Emergency Heat and Air Conditioning Repair Hints
It’s not going to be a fun evening when you need to hire the services of an emergency heat repair HVAC contractor. It will 10 below zero with snow falling and ice building – middle of the night – baby’s sick, etc. You know how it goes. What you need is a professional, available and honest HVAC contractor that specializes in emergency heat repair situations. You want somebody to be able to come to your home promptly, assess the situation, make the necessary repairs and be on their way.
The benefits associated with hiring the right emergency heat repair HVAC contractor:
Restoration of the heat in your home;
Protecting you and your family members from the elements;
Eliminating the potential for electrical fires;
Eliminating the need to burn smelly, dangerous accelerant-based heaters;
Developing a positive relationship with a skilled professional in the case of future needs arising;
What are the risks associated with hiring the wrong emergency heat repair HVAC contractor?
This is where you have to be careful. The very nature of an emergency situation implies that you are basically in a frenzy. You want your heat restored. At times like these, many people make the mistake of not being thorough during the hiring process. That is a mistake – and one that can be serious. Here’s what can happen:
You end up paying far too much for services rendered;
You end up paying for substandard services;
The contractor that shows up to your home takes advantage of the fact that you are in an emergency situation;
Low-quality work standards may cause the need for various other, more expensive repairs;
So how can I ensure that I’m hiring a quality emergency heat repair HVAC contractor?
It’s not really that difficult to do. You just need to slow down, take a few deep breaths and refer to the following tips:
Realize that when you are in an emergency situation, that is the best time to be logical and not panic;
Realize that while any emergency service technician is going to charge you hefty fees, that’s no reason for them to outright rob you;
Make sure that you have a clear understanding of what you are going to be charged and what services are going to be provided;
Get everything in writing before any work is performed;
Go with your instincts concerning the professionalism and character of the emergency heat repair HVAC contractor that you are considering hiring;
If you get bad vibrations from a given contractor, call another one. Don’t be in such a hurry to have your heat restored that you make a bad decision that you will regret.
Cooling Strategies for IT Wiring Closets and Server Rooms, Part 2
Let’s understand that our problem to solve is heat removal, rather than supplying cold air. If heat is not removed, the heat in that space that houses IT equipment will accumulate and raise the temperature. Remember that every kilowatt of heat used by your IT equipment creates a kilowatt of heat power that must be removed. And to remove it we need to allow for, or create a channel to move it to a colder place.
Heat can either flow through the walls or ceiling of the space. It can flow to cooler air via a grille or a vent that could have a fan to assist the movement of the airflow. Heat can also be removed by your building’s air cooling system or removed by a dedicated air conditioner.
Portable spot coolers from Spot Cooling Systems are an excellent, economical choice for cooling your IT wiring closet or server room. They are available in many different sizes to meet the demands of your equipment and space.
Spot Cooling Systems partners with Promise Home Orphanage
Supplying your emergency spot coolers and assisting with dependable portable air conditioning rentals and sales is not our only cause.
Spot Cooling Systems, Texas Motor Speedway and Team Texas High Performance Driving School have partnered with Promise Home Orphanage for you to have an experience of a lifetime. We want to assist in building the Casita’s and with the recent fire at Nueva Esperanza, we know the need is sooner than later.
Ride at 160mph Saturday December 3rd around the track at Texas Motor Speedway in a Sprint Cup NASCAR race car. The normal cost is $120 per person, must be 16 or older, but for this event the price is $99.00 with Promise Home Orphanage receiving $50 for each person who comes and rides. Come out to the Speedway, drive through the tunnel to Pit Row and purchase your ticket. Specify that you are riding for Promise Home when you get your ticket, get into your provided driving suit and helmet and get ready to dig your fingernails into your seat and hold on! The track is open from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Invite your friends, family or work.
Post on Facebook and just remind everyone to specify Promise Home when you get your ticket.
For more information on how you can assist Promise Home, visit their website at www.promisehome.org
Portable Cooling Strategies for IT Wiring Closets and Server Rooms, Part 1
First we must specify the appropriate temperature at which we must maintain for the proper operation of your equipment. IT equipment manufacturers usually provide a maximum temperature in which their devices are designed to operate and to guarantee performance and reliability. This temperature is usually 104 degrees (40C).
This is the maximum. Operating at that temperature generally will not provide the same level of performance and longevity as operating at lower temperatures. Because of this, IT equipment manufacturers publish a recommended operating temperature for their equipment. Recommended operating temperatures are between 70F (21C) and 75F (24C) with the goal of no higher than 77F (25C).
The ExtraCooler portable air conditioner is available in various sizes and electrical voltages to meet every wiring closet and server room needs. Spot Coolers are perfect for maintaining the recommended operating temperatures in your IT Closet or Server Room. They are mobile, easy to operate and built to last. For everyday, weekend, emergency or contingency planning, give us a call and your cooling needs will be taken care of by the experts at Spot Cooling Systems.
