Why the Cost of R-22 Refrigerant has Increased this Year

June 18th, 2013

The price of R-22 refrigerant has skyrocketed in the last few months. Due to government regulations to phase out the production of ozone depleting chemicals, like Freon, production has continued to decrease and has caused costs to skyrocket. R-22 refrigerant is four times more expensive than it was just six months ago and is expected to continue to increase significantly.

Due to this, A/C contractors have bought it at an alarming rate and supplies have declined greatly. This has forced some vendors across the country to limit the amount of R-22 contractors can purchase in a month.

As the cost of R-22 rises, the cost of the new replacement Freon, R410a continues to drop. It is simple economics of supply and demand.

Federal regulations have called for a 90% reduction of production of R-22 by 2015 and to be completely obsolete by 2020. What this means to consumers is outrages freon related repair costs and eventually no choice but to replace their HVAC equipment.

Most air conditioners manufactured before 2010 uses the old R-22 refrigerant.
While a R-410a unit can just as easily develop a leak as an R-22 unit can, from vibration, rust, stress cracks, etc, the cost to replace R-410a is a fraction of R-22.

As a home owner you need to keep a few things in mind. If you are in the market for an air conditioner do not let any contractor convince you that an R-22 unit is a good idea. They get around the law by shipping them with no refrigerant in them and classify them as a “part”. These “dry charged” units may be cheaper initially, but in a very short time frame you will be forced to upgrade to an R-410a system.
If your unit is 11 years old or older, you should start planning for an upgraded system. You can decide when to replace your system or your system will decide for you by breaking down when you least expect it!

If you have a slow leak in an R-22 system and have to add Freon every year or sooner, consider the cost of continuing to add Freon that is climbing in price. That money could be going towards a new high efficiency unit that will start saving you money on your utility bills the day it’s installed.

Should you need help deciding if it’s time to replace your current A/C unit and want an honest opinion, you can count on Cool Touch to assist you. Our experienced, professionally trained technicians will be able to determine which choice makes sense for you and your home and will go over all options with you. Call us today 623-584-3762.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Indoor Air Quality, Reviews | Comments Off

Know When It’s Time to Put Your A/C Unit to Sleep

June 12th, 2013

Remember the teary eyed final scenes of the movie Marley and Me? Just like it was hard for John Grogan to put down Marley, it’s also hard to put down your air conditioner. After all, you’ve had some good times together.

OK, maybe we’re exaggerating a bit. But getting a new air conditioner is a big investment, and you may not be sure that you need a new one yet.

Until now.

Here are the three signs that your air conditioner is dying, and you need to get a new one.

Sign 1: Reached retirement age

According to Consumer Reports, every appliance in your home has an expected average lifespan.

A central air conditioner lives on average 15 years. But according to Energy.gov, even if an air conditioner is only 10 years old, you can “save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.”

If your air conditioner is 10-15 years old (or older), you should start thinking about how to finance a new air conditioner.

Sign 2: Requires frequent expensive repairs

Just like with a car, when you start needing frequent expensive repairs, you may start thinking that’s its just not worth it anymore. What’s more cost effective, hanging onto the old unit and paying for repairs or buying a new system and knowing that it’s brand new and won’t have anything wrong with it for quite some time?

Ask for an assessment from a professional HVAC contractor, like Cool Touch, about the health of the parts that haven’t broken down yet. If it looks like the expensive repairs are going to continue in the near future, you’ll save a lot of money in the long run by getting a new air conditioner.

Sign 3: Runs inefficiently

As an air conditioner gets older and reaches its final moments, it begins to waste energy and becomes inefficient.

Signs of an inefficient A/C Unit include:

Higher utility bills over time.

Consistently running longer than normal to cool your home.

No longer providing the same amount of comfort it used to.

Know when it’s time and plan accordingly!

Like we said before, we know buying and installing a new A/C is a big investment. You just need some help making the first step.

If you know your A/C is dying and you need a system, Cool Touch provides new unit estimates, and will give you an honest assessment for which course of action is best for you.

An experienced AC Tech from our company will help you assess whether it’s time to replace your unit our if it just needs a tune up. Either way you can count on an honest opinion from our company. Please call us today!

Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off

Tips for Keeping Your Home Cool During the Phoenix Heat

June 5th, 2013

Cool Touch specializes in AC repair and installations in Phoenix,AZ. With the extreme summer heat here in Phoenix, we wanted to offer some useful tips on keeping your house as cool as possible for the summer. These tips will not only help cool your home, but may help in lowering your electric costs too.

Phoenix AZ Home Cooling Tips:

1) Shade your east and west windows. This will help reduce the cooling load and is a cost-effective energy conservation measure.

2) Delay using heat generating appliances, such as washer and dryer, your dishwasher, until the evenings.

3) Use ceiling fans to keep your inside room temperatures cooler which will allow you to increase your thermostat a little higher, between 74-77 degrees. During our desert heat, some homes keep their thermostats at a constant 72-70 degrees. By using your ceiling fans more often, this can help with reducing energy costs.

4) Outdoor Landscaping – Plant trees around the home that will eventually generate shade.

5) If you have an older central air conditioner, please consider replacing the outdoor compressor with a modern, high efficiency unit. Be sure to properly match your outdoor one with your indoor unit.

6) Be sure when buying a new AC unit it’s the proper size for your home. You can contact Cool Touch and our trained experts will help you determine the proper size for your home.

7) Buy a high efficiency AC Unit for your home. Make sure the energy efficiency ratio (EER) rating is above 10. For central air conditioners, make sure the seasonal energy ratio (SEER) is above 12.

8) Maintain your AC unit to make sure it’s working properly and prevents any break downs during the summer.

9) Awning installations on the south facing windows of your home.

10) Place tightly woven screens or bamboo shades outside your windows during the summer to stop 60-80% of the sun’s heat.

11) Provide shade for your AC unit as this will increase it’s effiency by 5-10%.

12) Reduce your air conditioner’s work load when you’ll be away from the home for more than an hour. Turn the thermostat up a bit.

Use these tips during the Arizona summers and it will help cool your home more effectively while reducing your energy costs. If you have any question or concerns the Cool Touch staff is always here to help. Call us 623-584-3762

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off

Maintain Your AC Unit Throughout the Phoenix Summers

May 30th, 2013

Arizona summers are known for being some of the hottest around. They can be an absolute nightmare if your air conditioning goes out, especially when temperatures are in the 100’s. With the increased use of your air conditioning unit during the summer, it is especially important to properly maintain your HVAC system to avoid an inconvenient and costly disaster. Catching a repair early can mean saving thousands of dollar down the line!

Maintaining your HVAC system can also save you money on your utility bill. By making sure that all parts of your air conditioning unit are running smoothly and functioning optimally, it won’t have to work as hard to cool your home. Often, an expert tune-up of your HVAC system can result in utility savings of up to 30%. Who wouldn’t like to spend less money on utilities during the summer?

Since your HVAC system is fairly complex and the list of things to check in maintaining your system can be long, Cool Touch offers a maintenance plan with a 20 point precision tune-up.  All of our expert technicians are NATE and EPA certified, receiving ongoing training in all of the latest, most advanced service and repair techniques.

If you have any questions about our Maintenance Agreement, or would like to schedule an appointment with one of our expert technicians, call us today at (623) 584-3762 or contact us online at http://www.cooltouch.us/contact/contact.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Our Maintenance Plan | Comments Off

Memorial Day Grilling Recipe in Phoenix

May 25th, 2013

Below is an awesome grilling pizza recipe to use this memorial day weekend. Cool Touch wishes you all a very Happy & Safe Memorial Day weekend!!!

