W.C. Butler Heating and Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Roanoke’

Tips for a More Efficient Central Air Conditioner

Monday, September 13th, 2021

Staying cool throughout one of our hot and long summers can be quite the feat, but with a reliable and effective central air conditioner, it’s entirely possible. Even if your AC system is working “okay” it doesn’t mean there is no room for improvement.

Read on as we share some great tips for how to boost the energy efficiency of your central air conditioner without sacrificing comfort. Between these tips and our expert AC services, you can rest assured that you can get through the rest of our summer weather without any unexpected mishaps.

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What Goes Into a Great AC Installation?

Monday, August 16th, 2021
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The first thing we’re going to say is, a great AC installation starts with hiring a great AC installer–that is, a trained and experienced professional. We understand the temptation to install an air conditioner on your own, but unless it’s a window unit or some other portable air conditioning system, we really advise against this.

The fact of the matter is, there are very careful steps that must be taken in order to successfully install an air conditioner, and if any of these steps are missed or done too fast, it could lead to problems such as refrigerant leaks, inefficient system operation, and even a premature system breakdown.

Of course, if you’re shopping for an air conditioner this time of the year, when temperatures are at their highest, then we do understand the sense of urgency. Rushing into a large purchase like this could leave you sacrificing comfort and efficiency. Read on as we outline a few of the main reasons you should only trust a trained professional for the job, if you truly want a successful AC installation.

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Signs That Your Central Air Conditioner Is Struggling

Monday, August 2nd, 2021
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The central air conditioner you have installed in your home is one of your household’s most prized resources, even if you don’t think of it as such. Consider how much it does for your quality of life!

Central air conditioners are also one of the most specialized home comfort systems that can be found in a household–while the average homeowner can typically handle small tasks like fixing a leaky faucet, replacing an outlet plate, or changing their air filter, anything that involves adjusting or repairing the components of an air conditioner must be done by a trained and experienced professional.

Just like your vehicle or any other big piece of equipment, your AC system needs routine professional maintenance to keep it working as it should, and it’s a lot easier, and more affordable, to address a problem when it’s just begun rather than when it’s had time to build up and create further problems within the system. But how do you know when your air conditioner needs repair service? Read on to find out!

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Need a New AC? Pay Attention to Sizing

Monday, July 19th, 2021
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Summer isn’t going away any time soon, so if you haven’t done so already, now is the perfect time to ensure that your air conditioner is fully equipped to handle the rest of the heat this season is bringing. Of course, for some homeowners, this might mean investing in a brand new air conditioner altogether. If this is the case, you’ll want to make sure that the air conditioner you purchase is the right size, first and foremost.

We get it, when it’s this far into the season and you find yourself needing a new cooling system, it’s tempting to rush into your purchase. But we really want to encourage you to take your time and not just find the biggest system on the market that will fit your budget. Size and power matter here–not just making sure your air conditioner has enough power, but also ensuring it doesn’t have too much.

Read on to learn more about the problems with both an undersized/underpowered unit and an oversized/overpowered air conditioner.

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The Steps of Professional AC Maintenance Are…

Monday, June 21st, 2021
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If you follow our blog, you’ll see us mention maintenance… a lot. There’s a good reason for this! Maintenance is a vital service for both your cooling and your heating systems. Too many homeowners see it as a “luxury” service they’ll just get when they can afford. But in reality, maintenance is a necessity, and one that will save you money in the long run.

Professional air conditioning maintenance enables our technicians to find small problems with your air conditioner before they progress into much bigger emergency repair needs. This helps your cooling system perform better and last longer. This is fantastic news for your budget! Still though, maybe you’re wondering what actually happens during maintenance that makes this all worth it? Keep reading and we’ll answer!

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How to Make Your Central Air Conditioning More Efficient

Monday, June 7th, 2021

In the next couple of weeks, summer will officially be upon us! Of course, warmer temperatures have been known to grace us early, too. So now is the perfect time to make sure that your air conditioner is ready for the coming heat, and that you’ll be able to use your cooling system as efficiently as possible.

That said, we hope you’ve taken the time to have spring maintenance done. Maintenance allows our technicians to fully inspect, clean, and adjust system components that need it for better system performance.

Even without maintenance, however, there are some actions you can take to boost the efficiency of your cooling system and therefore lower cooling costs. Keep reading as we go through some tips on how!

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Noisy AC? Don’t Ignore These Particular Sounds

Monday, May 10th, 2021
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It would be great if we had air conditioners that could self-diagnose themselves and then send us an alert through an app on our smartphones to tell us that something is amiss. To be honest, that’s probably not too much of a stretch for the future. Unfortunately, it’s not a reality quite yet.

For now, we do have to rely on other means to warn us that something is wrong with our air conditioning systems. Perhaps it’s a sudden drop in cooling power, or an unexpected rise in your energy bills. Or it might even be that your circuit breakers connected to your AC system are constantly tripping.

One of the most common signs that something is wrong with your air conditioner is that it’s making loud or unfamiliar noises. You know more than anyone the everyday sound of your HVAC systems. If something sounds strange, it’s worth giving our team a call.

So what kind of sound are we talking about? Read on!

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Heed These Signs of AC Repair Needs

Monday, April 26th, 2021
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Believe it or not, summer is right around the corner. And the last thing you need this coming season is to come home after a long day at work to a baking living space because your air conditioner stopped functioning, right?

Of course, the likelihood of this happening is decreased if you take good care of your cooling system. This begins with professional AC maintenance. During your maintenance session, also referred to as a tune-up, our technicians thoroughly clean, adjust, and inspect your air conditioning system. The inspection portion of this service alerts our team to any AC repair needs you might have, and getting those repair services on your schedule right away will help ensure that your cooling system can handle all that summertime weather has to bring.

But whether or not you’ve already scheduled maintenance (and no, it’s never too late), it’s always a smart idea to be aware of the signs that AC repairs are imminent, and give our team a call if you notice any of the signs we’re about to list below. Keeping on top of your air conditioner repair needs, particularly if you have an older cooling system, will ensure your system functions well this summer.

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How to Spend as Little as Possible on Your Air Conditioning

Monday, April 12th, 2021
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It may still be spring, but we know when summer comes, those warmer temps won’t hesitate. With our summer climates, it’s important to ensure that you have an effective, efficient, and fully functional cooling system to rely on, right? Hopefully, you’ve already taken at least one step toward making sure this is the case—you had professional maintenance done. Professional tune-ups allow our technicians to fully inspect, clean, and adjust components that need it within your air conditioner.

If you haven’t scheduled a tune-up yet, don’t worry! It’s not too late to give us a call. And in the meantime, we’ve shared below some additional tasks you can do to ensure your air conditioner operates efficiently and therefore costs less due to the energy you’ll save.

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Is AC Maintenance Really That Beneficial?

Monday, March 29th, 2021
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Air conditioning maintenance is one of those services that people often think of as a luxury—not something that is really needed but is just “nice to have.” We guess we could say that it’s not really needed—not if you don’t want an effectively and efficiently running air conditioner that will last the entirety of its extended lifespan.

AC maintenance is beneficial, and we are going to dive into why this is the case below. Maintenance is when our technicians come in and thoroughly inspect, clean, and adjust the components that need it, helping it to run smoothly and helping to lower your energy costs throughout the months and years. Read on as we uncover some of the main benefits of this service!

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