An HVAC manifold gauge is needed in order to charge your system to the proper operating pressures, and this is not a screw driver.  It requires some specific knowledge in order to know how to work it properly, and also the specific requirements of the air conditioning unit that you are working on.  And then you have to factor in other things like what other components have been added into the system, the size and length copper tubing is being used, and a number of other factors that will tell the experienced air conditioning professional what the correct pressures should be for any given installation.  You can pick up one of these for as little as $50 or more but once again it is not something that even the most seasoned DIY handyman can use without some specific knowledge.

Last but not least is the welding of the copper tubing.  Welding is more of an art than a science.  All of the training in the world will never substitute for practical experience.  Welding requires knowledge of the proper size of tubing to use for the operating pressure of the system, a welding torch, solder rated for the copper tubing, and leak testing methods.  Copper tubing is used because of its pliability and it unique properties when it comes to creating welds.  Sweating copper tubing is an important aspect of the welding process in order to get the material to create the proper seal.

If you can get past all of these requirements and you feel that you have what it takes to tackle your own job, or even to become an air conditioning professional, then I wish the best of luck.  My only advise is to tackle each job like it is for your own home and avoid taking shortcuts that will result in a poor installation and an even worst reputation down the line.

The problem comes in when you are dealing with central air conditioners. It doesn’t matter whether it is a split air conditioner or a package air conditioner. The reason for this is that they are typically not sold to the general public. It requires a licensed air conditioning professional to install a new air conditioning unit and to charge the system with R-22 Freon or the newer R-410A Puron, and it is not a one man job.  You can expect to see two or three people involved in the installation process.  In some areas an inspection is required after the installation is completed to insure that the job meet the local building code requirements.  All of this makes the process of shopping for a deal a lot more difficult because now you are not just shopping for a product, you are shopping for a product/service package deal.

I am just like you, I don’t want to pay for something and find out a week later that the Jones’ down the street got the same thing I did for half of the price. It would make me feel like I was taken advantage of. My first recommendation is to make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. Have to ever heard the saying “An astronaut doesn’t want to fly to the moon in a rocket ship that was built by the lowest bidder”? The make and model of the air conditioner may be the same, but the materials and skills used to install the unit may be entirely different, and that could mean the difference in having a unit that will last you for 7 years versus a unit that will last you for 25 years.

Here are some tips to help you feel good about the cost of the INVESTMENT you are about to make in you air conditioning unit:

• Nothing is better than ‘word or mouth’ references from satisfied customers.  Create a short-list of proposed installers and start the quoting process.
• If you don’t have that to work with, then the next best thing is to decide on the BRAND of air conditioner that you want to have installed, then visit the local distributor to see if they can recommend a handful of installers.
• Lastly, if you run across any homes that have air conditioners installed the you really like, then find out who the contractor was for the home and they can most likely tell you who installed the air conditioner for that home.

Once you feel that you have a handful of quality installers identified, then find out if they can quote you separately for the air conditioner, materials, and labor.  If you can get a breakdown then you can begin to compare apples to apples and effectively shop for the best prices.

Is your air conditioner a central unit, or a window unit, or a portable unit? This will let me know the complexity of the system and potential points of failure.

Circuit Breaker Cabinet

When you turn the switch on, does anything happen at all?

• NO:  Check the Circuit Breaker to see if the system is getting any power.  It that doesn’t fix it, then I’ll be focusing on electrical issues as opposed to mechanical issues.

• Yes:  Most times this means that the unit is blowing, but not cooling.

Is the Thermostat turned all the way down?

• NO:  Sometimes (especially at the beginning of the season) thermostats are still set for winter heating temperatures and just need to be adjusted.
• Yes: Now I’ll be focusing on mechanical issues with the compressor and refrigerant levels.

There are a whole bunch of other scenarios, but this covers the vast majority of the situations that I encounter.  At this point, there is not much left that a typical homeowner can do other than to call out an air conditioning professional.

I’ve had people call and say “My air conditioner is not cooling…can you come out and fill it up with coolant?”  Now I know of a lot of ‘professionals’ in the business that would just say “Yeah, I’ll take care of that this afternoon” then show up and squirt some coolant in and take their fee, but what is really happening is that they are throwing a quick fit at a bigger problem.

Air conditioners should never lose coolant.  It is a closed system.  If the coolant level is low, it is because there is a leak in the system and that is the real problem that should be addressed by a professional.  Also, the fact that an air conditioner is not cooling as expected is not always the result of the coolant level being low, and adding more coolant to the system could damage it.