Spot Cooling Systems has successful Dallas BOMA Trade Show.
Spot Cooling Systems, Inc displayed our products at the Dallas BOMA trade show on October 19, 2011. The show was a total success. Spot Cooling was able to connect with our customers and display not only our air cooled portable air conditioners “The ExtraCooler”, but our new products as well. The Dallas BOMA trade show was the perfect place to announce and display our new products, the Port-a-Cool family of evaporative coolers and the Zone Aire. Each of these product lines allow Spot Cooling Systems to better meet the needs of our customers and provide spot cooling what ever the application. To view all of our new product lines as well as the ExtraCooler spot coolers visit us at www.extracooler.com
The show created many opportunities for Spot Cooling Systems to meet with existing customers as well as prospective customers. To show our appreciation for all who visited our booth, Spot Cooling Systems had a drawing for a 3 in 1 Portable Cooling System, the Zone Aire. This portable spot cooler provides three distinct functions in one conveniet unit: air conditioning, dehumidification and air circulation/fan. It’s ideal for garages, dorm rooms, workshops, home offices, attics and basements. Anywhere you need quick, convenient spot cooling and dehumidification.
The winner of this portable spot cooler was
Betty M. Smith CPM, CSM
Senior Property Manager of Prescott Realty Group
Congratulations to Betty and Thanks to all who visited our booth.
Environmental Threats and Their Costs. The Series
The most common environmental threats to server rooms are temperature, humidity, water leaks, human error, intrusion, vibration, and power outage. Many of these threats, such as temperature and humidity, are related, which complicates environment monitoring and heightens the need for an automated, sophisticated system.
This series on Environmental Threats and Their Costs starts with the biggest threat to computer hardware, temperature.
Temperature
Temperature is the main environmental threat to computer hardware. The generally accepted, ideal temperature is between 68 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 24 degrees Celsius).
Excessive heat degrades network performance and causes downtime. As the temperature increases, a heat sinks fan works harder to cool the central processing unit (CPU). Continuous overworking causes the fan to fail, leading to a machine overheating. A machine shuts down when it reaches an unsafe temperature in order to prevent permanent damage. An administrator must then be located, day or night, go to the machine, and reboot it after it has cooled. Consequently, services hosted by a down machine are unavailable until it is restarted, which can take minutes or hours. If the server hosts critical services (e.g., e-commerce, user validation, email) that are not distributed to backup servers, revenues can be lost, users cannot login, and communications are interrupted. If the shut down is not done properly, data can be lost.
Excessive heat and rapid temperature changes also damage equipment. Rapid temperature increases can increase humidity, while rapid drops can cause water in humid air to condense on equipment. Together, heat and moisture accelerate the break down of materials used in microchips, motherboards, and hard drives, which is called premature aging. In worst cases, a machine won’t shut down when the temperature exceeds safe levels, and circuits are damaged. Ultimately, heat-damaged equipment must be replaced, increasing the cost of network maintenance.
Controlling temperature is becoming more important and more difficult because of changes in equipment design and greater use of network services. New equipment runs hotter because it runs faster and does more work. Also, more circuits are placed closer and closer together, trapping heat in a smaller space. Smaller equipment also means that more equipment can be placed in the same space, usually packed tighter together. The increase in density of equipment causes a rise in the amount of heat dissipating in a rack cabinet. Increased network usage also increases heat, so as usage levels change during the day, so does the temperature and the need for cooling. For networks that operate near capacity 24 hours a day, every day of the year, there is little, if any, time for machines to cool down.
Look for our next article which addresses the problem of humidity in the server room.
How Much Condensate will a 5 gallon tank hold
There isn’t an average output since the condensation is determined by many different factors such as the relative humidity and temperature. Our SCT Series Portable Spot Cooling Systems come with an internal 5 gallon condensate tank that turns the machine off once it is full.
On a cloudy day with 92% humidity outside, the internal 5 gallon tank would fill within 24 hours. That is, if the unit was set up in the parking lot. Most commercial building air systems dry the air to an average 20% relative humidity. This allows the SCT Series 5 gallon tank to fill in 3 to 5 days. Keep in mind most buildings turn the central air off at night and weekends. Dryer the air, longer it takes to fill up. Our units in Phoenix, AZ rarely condensate
We verified this with a customer who is located by the Bush Airport in Houston, Texas. He gets three days between the time to empty tank over the past month.
