In order for an air conditioning unit to deliver the kind of cool air you have come to expect, it needs to have a sufficient level of refrigerant. While this usually isn’t a problem, some issues can come up that will result in the unit being low on refrigerant. Knowing what to watch for can help you spot signs of trouble promptly so you can call in the professionals to take care of the matter.

To work with the leader in Greensboro HVAC, simply place a call to Berico today. Whether it’s for repair or AC installation work, you can trust that the Berico team is more than up to the challenge.

Not the Right Temperature

Perhaps the most obvious sign that your AC unit is lacking refrigerant is that the air coming out of your ducts is not as cold as it should be. This is the easiest one to notice, of course, as you’ll be waiting for relief from the heat, but that relief just won’t come – or it will take a very long time to arrive. The refrigerant in the system is supposed to pull heat out of the indoor air and dump it outside. Without enough refrigerant, that doesn’t happen, and the inside of your home or office will remain warmer than you would like.

Frequent Short Cycles

You can also pay attention to how often your air conditioner is coming on and off throughout the day. If it is regularly turning on only to turn off again shortly thereafter, you are dealing with a short-cycling problem that could stem from low refrigerant levels. This is something you’ll need to take care of right away, as it can wear down your system and send your energy bills through the roof. A properly functioning air conditioner will run for a rather long time before it shuts off, and then it will stay off for a while. If the cycles seem to be getting shorter and more frequent, it’s time to call in the pros for help.

An Accumulation of Ice

One of the surprising things about owning an air conditioning system is seeing ice build up on the outdoor unit in the middle of a hot summer day. This is an obvious indication that something is wrong, so don’t ignore this warning sign. When ice builds up on the coil, there is likely a refrigerant level problem that needs to be addressed quickly. Turn off the system when you see signs of this problem and make an appointment for the system to be serviced right away. Continuing to run the system while it is freezing up could do more damage or could even be dangerous.

The best AC repair Greensboro NC has to offer is available from Berico. It might be that your air conditioning unit needs additional refrigerant, or it might be something else entirely, but the first step is always the same – call Berico to get started and learn more.

The thermostat is the “brains” of your HVAC system. There are plenty of other components needed for the system to work and effectively heat and cool your home, but if the thermostat isn’t working, the other components just don’t matter. So, this article will take a look at some of the signs that your thermostat needs to be fixed or replaced.

If you would like to work with the leading AC repair company in North Carolina, simply reach out to Berico today to get more information or to schedule an appointment. Berico can complete any type of HVAC service in a timely manner and for an excellent price. You are sure to be impressed with the quality of workmanship and people.

Start with the Basics

You don’t need to be an HVAC technician to notice when something is wrong with your thermostat. In fact, if you just pay a bit of attention to how it is operating, you should be able to spot signs of trouble so you can reach out for help.

As an obvious starting point, if your system simply won’t turn on, it might be that the thermostat is to blame. You should hear the system kick on with the clicking noise when it needs to either heat or cool the room. You’ll know it should be running because the temperature reading for the room is higher or lower than the temperature you have set on the thermostat. If the system just won’t come on even though it looks like it should, your thermostat is one of the first things to check.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, it can also be a sign of a faulty thermostat if your HVAC system won’t turn off when it should. The system should not just run and run without stopping – it should get to the desired temperature and then turn off for a period of time. The calibration may be off when it won’t shut down at the right time, so this is another reason to reach out to Berico for help.

Watch for Short-Cycling

A short cycle in an HVAC system is when the system comes on for just a little bit but then turns back off again. It should run for a little while, even when only a modest temperature adjustment is needed, before turning off again. If you hear it coming on and off excessively, have a professional look at the system to see if the thermostat or another component is causing the problem.

Your Settings Are Lost

One of the nice things about a modern thermostat is that it can remember the settings you want to use for your system and use them over and over again. If you have taken the time to program your thermostat, and then those settings just disappear, something may be going wrong with the unit. It might be possible to reset it and restore proper function, or the thermostat may need to be replaced.

Upgrading your Thermostat

Even if you are not having any problems, updating thermostat can pay for itself.  The industry has come a long way since dial thermostats.  Today you can control your thermostats from your phone, set schedules, and program specific settings all which  help you reduce the cost of operating your heating and cooling systems.  Furthermore, some thermostats are able to help diagnose or prevent problems by notifying your HVAC company.  Similar to your “check engine light” in your vehicle, your thermostat will let you (and your HVAC contractor) know if an issue occurs.

Whether it’s furnace repair, new equipment installation, or any of a number of other important tasks related to your HVAC system, you can trust the team at Berico to be up to the challenge. Call Berico right away to get the help you need.

