Need to replace AC system in my home. Any suggestions?

[SBFNews]

Aircon is sometimes not about brand. If the installation people are fucked up, even the best brands can't help you.

 

[SBFNews]

3 Signs Your Air Conditioner Wasn't Installed Correctly
www.legacyservicesac.com

New Braunfels, TX, has long, hot summers. You’ll need a properly functioning air conditioning system to keep your home comfortable. An improper air conditioning installation directly impacts your comfort and the system’s lifespan. Consider these three signs that your air conditioner wasn’t installed correctly.

Low Airflow​

Low airflow is a common problem caused by faulty air conditioning installations. If the indoor unit isn’t properly connected to your home’s ducts, a lot of the cooled air could be leaking into your crawlspace or walls. These air leaks waste energy and money. Low airflow could also result from incorrect load calculations. If the technician doesn’t correctly calculate the cooling load of your home, you could end up with an air conditioning system with too much or too little capacity.

Improper Refrigerant Charge​

When you get a new air conditioning system, the qualified technicians should refer to the manufacturer’s specifications when filling it with refrigerant. Improper charging of the refrigerant could cause performance and energy efficiency problems, explains the Department of Energy. Too little refrigerant means the system won’t be able to adequately cool or dehumidify your home. Too much refrigerant causes too much pressure in the air conditioner, which could damage the compressor.

Loud Sounds​

The outdoor condenser of your air conditioning system should be placed on a concrete pad. The pad’s dimensions should be large enough for the four legs of the unit to be fully on it. The pad should also be level. If the condenser isn’t level, it will shake, wobble and vibrate with every cooling cycle. This will cause it to get even more off-balance. Over time, the shaking could cause excess wear and tear on mechanical parts, sensors and wiring. Improper tightening or insufficient lubrication of the air conditioner’s moving parts could also cause loud sounds.
To learn more about the signs your air conditioning installation wasn’t done correctly, check out Legacy Heating & Air Conditioning’s AC installation services, or contact us today for additional info.

 

[SBFNews]

7 Common Aircon Installation Mistakes To Avoid​

Although, operating an aircon looks very simple, but it’s a complex machine that relies on the proper functioning of various components. Therefore, minor mistakes in the aircon installation can severely affect its working. Here are the seven common mistakes that you should avoid during installation of an aircon.
1. Improperly Sized System
Installing an oversized aircon system can result in improper humidity control, high operational costs, and uncomfortable temperature changes. However, if the system is undersized then you won’t get sufficient cooling, will get high energy bills, and equipment would have shorter life span. Therefore, before installing the aircon, it’s important to contact a reputable aircon contractor and run a proper load circulation. Technicians of the contractor will visit your property and will take a measurement of windows, ceiling, floors, walls, etc. They will check for insulation and consider other factors, before determining the cooling capacity needed for your home.

2. Wrong Positioning of Aircon
Installing the aircon in the right position is highly important, as it can influence its energy efficiency. Place your aircon in a shady location, so that it doesn’t have to work harder for cooling your home. When installing window AC, make sure that it’s slightly tilted towards back, which will allow proper drainage. Installation of aircon in a shady location is good, but make sure that it isn’t blocked by trees and shrubs. Proper ventilation is important for efficient operation of your aircon, and it will make sure that the energy bill remains minimum.

3. Improper Insulation
Proper insulation of the room is an important factor. In the case of a window AC, it’s important that the open areas between the top and bottom window panes are filled with insulating foam. There are special insulation panels available for window AC, which provide better insulation. For split-ACs, it’s important to install right sized ducts. The size of the duct is calculated on the basis of load circulation and any mistake can result in improper efficiency of the cooling system and early equipment failure. Improperly sealed ducts also create problems as they result in leakage of cooled air and thus increasing the work-load on the AC unit.

4. Wrong Positioning of Thermostat
Always make sure that the thermostat is not near the lamps or any other heat generating appliance. If thermostat is constantly exposed to heat then, your energy bills will increase because your aircon would work for extra time. Over-working of aircon will result in improper cooling, unhealthy humidity levels, and increase in maintenance costs. Additionally, over usage of the aircon will reduce its lifespan.

