Temperatures soared to 100° – Your HVAC system isn’t working?  What the heck!

Last week, in the RVA, temperatures soared to almost 100°.  Most of us were cool and comfy in our homes and not terribly concerned with the extreme heat…it was outside and out of our minds.

During these high temperatures was your air conditioner performing well?  Was it able to keep up with temperatures close to 100° for five or six days consecutively?  If your answer is no, you’re probably asking yourself why!  Why are you paying a HVAC company to come out and check your equipment regularly?  Why did you just invest thousands of dollars to install a new HVAC unit only for it to disappoint you when you need it the most?  This can all be very frustrating for you!  We are here to tell you…the equipment is not the scoundrel in this story!

Let us explain.  In the RVA, your air conditioner is designed to run optimally when outdoor temperatures are as high as 95° and the indoor temperature is 75°.  Most of the summer, you will achieve the temperature you’ve set on the thermostat but when outdoor temperatures are above 90°, the system isn’t designed to lower the inside temperatures to 72-73°.  If the system installed at your house was designed to accommodate high temperatures for 10 -20 days a year, the system would be grossly oversized and would create a dreadful humidity problem in your home.

What’s the solution?  Insulation and sealing of your homes envelope is the best way to keep temperatures cool inside.  Keep the cold air in and the warm air out!

Contact us at (804) 358-9333 or www.jamesriverair.com for more information on how to keep the cold air in and the warm air out.

WTVR has a helpful article on money-saving tips from Dominion Virginia Power for coping with the hot weather we’re experiencing.

Keeping your system maintained is key!  Call or e-mail us today to set up an inspection on your system to make sure you’re prepared for this summer!

You know that James River Air can help you with permanent air conditioning solutions, but did you know that we can also help you with your temporary cooling needs?  Below is a picture of a couple of our technicians helping one of our commercial clients install a temporary cooling unit.  Call or e-mail us today for more info on how we can help you!

With warm temperatures here, your air conditioner is probably running quite a bit.  As you may know, air conditioning systems work in part by removing moisture from the air – and that moisture has to go somewhere!  Make sure you know where your condensate is going so you can avoid water damage to your home.

• Condensate lines are typically ¾” PVC lines that go from your inside coil to the outdoors.  Sometimes they are encased in downspout material along with the copper lines that go between the indoor and outdoor units.
• Find where your condensate lines are on the outside of your home, and make sure that they are not blocked.  Sometimes we’ve seen mulch or other items laid down in such a way that the pipe gets blocked, creating backups inside.  Also look out for mud daubers:  they can build a nest in a day that will stop up a condensate line.
• Know where your indoor coil is and what sort of condensate removal setup you have.
• Condensate lines require periodic maintenance to avoid being clogged by algae growth or dirt and other particles from your air conditioning system.
• Sometimes a condensate pump is involved.  These require periodic cleaning to prevent algae buildup and clogs.
• If your air handler is in a finished space, like an attic, you probably have an emergency drain pan.  If you’re seeing water in this emergency pan, it’s not normal!  Water should only be going into that pan if there’s a problem in the normal condensate drain system.
• If your indoor unit is in a finished space, consider getting a ceiling saver kit.  Our kits include special traps and water sensors that cut your unit off if a clog is detected to help prevent ceiling damage.

Our technicians have seen some costly damage caused by condensate over the years.  If you have any doubts about whether you have a good condensate drain system or would like to have maintenance performed, please contact us to arrange for a visit from one of our qualified techs.

Wow, it’s hot this week and James River is staying busy keeping our customers cool!  We offer 24/7 emergency service, so if your cooling system gives you trouble, give us a call at (804) 358-9333.  And remember, we also do plumbing and electrical!

Here in Central Virginia, hot temperatures are here!  Remember to keep your system regularly maintained so it will work at peak efficiency during this kind of weather.

Also, keep in mind that systems are designed for around a 20 degree temperature difference between the outside temperature and the inside, conditioned air.  This means that as temperatures swing over 95 degrees, if your system is keeping your home at 75 degrees, it could be doing all it can do!

Call or e-mail James River Air if you’re having any difficulties keeping cool this summer!

Here’s some pretty impressive pictures that show why it’s important to keep your chiller properly maintained.  This particular chiller is almost sixty years old, and a thorough cleaning was badly needed!  As you can see, the cleaning done by our technician (Keith) made a huge difference!  Call or e-mail us today to talk about a maintenance plan for your equipment.