Action Cooling & Heating Shows You How to Prep Your HVAC for Winter

Whether we want to admit it or not, a good portion of us love those HGTV shows that show couples or siblings turning dilapidated houses into inhabitable works of art. Many of us have even dreamed of flipping a house or two ourselves. For a select few people who have thought of it, some actually do flip homes.

A lot goes into flipping a house. Yeah, it looks like fun, picking paint colors and tile patterns. It’s like a real life version of The Sims. However, there is more to flipping house than meets the eyes. It’s not just tearing down a home and building it back up. You have to have someone on your team that has a good understanding of solid construction, electricity, water, and much more. This even includes which HVAC unit to use for the home.

As Action Cooling & Heating of Fort Meyers, Florida will tell you, the HVAC unit that you choose for your home is just as important as any other feature or construction element that you choose to incorporate into the flip. A lot goes into choosing the right HVAC unit for a flipped house, and Action Cooling & Heating of Fort Meyers is here to help.

One question that house flippers are initially faced with is whether they should repair the existing HVAC or replace it entirely. This depends on your budget and the condition of the HVAC unit. In a few cases, simply repairing the existing HVAC unit makes more sense economically and is feasible. The general rule of thumb for the repair vs. replace debate is this: if the cost to repair is more than 1/3 of the cost to replace, opt to replace the unit. This guarantees that you have a new, functioning HVAC unit that doesn’t have the wear and tear of the original.

When it comes to choosing the right unit, Action Cooling & Heating of fort Meyers suggests matching the needs to the residential market. Some neighborhoods and developments have different system requirements for residential HVAC units. This includes geothermal heat pumps, high efficiency, furnaces, and much more. These may come at an initial pretty penny more than you wanted to spend, but are great selling points for prospective buyers.

There are a few key points to consider when shopping for an HVAC unit:

·         Forced air systems

·         Heating Systems

·         Heat Pumps

·         Boilers

·         Rebates

·         Efficiency Rating

In the end, choosing the right HVAC unit all comes down to choosing the best bang for your buck and the most efficient for the home. For help or maintenance regarding HVACs for house flippers, be sure to contact Action Cooling & Heating of Fort Meyers, Florida.

After the Storm: Inspecting HVAC Units for Damage after Hurricane Irma

The storm is over and the sun is out. While the water is beginning to recede in some areas, there are still towns in Florida that are flooded and without power.  Just take one look around Fort Meyers, Florida and you’ll see flooded streets, downed trees, and tons of debris strewn about. Even around our own shop at Action Cooling & Heating, Fort Meyers, Florida, it’s pretty evident a storm occurred. As expected, Hurricane Irma ripped her way through our state, and now it’s time to pick up the pieces.

Now begins the complicated process of assessing any damage that has happened to our homes or businesses. Fortunately, the Fort Meyers area was not hit as bad as anticipated, but that does not mean property owners won’t still need to check on the particulars outside of structural damage. This includes smaller items, like your HVAC unit.  Action Cooling & Heating, Fort Meyers  advises you to take some time and inspect your HVAC unit for signs of hurricane damage. Here’s how:

1.    The initial evaluation process of your HVAC unit should consist of a visual inspection of the waterline on your property. This will give you an idea as to how far the water rose and what, if any components could be affected.

2.    Check your outdoor equipment first before moving indoors. Your outdoor equipment came into direct contact with the storm. This means dirt, debris, and the elements could have adversely affected how it operates. While the condensing unit is designed to withstand mud, elements, and floodwaters, it is still a ground-mounted system where a few bits of debris and large amounts of water could negatively impact its performance.


3.    Finally, you’ll want to check your indoor units. Any units in attics may not have damage; however it’s a different story for flooded basements. Basements are not too common in Florida, yet some homes do have crawl spaces. If you have a furnace in your lower level crawl space, you’ll want to check that as well. This is especially true if the furnace is a horizontal furnace, as they are more susceptible to flood water damage. Given the design of the horizontal furnace, it’s fairly easy for water to infiltrate the system, causing significant amounts of damage to the unit.
Accurately assessing the damage to your home can help with insurance claims and overall safety of your home down the road. As the water recedes, it will take a few days before we can return to normal, but we will. Rest assured that Action Cooling & Heating Fort Meyers is here to help you weather the storm.

