The Secret to A Cooler Home

As a Los Angeles air conditioning contractor I can assure you that I, and the Safety Sealed service technicians who work for me, would be extremely grateful if you were generous enough to cool the air in your attic. We work in attics frequently and temperatures in an uninsulated attic can reach 150 degrees. But you don't want your unfinished attic cooled by your air conditioner, that would be an unnecessary expense! Unfortunately that oppressive heat bearing down on your interior ceiling makes your HVAC system use more energy and work harder, which will increase your summer utility bill. 

Attic fans cool hot attics by drawing in outside air through attic vents and pushing hot air to the outside.

Sometimes whole-house ventilation fans that provide fresh air are confused with attic fans. They are not the same. Unlike a whole-house fan that cools the house by exhausting air from the home, usually at night, an attic fan is designed to lower the temperature of an attic by exhausting air only from the attic and replacing attic air with outdoor air, usually during the day.

One of the problems that I've run into is that some attic fans can be noisy. With attic fans it is worth it to spend a few cents more and get the better brand. Quality equipment, careful installation, and proper venting greatly decreases sound issues.

One of the secret benefits of an attic fan is that often times an attic fan is needed to preserve the warranty on your composite roofing.  You didn't know that did you? Check the fine print ;)

If you have any questions about attic fans don't hesitate to call my office at 818-780-0701 I will be happy to assist you in examining the costs and benefits of installing an attic fan in your Los Angeles or San Fernando Valley home.

Los Angeles Emergency Cooling Centers

Air Conditioning is a health necessity in Los Angeles this week. Get the word out.

The following City of Los Angeles facilities are utilized as “Cooling Centers” during extreme heat conditions to provide the public with relief from the heat.

These air conditioned City facilities are always open to the public during regular business hours and should be used for Los Angeles residents to escape the heat as needed.

Air Conditioning in Los Angeles

Library Facilities
Library facilities will be operating during their normal posted hours today and tomorrow. The general public should visit http://www.lapl.org/branches or call (213) 228-7000 for specific hours of operation.

Recreation and Parks Facilities
Normal Operating Hours. To access the list of all facilities with locations and operating hours go to:  http://www.laparks.org/dos/reccenter/reccenter.htm.

• Alpine Recreation Center 817 Yale St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 485-5448 12:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Lanark Recreation Center 21816 Lanark St.  Canoga Park, CA 91304 (818) 883-1503 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Lakeview Terrace Recreation Center 11075 Foothill Blvd. Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 (818) 899-8087 Noon to 9:00 p.m. 
• Jordan Downs Recreation Center 9900 Grape St. Los Angeles, CA 90002 (213) 485-1835 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• North Hollywood Recreation Center 11430 Chandler Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601 (818) 763-7651 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Sepulveda Recreation Center 8801 Kester Ave.  Panorama City, CA 91402 (818) 893-3700 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Sherman Oaks/East Valley Adult Center 5060 Van Nuys Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (818) 981-1284 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Sunland Park Senior Center 8640 Fenwick St. Sunland, CA 91040 (818) 353-9571 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Department of Public Health would like to remind everyone that precautions should be taken, especially by individuals who participate in outdoor activities, older adults, caretakers of infants and children, and those sensitive to the heat.  Call 9-1-1 when appropriate.

And remember, pets get overheated too. Take good care of yourselves and your families.

Air Conditioning Condensation - Can It Damage Your Home?

Clogged condensate lines are one of the most serious issues air conditioning repairmen deal with. They don't just stop your AC system from working they can actually cause damage to your home.

Any Los Angeles air conditioning contractor will tell you that our air is brimming with water; 65% average humidity. All that water is processed by your air conditioner and becomes condensation.

You know how a cold drink on a hot day creates condensation on the outside of the glass? The same thing happens when warm air from your home comes in contact with your evaporator coil. Condensation is created. A properly installed heating and cooling system is designed to deal with all the excess water produced, and there is a LOT of water at times! Proper systems are equipped with a drain pan and pipe running either to the ground outside your house or maybe into a rain gutter on the roof.  If this drain line is clogged, you can be facing some potentially serious issues.

When my company installs an AC system we take an extra step to give my customers a warning if their condensate drain is clogged. We place the secondary drain outlet over a window or in a similarly noticeable place. When the homeowner sees water dripping they call for service. This way the problem can be remedied BEFORE it causes damage to your home.

American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning Receives National 2014 Dealer Design Award From The ACHR News

AccuComfort™ Platinum ZV Air Conditioner honored in HVAC Residential Equipment category

Los Angeles, CA August 28, 2014) – American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning has been recognized for excellence in product design in the 11th annual Dealer Design Awards sponsored by The Air Conditioning Heating & Refrigeration News magazine — the leading trade magazine in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration industries. American Standard’s AccuComfort™ Platinum ZV Air Conditioner was the Bronze recipient in the HVAC Residential Equipment category.

An independent panel of contractors judged the 92 Dealer Design Award entries. Winning submissions were featured in the July 21, 2014 issue of The ACHR News, which is distributed nationally to over 33,000 HVACR contractors, wholesalers and other industry professionals.

“We’re proud to provide our customers with American Standard products featuring the latest innovation and design functionalities,” said local American Standard dealer Dean Gilford, President of Kilowatt. “Variable speed technology in AccuComfort provides homeowners with remarkable comfort and value for their home.”  

The ACHR News’ Publisher Mike Murphy stated, "These awards give us a unique opportunity to recognize the outstanding research and development efforts that go into many of the products serving the HVACR industry."

A system that works smarter, the Platinum ZV Variable Speed Air Conditioner comes with AccuComfort technology that allows the system to consistently adjust to run at a more efficient speed to maintain homeowners’ personal level of comfort. Plus, with up to a 21.00 SEER rating, it is one of the most efficient multistage cooling units on the market.

Learn more about the Platinum ZV Variable Speed Air Conditioner by calling or visiting Kilowatt Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical at www.KilowattHVAC.com, 818-780-0701. For more information and further coverage on the award, visit www.achrnews.com.

How Long Should Air Conditioning Equipment Last?

The useful life of a Los Angeles air conditioning system is usually 10 to 15 years for the compressor in the outdoor unit. Heat pump compressors tend to fail earlier than air conditioner compressors because they are used year round. The typical life span of a furnace is between 15 and 20 years.

As your system begins to wear out, you will encounter refrigerant leaks and motor failures. Sometimes, the compressor in the outdoor unit will short out or the heat exchanger in a gas furnace will develop cracks. All of these are expensive repairs and it may prove more cost effective for you to replace your system rather than repair it.

You want to be sure that all the parts of your HVAC system work together properly. Replacing only the outdoor unit or the indoor unit of an HVAC system may appear to save money, but it could contribute to service problems later on.

A mismatched system may not deliver the energy efficiency or performance that you expect.

If an older part of the system—such as an outdoor unit of a heat pump, ductwork, piping or a furnace—is replaced, it’s important to match the new part as closely as possible to the existing system.

What is the Best Brand Of Air Conditioner?

"What is the best brand of air conditioning or heating equipment?" I get asked that question a lot.
In July 2014, readers of a national product testing and research magazine rated American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning's air conditioners and heat pumps as the most reliable brand among leading manufacturers.
I happen to be a Customer Care Dealer for American Standard which means that my company has passed American Standards rigorous standards for service and installations. The Customer Care designation also gives us access to better financing for our customers and deep discounts on equipment, not available to other dealers. These special savings are passed on to our customers.
It is exciting to share this research report with you. But it only supports what we already knew after installing thousands of HVAC systems throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. American Standard really does have the highest level of reliability and customer satisfaction.