Pizza on the Grill

Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

 2 cup warm water

 3 pinch white sugar

 4 2 teaspoons kosher salt

 5 tablespoon olive oil

 6 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

 7 2 cloves garlic, minced

 8 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

 9 1/2 cup olive oil

 10 1 teaspoon minced garlic

 11 1/4 cup tomato sauce

 12 1 cup chopped tomatoes

 13 1/4 cup sliced black olives

 14 1/4 cup roasted red peppers

 15 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

 16 4 tablespoons chopped fresh bas

Directions
In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, and mix in sugar. Proof for ten minutes, or until frothy. Mix in the salt, olive oil, and flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, and knead in garlic and basil. Set aside to rise for 1 more hour, or until doubled again.
Preheat grill for high heat. Heat olive oil with garlic for 30 seconds in the microwave. Set aside. Punch down dough, and divide in half. Form each half into an oblong shape 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.
Brush grill grate with garlic flavored olive oil. Carefully place one piece of dough on hot grill. The dough will begin to puff almost immediately. When the bottom crust has lightly browned, turn the dough over using two spatulas. Working quickly, brush oil over crust, and then brush with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Arrange 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/8 cup sliced black olives, and 1/8 cup roasted red peppers over crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons basil. Close the lid, and cook until the cheese melts. Remove from grill, and set aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the second pizza.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Happy Holidays, News & PR | Comments Off

Diagnose Your AC Unit – Phoenix AZ

May 23rd, 2013

Here are instructions on how to troubleshoot your air conditioning system. To diagnose your air conditioner or HVAC system in an ordered, methodical and proven way to get the answers you need, you have to take some time, get educated, and this will save you a lot of money. Commission based A/C techs love nothing more than an ignorant consumer. They can sell you anything from a surge protector to float switch, even up to a new unit for a simple run capacitor or burnt wire. Experienced AC companies will take the time to explain things and provide the best service possible with honesty and integrity.

First question in the diagnosis:

1) Is air blowing from the registers? Yes or no

If yes, then go through this check list:

A) Is the condenser fan motor and compressor also operating?
B) If all motors are operating and you are getting warm to ambient air than probably a refrigerant issue.
C) That can come in the form of low refrigerant, slow leaks, big leaks,
leaking reversing valve if the heat pump is clogged.
D) If air is warm at registers check condenser fan motor and compressor.
E) Does the condenser fan blade turn freely with a long-handled screwdriver? or is it binding up?
– binding up usually means it is seized up
– test the run cap first before replacing the condenser fan motor
F) Compressor may or may not start back up if run cap on fan motor is popped
– it has an internal overload protection that must reset at appx 115 degrees to operate again.

2) Is there air at the registers?
A) It may be cool but very low airflow
– dirty evap coil
– leak in ductwork
– very dirty filter
– if this is the case the compressor and outdoor fan motor will probably trip on overload

Referring back to question #1 above, if the answer is No then review this check list:

A) when you operate the thermostat does any other modes work (fan to on or heat)?
B) Is there ice on the big copper pipe (suction line) when the outdoor unit (compressor, condenser fan motor) comes on?
C) If yes than shut off the system.
D) If No and all other modes are shut down, this maybe an issue with:
– control problem
– change batteries in t-stat
– float switch backed up
– 5amp fuse in air handler (there is a reason it popped – gotta find out why)
– transformer blew (it happens)
– bad wiring
– main breaker for whole unit

This is just a short list to help get you going and to provide steps in the proper way to diagnose your air conditioner. If you feel you need an expert please don’t hesitate to call one of our experienced techs at Cool Touch to come out and give you a hand. Choosing the right AC company to help you with a complex problem is very important so feel free to browse our customer reviews section.

Cool Touch 623-584-3762

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off

Cool Touch Receives A+ Rating from Phoenix BBB

May 20th, 2013

As we all know, with the summer heat upon us, many people will be contacting Air Conditioning companies for various reasons. Most people, when contacting an HVAC Contractor, aren’t completely sure which ones they should call. Trust plays a big part in a customers hesitation as most people want to know they are calling a reputable AC company, one who has the experience, good reviews, and the passion to sincerely help others. You will be happy to know that Cool Touch is one of 5 Phoenix AC Companies who have received great reviews and an A+ rating from the Phoenix BBB.

Please read this awesome article regarding Cool Touch and their trustworthy services by clicking here!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Reviews | Comments Off

Sometimes You Have to Go Above and Beyond for People

May 18th, 2013

This was a compliment somebody gave our company after we installed a portable AC unit in the home this person rents during the recent 100 degree heat. Cool Touch always strives to give the best service, even to those who may not even be a customer of ours.

” Warm, friendly Customer Service. Affordable service call rates. Knowledgeable, friendly technicians. Rapid service. Outstanding attention to customer satisfaction. I had my 9yr old AC unit go out. Lost the fan motor, compressor and fan relay. I rent the home. Landlord had two other companies perform inspection. All three inspections yielded the same results: AC unit replacement recommended. It’s unknown if my landlord will use Cool Touch’s service for the AC replacement; Cool Touch realistically does not expect to receive the job. Even so, Cool Touch delivered a portable AC unit, at no cost, to help out in the meantime.

With temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, it goes without saying that Cool Touch exhibits a level of customer service and satisfaction very rarely seen in businesses today. Eight years of being accredited and no complaints. No complaints on an internet review website. Everything positive said about this company has proven to be true. My experiences with the staff and technicians has been extremely positive. They will receive positive word of mouth referrals for their service.

Thank you: Brandon, Susan, Charlene and Robert for outstanding service and caring.

S S “

Tags: , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, News & PR, Reviews | Comments Off

Save on Air Condition Repairs in Phoenix,AZ

May 16th, 2013

We all know that you can pay your auto mechanic a little now for routine service, or pay them a lot later for a major repair. The same idea holds true for your air conditioner or heat pump. If you don’t service your air conditioner  regularly, you’ll find yourself uncomfortable and broke.


An air conditioner is a very tough piece of equipment. It is engineered to withstand all sorts of abuse and keep on running. This is great in most cases, but it can lead to complacency about maintenance. Like a car, air conditioners need regular tune-ups to run properly.

Without regular maintenance an air conditioner looses about 5% of it’s original efficiency for each year of operation. This means that the 12 SEER unit that you bought just a few years ago may be functioning like a 9 SEER unit ! The good news is that you can recover most of that lost efficiency through regular maintenance. Studies show that with regular tune-ups a unit will maintain up to 95% of it’s original efficiency. This means that the cost of an annual tune-up is recovered very quickly in savings on your monthly electric bill and reduced repair costs. A properly serviced air conditioner will also do a better job of dehumidifying your home.

Many local air conditioning companies offer special prices at this time of the year. Some even offer annual service programs that insure that you will be reminded of the need to service the unit at the beginning of the cooling and heating seasons.

The service check should include cleaning the condensing unit coils, checking the amp draw of the compressor, oiling the fan motors, checking that belts are well adjusted, and checking the system operating pressures and temperatures against the manufacturers specifications. One of the most important items to check is the coolant level in the air conditioner. A system that is only 10% low on coolant will cost about 20% more to operate! If your unit is low on coolant, and more must be added, there are new laws governing its use. Freon is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) that will damage the Earths protective ozone layer if released into the atmosphere. The laws governing CFC’s now do not allow your air conditioner contractor to add Freon to a leaky system. They are first required to find and fix the leak in the system.

There are some things in addition to yearly tune-ups that you can do to help ensure a high level of comfort and proper system operation. First, buy good filters and change them regularly. Next, keep bushes and other materials away from the outside unit of your air conditioner. Another good idea is to avoid closing supply air outlets in your house. In almost all cases, closing supply outlets is harmful to the operation of the overall system.

All equipment should receive routine maintenance. Complicated equipment like today’s air conditioners benefit in many ways from annual service. They recover much of their lost efficiency, they are less likely to suffer a major break down, they have a longer life span, they increase your comfort, and they operate for less money.
For questions or to have your air conditioning unit serviced contact Cool Touch. One of our professional techs will come out and thoroughly check your system to make sure it’s running properly. You don’t want to experience a break down now that the Phoenix summer heat is here!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Air Conditioning, Our Maintenance Plan | Comments Off

A Reminder Why Your AC Unit is Crucial Here in Phoenix

May 2nd, 2013

All of us who live in Phoenix know how hot it gets in the middle of the summer. This is why we are putting out this post to remind everybody how important it is to make sure your AC unit is running properly before the real Phoenix summer heat get’s here.

The article linked below is from CBS news and was posted almost four years ago! Eleven homeless people lost their lives, as did a few senior citizens. Had these people been in proper air conditioning it’s quite possible they may have survived.

Once the heat arrives, having cool air passing through your home is important. It not only keeps you cool but can also save your life. It prevents your body from over heating and losing the vital fluids your body needs to survive. Please make sure your air conditioner has been checked before our Phoenix summer kicks off! Call us today to have one of our professionals check out your system.

Click here to read CBS News article

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off

« Older Entries