Taxes are complicated. Whether they are personal taxes or taxes that you pay for your business, it’s always a complex web to make sure you are paying what you owe, but not any more than is legally required. Spending money on your property is one of those areas where the tax waters can get murky, as sometimes you’ll be able to take that money and deduct it as an expense, while other times, it will require you to record it as a capital improvement. So, which one is it when it comes to HVAC repairs?

No matter how your taxes play out, one thing is for sure – you should always work with a trusted HVAC contractor when anything needs to be done on your property. Berico has an expert team with the experience needed to handle any heating and cooling projects, so get in touch today to learn more.

The Answer – It Depends

You probably aren’t surprised to learn that the answer to a tax-related question is that “it depends”. That always seems to be the case with tax issues, and it is the case here. Ultimately, it will depend on what exactly is being done to your HVAC system. Some types of work conducted on the system will usually be accounted for as expenses, while other costs will be capitalized.

As a starting point, you can think of ongoing maintenance to keep the current system running properly as an operating expense. Most likely, these expenses will just be deducted from the income statement in the period that they occurred. For example, if you bring in Berico to complete a routine inspection of the system, or to replace the filters and address any minor issues that have developed through routine operation, those are all likely to be operational expenses.

Shifting to Capital Expenditures

It’s typically when the costs become greater and the work becomes more notable that you will start to think about your HVAC costs moving over into capitalization instead. This is when you have done something to significantly upgrade the HVAC system or made an improvement that is going to allow you to continue to use the system for a much longer time to come. Adding some equipment to the existing system in a way that enhances its performance or gives you a reason to think you can keep using this system for a lot longer, might allow you to use capitalization in accounting.

Always Get the Right Help

These decisions should not be made without the help of a qualified accountant. You want to make sure your financial professionals are involved in such important choices so you can get it right the first time and not run into any trouble later. For a relatively large business, establishing policies for what is expensed and what is capitalized will help to streamline the process and add consistency.

You shouldn’t let tax concerns slow you down when needing A/C repairs in the middle of a hot Greensboro summer. Simply get in touch with Berico today to have the work completed promptly.

It’s easy enough to understand that an efficient HVAC system is better than an inefficient system. When your HVAC equipment operates efficiently, it tends to deliver better results, and it saves you money by consuming less energy. Also, there is the added benefit of reducing the impact of the system on the environment. But how do you know what the ratings mean and what to look for when shopping for an HVAC system? The article below has the details.

For an HVAC company you can trust to deliver outstanding results over and over again, Berico is the only name you need to know. Simply pick up the phone, call Berico to schedule an appointment, and you will be well on your way.

Starting with Cooling

If you are looking at the efficiency of your cooling system, the metric that is relevant to the discussion is SEER. This stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it is a number that demonstrates the energy efficiency of a piece of equipment that was designed to cool an indoor space. It can be applied to either an air conditioner or a heat pump.

This scale is designed to be simple for everyone to understand, so what you need to know is this – the higher the number, the more efficient the system. Current standards dictate that all new cooling equipment be rated with a SEER of at least 14 in the warmer states in the U.S. So if you buy a new system, it will be rated at least at a 14, but you could shop for a unit with a higher rating for even better efficiency. Plus 14 SEER may be today’s minimum, but manufacturers now produce HVAC equipment up to 21+ SEER.  Call a Berico representative today who can help you better understand your system’s SEER rating and the potential return on investment for a higher efficiency system.

Remember that if you are using a rather old air conditioner currently, it could be operating with an effective SEER number of well under 10. So, by installing any type of new equipment, even if it only meets the standard of 14, you’ll be dramatically improving the efficiency of the setup.

A Couple of Heating Measures

Things are a little more complicated when it comes to the measurement of heating equipment, but it’s still simple enough to understand. If measuring a furnace that uses oil or gas to heat an indoor space, its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or AFUE, should be checked. Again here you want a higher number, as the percentage reflected in this measurement shows how much of the fuel is actually converted to heat. Modern equipment can actually perform at a level of 95% or above, which is incredible efficiency, while older units might barely surpass the 50% mark.

There is a separate measure to track the performance of the heating side of a heat pump system. That number is HSPF, or Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, and the minimum rating is 8.2, although you can find products up to 10 on this scale if you want to be as efficient as possible.

Is it time for HVAC repair at your home or business? Do you need HVAC maintenance completed so you can avoid costly repairs later? Whatever the case may be, you are only one phone call away from getting the help you need for a fair price. Reach out to Berico and get started today.