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Go to any HVAC service provider’s website, and you’ll almost certainly see a ton of pages and services related to ductwork. These sites will talk a lot about how ducts are vital to maintaining a comfortable home and about how you should consider a variety of different duct services. Duct sealing and duct cleaning — what’s the difference?

At first glance, these might seem like they wouldn’t be all that different. However, there’s actually quite a significant discrepancy between the two, and Acree Plumbing & Air can explain just how they differ!

Duct Cleaning: Short-Term, but Effective

Duct cleaning is extremely helpful for your home’s airflow. It removes irritants and pollutants, increases efficiency and clears the pathways to more effective airflow. Ducts, just like any other surface, need periodic cleaning and you’d be wise to do so every now and then.

While you don’t need to have your ducts cleaned all too frequently, it’s still a good idea to have a thorough cleaning performed every couple of years. You should also clean them whenever you undergo a large-scale home project, as well as whenever you move into a new place. After all, there’s no telling when the previous owner had a duct-cleaning done.

All that said, cleaning your ducts might not solve the problem you’re experiencing at home. For a long-term solution, consider sealing your ducts instead.

Duct Sealing: A Long-Term Fix

Although cleaning your ducts might remedy an immediate issue, that won’t take care of the long-term problems. That’s where duct sealing comes in.

Just think about it: if you’re dealing with lots of mold or dust in your air, it had to come from somewhere, right? Cleaning the contaminants will get rid of them, but the conditions that allowed them to grow in the first place are still there!

Unless you’re a professional HVAC technician, you might not be able to spot the deficiencies in your ducts that lead to the trouble spots. The ducts might be slightly leaky, they could have a nearly invisible tear somewhere, or the sealant might be just a tad too displaced at a joint.

All these things can give nasty pollutants the openings they need to make a home in your ducts and you’d never notice these openings without having a professional come look at them.

Acree Plumbing & Air: Duct Cleaning and Sealing Services in Tampa

Luckily, there’s a company in town that can both remove the things clogging your ducts as well as eliminate the conditions that led to them.

Acree Plumbing & Air’s expertise will get your home’s airflow back in tip-top shape in no time. We offer the most comprehensive HVAC and indoor air quality service in Tampa, and we’re just a phone call away.

To learn more about how we can help out or to schedule an appointment, reach us at (813) 703-1273!

Maintaining an operational HVAC unit is critical to keeping your home comfortable year-round. That unit is full of lots of interconnected joints and tubes and hoses and other parts, and that creates a lot of opportunities for something to go wrong – just like any other appliance.

One potential problem you might encounter is an unfortunate leak of the refrigerant whose job it is to keep the moving parts cool. Refrigerant leaks are potentially problematic if left untreated, which is why it’s so important to spot them early. Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric will tell you why!

How Does a Leak Occur?

Like we said, most every appliance in your home contains a complicated set of moving parts. It’s not out of the question, then, that eventually the wear and tear of daily use will wear one down or knock something loose.

That’s the case for a lot of refrigerant leaks. A hose gets jarred off its seat or a tube cracks, and then you’ve got a leak on your hands.

The problem is usually that a leak might not be apparent right off the bat, which we’ll address next.

Signs You Have a Leak

Luckily, there are a couple of telltale signs you can identify to tell that some refrigerant has begun leaking somewhere.

• No Cool Air: When refrigerant leaks, it hampers the unit’s ability to effectively lower the temperature of the air. So even though your thermostat might be set fairly low, you won’t feel any different.
• Abnormally High Energy Bills: The lack of cooling power causes your unit to work harder to try and achieve that temperature, which ends up causing higher energy bills. Take a look at a few of your recent bills and see if they’ve gotten higher for some reason.

Got a Leak? Think About a Replacement

If you’ve inspected your unit – or had a professional do it instead – and determined you’ve got a leak, the next step should be to have it repaired, right?

Maybe. It depends on how your unit was assembled and what type of refrigerant is used in the first place. If your unit uses R22 refrigerant, then it might make more sense to just have an entirely new unit installed instead.

