Has your air conditioner tripped your circuit breaker more than once this monsoon season in the Valley of the Sun? It’s a widespread issue that can be a real hassle – especially during our oppressively hot and humid summer months. The good news is that often simple fixes can solve the problem. Here are the five most common causes for AC-related circuit breaker tripping.

1. Dirty AC Unit

Monsoon storms can blow a lot of debris into your unit, making it difficult for it to disperse heat and cool indoor air properly. If you haven’t done so recently, call your licensed air conditioning professionals at Bruce’s Air Conditioning & Heating to have your unit professionally cleaned by one of our technicians who has the right equipment to clean it effectively.

2. Dirty Air Filter

When your air filter is blocked with dust, dirt, and debris, it makes your air conditioner work harder to circulate clean air. This causes the blower to draw more electricity and potentially trip the breaker. The quick fix is to replace the air filter. In fact, you should be replacing the filter at least once a month during Arizona’s dusty monsoon thunderstorm season.

3. Old Compressor

As a compressor starts to age, it can have difficulty starting, pulling more power than normal. This can trip the breaker. Often, a capacitor can be installed to give the compressor motor extra electricity to get it moving.

4. Old AC Motor

The motor in an air conditioner can run for many years, but eventually it can result in the wire insulation to break down—causing a “short.” When this happens, more electricity can be passed through than the wires can handle, causing overheating and sometimes a fire. If you smell smoke or see your motor burning, exit your home, and call 911 immediately. If you suspect a shorted motor, don’t hesitate in calling Bruce’s for service.

5. Breaker Bad

Defective or undersized breakers for the size of the HVAC system can result in a circuit breaker tripping. An experienced technician can quickly diagnose this problem and replace the breaker if necessary.

Call the Experts Today

Tired of circuit breaker-related air conditioning problems? Call your local expert technicians at Bruce’s today at 480-968-5652. We’ll be able to troubleshoot the problem and fix it properly the first time to ensure you have a steady stream of cooling throughout the rest of summer and beyond.

Summer is a challenging enough time for everyone living in the Valley of the Sun. It can be particularly difficult maintaining a comfortable temperature in a two-story home, older home, or a large one-story home with only one central air conditioning unit. Two AC systems have key advantages over one unit, but it’s not always the best choice. Your home’s design, layout, square footage, and age along with the cost of purchasing two AC units will impact your decision. Here are some important considerations if you’ve been thinking about adding a secondary unit.

Temperature Balance

In some homes, it can be extremely challenging to keep the entire house at the same temperature. Rooms in a home with a second floor are often warmer than first floor rooms because warmer air rises. Using two air conditioning units, one for each floor, will allow you to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the entire home. In fact, in some homes, the first floor can be cooled during the daytime and the thermostat turned up at bedtime if all occupied bedrooms and pets are upstairs. The upstairs bedrooms may only need to be kept cooler at night, allowing for a significant savings in energy over the long-term.

Electricity Savings

One AC unit will run longer and use more energy to cool your entire home to an ideal temperature. With two AC systems, you can control how much energy is being used to keep a room or space comfortable. In other words, decreasing the square footage being cooled lowers energy costs.

AC Backup

What about going with another alternative instead of buying an additional AC unit? You may want to consider purchasing a single-unit zoned system. A zoned system controls the temperature differently in specific areas of your house. This type of system enhances the way AC is managed in your home by way of dampers inside ductwork. The dampers can change the air flow of cool or warm air to different areas of your house. The cost of a single-unit zoned system is more than a standard AC unit, but over a longer period of time, the zoned system rapidly decreases your monthly energy costs.

Have a More Comfortable Summer

Would you like to learn more about the advantages of two-unit and single-zoned systems? Call your professionals at Bruce’s Air Conditioning & Heating today at 480-968-5652. Heating when you need it. Cooling when you want it. Comfort always on call 24/7/365.

In part one of our two-part series on air conditioning installation, we talked about evaluating and removing your old AC unit. In part two, we’ll focus on how to prepare the areas outside your house for the new unit.

Preparing for AC Installation

During the dog days of summer, Valley of the Sun homeowners frequently ask, is there anything I can do to speed up the installation process? Bruce’s goal is to get your new system up and running as soon as possible. Here are some steps you can take to ensure the installation goes smoothly:

• Clear the area around your AC unit. Full access to the areas where your current components are located will make it easier for the installers to do their job. It’s important to have a clear path to the outdoor condenser. Bushes, branches, and overgrown greenery should be cleared. Try to make sure toys, bikes, patio furniture, and other obstacles are removed.
• Keep the driveway, front yard, sidewalks, and street parking clear for installation equipment, including trucks and a crane. When the components are being delivered, a fair amount of space will be required on your driveway. If your unit is being installed on the roof, an HVAC boom crane will need clearance close to your house. Flowerpots, planters, and patio furniture may need to be moved. Our installer will let you know in advance. When installation day arrives, it’s advisable to remove all vehicles from the garage and park your cars on the street, so you won’t get blocked in.
• Ductwork will be inspected, repaired, and replaced if necessary. If your home requires extensive repair or replacement of ducts, the team will be working in the attic and throughout your house. It’s a good idea to move or clear storage containers and boxes from the areas of the attic where the ductwork is installed.
• Keep children and pets inside. We always promote safety first. Kids are naturally curious. We ask, if at all possible, to please keep children indoors while work is being done. When it comes to pets, dogs are not always thrilled to see us. Please keep pets corralled inside during installation.

