaction of a well-heated or cooled home if it means living with an unpleasant and mysterious odor. Because HVAC systems are designed to circulate air around your entire home, a bad smell coming from the unit will be blasted into every room in no time.

The good news is, if you can get to the bottom of what’s causing that terrible smell, you can fix the problem. Read through our helpful article about the 5 most common causes of unexpected aromas, and discover how you can solve your problem pronto.

3. Have You Noticed a Strange Sound?

Chances are you’ve heard the whines and crackles of various mechanical devices around your home at one time or another. Machines often make strange noises – particularly as they begin to grow older – but certain sounds are a bad sign if they’re new or disruptive.

If the soft buzz of your HVAC system has recently evolved into a clank or rattle, then it’s time to get to the bottom of the clatter. Our handy blog post on common HVAC noises will help you to identify what each noise means, so you can decide whether to fix the issue yourself or call in the experts.

4. Is Something Just Not Right?

Sometimes the problem with your HVAC might not be so obvious. There may not be any strange smells or sounds, but you have noticed your system isn’t performing as well as it used to, and you can’t figure out why.

Whether your unit is taking longer to heat up and cool down than it did when you first had it installed, or you’re struggling to maintain the same temperature across your house, it helps to understand the most common issues that come up with HVAC systems. Our list of the top 8 common HVAC problems will help you figure out if your problem is an easy fix or a case for a professional.

5. Has Your Air Conditioner Suddenly Failed?

If your heating and cooling system suddenly stops working, or if it’s been showing signs that it might be about to give up, you’ll find yourself facing a difficult question: Do you call out a technician for a repair, or do you replace the entire unit?

Our in-depth article “When Is It Time to Replace Your AC?” will take you through all the elements you need to consider before making a careful and informed decision between these two options.

6. Not Sure Who to Call?

Whether you’re in need of repair or a fully new unit, you’ll need the assistance of a professional engineer to get your HVAC back on track. The problem is, it can be difficult to distinguish a reliable HVAC expert from one who’s going to charge you a fortune for a low-quality job.

Our step-by-step guide to hiring an HVAC expert covers everything you’ll need to consider before you hire a professional, to help you make a more confident choice. You’ll learn which questions you need to ask, what you need to know, and how you can ensure you hire the expert that’s right for you.

If you’re in need of HVAC maintenance and repair, or you simply have a question about managing your home temperature, Contact Bob Jenson today to speak to a team of experienced HVAC technicians you can trust.

Find Out What Has Gone Wrong

An air conditioner that doesn’t work as it should is a serious problem in the heart of summer. We rely on our AC to keep us feeling cool and comfortable — especially in the workplace, where discomfort leads to lowered productivity.

The average cooling unit lasts between 10 and 15 years, and there’s a good chance your workplace unit will need a repair or two during its lifetime. Even if the unit is newer, you may find that problems occur, particularly if the unit is not frequently serviced.

If your workplace AC is acting up, one of these 5 things is likely to blame. Here’s how you can spot the signs of these problems so you know to seek help from a professional.

1. Refrigerant Leak

A refrigerant leak may be the culprit if the AC unit is blowing air with no problems — it just isn’t cold air. Refrigerant is a crucial chemical inside your unit that cools the air that will circulate. If there’s a leak, you’ll need to get it filled with the right level of refrigerant.

Leaks are trickier to diagnose and fix than you might think. You should always call a technician not only to recharge your missing refrigerant, but to find the source of the leak. Never attempt this process yourself — refrigerants can be hazardous.

2. Condenser Malfunction

Your workplace AC unit likely works through a process of condensation, taking gaseous vapors and cooling them into liquid form. Heat moves throughout the coils and is transferred into the air outside, but if the condenser fan or compressor cannot run, then your air conditioner can’t cool properly.

Before calling in the experts, check that your thermostat is set at an appropriate temperature. If adjusting the thermostat doesn’t work, then you may need to clean the condenser on the outside of the building, removing any debris or sticks that might have entered the cabinet. If this doesn’t solve the problem, then the issue is probably electrical, and will require the attention of a technician.

3. Airflow Issues

Airflow is crucial for an effective AC unit. However, there are various factors that can block or disrupt airflow. Change filters frequently to reduce airflow problems. If they aren’t replaced often, the restriction of air could lead to poor performance from your AC. If you see the filter looking “domed” — this could be a sign that the unit needs more air, so replace your clogged filter.