In 2010, the process to completely phase R22 out of use began. It’s been determined to have a harmful effect on the ozone layer and it adds to the greenhouse effect, so its days are numbered. By 2020, R22 will be completely banned, period.

So, if your unit uses R22 and it needs fixing, then it’s worth your time to consider whether a repair would be prudent. If your leak gets fixed but pops up again after 2020, then you won’t be able to have it repaired because that type of refrigerant won’t be around.

Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric: Your Go-To Refrigerant and AC Provider

No matter what you choose, Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric will be able to take care of it for you. From comprehensive HVAC service to IAQ inspections and everything in-between, we’ve got you covered.

Give us a call at (813) 703-1273!

Fall is in the air! The leaves are changing, the temperatures are steadily dropping, and the sights and sounds of autumn are all around us. This time of year is really enjoyable, and there’s nothing like spending a cool afternoon letting the breeze blow through your hair as you let your cares slowly drift away.

But one key component to truly enjoying the fall weather is returning inside to a cozy home. As welcome as the cooler air is, we don’t want to come back in to a frigid living room! What we recommend is taking the proper steps to optimize your home’s HVAC unit before the colder weather arrives.

Follow along as the heating and cooling professionals at Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric offer a handy go-to list of simple things you’d be smart to do in order to prepare your HVAC unit for the fall weather.

Clean Debris from Around Condenser

Despite being responsible for a majority of your home’s heating and cooling capabilities, the outdoor condenser doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Its job is to get rid of the excess heat you don’t need, and to do that effectively it needs proper care.

Take some time to look around your condenser and pick up any sticks, rocks or other miscellaneous debris that might’ve gotten close to it. The condenser needs space and unencumbered airflow to work as well as it can.

Change Your Air Filter

Most maintenance schedules call for a replacement of your air filter every three months on average. Obviously, some units will require more frequent changes and others can go longer without one, but once every season is usually recommended.

But the fall brings a new set of challenges and contaminants for your filter. It might perform just fine without being changed out, but we recommend starting the new season with a fresh filter so it can be ready to screen out everything that comes its way.

Install a Smart Thermostat

We are all aware of how the change in seasons affects our AC usage, but sometimes we forget to do what we can ahead of time to minimize the effect that has on our energy bill. They might not spike the way they do in the summer, but they do undergo some changes.

One way to combat this adjustment is by investing in a smart thermostat. This device allows you the freedom to adjust the temperature in your home even when you’re not there, giving you total customization that keeps you from having to pay for energy you’re not using.

Schedule Preventative Maintenance

The previous tips can help, but there’s nothing like having a professional come take a look at your system and check all the bits and pieces of it. Although we like to think we know our HVAC units pretty well, the eyes of a trained expert will be able to spot and alert you to anything that could be problematic – either now or later down the line.

Even if your unit is problem-free, a routine maintenance check will optimize it and provide the minor adjustments it needs to run most effectively this fall.

Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric: Your Fall HVAC Experts

Whether you need a quick tune-up before the cooler weather hits or you’re in the market for a brand-new unit, we’ve got your back. Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric has the tools, tips and expertise needed to make sure you and your family remain cozy and comfortable year-round, and we’d be glad to make that happen.

For more information, call (813) 703-1273!

Believe it or not, summer’s almost gone! Well, it’s already passed, officially, but here in Tampa it hardly feels that way. Even though fall has technically arrived, the heat is still going strong. The end of the summer season usually gives way to cooler fall weather, which will be here sooner or later.

Even if that might not be something to think about for a while, it’s still a good idea to know how to prepare your home for the cooler temperatures. By implementing a few handy energy-saving tips when the time comes, you can make sure your transition to the fall is seamless and easy.

Helping our neighbors live comfortably and efficiently is one of the many areas of emphasis we have here at Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric, and we feel that these tips will help you out. Put even one or two into practice, and you’ll watch your energy bills plummet while not sacrificing comfort!

Inspect Insulation (and Ducts)

When you begin cranking the thermostat up to higher settings in order to heat your home, you’re going to be changing things up on the air system. It’s been used to generating as much cool air as possible, so introducing a lot of hotter air all of a sudden can throw it off – as well as your ducts.

