Rainbow Services - HVAC-articles

 

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One HVAC system, 2 or 3 thermostats ?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Wednesday, October 14, 2015,

I've had a number of uneven temperature complaints this summer. Some of the problems involved loose wiring, bad damper motors or just poor ductwork installation.This is usual repair work, however the majority are from customers or clients who have only lived in their new homes for a few years The surprising thing is that these are newer homes and  the HVAC equipment is working perfectly. 

In my customer interview about how the systems are used, I've found that the zone damper system is...


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I want to clean my outdoor air conditioning coil.

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Thursday, September 3, 2015,
This summer I've found a lot of air conditioning coils that need cleaning, and I've cleaned most of them. I've been too busy to keep track of the pollen counts, however I suspect that the unusually high outdoor temperatures simply revealed this problem and that the air conditioning coil problem was there all along, or at least a few cooling seasons.

Your air conditioner is oversized for most of the year, so if its not quite up to snuff you may not notice. When its 100 degrees outside you will ...
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I have a smell coming from my furnace, does it need service?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Thursday, September 3, 2015,
The cooling season is almost over. Whew! Soon the evening or morning will come when the heating cooling gets switched at the thermostat for occasional heating duty in the evening and cooling during the day.
You will very likely smell an odor from the ducts. At any other time of year I would recommend a service appointment right away, however not in this case.

During the summer we have used the furnace blower and the heating cooling fan and ductwork for cooling only. During this time a layer of ...
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Heat Pump 101

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Thursday, July 7, 2011,

If you’ve just moved into a home with a heat pump, or never really understood how a heat pump works, or just want a solid base of knowledge about your heat pump before you discuss it with a service person or sales person, then this is for you. 


A heat pump - air conditioner heats your home during the winter, it also cools it during the summer. It does not burn fuel to produce heat nor does the electricity it consumes go through an electric element except during defrost. The compressor does...


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What can I do myself? DIY improvements.

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Friday, November 26, 2010,
The single most important thing you can do as the operator of a heating or air conditioning system is to change the filters every month. An air conditioner or heat pump needs to breathe! Your furnace or air handler is trying to distribute heating or cooling that you have bought and paid for already and you can help. There is no use in buying High Efficiency heating or cooling if you won't do your part. The useful life of a filter is about a month at my house, so I check the filter every time ...
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Should I buy a Service Agreement?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Friday, November 26, 2010,

 Hiring someone to repair and maintain an Hvac system is as personal as choosing a friend almost. You'll need to trust this person to tell you "what's wrong and how much?" you should spend on a repair. You probably don't know too awful much about how the heating / cooling system works from a mechanical standpoint so, you're (in effect) trusting the repairman with your wallet.

When I look to have something fixed, I want to talk to the actual mechanic who will do the work first. Answering servic...


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How long will my system last?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Friday, November 26, 2010,
  • A new, high efficiency, 13 SEER air conditioner uses about half the energy of a 15-year-old air conditioner. If your air conditioner is 10 years old or less, maintain it well and keep it. If it is between 10 to 15 years old, minor repairs and service are still acceptable. If the air conditioner is 10 to 15 years old or older and needs substantial repairs, your best alternative is to replace it with a new, high efficiency system.
  • Turn air conditioners to the highest comfortable setting. We re...

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About a New Thermostat?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Friday, November 26, 2010,

What's a digital thermostat?

Digital thermostats are energy saving devices that are manually programmable to allow users to control temperature settings. They can be used with most heating and cooling devices.

How does a digital thermostat work?

A digital system can automatically store and repeat settings while still allowing for the option of manual override. These thermostats provide occupants with a more comfortable house temperature during waking and sleeping hours by automatically turning t...


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Should I have my ducts cleaned?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Friday, November 26, 2010,
This is a question that may cause me a lot of grief personally, I have every thought that someone who runs a duct cleaning service will get together with the "duct cleaners of America" and show up under my balcony with torches. So let me say that I live to learn and will research further anywhere you tell me to look, except in your sales literature of course. I think I'll pause for a cup of tea from that kettle on my stove (I am the writer and the photographer on this website). My observation...
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How well do the new Air Cleaners work?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Friday, November 26, 2010,
Air filters come in many flavors. There is only one kind with the potential to damage your system, I'll get to that one in a minute. Lets start with the one that comes in the furnace or air conditioner. This variety of filter has a job, it's to protect the equipment from relatively large hunks of dirt that will invade the air circulation wheel and motor eventually insulating it with a coat of dust and pet hair. It's better than no filter and thats all that can honestly be said for it. If you ...
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Do I need a Humidfier?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Friday, November 26, 2010,
Whole house Humidifiers, Room Humidifiers,Vaporizers?

Heating and air conditioning service and repair should be more than just cleaning furnaces and adjusting Freon pressures.
It's important to get the get the heating or cooling equipment in order of course, but that's mostly about equipment life and keeping energy bills under control. Once the repairs are completed its time to take a look at home comfort. Let's take a look at humidifiers now, and later on air cleaners.

I hope you'll read on a ...

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What is the right Temperature?

Posted by Edward Mack Cline on Wednesday, November 24, 2010,
Where should I set my thermostat?

 Usually when the repair or service visit is just about complete, during the final testing of the system from the thermostat the home owner asks what the "right setting" for their thermostat is? The most usual answer is "wherever you are comfortable." or "Well, I set my thermostat at about...". and it seems to keep the house comfortable.

 There is a lot of truth in the first answer, and the second is very dependent on who is giving the advice. The better questi...
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About Me, I'm building this in real time, meanwhile please go to contact page for answers..thanks ed cline


Have a question? Call 919-630-1776. Or write to me!

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Rainbow Services Raleigh NC at Chesterbrook Ct. Raleigh NC 27615 services these Raleigh Neighborhood Zips. 

Central Raleigh 27601, East Raleigh 27604, Falls of Neuse 27609, Five points 27608 and 27605,  Glenwood 27609, 27608, 27612, 27607, Hillsborough 27605, 27607, 27608 Mordecai 27604, North Raleigh 27609, 27613, 27615,  North Central Raleigh 27601, 27610, Northeast Raleigh 27604, 27616, Northwest Raleigh  27613, 27617, Six Forks 27609, 27612 South Raleigh 27610, South Central Raleigh 27610 Southeast Raleigh 27610, Southwest Raleigh  27606, Wade 27607, 27608 West Raleigh 27606, 27607. In 27603 we service the northern part a few miles past the 401 70 split, or a bit past the Walmart is our service area border. Any service coupon or quoted service is confined to these areas.

About Knightdale and Cary. Rainbow Services  27511, 27513 along the edges that border Raleigh and 27545 to within a few miles past 540. There are no discounts available for these areas, however just plain good repair work at a fair price is available for these zip codes  bordering our repair service area.