Serving Montgomery County & Vicinity
Free Estimates on Replacement Equipment & Free Second Opinions
301-670-0034
Shop fresh and local at the Bethesda FRESHFARM Market. The market is open every Saturday from May through October, rain or shine. From 9am to 1pm stroll Northfolk Avenue between Farimont and St. Elmo Ave to purchase artisan breads and cheeses, fresh produce, and more.
Tuckers Air Conditioning and Heating is proud to provide heating, air conditioning, and indoor air quality services to the citizens of Bethesda and Montgomery County, Maryland.
Your HVAC system is a complex system filled with vital components tasked with keeping you comfortable. One of the most important of those component is the air handler – the device responsible for circulating the heated or cooled air produced by your system through the vents in your home and into each of your rooms.
The air handler is a metal box, usually consisting of a blower and the heating or cooling elements. It might also include dampers and sound attenuators along with an air filtration and humidity control system. The simplest air handlers are designed only to transfer the heated or cooled air to the various parts of your home, while the most advanced devices are designed to perfectly condition and clean that air as it is circulated.
There are a few different types of air handler as well, depending on the size of the HVAC system and the nature of the heating and/or cooling used. Most homes, for example, use terminal units which consist of just an air filter, blower and coil. This very simple system is all you really need to heat and transmit air through your ductwork.
However, for larger systems, there are also makeup air units which use outdoor air instead of recirculated indoor air. There are also packaged and rooftop units which are designed to be placed outside. These devices are most commonly used for commercial applications when space is limited.
An air handler’s most basic component is a blower fan. This device is run by an AC electric motor and can be either single speed or variable speed depending on the size and scope of your air handler. The dampers on the fan will control the flow rate of the air going through the blower fan. Most residential blowers are part of the air conditioning or furnace system, while commercial systems often have multiple blowers to maintain steady airflow for a larger space.
Because an air handler passes all of the air that will go through your vents, it is the best place to install high quality MERV or HEPA filters to remove pathogens and contaminants. It is also a good place to install humidity control devices to either raise or lower humidity depending on the time of the year.
Your air handler is an incredibly important component in your home heating and cooling system. Without it, all that heated and cooled air you pay for each year wouldn’t reach you. So, make sure to keep your system in tip top condition. If you need any air conditioning service in Gaithersburg, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call at 301-670-0034!
It has been about 200 years since the arrival of interchangeable parts during the Industrial Revolution. Today, we laud being able to take a malfunctioning part from a car, computer or vacuum cleaner, replace it with a newly minted part from any number of manufacturers, then keep right on plugging along.
Although this is a blessing in most arenas, when it comes to the HVAC system in your Silver Spring home, it is not necessarily a good practice. Heating and cooling systems work best when they are matched – but what does that mean? And why does it matter?
When referring to HVAC systems, a matched system is one in which various components are designed to work together. For example, an air conditioner and furnace made by the same manufacturer can be matched, as can a furnace and a heat pump.
Typically, the matching is done in such a way that the “outdoor” components, such as air conditioners and heat pumps are designed to work best with their “indoor” partners, like air handlers and furnaces. There are also matched systems in which every component is matched to every other.
While this may seem to make maintenance and repairs a pain, the practice provides a big boost to the efficiency of the system. Because the components were designed and manufactured by the same team to work in harmony, the system performs optimally. Although you can often replace one component of a matched system with one from another manufacturer and have it work fine, the system can lose efficiency, often to a significant and noticeable extent.
For these reasons, it is best to make use of matched systems in your home whenever possible. This means choosing a new matched system to install, replacing broken parts with ones that match the rest of the system and even replacing older systems with newer ones to properly match, when necessary.
It may seem like a hassle at first, but it saves money in the long run by adding increased efficiency over unmatched systems. For more information about how to keep your HVAC system working at peak efficiency, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call at 301-670-0034!
We have received so many wonderful comment and reviews on our site and on Facebook. We would like to take the time to say thank you to all of our wonderful customers!
“If you want great service by experienced technicians, then call Tuckers. They service the units of my residence, rental and commercial properties. Highly recommended!!”
“Great company.”
“Over many, many years they have provided us with the best service We would never consider calling anyone else. ”
“With the cold weather we had early this week, we were glad that Tuckers as our HVAC contractor. The service contract we have with Tuckers is piece of mind that I’ll be comfortable all winter!! Thanks guys!!”