The dirty little secret in the air conditioning business is that most ‘professionals’ are good at installing new systems (because that’s where the money is), but very few have enough knowledge to diagnose and repair an existing system.  When looking for someone to do air conditioning repair, your best bet is to find them through references from satisfied customers rather than the Yellow Pages.

1. 2010 is the magic date when Freon begins to phase out. No new equipment will be manufactured using freon (R-22) coolant. Once the network news turns this into their hot topic, then you’ll be behind the curve as everyone will be jumping on board and quality installers will be in demand.
2. If something happens with your job or other circumstances arise that require you to move, it will be much easier to sell a house already configured with PURON air conditioning. It will not add to the value of your home, but in a buyers market it is a strong incentive to choose one property over another.
3. Some (not all) New Home Air Conditioners will qualify for a tax credit of 30% of the total cost (including installation) up to $1,500 in 2009 and 2010. This is what we will focus on in this post.

In order to qualify for the tax credit, you must purchase and install either a SPLIT SYSTEM with a SEER rating of 16 or higher and an EER rating of 13 or higher, or a PACKAGE SYSTEM with a SEER rating of 14 or higher and an EER rating of 12 or higher. You don’t have to be replacing an older unit to qualify, but if you are you will most likely have to replace your heater too if it acts as the air handler for your home air conditioners. To verify if you are eligible for the tax credit, you will need the MANUFACTURERS CERTIFICATION STATEMENT for the equipment you plan to purchase. This is available through your contractor, or the equipment manufacturers website.

What is SEER and EER?
SEER is an acronym for SEASONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATIO and it measures how efficiently home air conditioners will operate over an entire season. The calculation compares the cooling capacity in BTUs versus the energy in Kws that is consumed over the same time. This is just an FYI, because this calculation is done by the manufacturers and is clearly marked on the unit.

EER or ENERY EFFICIENCY RATIO is pretty much the same thing, but this time it is measured with a constant outside temperature. The number derived is BTU hours per watt and this number is also provided by the manufacturer.

In both cases, the higher the number, the more efficient the equipment is rated. As of January 2006, all home air conditioners sold in the US must have a SEER rating of at least 13.

SPLIT SYSTEM vs PACKAGE SYSTEM
A split system has THREE COMPONENTS, the outdoor cabinet with he condenser and compressor, an indoor cabinet with the evaporator coil, and an air handler that pushes the cool air through the ducts which is usually incorporated into the heater unit. With a split system, air is recirculated within the home.

A package system has all of these components located in one cabinet which is located outside of the home. With a package system, new air is circulated into the home from outside and return ducts are sent outside.

• The overall cooling capability of the unit
• How often the compressor will turn on & off.  “Short-Cycling” prevents dehumidifying
• Factors heavily into the energy efficiency & operating cost
• Maintenance costs over the life of the unit

Strangely enough, the most common problem encountered in existing construction is OVER-SIZED units.  In studies performed by utility companies on the west coast, one found that slightly over 1/2 of the home air conditioners checked were a ton (12,000 Btu/h) or more oversized and another company found the same in 1/3 of the home air conditioners they checked.

Why is this so?  Because the correct method of calculating the optimum size of the unit needed is rather complicated and most contractor use shortcuts to save time.  Either that, or they just don’t know how to do it properly.  MANUAL J is the universally accepted standard. It was jointly developed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) and the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).  It is a lengthy publication, and rightfully so since it factors in all of the variables that must be considered to properly size home air conditioners.

It doesn’t matter whether or not you are talking about:

• Central Home Air Conditioners
• Window Unit Home Air Conditioners
• Portable Home Air Conditioners

The requirements are the same in order to provide you with the comfort you need while minimizing the operating costs and total cost of ownership over the life of the unit.  Contrary to what your parents may have taught you, the longer that home air conditioners run, the more efficient they are.  Ones that cycle on and off constantly are no dehumidifying the air AND they are eating up your electrical bill.

Our recommendations are:

• Do not try this on your own unless you have an engineering degree, a lot of time to spare, and enjoy reading 200+ page technical manuals -or- can buy or borrow a copy of Home Air Conditioning Software based on the Manual J Standard;
• If you go with a contractor, select one that specializes in Home Air Conditioners;
• Insist on getting a printout from you contractor of the Manual J data they used to calculate the optimum unit size of the home air conditioners.