Thursday, October 21, 2010

Honeywell Web-enabled Controllers

Why not? Nowadays, you can control everything from your garage door to your TV to your home's lights - courtesy of your computer or smart phone.

Honeywell recently announced the addition of web-enabled controllers to their already stellar suite of products. Not only will these controllers be convenient for home and business owners, but they will also help save money on their heating and cooling bills.

Read more on the Honeywell site at http://beyondinnovation.honeywell.com/reference_materials/web602/NR_WEB-602+WEB-202_Controllers.pdf

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

HVAC Training or....Death?

Which would you choose? Um yeah, we'd go with HVAC training as well - trust us, it's not that bad!

http://www.achrnews.com/HTML/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000918818

Link courtesy of ACHRNews - http://www.achrnews.com

Thursday, September 2, 2010

The Story of AZ-20® (R-410A)

Many people wonder about the advantages of the refrigerant R-410A and what is the background. Thanks to Honeywell, you can read all about it on their web site by clicking here or reading the following transcript taken from the Honeywell web site.


In response to the need to replace ozone-depleting chemicals, Honeywell embarked on a research program to develop environmentally friendlier refrigerants in the late 1980's. In 1991 Honeywell (then known as AlliedSignal) announced its solution, a remarkably efficient refrigerant which we called AZ-20® refrigerant, and which was later assigned the generic name R-410A. After years of effort, and a cooperative development program with the air conditioner manufacturer Carrier Corporation, the first air conditioners using R-410A were launched in 1995 under the name PURON®. In 1996, both companies were presented the Award for Stratospheric Ozone Protection by the EPA. Over time, additional manufacturers have developed their own products using R-410A.

This refrigerant is composed of two chemicals which are blended in the right proportion and act nearly as one within an air conditioning system. This is important because when a technician charges your air conditioning system with refrigerant, he or she needs to be sure that the first drop that goes in is the same as the last drop. Many other possible R-22 replacement refrigerants were invented, but had to be ruled out for this very reason.

R-410A offers some wonderful advantages, but it required the manufacturers of air conditioners to redesign their products to take advantage of the properties of the refrigerant. The reason why a refrigerant works is because it captures the heat from one place, and then releases the heat somewhere else. R-410A captures heat and then releases it better than R-22 did, so manufacturers have found that they need less refrigerant in an R-410A air conditioner than they needed in an R-22 air conditioner. Because there's less refrigerant, they need less copper tubing, and often can use a smaller compressor. The bad news was that R-410A couldn't be used in air conditioners that were made to use R-22, but the advantages for new air conditioners were too great to pass up. Honeywell works closely with manufacturers today to continue to optimize air conditioning systems to make them less expensive, more efficient, and more reliable.

At Honeywell, we're proud of our employees who worked so hard to find a solution to this problem. Believe it or not, your local supermarket or convenience store likely also uses the ozone depleting refrigerant R-22 to keep your food cold on their shelves. Of course, R-22 can only affect the environment if the refrigerant leaks out of the refrigeration system and most supermarkets work very hard to make sure that doesn't happen. Even so, Honeywell also introduced a non-ozone depleting refrigerant called AZ-50® refrigerant that many supermarkets are now using instead of R-22. Because AZ-50® refrigerant is as much as 6% more energy efficient that R-22, this product not only helps to protect the environment, but it saves supermarkets on their electricity costs. Now that's a winning solution for everybody!

I guess this is one way to stay cool...

Who Needs Air Conditioning When You’ve Got Ice-Cold Water Running Through Your Shirt?

http://ecomodder.com/blog/who-needs-air-conditioning-when-youve-got-ice-cold-water-running-through-your-shirt/

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Oh No, Not Another One!

Don't be like this guy! Let an actual professional do the job for you!!

redneck air conditioner

Call AC Designs Today!

End of the Summer Blues

OK, so we all know that summer's in Florida usually last until October - at least the heat does! Although I must admit, I'll be sad once winter hits but it will be a nice change in the weather for almost everyone!

That being said, change in the weather/seasons can mean a lot of things for everyone. Sending the kids back to school, allergy attacks, fall cleaning, etc. One thing that most people don't remember to do is to have their heating units thoroughly inspected before the cold months really hit! Not only can that be an uncomfortable situation when your heater doesn't properly work, but it also can play a major factor in your family's health.