” We highly recommend them!”
At Tuckers Air Conditioning and Heating we are dedicated to all of your residential HVAC needs. We work hard to provide our customers with the customer service that they deserve, while providing top air conditioning, heating, and indoor air quality services.
Ductless splits air conditioners are designed to eliminate the need for ductwork in a home where space is at a premium. Usually homeowners with older homes – those built before the 1970s – have very little space to work with when it comes to installing the ductwork a traditional central air conditioning system requires. These homes are often heated with radiant boiler systems and have window units to provide cooling in warmer weather. As a result, cooling costs can be extremely high each summer and the house usually isn’t comfortable during these months.
Ductless air conditioning offers a solution to most of these problems. Not only does the technology not require ductwork to be installed; it allows for multiple in-room units on a single compressor and it costs significantly less to operate compared to window AC units.
Ductless air conditioning systems consist of two major components: a compressor which is placed outside and indoor evaporators. With the use of inverter technology, these systems can support multiple evaporators – usually as many as four to a single condenser. This means you can have a single outdoor unit supporting cooling four separate rooms of your home at the same time.
Each of those indoor evaporators acts as a heat pump, allowing you to both heat and cool the room year round. And because the only connection needed between evaporator and condenser is a single refrigerant line, the installation is much simpler than it would be for a ductwork based central AC system.
While the primary benefit of a ductless system is the fact that it allows you to install air conditioning in multiple rooms of your house without the need for ductwork, there are other benefits. Not only do you get a much higher energy efficiency rating than you would with traditional window units (many ductless systems are rated at 16 SEER or higher while window units are frequently as low as 10 or 11), but you can control each unit individually. So if a room upstairs doesn’t need to be cooled during the afternoon hours, simply turn off the thermostat in that part of the house and save money.
There are some factors to consider when installing a ductless system. How many rooms do you need cooled? How warm does it get in the summer? Will the system be used for heating in the winter? These are all things you may want to discuss in greater detail with your contractor when you call for an estimate. For more information about having a ductless split air conditioning system installed in Gaithersburg, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call at 301-670-0034!
Tuckers is now proud to be the only contractor offering a 15 Year Part & Labor warranty. Along with our Lifetime Unit replacement when a compressor or heat exchanger fails, your next purchase of HVAC equipment could be your last.
Earth Day will be here soon, so you’ll want to start thinking of ways you can help the environment. This year, celebrate earth day by making a commitment to start saving energy. Even the smallest improvements, such as using compact florescent lights and installing programmable thermostats, can add up over time. Remember that routine maintenance for your HVAC system can help save energy, and you always have the option of getting a professional energy audit to help you resolve home performance issues.
Your air conditioner is filled with a chemical compound called refrigerant. This substance is what allows your air conditioner to remove heat from and dehumidify your home. It is a necessity, but it is also a dangerous chemical that, if released, can cause damage to the environment and pose health risks to your family.
There are many types of refrigerant but most air conditioners use either R-22 or Freon coolant – depending on their age. Newer air conditioners may use R410-A refrigerant, an environmentally safer alternative.
All of these refrigerant types are chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs. These chemicals are controlled substances by the Environmental Protection Agency, meaning they must be properly removed and disposed of. Because your air conditioner does not consume any of coolant in operation, it should never need to be refilled unless there is a leak. Such a leak should be stopped immediately due to the immense damage CFCs can do to the environment.
If you suspect a leak, you should call a Bethesda air conditioning professional immediately to inspect your air conditioner.
Beyond the environmental and health issues posed by a refrigerant leak, the biggest problem you will face is damage such leaks can cause to your air conditioner. Low refrigerant levels put undue stress on your compressor and can lead to damage in almost every part of the device.
Not only that but the air conditioner won’t work as efficiently. A 10% loss in refrigerant volume can result in up to a 20% increase in electricity cost to run your air conditioner.
If you suspect a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner, take action immediately. Call a certified Bethesda HVAC technician who can recapture the escaped gasses and seal the leak fast. It is important not just for your safety but for the wellbeing of the environment.
For any repairs to your air conditioning system, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call a 301-670-0034!
Gaithersburg air conditioners cost money to operate – even more when they don’t work at 100% efficiency. So, it is important to perform the various regular maintenance tasks that ensure the system uses as little electricity as possible. The first thing on your list (and the easiest) is cleaning those filters.