Before you begin asking the furnace to do some heavy lifting, have your ducts inspected as well as your insulation. The idea is to keep as much air as possible from leaking out of your air circulation – when that happens, you end up wasting a lot of money on air that doesn’t even reach you!

Close Your Blinds

This is one of the most cost-effective ways you can control the temperature in your home. Invest in some quality, reliable curtains, and you’ll be able to limit the amount of sunlight that creeps into your home.

In fact, some solid curtains in your home can create a savings of nearly 10 percent in your energy bills. If your home has a lot of windows that face the sun during the heat of the day, we couldn’t recommend a more effective but efficient solution.

Be Smart About Your Thermostat

We all know that your thermostat is going to get a lot of usage, regardless of the time of year. But simply cranking it way up or down is going to result in a lot of expensive energy bills. Instead, invest in a programmable – or smart – thermostat.

When you install one of these, you’ll be able to adjust when it sets the temperature to different levels – regardless of whether you’re home or not. For example, when everybody is away from the house in the middle of the day, you can set the temperature to be far higher or lower than you would comfortably choose to live in.

That saves you money. And all you’ve got to do is set the thermostat to return the temperature to a more ideal setting when you return home, and everyone’s happy.

Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric: Your Trusted Heating and Cooling Experts

Saving money doesn’t mean you have to be sacrificing quality and comfort. These energy-saving tips will grant you the freedom to keep living however you choose, and they won’t impede your home life at all.

Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric is the Tampa area’s most reliable heating and cooling service provider, and we’d be glad to help you maximize the efficiency in your home. Just drop us a line at (813) 703-1273 and speak to one of our team members, and we’ll get right to work with you in no time at all!

Scroll through any service provider’s website, and you’re guaranteed to see a few different things. You’ll notice the difference services they provide, the different ways to contact them, and you’ll probably end up reading the history of the company.

But one other thing you’re almost always going to come across is somewhere in their list of services. Every company will tell you their technicians are “certified,” among other things. That’s great and all, because everyone wants to know that they can trust the people who are about to roll up their sleeves and (hopefully) fix a serious problem.

That begs the question, though: what does “certified” mean, and what certifications do these technicians have? Well, worry no more. Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric is here to help — we’ll explain what goes into being certified, so you’ll be more informed!

What Certifications Do They Need?

When a company lists its technicians as being certified, they’re likely referring to one or more of a few different types.

• NATE Certification is the most common. It stands for North American Technician Excellence, and it’s more or less the certification that most technicians have. It demonstrates that the person has the necessary knowledge to inspect, identify and diagnose an HVAC unit, and it requires a thorough examination process to receive. Although you don’t legally have to be NATE certified to be an HVAC technician, it’s something that most people get anyway.
• HVAC Excellence is the other type of certification that most technicians receive. It covers a lot of the same ground that NATE certification does, but the key difference here is that HVAC Excellence requires specialized exams for different areas of service. There are also two levels to this certification — the professional and master specialist.

Why It’s Important to Have a Certified Technician

Since a technician doesn’t have to legally be certified to work on an HVAC unit, hiring one to service yours can be a risky proposition. They might be willing to do the job for a lower cost, but you’re running the risk that they might not be totally sure about what they’re doing.

That’s why hiring a certified technician is so important. When you enlist their help, you can be sure they have gone through rigorous, extensive training and know exactly what they’re doing. There won’t be any fiddling around with delicate parts to try and troubleshoot your problem — they’ll be able to quickly and efficiently get to the source of the issue and fix it.

At Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric, you can rest assured that all of our technicians are indeed certified. They’ve been vetted and evaluated, and when you entrust us with the honor of restoring your home’s comfort level, you don’t have to be worried that we might not know what we’re doing.

We value our neighbors’ safety and respect your decision to trust us with your home. When you call Acree, you’re getting the most reliable, trustworthy service in Tampa — guaranteed. Give us a call at (813) 703-1273 to find out why!