5. Poor Indoor Air Quality
Pollution in the indoor air is a major problem, which can reduce the efficiency of your aircon. There are several things in your home that can cause indoor air pollution like mold, carpets, pollen, resins, mildew, etc. The pollution in the indoor air can get aggravated if it’s doesn’t get adequate air circulation and is exposed to high humidity. These pollutants can affect the working of an aircon and impact its overall performance. However, by choosing a reputable contractor you can easily fix this problem because they will advise you about the steps you need to take for reducing the pollution inside your home. Additionally, a contractor can advise you about other equipment, which will further help you in eliminating the air contaminants.

6. Not Checking For Leaks
When doing aircon installation it’s important to check for the level of coolant or Freon level in the aircon system. Any leakage can cause many health problems, and only 10 percent loss of Freon or coolant can result in 20 percent extra electricity bills. Many times installers don’t check for leakage because they think it’s a new aircon system, but sometimes system is damaged during installation, which can cause leakage.

7. Choosing the Wrong Contractor
There are many people who are not comfortable with installing aicons. Therefore, they choose to hire professionals who can complete the job for them. However, while selecting a professional contractor they make the mistake of choosing the professional that is asking for lowest rates. You must know that a poorly trained professional will make an improper aircon installation, and can also damage your windows or aircon equipment during the installation. Therefore, it’s important to choose the installer after proper enquiry and not just go for the cheapest service provider.

Conclusion

The most common mistakes that usually happens during aircon installation are mentioned above. If you don’t avoid these mistakes then you will end up paying extra money in energy bills, will get inefficient cooling, and the lifespan of your system will get reduced. However, you can easily avoid these mistakes by hiring a reputable contractor.

 

[Splendicker]

Seems like the consensus here is Mitsubishi Starmex over Daikin.

Why does R32 gas needs a more "powerful" condenser? Is yours the FN or FP series? I wonder what's the difference between the two Starmex systems? Which one is newer? What's the functional difference between the two systems?

What about those China brands or China made types like Midea or Haier? Reliability?

https://www.passionair.com.sg/2021/08/18/ban-of-r410a-aircon-equipment-supply-from-q4-2022/
FP series using R32, fyi.

 

[Norty]

Good info here. My AC doesn't work. Should I try repairing it by myself?

 

[Deleted member 178254]

I recently went through the process of replacing my AC system, and I understand how important this decision is for your home comfort. My suggestion would be to consider energy efficiency, system size, and your local climate when choosing a new AC unit. It's also crucial to get multiple quotes from reputable HVAC companies to ensure you're getting a fair deal. If you have any questions regarding HVAC or furnace replacement in Sacramento https://alphamechanicals.com/furnace-replacement/, I recommend reaching out to Alpha Mechanical. They have a great reputation and can provide valuable insights and quotes to help you make an informed decision.

 

[ChristJohnny]

Air Con is a mature technology ... everyone knows how to make it. I know some people uses China's brand and have no complains ... at the end of the day, all brands have shelf life. be prepared to replace them periodically.

Race and IQ

 

[k1976]

Mitsubishi Starmex is still the best!
Forget about other brands.

Their service and response time is good

 

[k1976]

panasonic = superb but not very expensive when compare to other 'famous' brands

It is a hidden gem.. Moi Panasonic survived 9yrs without a single servicing vs LG that can tahan 7yrs. Now using Mitsubishi...

 

[k1976]

Midea is shit, servicing costs a lot more and many can't clean it properly because of the design. York is another shit when it comes to servicing.

Daikin is also shit if your compressor is a few meters away, easily to clog and leak from unit and PCU replacement is expensive. Daikin needs very regular servicing if u use AC every night.

Mitsubishi is acceptable, value for money, still shitty. Other people told me LG and Toshiba is good.

After trying out the bolded models in my life, I concluded that Panasonic is superb, expensive but long-lasting.

Yeah, my first ac was a Dakin Sys 3, the satik compressor get choked after 2 yrs... Need 1k to repair... So switched to LG single unit at $700 and used for 7yrs