Did you know that you can lower your air conditioner’s energy use by up to 15 percent by just keeping your filters clean? While that might seem surprising, it actually makes a lot of sense when you consider how the filter works.
The filter on your Gaithersburg AC captures dust and debris that is circulated through your system. If you didn’t have a filter at all, the dust and dirt would not only cause problems with some of the mechanical parts of your AC but also reduce your indoor air quality. However, when a filter is clogged, your HVAC system has to work harder to draw air in. Your motor will need more electricity for the same amount of cooling.
It takes very little to clog the filter of an AC unit, especially if it is running 24 hours a day for two or three months out of the year. So, it’s best to check your filters once every 30 days regardless of what type of filter you are using.
The main filter on your AC unit should be checked along with any air handler filters and any air cleaner filters you have installed in your system. Another thing to consider is the condition of your home and the area around your outdoor condenser. If you have pets, lots of plants or your condenser is located in a dusty area, you may need to check and change those filters even more often.
Most filters are located along the return length of the ductwork – sometimes in ceiling ducts and walls, though they may also be located in your furnace’s air handler or inside the air conditioning unit. If you have window units or mini splits, the filters are frequently in the unit.
Clean air filters are important for your health, your wallet and the longevity of your AC system. Stay on top of them and you will save money in more ways than you might expect. If you have any quesitons about how to best maintain your air conditioner this summer, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call today!
The vent system in your home is vital to the operation of your Frederick HVAC system. Without successful ventilation, your home won’t have the necessary clean air to keep you and your family healthy. So, what does proper ventilation require and how can you ensure your home has it? Here are some quick tips.
Proper ventilation should result in even air pressure in your home to avoid problems with gas pilot lights. It should also be as energy efficient as possible and provide clean air through proper filtration and cleaning of the air that comes in. The best way to ensure your home has the ventilation needed to stay comfortable and safe for your entire family is to check the total size of the home and then measure the concentrations of certain pollutants like dander, pollen and smoke. A Frederick air conditioning contractor can provide these services for you. 
Ventilation is very important, but it is also important to remember energy loss. Since ventilation obviously involves moving air in and out of your house, you lose some of conditioned air that your is produced by your furnace or air conditioner, which makes them work harder to maintain the temperature.
To solve this problem, you should think about getting an energy recovery ventilator. Energy recovery ventilators transfer heat from one environment to another, so you are able to get fresh air into your home without worrying about raising your utility bills. In the winter, it transfers the heat to from the air going out to the air going in, and in the summer it will do the opposite. Its an excellent way to get great indoor air quality without putting extra strain on your HVAC system.
Proper ventilation should not only provide fresh air, but it should also ensure your home has clean air. The air outside may be fresher, but it can be filled with pollutants like pollen, dander and smoke. These should be removed before they get inside and into the lungs of your loved ones. To do this, you need a full sized air cleaning system that removes particles from the air down to 0.3 microns.
HEPA filters can do this, as will electronic air cleaners which can ionize and remove smoke and gas particles. Make sure you discuss filtration and cleaning with Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating during your next annual maintenance visit.
Photo by SDTeamCanada: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdteamcanada/6023947808/
April 20th-22nd is the annual Bethesda Literary Festival. The festival “will host an array of local and national authors, journalists and poets, as well as writing contests and poetry contests” and will feature “fascinating literary personalities who will read their work, talk about their craft and take part in discussions with other writers and audience members. All of the events are free and are held throughout downtown Bethesda”.
Tuckers Air Conditioning and Heating is proud to provide top quality service to the resident of Bethesda Maryland. If you live in Bethesda, MD, Tuckers is the place to come for all of your heating and air conditioning needs. Whether you’re in need of emergency repairs or you think you’re in the market for an entirely new system, we’ll work with you every step of the way. If you want to make sure your home is as comfortable as possible all winter long, give us a call today.
From the initial inspection, I didn’t feel pressured or oversold.
- Sandra F. in Bethesda, MD
Visa
MasterCard
Cash
Discover
American Express
Checks© 2011–2012 Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating, LLC. All rights reserved. View our Privacy Policy.
12-E Meem Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Office: 301-670-0034 Fax: 301-670-8357 | Maryland License# 16009
Join Us Online