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SPONSORED CONTENT is content paid for by a partner. The McClatchy Commerce Content team, which is independent from our newsroom, oversees this content.<\/p>\n
Edited By Chase Clements, McClatchy Media Commerce<\/p>\n
Summer often means triple-digit temperatures for weeks, and homeowners need reliable air conditioning to keep them and their family cool and comfortable.<\/p>\n
Annual maintenance, smart operating practices, and choosing a trustworthy HVAC company can help Central Valley homeowners keep their systems running efficiently when they need them most.<\/p>\n
Those are among the top recommendations from Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning<\/a>, a multi-generational, family-owned company that has served Fresno and the Central Valley since the 1930s, delivering premium service and clear, honest solutions.<\/p>\n The biggest mistake homeowners make is playing catch-up with a heatwave.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople wait until it\u2019s 105 degrees Fahrenheit outside and their house hits 80 before they try to crank the thermostat down to 70,\u201d said Service Manager Joel Gatica, who has worked at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning for 26 years. \u201cBy then, the AC is already losing a brutal battle.\u201d<\/p>\n Another pitfall: skipping annual air conditioner maintenance.<\/p>\n Homeowners who neglect maintenance see larger monthly energy bills, shorten their AC system\u2019s lifespan, and could void their manufacturer\u2019s warranty.<\/p>\n Tips and Tricks to Maintain Air-Conditioning Efficiency<\/p>\n When an AC system runs constantly but doesn\u2019t cool the house, the usual suspects are low refrigerant, a clogged filter, or a condenser coil caked in Valley dust, Gatica said.<\/p>\n Homeowners should change their filter routinely, or switch to a larger media cabinet filter that doesn\u2019t need frequent replacement.<\/p>\n Gently rinse the outdoor condenser coil with a garden hose before summer to improve air-conditioning efficiency and extend its lifespan.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t close off vents in unused rooms to \u201csave energy.\u201d Doing so unbalances the AC system\u2019s pressure, turns the closed room into an oven that radiates heat through the walls, and can destroy the compressor.<\/p>\n Gatica\u2019s biggest tip: Pick a partner, not just a contractor, for air-conditioning needs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe families who invest in a relationship with a trusted local company through regular, preventative maintenance are always the ones who get prioritized and stay cool,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t wait for the breakdown to find out who you can trust.\u201d<\/p>\n When the thermostat is set at 70 degrees but is \u201cstuck\u201d at 76, the AC system is \u201chealthy.\u201d A standard AC system is designed to maintain a temperature 25 to 30 degrees cooler than the outside air.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s 105 degrees out and your house is holding steady at 75, your system is actually winning a major battle,\u201d Gatica said.<\/p>\n The AC system is struggling if the air coming out of the vents feels lukewarm or if the outdoor unit shuts off and turns back on every few minutes. When that happens, a component is overheating and tripping a safety switch.<\/p>\n Many homeowners are shocked to learn their air-conditioning system isn\u2019t cooling well because the unit is too big for the house. An oversized system blasts cold air so fast that the thermostat shuts off too quickly and doesn\u2019t pull heavy humidity from the air.<\/p>\n \u201cYou end up with a house that feels like a cold, clammy cave, and because the air didn\u2019t circulate properly, you get massive hot spots in the back bedrooms,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n AC Repair vs. Air Conditioner Replacement<\/p>\n Homeowners need a Fresno HVAC company they can trust to tell them when to repair their AC or upgrade. Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning<\/a> looks at the big picture of operational reliability, long-term value, and changing technology, and is honest with homeowners about their options, Gatica said.<\/p>\n \u201cI often tell people to look at a major repair on a 12-year-old unit like putting a brand-new transmission into a car with 100,000 miles,\u201d he said. \u201cYou might fix that one part, but the rest of the machine is still tired.\u201d<\/p>\n An old AC system might be a \u201cticking time bomb\u201d of inefficiency, and a homeowner would instantly add equity to a home by investing the cost of a repair toward a new system.<\/p>\n Trends in Central Valley Air Conditioning: What to Do and Not Do<\/p>\n Gatica said a current trend is the push toward heat pumps, which is not a smart upgrade for many homeowners, even those who have a solar system.<\/p>\n Heat pumps use electricity, and electricity rates in the Valley are among the country\u2019s highest, he said. A homeowner who swaps a gas furnace for a heat pump without an oversized solar system will likely end up buying electricity and losing money.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why our conversations today are all about education,\u201d Gatica said. \u201cHomeowners want control, but true peace of mind only comes when you look at the actual math of the Central Valley, not just what sounds good on a blog post.\u201d<\/p>\n Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning serves Fresno and Central Valley homeowners with the same focus it has maintained for decades: reliable service, honest recommendations, and comfort solutions built for the Valley. Contact them at (559) 255-1644<\/a> or via email at service@mrcool4ac.com<\/a>, or book an appointment on their website<\/a> to get your AC system serviced today.<\/p>\n Biggest Homeowner Mistakes With Fresno Air Conditioning<\/p>\n
What a \u2018Healthy\u2019 Air Conditioner Can Do on a Hot Day<\/p>\n
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