Living in Tampa, or the rest of Florida for that matter, means we’ve got to deal not only with year-round heat, but we’re stuck with plenty of humidity to boot. Although to be fair, it’s not all bad. The beaches make up for that, as does never having to worry about shoveling snow off of our driveways three times a day.

That said, humidity is still aggravating and a pain to get away from. Sure, we can go inside, seal all the windows and doors and blast the AC as high as it will go for hours on end, but even that has its drawbacks. For starters, when we do that, we can count on the power bill being astronomically high. We also don’t know for sure whether cranking the AC will get rid of the humidity!

It should, though, shouldn’t it? After all, it only makes sense for a wave of cool air to blow the heavy moisture right out of your home — but it doesn’t work exactly how we’d think. Follow along and Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric will help explain why it doesn’t!

Getting the Lay of the Land

To understand how humidity affects an air conditioner, it helps to know how an air conditioner works in the first place. You flip a switch or press a button, and cool air comes out. Simple enough.

But that happens when warm air is drawn in and passed over cooling elements in the HVAC system, which is then expelled back out through the vents and into your home. When the air is simply warm and dry, the AC has no problem taking all of that in and doing what needs to be done to it.

When you add in air that is saturated with a lot of moisture, though, the AC’s job becomes much more strenuous and difficult.

Why It Doesn’t Help – All That Much

You see, an AC does reduce humidity to a certain degree. When it’s sucking all that warm air up, some of the humidity is naturally going to be removed, but it’ll only do so for a certain amount of time.

Once the humidity level reaches a certain point, the AC has to perform two duties at a high level for longer than it was intended to. That puts a strain on it, and it’ll make the unit work overtime to try and accommodate the extremely moisture-filled water. Before long, it’ll be working like mad to get rid of humidity — and it will fail.

That’s why so many people invest in dehumidifiers. These appliances take that strain off of your AC and do all the moisture removal for it, leaving the air-cooling part of the job to the unit that is best at it. So while your AC can help with the humidity problem in your home, we wouldn’t recommend relying on it.

Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric can help you solve that problem once and for all. We’re proud to offer a variety of dehumidifying solutions, and we can make sure your AC unit is running in tip-top shape as well. Give us a call at (813) 703-1273 and we’ll work with you to come up with a comprehensive humidity blueprint!

It’s easy to forget about your HVAC unit. Unless you notice an incorrect temperature setting or some funky noises rattling around, you probably never think about it.

Hey, that’s okay. Its job is to make sure the air flows correctly and cleanly, so any time it’s not doing just that, you have every right to get frustrated and wonder what the deal is. To compound the problem, sometimes those issues can only be resolved with pricey repairs or replacements, which only adds insult to injury.

The Importance of HVAC Maintenance

While we can’t guarantee that you’ll never experience a situation like that, we can offer practical advice that will minimize the chances of damages. While nobody can prevent all mishaps from happening, you can invest in a tune-up to make sure they remain unlikely.

A tune-up offers a variety of benefits that will add life to your HVAC unit and increase efficiency. Tune-ups lower the odds of costly incidents by a great deal. But when you should have one done is another question entirely.

Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric has the answers! We offer full-scale tune-ups performed by the highest-quality technicians in Tampa, and we’d be glad to help you out.

Annual HVAC Tune-Ups Are Ideal…

For the vast majority of homeowners, having your HVAC unit tuned up once a year is recommended. A tune-up consists of thorough checks and analysis of every aspect of your unit. It’s performed by a certified technician who won’t skip over anything. Even the smallest details are inspected to make sure all parts are working properly.

When you have a tune-up performed, the technician’s careful eye will identify any trouble spots on your HVAC unit. If possible, he’ll fix or replace them right then and there. Otherwise, he’ll have to come back later with the right tools or parts.

The real benefit of a tune-up, however, is the long-term savings they provide. When your unit is tuned up, you’ll become aware of any indicators that something could become a larger problem if left unchecked. That way, you can have a minor repair performed well before something much more costly occurs.

But More Frequent HVAC Tune-Ups Are Sometimes Needed

Having one tune-up a year isn’t always the best route. For example, if your HVAC unit is significantly older and has been chugging away for awhile, you should probably have it tuned up two or three times a year just to be safe.

