Uncategorized Archives - Family Plumbing and Heating

4 important steps when installing air conditioners

June 4, 2019 by Family Plumbing and Heating, posted in air conditioner, Air Conditioning, Plumber Regina Furnace, Plumber Regina Sask, Regina Plumber, Uncategorized

So here we are. You’ve decided this year is the year you’re going to splurge and finally get out of the heat. You’re finally getting an air conditioner! Next, you did your homework. You asked around, read reviews, researched all the different plumbing companies in Regina, and finally decided on who you were going to have (likely you chose Family Plumbing and Heating) to do the work. We showed up, did some work inside, did some work outside, and left you with cool air. But what were we actually doing?

We were working hard (hardly working?) at making sure you had the best air conditioner install possible. A properly installed AC significantly decreases the issues you may have in the future. Certain steps need to be followed when installing air conditioners. Even skipping one step will reduce the efficiency of the unit. Outlined below are what one could consider the key steps (that often get missed) when installing an air conditioner.

1 Sizing

A properly sized AC is key to it’s operation. One industry standard to follow is for every 600 square ft requires 1 ton of cooling. So a 900 square foot home would need a one and a half ton unit. Installing a unit too big for the area will provide too much cooling in a short amount of time causing the unit to short cycle, while an undersized unit will struggle to reach temperature adding undue stress.

2 Brazing with nitrogen

When brazing the lineset, nitrogen should be flowing through the pipe at all times. This will help prevent rapid oxidation inside the pipe. Without flowing nitrogen the inside pipe wall can begin to flake off. These flakes will soon clog the filter driers and can eventually make their way into the compressor which is a big problem you do not want.

3 Pressure testing

A compressor replacement is the last repair you want to be told you need. Next on the list would be a refrigerant leak. While freon is often nicknamed “gas” it’s kind of misleading. Freon does not run out so if you’re ever told you’re low of refrigerant it means you have a leak. We avoid this problem by filling the system up to a high PSI with nitrogen and watching to see if pressures drop.

4 Pulling a vacuum

Your install is almost complete! But first we need to de-gas and de-hydrate. Degassing removes the non-condensibles that can cause increased run times and derate the efficiency. De-hydrating removes the moisture within the line set. Moisture can cause premature failure of the oil inside the compressor. It will clog the metering device and eventually contaminate the lineset, ultimately leading for the need of a new system. (ouch). The goal of the vacuum should be to pull down (and hold) below 500 microns.

Above are 4 of the major steps, but as with everything else in life the devil is in the details. I’ve skipped over likely another 10 steps that while maybe not crucial to the operation of the equipment, are still important and must be followed.

If you are interested in an air conditioner installation this summer or would like to know more information always feel free to reach out and talk to us.

306-519-3722

Thanks,

Brenden

Whats the deal with R-22 and why you’re going to hate it.

May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 by Family Plumbing and Heating, posted in Air Conditioning, Plumber Regina Furnace, Regina Plumber, Uncategorized

Because it means you need a new air conditioner.

Wait, let me rewind for a minute. I forgot that a good plumber seduces their client with technical know-it-all-ness before dropping the new install bomb like that. So let’s start at the beginning.

R-22 is the short form name for chlorodifluoromethane (I don’t know why they shortened it.). A gas used regularly as a refrigerant. Introduced in the 50’s, this became the gold standard until its phase out in 2010. Basically, R-22 was found to be a major detriment to our ozone layer and numerous countries around the world began developing legislature against it as early as the 1980’s.

Every year since 2010 manufactures have been limited in how much R-22 they’ve been allowed to produce. This in turn has been raising the costs of the remaining gas in the market. Projected time lines (don’t quote me on this) suggest that by 2020, 95% of R-22 freon production that use to exist will be gone. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean bye bye R-22 as there are ways to recycle “dirty” gas and re-use it. But with such short summers and the material and labour it takes to “clean” R-22, I highly doubt you will see many companies in Regina putting forth such effort.

But Brenden, what does this mean to me as a homeowner? It means you need a new air conditioner. (Now it all makes sense!) Investing large sums of money into an R-22 system can become very self defeating as R-22 becomes increasingly more expensive and less available as years go by. While we all want to imagine our heating and cooling systems can make another season, when it comes time, sometimes it’s better to cut your losses and invest in new equipment. $500 to fix up a leaking R-22 air conditioner could potentially be a 25% down payment on a new R410-A system with full warranty.

