Will Running an Air Conditioner in Cold Weather Damage It?

A step outside today is a quick indicator that maybe the brutal hot summer is over here in SW Florida. While it's still comfortable now, some cold weather is not far away. While most homeowners don’t want to cool their homes down in cold weather, some consider running their central air conditioner in order to test the system.  They may be making repairs or demonstrating to a potential buyer that the system is working.  In addition, home appraisers working on loan applications are required to inspect the HVAC system. Will running an air conditioner in cold weather damage it?

Running the Air Conditioner in Cold Weather is Not Recommended

Air conditioning manufacturers and HVAC professionals agree, an outdoor condensing unit should not be run in cold weather for any reason.  The cause of this prohibition is the oil used to lubricate the compressor. There’s a significant amount of oil in the compressor and it functions like oil in your vehicle’s engine.

Just like engine oil, compressor oil for condensing units has different grades. The oil that is used in central air conditioner compressors is summer-weight oil.  It is a heavy grade of oil that works well in warm conditions.  It can heat up and still provide the compressor with the lubrication and protection required, something lighter grade of oil could not do.  In cold weather, the oil is too thick for the safe functioning of the compressor.

Safe Weather Temperatures for Running an Air Conditioner

Most HVAC technicians and home appraisers won’t run a central air conditioner unless daytime temperatures are above well above 60 degrees F for at least 2-3 days prior to the test.  That doesn’t leave much time of the year for testing in some parts of the country.  In many instances, the appraiser has to note that he or she did not test the AC unit, being prevented by whether conditions.  Most say that they have never been asked by a loan officer to go back later and test the unit.  Usually, a visual inspection of the condensing unit, is enough to satisfy the underwriter for the loan.  Running the AC is not a make or break part of the process.

Contact AC by Florida Comfort Systems

Denny Martin
Air Conditioning by Florida Comfort Systems
3945 Toll House Drive, Unit #907, Naples FL 34114
239-774-5501
We are on call 24/7/365
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Protect Your AC System During A Hurricane

Hurricane do not strike without prior notice. However, when it does, often the severity is such that it leaves many households in shambles. Mostly electronic gadgets like home air conditioners take the maximum blow. Even after the effect of hurricane subsides, you may find your cooling unit in an unstable condition. So, how do you protect the air conditioning system from a hurricane's catastrophic effect?

Take Precautionary Measures before the Storm Strikes

Start taking preventive steps before the hurricane season sets in. If you are aware of the approximate time when the storm is going to strike, then prior to that, turn on the air conditioner. Adjust the setting such that the indoor temperature turns several degrees cooler than normal level. Such a pre-cooling helps keep the home temperature comfortable for longer hours, even if power failure happens accidentally.








Should you operate the cooling unit during the hurricane?

The answer is a big No. Strictly make sure that the air conditioning unit is switched off as the storm strikes. In many areas, the power supply gets interrupted during heavy storm or downpour. If the air conditioner is running at that time, it might suffer severe damage because of erratic power failures. As and when natural disaster strikes, irregular power interruptions put additional pressure on the compressor and other components of the cooling unit. Thus, you might end up changing the entire unit or some of its crucial components, once the storm has passed.

What you should do after the tropical storm passes?

It is suggested that you turn on the cooling unit, as early as possible. Some delay might happen because of power problems. Keeping the unit idle for too long, means you are inviting mold to grow in the unit’s ducts and system. Your home as well as the air conditioning system has just now gone through an extreme heat and high moisture weather mayhem. This provides perfect setting for mold to thrive.

At the same time, be careful if you suspect something amiss with the central air’s operation. In case, you feel the storm’s severity has damaged an inside part of the cooling system then trying to run would make the situation even worse. Detection or evidence of any electrical smoke should be taken seriously. In such a scenario, get it immediately checked by one of our technicians.

Prepare your Air Conditioner to Ward off Storm Effect

One thing to be kept in mind is that it is not always a hurricane which harms your cooling system. Sometimes heavy wind and rain play havoc too, damaging the air conditioning unit. So after any such natural disaster, you should consider a thorough checkup of the cooling system with special stress on duct cleaning.