On the other hand, if you just had a brand-new unit installed, then it probably doesn’t need too frequent of a check-up. It’ll probably be fine for a few years, after which it will be time to inspect it and make sure everything is still working the way it was intended.

A tune-up can provide an array of benefits to you and your family. Not only will the short-term costs vastly pay for the long-term savings, but it’ll make sure you’re breathing the best possible air and enjoying the most efficient cooling and heating possible.

Let Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric perform a top-of-the-line tune-up on your HVAC unit and put your worries to bed. Give us a call at (813) 703-1273 and schedule one today!

So, you’re struggling to figure out why the air in your home won’t get any cleaner, but it just doesn’t add up. After all, you’ve done everything you can think of: you replaced your air filter, invested in duct-cleaning services, and you even got some houseplants to soak up the extra moisture. What gives?

Believe it or not, there’s another way to clean the air, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense on the surface. Instead of blasting your home with a ton of chemicals or funky appliances to get rid of every contaminant under the sun, consider adding an ultraviolet light to your HVAC system.

Wait, hold on – a light is supposed to help out with cleaning the air? How does that work? Well, it actually does more than you might think. To help out, we at Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric have put together a quick primer on the benefits of installing a UV air cleaner in your HVAC system.

And if you think your home could use one, feel free to get in touch with us! Our technicians will work with you to determine the right solution, and they’ll do it right the first time.

Added Energy Efficiency

The way a UV air purifier works is simple. It mounts to your home’s air system, right in the middle of where air has to flow to enter circulation. Since all of the air has to go through it to exit through your vents, it is forced to pass through the purifier. The UV purifier zaps the particles that can build up on the AC’s coils, maximizing the efficiency it works with.

Because there are fewer contaminants to cling to the AC, your home is cooled with an ideal amount of power instead of forcing the AC to work harder to cool the air with clogged coils. More efficiency, cheaper energy bills!

Cleaner Air

As we touched on in the previous point, a UV air purifier kills contaminants before they have a chance to infect your home’s air circulation. Depending on which type of purifier you invest in, you can eliminate a wide range of undesirables from the air before you even know they’re there in the first place.

Whether it’s mold, bacteria, viruses, dust or other allergens, a UV air purifier will zap them without you having to lift a finger. The air will be noticeably cleaner before you know it!

Fresher, Crisper Air

As an added benefit, a UV air purifier will also kill the odor-causing particles that infiltrate the airflow of your home. So, on top of the air quality improvements you’ll be noticing, the air won’t ever smell badly either.

 

A UV air cleaner is the perfect addition to any home’s HVAC unit and airflow system. It operates silently and invisibly, so you won’t even notice that it’s there. At least, you won’t notice it until you realize that you’re saving money on energy bills and breathing noticeably cleaner and fresher air.

To learn more about how Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric can upgrade your air in no time with a UV air purifier, call us at (813) 703-1273!

Uh oh, what’s going on? Everything seems to be checking out: your AC is on and running, the air is coming out, and it doesn’t sound like there are any mechanical problems going on. And yet, the cool blast of air you’re expecting to come out of the vents is just lukewarm and, frankly, useless.

In Tampa, we need functioning AC to save us from the humid air and muggy weather. So when we barge in the door and slam it shut, desperate to retreat to the valuable safety of a cool and crisp home, only to be greeted by an atmosphere that is just as bad as the one outside, it’s aggravating.

Odds are, something’s up with the AC unit. It could be any number of a wide range of things causing the issue, and no situation is going to be the same. We at Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric are determined to make sure our neighbors are as comfortable as possible, so we want to offer a few potential reasons your AC may not be cooling your home. Whether or not you discover the culprit, our technicians can get your AC back in working order in no time!

Check the Fan Settings

Some of us like to leave the fan on the “ON” switch instead of the “AUTO” position, and while that’s fine, it can make it seem like your AC isn’t blowing cold air sometimes. When the fan is blowing constantly, it’s going to expel air that may or may not currently be cooling.

