You might guess it from the name: the heat exchanger is the part of your furnace that actually heats the air your blower motor pushes through the furnace. It consists of a chamber in which the heat energy produced by natural or propane gas is transferred to the forced air. At the same time, this part also includes a vent through which the gases themselves are safely removed from the unit and the air that enters your home. Because of these gases, a problem with your heat exchanger needs to be dealt with promptly. Over time, cracks in the exchanger can result in carbon monoxide leaks. Taking care of the problem once again means understanding the existence of a range: repairing your heat exchanger can cost as little as $100, but a full replacement may cost up to $1,200.
In hot weather, air conditioning can prevent heat stroke, dehydration from excessive sweating and other problems related to hyperthermia. Heat waves are the most lethal type of weather phenomenon in developed countries. Air conditioning (including filtration, humidification, cooling and disinfection) can be used to provide a clean, safe, hypoallergenic atmosphere in hospital operating rooms and other environments where proper atmosphere is critical to patient safety and well-being. It is sometimes recommended for home use by people with allergies.
When natural gas, propane or heating oil are burned in a furnace, the resulting hot combustion gasses by burning natural gas, propane or heating oil circulate through a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger will, in turn, release that heat to be circulated by the furnace’s blower. The flue gas then travels through the flue vent, which carries the gas outside of the home. When a heat exchanger is cracked, it generally will require a complete system replacement. That is one of the reasons why we highly recommend annual preventive maintenance on your home’s furnace – this preventative furnace inspection and maintenance can greatly prolong the life of your home heating system.
The selection of the working fluids (refrigerants) has a significant impact not only on the performance of the air conditioners but on the environment as well. Most refrigerants used for air conditioning contribute to global warming, and many also deplete the ozone layer.[60] CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs are potent greenhouse gases when leaked to the atmosphere.
Evaporative coolers, sometimes called "swamp coolers", do not have a compressor or condenser. Liquid water is evaporated on the cooling fins, releasing the vapor into the cooled area. Evaporating water absorbs a significant amount of heat, the latent heat of vaporisation, cooling the air. Humans and animals use the same mechanism to cool themselves by sweating.
In 1992, a non-governmental organization, Greenpeace, was spurred by corporate executive policies and requested that a European lab find substitute refrigerants. This led to two alternatives, one a blend of propane (R290) and isobutane (R600a), and one of pure isobutane.[18][22] Industry resisted change in Europe until 1993, and in the U.S. until 2011, despite some supportive steps in 2004 and 2008 (see Refrigerant Development above).[27][68]
This type of furnace is fueled by liquid propane gas, which is burned to push hot air through your home. A pilot light ignites the burners within a combustion chamber, which push heat into the heat exchanger and eventually through your entire home. Repairing this type of furnace can be more expensive than its electric alternative. For example here are some common propane gas repairs and their costs:
Gas furnaces and heaters have control shutoffs to prevent gas leaks, but they are not fail-safe. If you smell gas in your house, do not turn any lights on or off, and do not try to shut off the gas leading to the furnace. Get out of the house, leaving the door open, and immediately call the gas company or the fire department to report a leak. Do not re-enter your home.
When your gas furnace isn’t blowing hot air, the issue could be due to a faulty pilot light or broken ignitor. Remove the furnace cover panel and visually inspect whether you can see a flame from the pilot light. A natural gas furnace will be blue and yellow in color, and a propane furnace should have a bluish green flame with a yellow tip. If you can see a flame and it appears normal, the issue could be related to the furnace blower motor or other complex furnace parts. If the flame appears low or non-existent, it’s best to contact an experienced furnace repair company. Remember to never touch any open wires; contact a professional.
We had an exceptional experience with Gator Air, in particular Carlos. He presented us with quotes for different types of AC units, told us facts about said units and left us to make our decision. No high pressure sales. The installers were professional and cleaned up when they were through. A nice surprise was the 1 year free maintenance of the unit. We belonged to the Gator Club so to not have to pay it for the next year was an added bonus. Thank you GatorAir for making the experience an enjoyable one.
Replacing a capacitor is easy. Just take a photo of the wires before disconnecting anything (you may need a reference later on). Then discharge the stored energy in the old capacitor (Photo 4). Use needle-nose pliers to pluck one wire at a time from the old capacitor and snap it onto the corresponding tab of the new capacitor. The female crimp connectors should snap tightly onto the capacitor tabs. Wiggle each connector to see if it’s tight. If it’s not, remove the connector and bend the rounded edges of it so it makes a tighter fit on the tab. When you’ve swapped all the wires, secure the new capacitor (Photo 5).
