Labor Day Weekend Safety Tips

Labor Day Weekend has arrived! It’s our last big hurrah of the summer, and everyone wants to have some fun. Whether you’re traveling this weekend or bringing the party to your home, there are some safety tips we urge everyone to keep in mind when having fun.

If you’re visiting friends, family, or just getting away on a mini-vacation, be extra cautious of the highways and roads while driving. More than 42,000 people suffer fatal car accidents each year, and Labor Day Weekend is one of the peak weekends for accidents. If you are driving anywhere, make sure your car is in proper working order and that you are well rested (and if you are above the legal drinking age, also 100% sober). Don’t forget to enforce the seatbelt rule for everyone in your car.

Since Labor Day is the last official weekend of summer, we know most people are going to enjoy it by some sort of body of water. Whether it’s the beach, a lake, or just your own swimming pool, always keep an eye on everyone in your party if they are in or near the water, no matter how experienced of a swimmer they are. If you’re out boating, take extra precautions around swimmers and near the shore. Remember: driving the boat is the same as driving a car; don’t do it if you’ve been drinking at all.  

It wouldn’t be Labor Day weekend without some serious barbequing, would it? There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to all the great food you’ll be eating. If you’re helping get the food ready for a party, make sure to wash your hands often, don’t leave perishables out of the fridge for more than two hours, and never mix utensils and plates with raw and cooked food. When it comes to the grill, make sure you keep the kids away. Not only can they be a distraction to the cook, but they can accidentally burn themselves if they touch anything, something we know kids love to do.

Last, but not least, no matter what you do this weekend; we’re willing to bet you’ll be spending some time outside. While you should be wearing sunscreen every day, it’s vital that you wear it this weekend. It’s still summer and the sun is powerful, even if it’s cloudy out! Reapply often, especially if you’re spending your weekend by the water or mostly outdoors. Taking precaution against skin disease by wearing sunscreen is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and your family. 

Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be sure to have a few days of fun in the sun before heading back to work or school. We hope everyone has a great Labor Day Weekend!

How Did We Get Started?

Arctic Fox Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC is a family owned business developed by Heath and Misti Thomas in September of 2008 to provide exceptional HVAC installation and repair services. Both Heath and Misti discovered that many companies were not putting the best interests of their customers first.

Heath was mentored by his uncle starting in 1999. After developing a love for the HVAC industry, he decided to attend Universal Technical Institute graduating in 2000 in the top of his class. He went into the new construction field installing new air conditioning and heating units along with duct-work and water heaters. After a few years, Heath switched over to do repair and maintenance service learning that this was an area of HVAC that he loved doing. Occasionally, he would come across older units that needed to be replaced. With his previous experience of installing air conditioning and heating units, he was able to professionally and efficiently satisfy the needs of his customers. All of this experience has provided Heath with a very well rounded HVAC career.

To add to his credentials, Heath was certified as a Master Heat Pump Technician in 2005 through the Phoenix Heat Pump Council. In addition, Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating is an APS Qualified Contractor. Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating is also a Better Business Bureau Approved Business with an excellent rating.

 

 Arctic Fox Air Conditioning would be proud to help you with any air conditioning, heating, water heater, or duct-work that your home needs. We serve the cities of Phoenix, Surprise, Glendale, Peoria, Avondale, and other West Valley Communities. Give us a call today at 623-533-5718 to schedule maintenance, installation, or repair services. You can also reach us with any heating, water heater, air conditioning, or duct-work question that you may have through our Contact Us page.

Common AC Repairs During Summer

Phoenix summers are notorious for being dangerously hot, and besides a pool, the most important thing residents in the Valley of the Sun need is a working air conditioner. 

Even if you keep your air conditioning unit well maintained throughout the year with check ups and regular maintenance, it’s especially important to keep an eye on it in the summer. During these scorching months, your air units work extra hard to keep your home cool and comfortable and the extra work can take its toll quickly. 

We’re here to point out some of the most common problems air conditioners have and the reasons they break down each summer. Keeping an eye out for these problems can help you recognize the need for a quick fix before an easy repair becomes a big disaster. 

Warm Air

There’s nothing we want and expect more when we turn our AC units on than cold air, but if you find that the air is warm, there could be a number of things wrong. Check your thermostat and make sure it’s programmed properly. If it is, the condenser coils could be covered with dirt and debris which will prevent the air from cooling before it’s distributed into your home. 

Frozen Evaporator Coils 

Aside from dirt and dust, your coils can also freeze up, which is something you don’t want to see. This means that cold air is being produced, but it’s stuck inside the air handler and isn’t getting pushed through the air ducts. Not only will this prevent your home from staying cool, but blocked airflow can cause damage to the working parts of your air conditioning system. 

