Residential
Repair/Service/Installation
AIR CONDITIONING
SERVICE AND REPAIR
Be careful who performs your
air conditioning repairs. At Houston Admiral, we treat your home with respect.
We use drop cloths and booties inside your home so after every air conditioning
repair, your home looks exactly the same as when we arrived.
When you need air
conditioning service, we provide it. At Houston Admiral we do our best fix and repair your air conditioner, rather than trying to sell you a new
air conditioner, like many air conditioning contractors.
AIR CONDITIONER INSTALLATION
Houston Admiral will help you
select the best air conditioner for your budget. Bigger is not always better.
At Houston Admiral we will analyze your home to ensure that the right size air
conditioner is selected for optimum cooling and comfort.
Houston Admiral has wide
range of experience with many different brands of air conditioners.
INSURANCE AND LIABILITY
When considering a HVAC contractor,
ask to see documentation that they are licensed by the State of Texas and carry
general liability insurance to protect your property. An air conditioning
contractor should always have these types of insurance and this will save you
from a claim against your homeowner’s policy in case of an accident.
Houston Admiral Air Conditioning & Heating is fully Licensed,
insured and bonded. Our company will proudly serve you 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week – including weekends and holidays!
Let Houston Admiral Air
Conditioning & Heating take care of all your HVAC needs. We not only want
to be your first choice, but your ONLY choice for air conditioning and heating
needs in Houston.
Repair or Replace
Repair or Replace? This is
always a difficult decision. On one hand you don’t want to spend money on a new
system, but on the other hand, you don’t want to throw good money after bad.
Which way should you go? It really boils down to the condition and age of the air conditioning system.
If you have been keeping your
equipment properly maintained by a licensed air conditioning technician, then
perhaps the current repair is isolated to a single, simple problem and not
indicative of a major or potentially recurring issue. In this case it might
make sense to repair and fix the problem. However, with any equipment it is
important to consider its efficiency and the impact that wear and tear has on that
efficiency and on your monthly electric bill.
Importance of
Efficiency
The Seasonal Energy
Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rates the efficiency of an air conditioning unit. A
unit somewhere around 10 years old would probably have been an 8 SEER unit at
time of purchase. Over time this unit will wear down and operate somewhere
around the 5-6 SEER level. The higher the SEER rating, the higher the
efficiency of the unit. In 2006 the minimum SEER rating for an Air Conditioning
unit was raised to 13 SEER.
Upgrading to a newer Air Conditioning unit is
surprisingly affordable based on the efficiency level of modern equipment. The
money saved on your electric bill from upgrading will pay for the unit itself.
So transitioning from an 8 SEER unit to a new 18 SEER unit will allow better
performance at your current budget.
Should I Finance?
Monthly finance charges never
sound like a good thing. What if there was a way to stick with your current
budget and have a brand new A/C Unit? Well using a higher SEER unit this is a
very real possibility. The amount of savings generated from your lower monthly
electric bill could very well take care of any finance charge. Imagine – a
cooler house, with a better unit, at your current budget.
It all adds up
When your A/C unit starts
giving you trouble, the A/C Technician is usually your first call. But when you
begin calling them day after day the bills add up and you are left with the
same outdated inefficient unit. A new unit produces cooler air, with less
energy. Less energy means a lower utility bill. Which means you could be paying
for a new unit, rather than life support for your old one.
Doing your part in
Going Green
Using a higher SEER unit
saves energy. Saving energy saves the environment. Using technologies such as
the eco friendly R410A refrigerant will also minimize the overall environmental
impact. Therefore, you can feel good about saving both the planet and money on
your energy bill with your new air conditioner.
R410 Refrigerant Copperfield TX
Homeowners
may have various types of appliances including window units,
dehumidifiers, central air conditioners, air-to-air heat pumps,
ground-source heat pumps, and ductless air-conditioners that contain
HCFC-22 (also called R-22) or its blends. The following information will
help homeowners make informed decisions when purchasing, servicing, or
disposing of air conditioners or other equipment.
How can I find out if my home air-conditioner contains R-22?
Most
air-conditioners have a nameplate on the unit that identifies the
refrigerant it contains and other information, such as safety
certifications and electrical ratings. For a central air-conditioner,
the nameplate is usually on the outdoor condensing unit.
If a
nameplate is not provided, there are several other ways that you may be
able to obtain the information. You could check your owner’s manual for
the information. The person/company that sold or services your air
conditioner would likely know what refrigerant it uses. Or, if you know
the manufacturer and model number, you could call the manufacturer or
check its web site.
Am I allowed to purchase a new home air-conditioner that contains R-22?
Self-contained systems manufactured before January 1, 2010, may be purchased. These are typically window units.
New
split air-conditioning systems that use R-22 and must be installed
onsite (e.g. central air-conditioning units) may not be sold after
December 31, 2009. After January 1, 2010, R-22 may not be produced for
new AC/refrigeration systems and instead will be limited to the
servicing of existing systems.
