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With the weather heating up in Kansas City, our air conditioners are working full-time.

A large amount of AC repairs happen right when you turn them on the first time, but there are some things homeowners can do to avoid a service call. Here are a few of them:

Check and Replace Your Furnace Filter

A clogged air filter can block air flow, which makes your system work harder. This means it costs more in electricity to run your air conditioner.

Your air conditioning system also needs good air flow, so a clogged filter can actually disrupt it so much your AC coil may freeze. If you see ice forming near your air conditioner or near your refrigerant lines inside, check your filter first.

If it’s clogged, change the filter, let your system thaw out, and turn it on again.

Look At The Electrical Breaker For Your Air Conditioner

If your air conditioner doesn’t kick on in your KC area home, check the AC breaker in your electrical panel. It may have been accidentally turned off or switched off for a variety of reasons.

We’ve seen scenarios where a contractor turned it off to work on something completely different in your home. For example, a hardwood floor company may use that spot so they can run their floor sander when refinishing hardwood floors.

Check your breaker first before calling City Wide.

Change the Batteries in Your Thermostat

Most programmable thermostats have batteries that make them operate. If your cooling isn’t working one day, go look at your thermostat.

If the screen is blank, gently pry the thermostat off the wall, look at the back, and replace the batteries with fresh ones. This simple fix can avoid an air conditioning service call.

As always, if you are uncomfortable with any of these scenarios, just give City Wide a call. We are always happy to repair the air conditioner in your Kansas City area home!

As you may have heard, the air conditioning industry is going to change in the year 2020. Older air conditioners use a refrigerant called R-22, which was commonly called Freon™.

Here in Kansas City, there are a lot of those air conditioners still installed in area homes.

This R-22 refrigerant is being phased out by the year 2020, which means it will no longer be manufactured or imported into our country. Supplies will be available, but it will be limited to stock on hand or recycled refrigerant and could be expensive.

City Wide has been getting a lot of questions regarding whether R-22 air conditioners need to be replaced by the year 2020. There are basically two scenarios that would answer these questions.

Your Air Conditioner Has Never Been Re-Charged With R-22

Refrigerant is not like gasoline in a car – your air conditioner doesn’t use it up to run and then needs to be recharged every year.

If you haven’t put Freon™ in your air conditioner, then you more than likely don’t have a leak. And if you don’t have a leak, that refrigerant could stay there for many years. Which means you can wait to replace your air conditioner.

If it ever develops a leak, especially after the year 2020, you may need to replace your air conditioner depending on the cost of available R22. But by then it be old and inefficient, so it will be time to replace it anyway!

You Have Had To Re-Charge Your Air Conditioner Almost Every Year

Your system has a leak and it should be replaced before the year 2020. As we get closer to that date, the cost of R-22 is going to go up every year.

And since most leaky air conditioners are old, it is usually time to replace it anyway. So now would be a good time to get a free estimate and start thinking about replacing that AC in your Kansas City area home.

Contact City Wide Heating & Cooling in Kansas City at 913-384-6006 with any questions or to schedule your free estimate.

It’s always a good idea to get the furnace tuned-up in your Kansas City home each heating season.

Regular maintenance on your furnace can help it run better, last longer, and identify possible breakdowns before they happen.

But have you ever wondered what actually happens on a furnace tune-up? Read below to find out!

A Furnace Tune-Up Covers All Components of Your Heating System

During your furnace maintenance, the technician will check all the parts of your furnace. This is to ensure your safety and also to make sure the furnace is running properly. Here is a list of things he will check on your heating system:

Carbon Monoxide. The technician will make sure your furnace is not emitting deadly carbon monoxide.

Blower Motor. The motor is checked to make sure it is working properly and not showing signs that it is wearing out.

Gas Valve. This is checked to make sure that the natural gas is flowing cleanly and properly.

Gas Burners. The technician checks to make sure the gas flames are burning cleanly and safely.

Heat Exchanger. This is checked to make sure there are no cracks or issues.

Venting System. The technician checks the vent pipes to make sure there are no cracks or splits to the venting system. This ensures that the flue gases properly escape your home.

Ignition System. Furnaces have an automatic ignition system, so the technician checks to make sure it is operating properly so it will light your furnace.

Filter Change. The tech will change or clean your air filter, which keeps your system running smoothly AND filters the air in your home.

Gas Piping. The gas pipes are checked around your furnace for signs of wear and tear.

Humidifier Service. If you have a humidifier, the pad is changed and the operation is checked to make sure it is working properly.

In addition, the technician will adjust your dampers if you have them, check your thermostat, and run your furnace. As a result of this work, you will know that your heating system is ready for the cold in Kansas City!

We are lucky in the Kansas City area because we have 4 pretty distinct seasons. As we get into September, the nights will start to get cool. As a result, you may need to turn on your furnace to take out the chill.

With winter around the corner, those furnaces will get a full workout. Consequently, your utility bill is then impacted by the amount of gas or electricity you use to heat your home.

The efficiency of your furnace takes on added importance, mainly because its efficiency determines how much money you spend on your heating.

80%, 90%, 95% – What Does It All Mean?

Furnaces use an AFUE rating, which stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The rating tells you how much heat is produced relative to how much energy it takes to produce that heat.

In simple terms, an 80% efficient furnace will produce 80% heat and 20% waste. This waste is what rises through your furnace flue.

In dollar terms, for every $1 you spend on your heating bill, you are getting $.80 worth of heat. So the higher efficient furnace you have, the more money you save.

So for a 95% efficient furnace, you receive $.95 worth of heat!

How Efficient Is Your Current Furnace You May Ask?

With your current furnace, it really depends on the age. Older systems tend to lose efficiency over time, so you may have a furnace that is only operating between 60 and 70% efficient.

So just by replacing the furnace in your KC home with a standard efficient unit (which right now is an 80% efficient furnace), you could gain between 10 and 20% savings on your gas bill in the winter.

Replacing your old furnace with a higher efficient furnace (like a 95% furnace), can save you a whopping 25 – 35%!

When Is The Best Time To Replace Your Furnace?

When a furnace starts to accumulate expensive repairs, it’s time to replace that system. Especially if you have an older furnace that is incredibly inefficient. You not only can save money on repairs, but your utility bills should also see immediate savings.

And those savings can go toward the cost of a new furnace for your Kansas City area home.