How Do I Know If I Need A New Air Conditioning System?

"So these are great times to invest in a system that will save you money - not invest in the system just to go with the cheapest price to get it up and running."  

- Bruce Gammon,  Heating & Cooling Expert

 

The owner, Bruce Gammon from Gammon's Heating & Cooling joins Check A Pro Joe on this episode.  Bruce explains the ins and outs of whether to replace the entire air or heating system or to just replace some of it.

Check out this episode of Gammon's Heating & Cooling Podcast to find out more about proper sizing of air conditioning units in you home ...

For more information about Gammon's Heating & Cooling in Saco, Maine - log on to Gammon's Heating & Air or check them out at www.checkapro.com.

Visit Us At -  Gammon's Heating & Air

You Can Call Anytime:  [phone].

Podcast Episode Transcript:

So these are great times to invest in a system that will save you money not invest in the system just to go with the cheapest price to get it up and running. This is the check a pro radio show check a pro Joe has assembled a team of pre-qualified home service contractors to bring you the latest in services products new techniques now here's your host the man with a hard hat and tool belt check a pro Joe heating and cooling is so important to our overall comfort a lot of people call comfort systems and I totally agree with that a question has come across my desk and it's this if you have an older heating and air conditioning system can I save money by just replacing the outdoor unit So what they mean by this is they're AC unit the one that's outside I've asked Bruce gammon to join me from Gammon’s heating and cooling he is an air conditioning and heating expert hey Bruce how are you I'm great Joe yeah thank you for joining me today I'm sure you've heard this question before you know I looked at the stuff on the inside it looks pretty good but the thing on the outside is kind of old and rusty can we just replace that what's the answer well I appreciate you having me on I'm really chuckling inside my head so that's we get this this is a pretty commonly asked question and the answer to that is podcast we took advice with us in doing that we just provided this service to the customer that that's you know there's certain cases where end new system that was just installed and something happened to the outdoor unit and it was you know somebody ran into it with a vehicle or hit it with a lawnmower used to be changed because the system's brand new then then I would say yes if it's a system with some age on it and when I mean age could be as little as four or five years old you know again we've talked about another podcast about the cost of ownership so these are great times to invest in a system that will save you money overall length period of time not invest in the system just to go with the cheapest price to get it up and running you're not doing yourself any favors with your home and your cost to own your home yeah and you know Bruce of course you would know more than I do you know cause I'm a radio guy and you're the guy out there you know putting in these air conditioning and heating systems but I would imagine you don't really wanna mix and match parts right so if there's a system that's eight years old and the outdoor unit is going to be replaced only how do you know what to put there that's a good question so how do you know what to put there number one whatever whoever you're using as a contractor doing this work should have that answer for you and the answer should be provided in that so let's show the cost of what a typical operating cost would be for the system you have and let's fill possibly what it could become you know throwing parts in old systems just to get them up and running is not something we do at our company and I hope other contractors would agree with me you know we're just we're just not providing the best service to the customer by doing such a thing as well yeah we've all seen the car truck on the road where you're like what have they done to that car that is that is not original equipment but when it comes to your air conditioning system it's even more important because it is science and in case everyone doesn't understand how a cooling system works it doesn't blow cold air it might seem like it does it removes the heat from the air and so it's not as simple as a heating system there's a lot of science there and if everything has to be just perfect so if it's not sized right and if the coils aren't clean and if it's not cycling properly it's not going to work well so you might think it blows cold air it feels like that and it does but it's really way more science than you think it's and actually pulling heat out of the air and that's not simple there's a bruise that's righ

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Heating and cooling is so important to our overall comfort.
A lot of people call comfort systems.
And I totally agree with that.
A question has come across my desk and it's this,
if you have an older heating and air conditioning system,
can I save money by just replacing the outdoor unit?