Bruce’s Experienced Installers

With 24/7/365 service, Bruce’s Air Conditioning & Heating is your go-to source for all your home’s AC needs. Whether it’s a simple repair or the installation of a completely new HVAC system, we bring our expertise and experience every time. Call us today at 480-968-5652 to speak with one of our technicians.

Replacing your air conditioning system can seem like a daunting process—even if you’ve relied on your local HVAC company for regular tune ups and repairs. If your AC is at the tail end of its lifespan, or you’d like to replace it with a more energy efficient unit, you may have questions about the installation process, especially if your AC unit is a rooftop model. The good news is that we have answers.

Installing a new HVAC system is less disruptive than you might think, even if you’ll be installing a new unit during monsoon thunderstorm season in Arizona.

Most importantly, all AC systems are unique, and every installation presents its own set of challenges. Here’s an overview of general guidelines on a typical air conditioning installation. We’ll talk about how to prepare your home inside and outside for AC installation in the second half of this two-part series.

Evaluate and Remove Old AC Unit

Prior to your new AC installation, the old unit needs to be carefully inspected prior to removal for safety considerations. Bruce’s experienced installers will take care to protect your home, roof, and landscaping from damage along with cleaning up any debris caused by removal. Disposal of your old AC unit will be promptly taken care of.

After removal, your installers will perform a complete inspection of your house’s existing cooling infrastructure. Your heating, ventilation, and AC system has parts located both inside and outside your home. Ducts and vents are located above the ceiling and behind walls throughout your home. The technicians will look for air duct leaks, cracks, and overall system effectiveness.

Installation Time

An installation can be completed in less than a day, depending on the system purchased, the size, age, and layout of your home. Whether it’s going to be a rooftop or ground level installation, our installers will help determine a specific timeline for the work. If there are no unusual circumstances encountered, installations typically take eight to 16 hours.

Give Bruce’s a Call

We know that a new AC unit is a major investment and installation can be stressful. The goal of our installers is to get the cold air flowing as quickly as possible to keep disruption to a minimum. For more information, call Bruce’s today at 480-968-5652 to speak with one of our experts. And stay tuned for part 2 next week!

The air conditioning unit’s evaporator and condenser coils are vital components of your HVAC system. Properly maintained, these coils will continue to keep your home cool all summer long. Let’s look at how frequently AC evaporator and condenser coils should be cleaned in the Valley of the Sun.

What Are Evaporator and Condenser Coils?

Air conditioning units don’t actually create cool air in your house. Instead, the AC system conditions your air by removing heat from the air that’s already inside with the help of two types of AC coils. Evaporator coils, located inside the air conditioning unit’s housing, remove heat and humidity from inside your home. Condenser coils, located outside of the AC system, use refrigerant to transfer heat from inside to the outside of your home.

Why Is It Important to Clean the Coils?

Dirt and debris can wreak havoc on the heat exchange going on between the coils. Dirty coils can cause your electricity bills to increase due to higher levels of energy consumption from the AC unit working harder. Cleaning the coils of dust and debris allows the heat exchange to happen more efficiently. Even though AC units aren’t designed to run forever, by regularly cleaning your coils, you’ll help prolong the lifespan of your AC unit. A clean evaporator coil will absorb heat more quickly meaning you don’t have to run the AC for as long to keep cool. If the evaporator coil isn’t cleaned regularly, mold and bacteria may develop. Having these particles blown around inside your house can be a potential health hazard.

How Often Should Coils Be Cleaned?

You’ll want to be certain that your home’s interior is nice and cool in the summer. It’s best to have the condenser and evaporator coils cleaned twice yearly during seasonal tune-ups. However, with dust levels higher in summer due to Arizona’s annual monsoon thunderstorm season, you’ll want to keep a close eye on monthly energy bills to make certain electricity usage isn’t skyrocketing. A dirty evaporator coil can result in efficiency reductions up to 30%.

Your professionals at Bruce’s Air Conditioning & Heating have the credentials and qualifications to inspect and clean your AC coils. You can count on Bruce’s to get the job done right the first time. Call Bruce’s today at 480-968-5652 to schedule your appointment.