No matter how devastating the hurricane looks, by following these simple tips you can efficiently protect the air conditioner throughout the stormy season.

Contact AC by Florida Comfort Systems

Denny Martin
Air Conditioning by Florida Comfort Systems
3945 Toll House Drive, Unit #907, Naples FL 34114
239-774-5501
We are on call 24/7/365
visit our website
See my Google+ account

A Checkup Now Will Save Money Later

Having your air conditioning system checked annually can prevent future issues and save the homeowner time and money. |Annual air-conditioning system checkups will also keep the air conditioner running properly for more years than a poorly maintenance system resulting in longevity and worry free operation. In addition, most air-conditioning system checkups consist of refrigerant charge checks, AC drain clearing, and a thorough electrical system check. Furthermore, the air-conditioning system coils are cleaned and the fins are straightened thus helping with efficiency and proper operation and airflow.

Having your air conditioning system checked annually can reveal issues early so that the homeowner will not have to deal with them during high temperature peak months. This is important because the homeowner does not want the air conditioner broken down when the outside temperature is close to 100 degrees. Annual checkups will reveal a issue early and that problem can be addressed then in there without much downtime. In addition, AC by Florida Comfort Systems provides two checkups per year under our annual maintenance contract. This can be very beneficial when a major repair is needed such as a leaky evaporator coil or compressor burnout which can be very expensive repairs. Our annual contract offers 15% off parts replaced.

In addition, to having the air-conditioning system checked annually your air duct system should also be checked and cleaned every two - three years. The reason for this is to ensure proper airflow to all supply ducts and that there are no damaged ducts within the duct system. Having properly sealed and insulated air ducts is very important because of the heat transfer between the duct and the hot attic air. For instance, when the air is conditioned and circulated back to the AC system it must travel through the ducts and in most cases the ducts are in a non-conditioned location resulting in higher temperatures surrounding the ductwork. These higher temperatures can drop the conditioned supply air tempuratures down if the ductwork is not properly insulated and sealed resulting in higher system runtimes and higher energy bills. So having the air ducts properly sealed and insulated can and will save energy and provide with a more efficient air-conditioning system as a whole.

The use of proper filters and air duct cleaning can prevent dirty evaporator coils and reduce allergens throughout the home. Since the indoor air is circulated on a constant basis dirt and debris is also circulated through the system, so a pleated filter should be used in conjunction with proper air duct cleaning techniques to help prevent accumulation of debris, dirt, and other pollutants.

To schedule an AC checkup, please contact AC by Florida Comfort Systems at 239-774-5501.

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Buying AC Equipment On Line? Buyer Beware!

A service tech here at AC by Florida Comfort Systems recently went on an unusual service call to repair an AC unit. Unfortunately for the homeowner, our service technician identified the recently purchased AC handler as having been stolen from a Naples builder’s home during construction. The new owner of the handler purchased it in good faith on a popular on-line classified ad website and now needed it to be serviced. AC by Florida Comfort Systems contacted the builder to advise them that we found their AC handler, which was reported to the police as stolen months earlier.


Most people would never suspect that a handler or other AC equipment would be stolen in the first place so they may never give consideration to the possibility when making an on-line purchase.  New home construction here in Naples experiences a lot of theft of all types of products, including HVAC equipment.

The theft problem has become so widespread that builders have been forced to resort to defensive measures to protect their homes under construction.  Theft deterrent tactics include on site security guards, hidden cameras and believe it or not, even GPS units installed inside of equipment.

From time to time, we are called upon to assist the police in recovery and prosecution efforts.

What can you do?

You can safeguard yourself by never purchasing any product that the serial number nameplate has been removed.  Nameplates do not fall off and there is never a good reason to remove one.  You can also look to see if an HVAC contractor’s sticker is on the piece of equipment. More often than not, the contractor should be able to tell you through the serial number if the equipment is stolen or not.  ‘Buyer beware’ is an old saying that truly applies to on-line purchases.

Contact AC by Florida Comfort Systems

Denny Martin
Air Conditioning by Florida Comfort Systems
3945 Toll House Drive, Unit #907, Naples FL 34114
239-774-5501
We are on call 24/7/365
visit our website
See my Google+ account