Action Cooling & Heating Shares 5 Surprising Facts about Air Conditioners They Bet You Didn’t Know

Whether it’s food, pop culture, or technology, we all try to be as knowledgeable about different topics as much as we possibly can. That’s why we all love sites like Tumblr and Sporcle, curation of content that mixes useless facts with actual newsworthy information. Well, at Action Cooling & Heating in Fort Meyers, Florida, we love fun facts and trivia as much as the next person. In honor of the hottest month of summer, here are 5 cool facts about air conditioners that we bet you didn’t even know.

1.    In 1902, engineer Willis Carrier was looking for a way to control building humidity. In this effort, invented an “apparatus for treating air”, which thus became the beginning of the air conditioner. Willis Carrier was since dubbed the “Father of Air Conditioning”.
2.    The first home that had a fully functioning air conditioner was built in 1913. The owner of this Minneapolis mansion was Charles Gates, whom unfortunately passed away before he could ever use it.
3.    The first president to ever use air conditioning in the White House was Herbert Hoover. The cost of the total installation was around $30,000 for the Oval Office. This was met with great controversy, as this was the beginning of the Great Depression.
4.    According to American researchers, the chances of dying due to unbearable heat on hot days has drastically reduced, falling more than 80% over the last 50 years. This has been correlated to the rise of air conditioners over the course of that time.
5.    The term “Summer Blockbuster” was coined because theaters were one of the first industries to utilize the technology back in the early 1900’s. As homes were not equipped with air conditioning yet, families would go to the movies to escape the summer heat.

So, the next time you’re at trivia night and they ask about air conditioners, you remember where you learned your fun facts first.

To Use A Ductless Air Conditioner Or Not?

So, you’re looking for a quiet and easy cooling solution for your home or office. Have you considered a ductless air conditioner? A ductless air conditioner is a simple unit mounted to your wall that is combined with an outside compressor. Their small size and easy installation makes them ideal for newly added rooms or where window units cannot typically fit.

As with any HVAC service, there are always your major pros and cons. Here, your friends at Action Cooling in Heating of Fort Meyers Florida explain below.

Biggest Pro
With the constant concern about climates and our carbon footprint, ductless air conditioners are your solution. As the average home loses twenty-five percent of more of their energy due to ductwork, going ductless is the best route to combat this. Ductless systems have internal compressors that vary their performance based on the needs of your home. This makes them the more efficient option for your home.

Biggest Con
The biggest drawback to ductless air conditioners is their cost. To control the climate for a single room, you’re looking at several times the amount typically spent on a window or baseboard unit. To completely replace your existing central HVAC with ductless units, which some people have considered, would mean spending two to three times more in energy costs.

If you’re considering going ductless, be sure to contact a reputable HVAC technician to help you find the solution that is right for your home.

Preparing Your HVAC Unit for Hurricane Season

As of June 1, the United States had officially entered into hurricane season. Now, through November 30, the coastal portions of the country are on the lookout for severe weather patterns. States like Texas, Louisiana, New Jersey and of course Florida are all too familiar with the damage that a hurricane can cause. Having experienced over 13 hurricane seasons, Action Cooling & Heating Fort Meyers has helped thousands of people in the community prepare for hurricane season. In an effort to ensure your safety and the security of your home, Action Cooling & Heating shares a few tips on how to handle your HVAC for hurricane season.

Before Hurricane:

Replacing or repairing HVACs can tend to be expensive. General preventative maintenance is important in the care of your HVAC. It is especially important during hurricane season. At the beginning of the season, be sure to change your air filters, check for leaks, and correct any possible air flow issues. Additionally, you will want to correct any drainage issues that could be near your home. These problems will only worsen throughout the season. Thoroughly inspect your outside unit for any debris and remove it. Finally, cover your HVAC unit with a tarp, preferably nylon or vinyl and secure it to prevent debris from getting in.

After Hurricane:

Once the storm has passed, you should have a check list for HVAC maintenance that needs to be completed. You’ll want to ensure that every aspect of your unit is in working order. You may need to re-set some settings, but for larger issues, call a professional.

In the event of a hurricane, or just for regular HVAC maintenance, don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at Action Cooling & Heating to help you.