Calculating Portable Cooling Requirements
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Portable air conditioners are sized according to BTUs, which stands for British Thermal Units. A BTU is a unit of energy that is commonly used in the power, steam generation, and heating and air conditioning industries. Generally speaking, a portable air conditioner’s BTU rating describes its power and cooling capacity. Naturally, the higher the BTUs, the stronger the portable AC. Portable air conditioners have cooling capacities that usually range from 12,000 BTUs to as high as 77,500 BTUs, and the size needed to cool a room will depend on the area being cooled. Thus, an incorrectly sized portable AC with insufficient or excess BTUs will result in inefficient cooling. Before you decide on your area’s BTU requirements, first compile the following information:
After these have been verified, it is then time to determine your BTU requirements. Simply look to the chart below:
For example, if your room measures 20 feet by 20 feet, your calculations will look like so: 20′ x 20′ = 400 square feet 400 square feet = at least 12,000 BTUs As such, if your room measures 400 square feet, you will need a portable air conditioner that offers 12,000 BTUs of cooling. Note that the figures in the chart above are estimates based on average room conditions in a moderate climate. |
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What is the difference between spot coolers, portable air conditioners (“portables”) and mini-split or ductless air conditioners?
What is the difference between spot coolers, portable air conditioners (“portables”) and mini-split or ductless air conditioners?
Air-cooled spot cooling units, spot coolers and portable air conditioners are the same. These units appeared on the market in the early 1980’s to provide cooling for factory workers, hospitals, data rooms, high rise buildings and anywhere extra cooling is needed. Portables are practical, self-contained units on wheels for cooling a spot, room or area where IT equipment, people or other assets need cooling or humidity removal. Portables are available in many capacities and voltages from about 1 Ton to about 10 Tons. If it is impossible or impracticable to exhaust the hot air created by the a/c unit to the outdoors, portables typically include a duct kit for directing the warm air into the ceiling space in a commercial building. These units are unsuitable for residential applications.
If larger units are needed for the job, exterior units are required because doors create capacity limitations.
A “mini split air conditioner” is a ductless split unit. The evaporator section (indoor unit) and condenser (outdoor unit) are separated, or split. The indoor section mounts on the wall and cools just one area. Ductless units are permanently mounted and lack portability.
What is the difference between a residential and commercial portable air conditioner ?
These units are unsuitable and will not work for commercial buildings. A residential portable air conditioner has plastic housing, small condensate tanks, or they evaporate the condensation on the unit’s hot coils, exhausting it into the warm air discharge duct. A window to exhaust the warm air created by the air conditioner is required to create actual air conditioning because air conditioners create more hot air than they do cold air. Because electrical amperage is limited in residences, the residential portable units are typically available in no more than 12,000 BTU’s (1 Ton of cooling capacity). The commercial wheeled portable air conditioners will have larger condensate tanks than residential units, in addition the commercial units tend to have sturdier sheet metal cabinets or housings.
What is the difference between spot coolers, portable air conditioners (“portables”) and evaporative coolers (swamp coolers)? Unlike air condoners, evaporative coolers contribute moisture to the environment because there is no compressor with circulating cold refrigerant to dehumidify. Evaporative cooling is used in dry cleaners, restaurant kitchens and shops where high moisture and low operating costs are acceptable. Air conditioners remove moisture from the environment, dry the air and improve the quality of the environment.
What features should I look for when selecting a spot cooler or portable air conditioner?
Construction – Not all portables air conditioners and spot coolers are built the same. Sheet metal cabinets are better than plastic cabinets. All residential units are housed in plastic cabinets and some of the inferior quality commercial units have plastic cabinets. Superior commercial grade units are made of sheet metal and will last about a decade with continuous use.
Warranties - The major (and most expensive) components of a portable air conditioner unit or spot cooler are the compressor and the fans. It is important these are covered. Other components tend to be relatively inexpensive to repair or replace.
Cooling Capacity – 12,000 equals one ton by official weights and standards. When comparing units, sometimes a sell may claim their unit is, say, one ton capacity. Make sure to ask what the BTU capacity is for the particular unit you are considering. A seller may call a 10,000 BTU their “one ton unit” and another may call a 14,000 BTU spot cooler a one ton unit. That’s a 40% difference in actual cooling capacity in two spot coolers that are both called “one ton”.
Controls – For reliability and simplicity of use, simple mechanical controls are a better option. Some manufacturers provide a digital thermostat (typically a battery operated residential wall thermostat) mounted to the unit to set the temperature. While helpful in rare cases, cold air actually falls on the thermostat from the front of the unit and gives an incorrect reading, shutting off the a/c unit when the rest of the room needs cooling. Some portable units offer wall-mounting the digital thermostat which detects the temperature at the place on the wall where the thermostat is mounted. In most cases, simpler is better for controlling your portable air conditioner. A dial-type temperature controller is less complicated, more reliable and does not require new batteries. If the temperature rises, the dial-type thermostat will call for the unit to engage, activating the air conditioner and will usually last several trouble-free years.
Spot Cooling Systems Inc. © 2011