Sensor Issues

The sensor is a really important part of your air unit. It measures the temperature of the air coming into the evaporative coil, which determines when and how long the AC will blow the air until your desired temperature is reached. If the sensor breaks or gets knocked out of position, the air conditioner can act up, thus resulting in damage or unexpected energy usage. If you find you need to adjust the sensor, move it by bending the wire that holds in place just a little bit. It should be near the coil but not touching it. 

Refrigerant Leaks 

Low refrigerant levels mean one of two things: that it leaks or it wasn’t filled up all the way at installation. If you do have a leak, simply adding more refrigerant to your system won’t do any good. Since the efficiency of air conditioners depends on the refrigerant charge matching the manufacturer’s directions exactly, it’s important that you get a professional to come to your home to fix the leak or fill it up. Plus, these leaks can be harmful to the environment, so if this happens, fix it right away! 

AC Not Working

This could be the most common and most irritating of the common problems your air conditioner can suffer from in the summer. If your air simple won’t turn on, first check the circuit breaker to make sure it’s not a simple fix you can do on your own. If everything looks okay, you might have an electrical problem, in which you’ll nee a professional’s help.

These are just some of the common air conditioning problems we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in the summer. If you feel that there’s anything wrong with your cooling system, contact us and we’ll be out to help your home return to a cool and comfortable oasis in the middle of the desert summer.

Signs That Your Air Ducts Are Leaking

Last week, we debated when the best time is to get a new air conditioning unit over replacing it. If, however, you find that you’re having problems but your unit is function properly, you may have a related but different problem on your hands: leaky ducts.

Research by PG&E in homes finds that faulty ductwork can account for up to 25% of heating and air conditioning loss in your house, sometimes even more. If your air ducts are leaking, your air units will work twice as hard to achieve the temperature that they’re set at, which uses a bunch of extra electricity without you even knowing it.

And what else are you losing if the air you pay for is slipping right out of your home? That’s right… money.

We have some tips and tricks when it comes to spotting a leaking air duct so not only can you stop wasting energy, but your wallet can stop leaking money.

First of all, if you find that certain rooms in your home are almost impossible to cool down in the summer or heat up in the winter, you might have a leaky duct near that room. If the duct is leaking, it won’t be able to transport the cold or hot air to the room, and thus, is likely to leave it an unpleasant temperature. 

Another sign that you might have leaking air ducts is if you find that rooms are dusty and dirty after you turn your air conditioning off. When there are leaks in your air ducts, contaminants will get sucked into your home and will settle in rooms into which the leaky duct leads. Not only will this cause a headache from constantly cleaning, but this can actually be detrimental to the health of you and your family by allowing dirt and pollutants into your home. 

As we mentioned before, another huge indicator of a leaky air duct is an abnormally high electric bill. Your heating/air condition unit will have to work harder in order to achieve the temperature it’s set at, which means it’s going to work longer and use more energy. In turn, you’ll end up spending more money for less efficient heating and air. 

If you notice any of these triggers on a regular basis, call a professional to come out and take a look inside your home.

Especially with the summer officially here, we want our customers to be comfortable day and night, so we’re always available to help, especially in an emergency. Call us at 623-533-5718 for all your heating and air installation and repair needs today!

Air Conditioners: Replace or Repair?

Summer is almost here, and our air conditioners are more important than ever to keep us cool and comfortable in our homes. However, if your air conditioner doesn’t seem to be in as good of working order as it should be, you might be finding yourself facing a dilemma regarding your unit: fix it or replace it. 

One of the easiest ways to determine if you should get a new air conditioning system is to determine how long you’ve had it. While today’s air conditioners are as efficient as they’ve ever been, they still need to be replaced about every 10-12 years. This time frame could vary depending on how often you use your air conditioner and how big or small your home is, but this tends to be the general lifespan of an AC unit. So, if it’s been about a decade, and your unit is having issues, this might be a tell-tale sign to upgrade.

Another obvious sign that you probably need to replace your air conditioner is if it breaks down… constantly. If you find that you’re calling a repairman more than once a season, odds are, the problems are going to keep coming. If your need for air conditioner repair gets really bad, air conditioner replacement can actually save you some money by eliminating the need for costly repairs.

If you’re having repeated problems with your air conditioner, stop and think about how much money you’ve spent to have it fixed each time. You may not realize it, but there’s a pretty good chance that buying a new unit altogether is actually less expensive than getting it fixed time and time again. 

A new system will require far fewer repairs and will run much more efficiently. In fact, replacing an aging and worn out air conditioner can actually have a number of benefits. New units are more energy efficient than old ones, which means you won’t be spending as much money on your electric bill each month. Brand-new air conditioners also improve the air quality of your home and produce less carbon emissions than old ones. 

Whether you decide you need a brand new air conditioning, want to repair the one you have, or even just have your unit inspected, Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating can provide all the services you need. Call us at 623-533-5718 for information and to get started today.