Since the thermostat just needs to reach a certain temperature and isn’t always activating the cooling mechanism, your fan might just be blowing lukewarm air.

Reset the Power

It’s a tried-and-true solution to, well, just about everything, but there’s a reason it’s something everyone suggests regardless of what device is struggling. Give the power a quick on-off flip, and it might correct whatever was troubling your AC unit.

Change the Filter

We all know that we’re supposed to change out the air filter every so often, but we don’t really expect it to make much difference beyond some slightly dirtier air. However, it can end up totally blocking the cool air coming from the AC unit if the filter is left for too long.

Eventually, it’ll get clogged, which will totally trap any cold air trying to escape the vent.

Clean the Condenser

Your outdoor AC condenser unit needs maintenance just like the one indoors does. While there’s not as much you can do to fix it without calling a professional, you can still clean it – and that could make a big difference.

Spray the unit down with a hose, and pick up any debris that might’ve fallen around it. Both of those things can have a sizable impact on the condenser’s performance, and it might solve your problem!

These were just a handful of easy and simple potential solutions you might employ to solve your no-cold-air problem. We can’t guarantee that they’ll work for sure, but you’d be surprised at just how many of these issues are easy fixes.

If they don’t correct the situation, Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric would love to take a look to see just what’s going on. You’ll receive expert knowledge and service, and your AC will be frigid as ever before you know it! Give us a call at (813) 703-1273 and schedule an appointment today!

Over time, your air conditioner can begin to lose some of the efficiency it no doubt had when it was first installed. Just like any other piece of machinery – your car, the refrigerator – the air conditioner will wear down the longer it’s been chugging along.

While you won’t be able to avoid having it deteriorate completely (nobody can stop that from happening) there are plenty of things you can do to make sure it lasts as long as possible.

By maintaining your air conditioner and performing routine care on it, you’ll not only maximize the length of its lifespan, but odds are good you’ll end up saving money the longer your unit stays in good shape. An efficient air conditioner can shave off a significant portion of your energy bill, and that money will add up over the course of several billing cycles. So, not only are you going to enjoy a better-performing air conditioner, but you’ll pocket a few extra bucks along the way!

Not a bad deal, right? Follow along with this quick list of tips the experts at Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric have put together and find out how you can make a difference in no time.

Don’t Forget the Filter

The easiest way to make sure your air conditioner stays in tip-top shape is to maintain a strict filter-replacement schedule. Most of the time, swapping out the old filter for a new one roughly every three months should suffice.

A filter will trap those undesirable pollutants and contaminants, so your air stays fresh – but those particles have to go somewhere, and that “somewhere” is right on the filter. It’ll get clogged if you neglect it for too long, meaning your air conditioner has to work overtime to get the air to the temperature you set the thermostat to.

Check the Condenser

A vital component of your cooling system lies outside. The condenser can get equally as dirty and inefficient over time, just like the filter can, so it needs a proper cleaning every now and again. If you’re not HVAC-savvy and don’t want to open up the unit itself, the best thing you can do is to clean up around the condenser itself to make sure it’s clear of dirt and debris.

Washing the fins of the condenser is a good idea as well. Take a hose and spray it through the cover – don’t risk hurting yourself by opening up the grill.

Put in the Call for a Professional

Beyond this, however, there’s not a whole lot you can do unless you have extensive experience performing maintenance on HVAC units. The best and most comprehensive way you can increase efficiency is to have someone who knows what they’re doing take a look and give it a tune-up.

By having this done routinely – say, once a year – you’ll constantly be optimizing your air conditioner to make sure it’s performing at the peak of its abilities. Not only that, but a technician will spot any troubling signs well before they become something much more problematic and costly.

Maintaining your air conditioner doesn’t need to be difficult. Most of the time, you can do a great job of making sure it performs at maximum efficiency simply by keeping it as clean as possible and swapping out the filter on time – but if you’d like to have an expert take a look, let Acree Plumbing, Air & Electric do the dirty work.

Give us a call at (813) 703-1273 for the most reliable service in Tampa!