I've known too many people who've had their heaters stop working. In the middle of the night. On a night when it was 30 degrees. Luckily, many companies out there have 24 hour emergency services - including us at AC Designs - but no one wants that to happen. I wouldn't even wish that upon my worst enemy!

This is why I cannot stress how important it is to have your unit inspected before those really cold months hit. Let's face it, when it's cold, your heater works on overtime. I always say, "If you're good to your heater, it will be good to you!" Period.

If you are interested in having your unit checked out, send me an email and I'll be happy to speak to you more about it! greggm@acdesignsinc.net

Happy-Soon-To-Be-Fall Everyone!

Air Condioning Fail!

This is too funny! Had to be re-posted!

fail owned pwned pictures
see more Epic Fails

Make sure you let air conditioning professionals handle your AC needs!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Saving Money and Time with a Programmable Thermostat - Is That Possible?

Why yes, it is!

We didn't think it was at first...but after we got the Mac Daddy of all thermostats from Honeywell, not only did we save money, but it's permanently made us check off "Turn up the thermostat" from our morning to-do list!

Ok, so if you're like me, you are literally running out the door every morning before work. Ugh, you would think after YEARS of... waking up, showering, brushing your teeth, eating breakfast (or whatever order you do that), getting dressed, packing lunches, feeding kids and animals, making sure you've got homework or business work completed and organized, checking the weather, blah, blah, blah...you'd have to have a routine down by now, right? Wrong? It never fails, a wrench is always thrown into that grand scheme of the morning routine. That being said, one of the last things on my morning routine is to turn up the thermostat in the morning.

I'll admit, I like coming home to a nice cool house (around 73 degrees preferably) in the afternoon after being in the blazing heat all day, but let's face it, that bill can be pretty shocking. And really, that brief moment of cool euphoria is not worth a bill that looks like it was collected over a three month period.

So, my family and I came to the conclusion to make our lives a little simpler and install a thermostat that would remember for us! Lucky for us, Honeywell ac products makes tons of thermostats to choose from. After looking through their web site and talking to an expert over at AC Designs, we found the perfect thermostat for our home! We call it the brain of our home! We can set different settings for different times of the day...so that way in the morning, I don't have to turn up the AC anymore! I just scramble around with my other chores then I'm out the door. And the best part is...it's set so it turns down 30 minutes before we get home in the afternoon. That's right, I can get still get my cold euphoric moment when I walk through the door everyday! It even tells us what the weather is like outside - this saves me from having to watch the morning news and getting sucked into news stories when all I want to see is the day's weather!

And the best part? We've actually saved money on our utility bills! Not to mention, it's better for the environment!

I must say, mornings have gotten a little easier for our household since we've gotten our programmable thermostat from Honeywell...now, if someone would only invent a dryer that folds your clothes when it's done!

Friday, June 18, 2010

How Are You Gonna Beat The Heat This Summer?

Every year when summer rears its hot head into Florida, I try to think of different ways I stay cool - well, as cool as possible to say the least!

Let's face it, living in Florida, we're faced with blazing temperatures...the thick and muggy humidity is just the cherry on top. Now, I'm not gonna lie, I could never live anywhere else in the U.S. - but come August, I'm about ready to move up north!

So, for your viewing pleasure, here are just a few creative ways myself and friends have thought of or done over the years to beat the heat. Now, these are purely suggestions and should be implemented at your own discretion.

WATER! WATER! WATER!
Just stay hydrated! Period! That is one of the most important things you can do in hot weather. The less hydrated you are, the weaker you are and that's just not a good combination on a hot July day!

Avoid being outside for extended periods of time
Now, I know for some people it's just not possible. Whether you work outdoors or what, if you can at least get into a car and crank the AC or go into a restaurant at lunch, this will give you a little break from the crazy heat during the day!

Your home gets hot too!
I know this can be difficult to remember when you're rushing out the door for work, but closing all your blinds can help keep your house cooler. Sure, you could run your AC all day, but that's going to be a hefty bill at the end of the month! Just turn the temp up a couple of degrees and close off your home. This is a sure way to keep your home cool in the summer!

