Month: January 2021

What is the Best AC to Buy for Corpus Christi Homes?

When making a big investment for your home, you need to be sure you make the best choice for your money. Getting a new air conditioner installed is a big investment. But when it comes to getting a high-quality cooling system, it’s an investment that will pay off in more ways than one.

With a new efficient air conditioning system, you will enjoy having better and more consistent cooling throughout you home. You will also see the huge advantage of having a new AC system that is more energy efficient.

Why Quality Matters for Home AC

If you’re in the market for a new air conditioner, you should be able to get one that is going to last for more than a decade. This is why quality is so important. You need an AC to work well and efficiently every year you have it.

At Tiger Heating & Air, we see first-hand every day how important a good air conditioner is. We have dealt with air conditioners that did not last very long and other AC units that are very old and only need simple maintenance to keep going strong.

Quality also comes in play with how much your AC system is going to cost you every month on your energy bill. An air conditioner that runs at higher efficiency means a lower monthly energy bill.

A quality new AC that is professionally installed should also give you peace of mind. This should mean you don’t need to worry about potential breakdowns or other problems that can cause you problems on a very hot Corpus Christi day.

You can help your new cooling system work well for many years to come by ensuring air conditioning maintenance and tune-ups are handled on a regular basis. Most homeowners are able to handle the majority of air conditioner maintenance tasks themselves, but local HVAC companies like Tiger Heating & Air provide professional tune-up services to ensure potential problems do not get missed.

2021 Best Air Conditioner Brands

If you are looking to purchase a new AC in 2021, you should investigate different companies. There are many brands of air conditioners and other cooling units that are available to Corpus Christi homeowners. From Lennox to Carrier to Trane and Goodman, there are several well-known companies that create their own air conditioning systems. Which AC brand should you pick?

You can look to a review recently done by the online cooling & heating guide PickHvac, Trane air conditioners score best in most of the top categories. Below is a look at how Trane compares to the other big HVAC manufacturing companies. See their article for the full comparison of Trane vs other AC brands.

According to an assessment by Modernize, Trane® is recognized as being a “premium brand that offers outstanding air conditioners, heat pumps, and gas furnaces.” It points out some of the great qualities that make Trane units great such as:

• Low running costs
• Great quality for the price
• Trane is a top homeowner choice

Why Choose Trane®?

Trane is a trusted company with a very long reputation. Trane has been operating since the 1800s! That is over a century of experience providing homes across the country with cooling options that are of excellent quality.

Trane’s reputation for such high quality in air conditioners and furnaces is the reason why it is the only brand of heating and cooling equipment that Tiger Heating & Air installs. Our technicians are Trane Comfort Specialists, but they are also trained and experienced in servicing and repairing any brand or type of cooling system you have in your home.

Trane Cooling Systems – Tested Like No Other

When we say Trane cooling systems are proven and tested, we mean it. No other HVAC manufacturer has gone to the lengths that the Trane company has done when it comes to quality control. Trane has its own engineering department that is focused on the sole task of putting quality to the test.

In fact, Trane has an HVAC testing laboratory here in Texas. Each unit endures Trane’s SEET – Systems Extreme Environmental Test. Each unit endures severe testing of the harsh environments and conditioners that furnaces and air conditioners can face.

Trane tests their HVAC system by intentionally adding years of wear to a unit in just a week’s time. That way you can be sure your new Trane AC will work perfectly year after year.

Trane Air Conditioning Options for Every Budget

In addition to efficiency and unit size, you need to find a cooling system that is right for your home and your budget. Trane has several AC units to choose from. We know there are a lot of technical aspects to finding the best AC for your home, and Tiger is here to help. Contact Tiger Heating & Air to get a free estimate on the cooling options that are right for your home and budget.

Tiger Heating & Air is the Corpus Christi Area’s Certified Trane Comfort Specialist

Because of Trane’s high standards, Tiger Heating & Air is proud to be the professional Trane HVAC installers here in Corpus Christi and surrounding Texas communities.

Call Tiger at 361-852-4450 to get a free quote for a new air conditioner for your home. From an initial in-home visit to getting any necessary permits and everything in between, you can trust our skilled team of licensed AC technicians to handle every detail of your cooling system installation.

We will go over your AC options. We treat every home uniquely, listening to your specific needs for a new home comfort system. We will be happy to explain the various factors that go into choosing the right new air conditioning system. We help you understand the important aspects of what makes an AC right for your home and your cooling needs so that you have the best information to choose the right system for you.

Call us today for a free quote on getting a quality tested Trane furnace installed in your home – 361-852-4450.

How the R22 Phase Out Affects Corpus Christi Homeowners

For the past few decades, a lot of the ways the world operates have changed to be better for our environment, and that is especially true in the HVAC industry. There are worldwide efforts to eliminate chemicals that hurt the ozone layer. AC systems use refrigerant, which is a known threat to our ozone layer.