(00:21):
So,
what they mean by this is they're ac unit,
the one that's outside.
I've asked Bruce Gammon to join me from Gammon's heating and cooling.
He is an air conditioning and heating expert.
Hey,
Bruce,
how are you?
I am great,
Joe.
Yeah.
Thank you for joining me today.
I'm sure you've heard this question before.
Um,

(00:41):
you know,
I looked at the stuff on the inside.
It looks pretty good,
but the thing on the outside is kind of old and rusty.
Can we just replace that?
What's the answer?
Well,
I appreciate you having me on and,
and,
uh,
I'm really chuckling inside my head.
So that's we,

(01:02):
we get this,
this is a pretty commonly asked question.
Um,
and the answer to that is with us and,
and doing that,
we just provided a service to the customer.
Um,
that,
that's,
you know,
there's certain cases where a new system that was just installed and something happened to the outdoor unit and it was,

(01:23):
you know,
somebody rammed into it with a vehicle or hit it with a lawnmower and needs to be changed because the system is brand new.
Then,
then I would say yes,
if it's a system with some age on it And when,
I mean,
age could be as,
as little as four or 5 years old.
You know,
again,
we've talked about in another podcast about the cost of ownership.

(01:44):
So these are great times to invest in a system that will save you money over a lengthy period of time,
not invest in a system just to go with the cheapest price to get it up and running.
You're,
you're not doing yourself any favors with your home.
Um,
and your cost to own your home.

(02:04):
Yeah.
And you know,
Bruce,
of course,
you would know more than I do,
you know,
because I'm a radio guy and you're the guy out there,
you know,
putting in these air conditioning and heating systems.
But I would imagine you don't really want to mix and match parts,
right.
So,
if there's a system that's,
that's eight years old and the outdoor unit is going to be replaced only,

(02:26):
how do you know what to put there?
That's a good question.
So,
how do you know what to put there?
Number one,
whatever,
whoever you're using as a contractor?
Doing this work,
um,
should have that answer for you and the answer should be provided in that.
So let's show the cost of,
of,
um,
what a typical operating cost would be for the system you have.

(02:50):
And let's show possibly what it could become,
you know,
throwing parts in old systems just to get them up and running is not something we do at our company.
Um,
and I hope other contractors would agree with me.
You know,
we,
we're just,
we're just not providing the best service to the customer by doing such a thing as that.

(03:11):
Yeah,
we've all seen the car,
a truck on the road where you're like,
what have they done to that car?
That is,
that is not original equipment,
but when it comes to your air conditioning system,
it's even more important because it is science and in case everyone doesn't understand how a cooling system works,

(03:32):
it doesn't blow cold air.
It might seem like it does,
it removes the heat from the air.
And so it's not as simple as a heating system.
There's a lot of science there and it,
everything has to be just perfect.
So,
if it's not sized,
right?
And if the coils aren't clean and you can go on and on,

(03:52):
you know,
and if it's not,
um,
and if it's not cycling properly,
it's not going to work well.
So you might think it blows cold air,
it feels like that and it does,
but it's really way more science than you think it's actually pulling heat out of the air.
And that's not simple.
Is it Bruce?

(04:12):
That's right.
That's right.
And we would refer to that in our world as a,
it's a heat rejection system.
That's what we're doing with this,
this indoor piece.
We're rejecting the heat,
we're taking out of the system.
And when you walk out in the summertime and you notice that your outdoor units,
you know,
there's some warm air coming out of the,
the top of the side of that unit.
You know,
it's,
it's coming from indoors.

(04:32):
So there's a lot of things with,
uh,
there's a lot of science,
like you said,
Joe behind the sizing of this equipment,
it needs to be properly sized,
it needs to be properly maintained.
If you're not properly maintaining your system,
you're not getting the efficiencies out of it that the manufacturer has,
uh,
stated what that would be because you're changing that environment that the system was originally rated in.

(04:58):
Yeah.
Ok.
So in short,
what do you say about replacing the outdoor unit that is typically not going to happen?
It's,
it,
you're not doing yourself any favors by just replacing the outdoor piece of equipment.
If we've got to match these things up,

(05:19):
we've got to put the right system in,
that's gonna do the right job for your home or,
or maybe even small business.
I would totally agree the best thing to do is call Gammons heating and cooling.
Uh,
they're your experts in your neighborhood and they'll be able to help you out.
Just do the right thing.
Don't put the wrong wheels and transmission on your car.

(05:40):
Ok.
Same thing with your air conditioning system.
When you have a new air conditioning system that's sized properly.
You don't have to worry about anything and you'll be the envy of the neighborhood.
Hey,
Bruce.
thank you so much as always for joining me here on the program.
Thank you,
Joe.
I appreciate you having me on the program and that was a great question.