Consumers should be aware that
supplies of R-22 will also be more limited after 2010. As R-22 is being
phased out, non-ozone-depleting alternative refrigerants continue to be
introduced. In addition to the refrigerant type, you should consider
energy efficiency, along with performance, reliability, and cost in deciding which type of air-conditioner to purchase.
Will I be required to stop using R-22 in my home air-conditioner or other equipment?
No.
You will not be required to stop using R-22 and you will not be
required to replace existing equipment just to switch to a new
refrigerant. The lengthy phase out period provides time to switch to
ozone-friendly refrigerants when you normally would replace your
air-conditioner or other equipment.
This transition is important
because supplies of R-22 will be more limited after 2010, which may
cause the price of R-22 to increase. Starting in 2020, new R-22 may no
longer be produced, so consumers will need to rely solely on recycled or
reclaimed quantities to service any systems still operating after that
date.
What if I own an air conditioner that needs R-22 added after 2010?
You
may continue to have your equipment containing R-22 serviced after
2010, although only a limited amount of new R-22 will be manufactured
(to meet the servicing needs of equipment manufactured before January 1,
2010).
After 2020, production of R-22 will be prohibited and
only recovered, recycled, or reclaimed supplies of R-22 will be
available for servicing existing equipment. So, in the future, R-22
supplies will be more limited and costs may rise.
I own an air-conditioning unit that contains R-22 and I want to minimize its impacts on the ozone layer.
What can I do?
If
you have equipment that contains R-22, the most important thing you can
do is to maintain your unit properly. Major leaks rarely develop in
units that are properly installed and maintained; however, appropriate
servicing is necessary to minimize potential environmental damage and
maintenance costs.
For more information on what regular service
your unit requires, please consult your owner’s manual or contact the
company that sold or services your unit.
It is important to
select a reliable service contractor. Technicians must have EPA
certification to service equipment containing R-22. It is illegal to
intentionally vent (release) any refrigerant when making repairs.
Therefore, technicians are required to use refrigerant recovery
equipment during service.
Also, request that service technicians
locate and repair leaks instead of “topping off” leaking systems. This
will help ensure that your system operates at its optimal level, which
reduces emissions of refrigerant and saves you money by reducing your
household energy use and avoiding additional repairs in the future.
What You Should Know about Refrigerants When Purchasing or Repairing a Residential A/C System or Heat Pump
Background: Ban on Production and Imports of Ozone-Depleting Refrigerants
In
1987 the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental agreement,
established requirements that began the worldwide phase out of
ozone-depleting CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). These requirements were
later modified, leading to the phase out in 1996 of CFC production in
all developed nations.
In 1992 the Montreal Protocol was amended
to establish a schedule for the phase out of HCFCs (hydro
chlorofluorocarbons). HCFCs are less damaging to the ozone layer than
CFCs, but still contain ozone-destroying chlorine. The Montreal Protocol
as amended is carried out in the U.S. through Title VI of the Clean Air
Act, which is implemented by EPA.
HCFC-22 (also known as R-22)
has been the refrigerant of choice for residential heat pump and
air-conditioning systems for more than four decades. Unfortunately for
the environment, releases of R-22, such as those from leaks, contribute
to ozone depletion. In addition, R-22 is a greenhouse gas and the
manufacture of R-22 results in a by-product (HFC-23) that contributes
significantly to global warming.
As the manufacture of R-22 is
phased out over the coming years as part of the agreement to end
production of HCFCs, manufacturers of residential air conditioning
systems are offering equipment that uses ozone-friendly refrigerants.
Many homeowners may be misinformed about how much longer R-22 will be
available to service their central A/C systems and heat pumps.
This
fact sheet provides information about the transition away from R-22,
the future availability of R-22, and the new refrigerants that are
replacing R-22. This document also assists consumers in deciding what to
consider when purchasing a new A/C system or heat pump, or when having
an existing system repaired.
Phase out Schedule for HCFCs Including R-22
Under
the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. agreed to meet certain
obligations by specific dates that will affect the residential heat pump
and air-conditioning industry:
January 1, 2004:
The Montreal
Protocol required the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 35%
below the U.S. baseline cap. As of January 1, 2003, EPA banned
production and import of HCFC-141b, the most ozone-destructive HCFC.
This action allowed the United States to meet its obligations under the
Montreal Protocol. EPA was able to issue 100% of company baseline
allowances for production and import of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b.
January 1, 2010:
The
Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs
by 75% below the U.S. baseline. Allowance holders may only produce or
import HCFC-22 to service existing equipment. Virgin R-22 may not be
used in new equipment. As a result, heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning (HVAC) system manufacturers may not produce new air
conditioners and heat pumps containing R-22.
January 1, 2015:
The Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 90% below the U.S. baseline.
January 1, 2020:
The
Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs
by 99.5% below the U.S. baseline. Refrigerant that has been recovered
and recycled/reclaimed will be allowed beyond 2020 to service existing
systems, but chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce
R-22 to service existing air conditioners and heat pumps.
If you are interested for more information, please contact Houston Admiral Air Conditioning.
https://plus.google.com/+Goadmiral/
Houston Admiral Air Conditioning and Heating
20222 Stuebner Airline Rd
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 876-9400
http://www.goadmiral.com/