If you’re curious where your air conditioner fits into all this freon mumbo jumbo I recommend calling us out for an air conditioner maintenance (Normally $120+tax but if you tell us you read about it on here we’ll offer it for $99+tax, WHAT A DEAL!). It allows us the chance to go over your system head to toe. From there we can sit down with you and let you know how your air conditioner is currently operating and what the likely timeline is until you need a replacement

Feel free to reach out to us at 306-519-3722.

Thanks,

Brenden

Winter home protection tips.

November 5, 2018January 4, 2019 by Family Plumbing and Heating, posted in Regina Plumber, Uncategorized

Waking up this past Saturday I can’t say I was thrilled to see the snow that had fallen. Gladly most of it has gone away since then but we all know sooner than later Regina will see a downfall that decides to stay.

Flashing back to a clip I saw last week on the morning news. The segment was about how to winterize your home. They had an “expert” on to give his tips and advice. What proceeded between the “ummms” and the “uhhhs” was a 3 minute commercial for his company. TV interviews due often have such strict time windows that it’s almost impossible to really share any steak. You really only are given time for the sizzle. The following is Family Plumbing and Heating’s $0.98 opinion.

The morning news expert wasn’t all wrong. (C’mon, I gotta give him a little credit) He did have a couple things right.

Regularly replace furnace filters: This cannot be said enough because it is always forgotten. Generally speaking filters should be replace every 3 months. I’ve talked about it before that if you pull your filter out and hold it up to the light, if the light does not shine through, time to replace. A clogged filter reduces the air flow in the home and will cause too much heat to stay trapped within the furnace and you’ll soon overheat the equipment.

Have your furnace maintained: This cannot be said enough, because number 1 is so often forgotten. Too many homeowners are just trusting that because their furnace hasn’t had any problems the previous years there’s no need to worry. Don’t let yourself fall into a false sense of security. Having a TRAINED, QUALIFIED technician who has previous experience working on your furnace can help stop problems before they happen or at the very least identify any issues that may be coming your way.

(I don’t know if anyone noticed how I was holding down the caps lock button when I typed trained and qualified, but it’s very important. You can hire the “expert” to send out a random tech to service your furnace but I first hand have seen apprentices 3 weeks in to the trade misdiagnose and charge homeowners for repairs they didn’t need. Simply because they had no idea what they were up to.)

Now lets get to some of the tips he left out.

Fill the cracks: You could heat your home up as much as you want but if the structure isn’t sealed tight your just wasting money. If you live in a older neighbourhood in Regina it would beneficial if you had your home inspected for any possible leakages. Old windows, doors, siding, and poor insulation all contribute to allowing the heat to escape from your home. If there are visible cracks, grab some weather resistant caulking and seal them. New weather stripping can also help on old doors. And worst case Ontario, install the ever so ugly plastic wrap on the windows.

Hopefully you’ve already cleaned your gutters. Buildup in the eavestrough can lead to ice damming on your roof which will begin to seep inside your house. The not so costly investment of a roof rake is worth it during Winters with heavy snowfall. The less snow you keep on your home’s roof the better.

Cover the air conditioner: Wether you have a cover or you simply bought a tarp with some bungee cords, covering the ac will help it withstand some brutal Winter weather.

What about the sprinklers and hose bibs?: If you haven’t yet it’s probably too late now but make sure to blow compressed air though to clear out any water in your sprinkler system to avoid ice build up that will end up breaking the pipe. While your at it turn on the valves that lead to your outside taps for the same reason.

Bundle up: Oh no, my Grandma was right! Wearing warm clothes inside can help raise your body’s temperature and reduce the need to run the furnace.

Keep doors closed to unused rooms at all times to help hold in the heat.

My last little known fact of the day is if you have a ceiling fan, many of them can be reversed so the blades spin the other way. This will help force any warm air back down closer to the floor. Just remember to flip it back come Summer.

Even with all the advice in this post, there is probably a lot I’ve missed and maybe some other things I haven’t seen yet. The main point I am suggesting is that we all know Saskatchewan Winter’s are tough and due to the regularly extreme cold stints can be very hazardous to our homes and businesses. Protecting your investment from Winter damage is always worth the money. The more you can stay ahead of these problems will help keep the value of those investments. Now lets hope for a mild Winter and an early Spring!