Spicy foods = cool down?
Now, this one I'm not so sure about, but I'm posting for my friend anyways! My friend, who is Mexican, claims that they beat the heat but eating plenty of spicy foods. He claims that when you eat spicy foods, you sweat, and when you sweat (perspire) that is your body's natural function to cool itself off. I guess I'm too much of a wuss to try that one!

Sunscreen
Ok, ok, ok. So I know sunscreen doesn't keep you cool but come on, if you live in Florida you know that SPF 50 is a must!

Swimming pools, slip'n'slides, water parks and beach trips
All are a blast and a great way to cool off when you're hot but what a lot of people don't know is that you still sweat when you're in the water if it's hot enough. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Leave the tight clothing at home
Dress in loose clothing helps the body breathe a little better - plus it's just more comfortable when you're sweating!

Maintain your AC system
Have a professional thoroughly inspect your home's AC system to make sure you won't have any unforeseen emergencies that could potentially harm you, your family or your pets!

And be sure you never leave pets, kids, the elderly OR ANYONE in closed up cars - there are so many deaths every year attributed to negligence.

However you stay cool or beat the heat in the summer - just make sure you stay safe and check on those around you to make sure they are ok too. Look for warning signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke and take the necessary steps to avoid it!

Have a great summer everyone! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Bye Bye 2 Weeks of Spring, Helloooo Summer!

Summer is literally here already. Where did Spring go?

Although we may have the occasional cool, breezy Spring days, you can just feel Summer in the air (aka humidity). And with the change of seasons, we have to prepare ourselves, family, pets and even homes for the change. Whether you are adding special fertilizers to your yard or making sure the kids are drenched with sweat-proof sunscreen - it's time to make the Summer transition.

While making this transition, most people don't think of the importance of keeping your home a "safe haven" for those who enter. Sure, you may do a little dusting or Spring cleaning for those inevitable allergies, but most people don't think about the importance of having your inside and outside AC unit thoroughly inspected.

That being said, I'd like to share a story of why it's so important.

I was once told a story by a friend of mine who had an unfortunate experience in the middle of August (in Florida, mind you) with her air conditioning unit. Being a busy college student, she never really thought about taking care of her inside air conditioning unit - let alone replace the air filter - until it was too late. During one of the hottest days of the summer, she noticed her condo wasn't cooling like it normally would. So, like most anyone, she turned down the thermostat to cool off. This continued throughout the day. The temperature slowly rose throughout the house during the day as her air conditioner ran and pretty much never shut off. After a tearful phone call to her dad, he instructed her to open the closet with the air conditioning unit and check it out. When she opened the door, she instantly found the problem - her air conditioning filter was frozen solid to the unit.

After sweat, tears and an emergency service call later, she finally had her air conditioning unit running properly again.

The moral of the story? Don't wait until it's too late. Make sure you keep your family and home safe by having your heating and air conditioning unit thoroughly inspected - whether it's a monthly maintenance air conditioning agreement or twice a year - trust me, your family with thank you!

Monday, May 10, 2010

A/C DESIGNS, is now proud to offer a full line of AMANA products.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Should I Replace or Repair My Air Conditioning Unit?

This is a question that comes up a lot in the air conditioning industry. Everyone is trying to be cost-conscious these days and when it comes to repairing or replacing your air conditioning unit, here are a few tips to go by...

REPAIR if...

  • your AC system is less than 13-years-old.
  • has been maintained annually.
  • the cost will be less than $400 to repair.
  • it's in good operating condition.

REPLACE if...

  • your air conditioning system is over 13-years-old.
  • it will cost you more than $400 to repair.
  • you've never had routine maintenance performed on the unit.
  • it's deteriorating.
  • your monthly utility costs are high.
  • your AC unit doesn't comply with current safety standards.
These are just basic guidelines to go by if you are unsure of what to do. Your best option would be to speak to a heating and air conditioning company that you can trust. Call us, the Jacksonville heating and cooling company you can trust, and speak with one of our experts today! We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about your heating and AC unit. 904-880-7035

Visit our web site at http://www.acdesignsinc.net/ for more helpful hints and tips!