The biggest regulatory change to happen recently was here in the United States at the start of 2020. Hardly any homeowners felt any impact from that change right away. But now, a year later, more people who rely on air conditioners for cooling their home will be dealing with the impact of this change.

Our team at Tiger Heating & Air stays on top of any advancements and all regulatory changes affecting the HVAC industry. We want to provide you with the information to understand this new R-22 ban so you know how to make the decisions that are best for your home and budget.

Phasing out Refrigerant 22

The 2020 change affects a chemical known as R22. It is a refrigerant that has been used since the 1950s in air conditioners for homes and businesses. The chemical is most known as Freon, which was the trademark chosen by DuPont Corporation, its first manufacturer.

Even back in the 50s when that refrigerant first came out, people were aware of the damage that refrigerants could do to the ozone layer. Refrigerants in large quantities can deplete the ozone layer and reduce the protection it gives us from the sun’s harmful UV radiation. But, ironically, that was why it was created. It was replacing more harmful refrigerants like CFC-11 and CFC-12 that were in common use at that time.

Governments across the globe took on the goal to eliminate that refrigerant entirely. Regulatory steps to stop using this AC refrigerant have varied across the world. The U.K. and the European Union have already phased it out completely. While the U.S. is on a similar path, we are a few steps behind.

Here in the United States, selling any new equipment that uses it was banned in 2010. But production of it could continue. Maintenance companies could usethat AC refrigerant on already-installed air conditioning systems that are in good working order and do not leak.

But since January 1^st, 2020, no more R22 could be produced. And while existing or recycled amounts can still be used on old air conditioning units, that time is almost up. We simply have no way to know how much more of that refrigerant still remains today.

Will This Refrigerant Ban Affect My AC System?

How old is your AC system? If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it could be using that AC refrigerant. The older it is, the more likely it is using R22. If your air conditioner was put in prior to 2003, the first year restrictions on that refrigerant went into place, it is almost certainly using it.

Homes that have old AC units are the first ones to be affected by this R-22 ban. Those old units are likely to require significant maintenance work. Repairs could now cost you significantly more if that work requires adding R22, as it becomes nearly impossible to find.

Checking to See if Your AC Requires R22

Wondering if you have a system that uses it? It is not hard to find out. Go to your outdoor AC unit (the condenser) and look for a nameplate or sticker. That will list what refrigerant your system uses. You may see it as R22 or listed as HCFC-22. You should also be able to find this information in your AC’s user manual.

If you cannot find the answer, feel free to reach out to us at Tiger Heating & Air in Corpus Christi at 361-852-4450, and we will come out to inspect your system.

What is the Replacement for R22?

The replacement for R22 is R410A, most known as Puron®. It first came on the market in 1991 by the Honeywell organization. There are identical refrigerants to R410A that are available from other manufacturers under different names. This newer refrigerant is much more environmentally friendly than Freon. It does not contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer.

What if My AC Uses R22?

If you discover your air conditioner uses refrigerant R22, you do not have many options. And no matter which option you choose, you are going to have to deal with additional expenses.

You Cannot Substitute Refrigerants. Unlike being able to choose a different oil for your car, AC refrigerants are not interchangeable. You cannot just put in R410A in a system that was designed to use R22.

It is possible to have an AC system modified to work with a different refrigerant but doing this sort of retrofit is likely to eventually cost you more than completely replacing your system. Plus, this modification will probably void the manufacturer’s warranty on your HVAC equipment.

What Are Your Options?

If you have an old air conditioner and it is working just fine, you don’t need to do anything right away. But when you eventually run into needing maintenance or repair needs, you will likely be faced with making a quick decision.

Here are your three basic options:

1. Keep your old air conditioning system and when it needs repair or any service that requires more refrigerant, opt for using recycled R22 refrigerant. However, whether this option will be available to you for long is uncertain. The cost of existing R22 will continue to rise and the available supply of it will continue to diminish.
2. Have your R22 system retrofitted to work with R410A by a professional Corpus Christi HVAC technician. However, this will most likely void your warranty. Not only that, the expense for the parts and labor to of this modification and future service work may still end up being as much (or more) than just buying a new air conditioner.
3. Replace your air conditioning system. This will likely be the most expensive option in the short term. But the good news is that a new AC installation is the only option that will permanently solve your R22 problem.

Best Time to Service or Replace an R22 Air Conditioner

Right now, is the best time to consider your options. When it is a blistering hot Corpus Christi day and your air conditioner stops working, that is exactly the wrong time to make a big decision. You may feel stressed looking for the quickest solution, which may not always be the best one.

Do not leave a potential air conditioning problem up in the air until it’s too late. Contact Tiger Heating & Air here in Corpus Christi before the it really starts heating up. We can help make sure you have a reliable system that will keep your home cool for years to come.

Call us at (361) 852-4450