Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Gas and Electric Water Heater Repair

Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating is skilled at making repairs to both gas and electric hot water heaters. These two different types of hot water heaters require specific attention to make sure that all repairs are done to minimize future problems.

Gas Water Heaters – This type of hot water heater is designed with a gas valve that cycles itself on and off as the water heats and cools in the tank. Most gas water heaters have a pilot light that heats the tank at the bottom. The pilot flame is controlled by a thermocouple. Gas hot water heaters are built with a safety valve, usually located on top, which controls water pressure. If the pressure in the tank of the gas water heater gets to high, it will open allowing the water to safely be discharged to an area that will do no damage. Gas hot water heaters are also built with a flu that discharges the harmful fumes to the outside of your home.

Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating is highly trained in all aspects repairing gas hot water heaters with a focus on professionally making repairs and providing you with a safe and reliable hot water. Our technicians go through a complete checklist when diagnosing your gas water heater to make sure that all important components are operating properly.

Electric Water Heaters – Electric hot water heaters use heating elements to create hot water. These elements are located on the top and bottom of the water tank. Both heating elements are controlled by thermostats to keep the water at the desired temperature. Just like gas water heaters, they are protected by a temperature and pressure relief valve.

The technicians at Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating are trained to make professional repairs to electric water heaters. We can replace thermostats, heating elements, temperature and pressure valves, dip tubes, and anode rods. A common problem that we fix is the drain at the bottom of the electric water heater tank. This is remedied with the installation of a new drain valve.

Give Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating a call today for any gas or electric water heater repairs or installations. Our water heater technicians proudly serve the Glendale, Surprise, Phoenix, Sun City, Peoria, and all other communities in the West Valley. Call us at 623-533-5718 today.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Prevent Condensation on Your Air Ducts



As homeowners, we’re often very aware of any issues we have with our air conditioning and heating systems. However, we tend to over look a very important aspect when it comes to our units: the air ducts.

It’s important to make sure your air ducts are working properly for a number of reasons, as the air ducts are responsible to keep either warm or cool air moving throughout your home. One problem that homeowners often face is condensation in their air ducts, which can be a huge issue for you and your family. Condensation can cause mold to grow and bacteria to build up, which is then pushed out into your house, where your family breathes it in.

We’ve got a couple ways that you can make sure your air ducts don’t build up condensation, no matter how humid or warm the surrounding area might be.  

When checking your air ducts, make sure they’re completely and properly insulated. This is a requirement for all air duct systems that aren’t air conditioned themselves.

When checking for potential causes of moisture or condensation, you should make sure that all the ducts are sealed properly. If there’s any sort of leak or water damage, you can probably assume that there will be moisture build up. If you do spot an issue like this, it’s important to get it fixed by a professional right away.

Make sure the condensation pan is draining the way it should be. Also check the cooling coils and the insulation around the coils to ensure there are no wet spots, as this can be problematic to the ducts. 

If nothing seems wrong, but you want to be extra precautious, install a humidifier to help keep condensation out of the air ducts. This can especially help in the summer time when Arizona tends to experience monsoon season, which brings rain and humidity.

These are some easy things you can do on your own to make sure your air ducts are working well and not building up any moisture. If your air ducts aren’t working properly or something doesn’t look right, give us a call at (623) 533-5718.