If replacing filters doesn’t repair issues with airflow, then the problem may be deeper in your system. Although you can clear away debris and replace filters yourself, you’ll want to contact a technician if the problem goes beyond that.

4. Short Cycling

Short Cycling is a problem that often happens when the AC unit is too powerful for the area it’s attempting to cool. When this problem occurs, it will turn on and off frequently in an attempt to regulate the indoor temperature. This switching between on and off settings can cause compressors and controls to stop working properly.

When a motor or other electrical components begin to malfunction, you should contact an expert. This is another one of those elements on an AC unit that you’ll need a professional to repair and diagnose.

5. Insufficient Maintenance

Finally, allowing your air conditioner to run over long periods without maintenance is likely to cause issues as time passes. Many people don’t realize that a lot of problems arise within an AC unit as a result of both neglected maintenance or improper repair.

Hiring the wrong technician, or failing to seek one out, can set you up to face costly issues down the road. For the sake of your AC unit and the comfort of your employees, it’s always best to seek out the help of a professional.

Caring For Your AC Unit

Remember, you should never allow someone to work on your unit who isn’t certified as a technician. Air conditioning units can differ depending on make and model. Make sure that you always choose trained technicians who are certified to support you and your business.

At Bob Jenson Air Conditioning & Heating, we service AC units from all brands. If you’ve got a problem with your AC unit at work or at home, get in touch with us so we can get to the bottom of the problem.

Fewer People Would Live in Hot Areas

Modern technology like air conditioning is not just a luxury. It’s a necessity. Lifestyles have changed a lot in the last generations, and without air conditioning, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Here’s what life might look like if we didn’t have this vital piece of modern technology.

It’s no secret that places like Florida and Arizona are hot year-round. The average daily high temperature in Phoenix tops 100 degrees Fahrenheit three months out of the year. Prior to the 1950s, few people lived in deserts like this because the excessive heat is not only unpleasant — it can be life-threatening.

During the latter half of the 20th century, areas like the Southwest and parts of the South saw above-average population growth as air conditioning became a common technology in modern homes. The population of Phoenix, for example, has roughly tripled in the last 50 years. Without air conditioning, these areas would never have seen these population spikes. This could have brought with it a side effect — an overcrowding of places with more neutral climates.

Architecture Would Be Different

Different parts of the country have different architectural styles that reflect the culture, history, and influences of that particular area. But that’s by choice, not by necessity — we can build any style of home pretty much anywhere. It wasn’t always that way, though. Homes used to be built to suit the weather because we had no means of controlling the temperature indoors.

For example, prior to air conditioning, architects would use overhangs as a functional aspect of a home rather than an aesthetic one. South facing windows would be shaded from the sun to help reduce heat in the house. If designed correctly, these overhangs could allow the sun in during the winter, but not in the summer. Shading also involved strategic planting of trees to keep the sun off the house in the summer.

Another architectural concept used before air conditioning was transom windows, which are mini windows above interior doors. These windows allowed light into areas that didn’t have windows, such as hallways. Not only that, but they acted as ventilation, allowing hot air to move throughout the building without having to open doors and reduce privacy. You might still see these transom windows in old buildings.

Speaking of windows, without air conditioning, homes might have more of them today. Architects used to design buildings so that windows were placed on opposite sides of the room to allow air movement when the windows were open. If two windows couldn’t be placed in one room, the rooms would be lined in a row so air could flow between them.

We’d Hang Damp Laundry to Cool Us Down

One of the more creative ways people used to cool down in the summer heat prior to air conditioning was to hang their wet laundry in doorways or in front of windows. This cools the air coming into the house or room as the water evaporates off the fabric. Chances are that without the popularization of air conditioning, we’d still be using life hacks like this to cool our homes — and they wouldn’t be nearly as effective as the tools we have today.

Our Schedules Would Change

These days, we have air conditioning to keep us comfortable while we work. Back before air conditioning, people would nap during the hottest parts of the day to help cope with the heat. They’d work later in the afternoon and then socialize after the sun set. People still do this in some parts of the world, such as Spain, Italy, Greece, and the Philippines, to name but a few. Without air conditioning, this might be a much more common practice.

It’s safe to say that our day-to-day lives would be quite different without air conditioning. It’s now become a necessity we’ve built our lives around. So that’s all the more reason to take good care of your air conditioning unit today!