Photo By Pixelwind at Shutterstock
If there’s something wrong with your AC system, you should call an AC repair company right away. The longer that you wait to call an AC repair company, the more severe the problem can get. In some situations, it might be too late to call an AC repair company. Instead, you’re going to need to find someone to replace your AC unit with a new one. This is much more costly than getting the unit repaired in the first place.
When you are getting the repairs from a Chattanooga, TN AC repair company, you should ask about whether there are any smart alternatives that you can choose. You don’t always need to find a replacement part that’s the same as the old one. Instead, you can sometimes ask the repair company to swap out the old part with a smart alternative that will be able to improve the overall energy efficiency of your home.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the smart alternatives that you can get. If you have any further questions or concerns, you can always contact the AC repair company and have one of their technicians walk you through the pros and cons of various options.
#1. Swap Out a Regular Thermostat with a Smart One
If your AC unit is not reaching the desired temperature, there’s a good chance that the problem lies with the thermostat. If the thermostat is malfunctioning, it may be registering a different temperature than the one that you have set. As a result, it won’t be cooling the air in your home to the desired temperature or it may not be kicking in because it doesn’t register the temperature inside the room at all.
When this happens, the best solution is to replace your thermostat with a new one. The AC repair company can usually get this done within an hour, as it is quite an easy fix. The only problem is that the AC repair company will need to find the right thermostat for your AC unit. Instead of replacing the thermostat with a new one that’s the same type, you can always ask the AC repair company to look for a compatible smart alternative.
A smart thermostat will not only register the temperature inside the room, but it can also adjust the AC settings automatically based on your preference and your geolocation. For example, if you are not at home, it can turn the AC off automatically, so it doesn’t use up any unnecessary energy. On the other hand, if you are close to your home, it could turn the AC on, so that your house is at an ideal temperature when you arrive.
Other Features of a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat can do a lot more than just keep track of the temperature and adjust its settings accordingly. It can also use geofencing location to determine who is in the home. Using this information, it can set the temperature of each room to a different temperature based on who is there. This will greatly improve the overall energy efficiency of the home, as well as the quality of living for the occupants.
Some smart thermostats will even compile and create data reports every week or every month. These reports can provide you with more insight to your energy usage, and will also alert you to any inefficiencies or issues that need to be addressed immediately.
#2. Switch to a Smart Remote
Have you been having difficulties trying to turn your AC on? It could be an electrical component inside or it could be because you have a faulty remote control. Instead of asking the AC repair company to fix your current remote or to find you a similar replacement, you can always ask the Chattanooga, TN AC repair company to find you a compatible smart remote.
A smart remote can connect your AC unit to your phone or tablet. It’ll be able to display the AC’s current system through an app, and you’ll be able to adjust all of the settings remotely. This means that you’ll be able to turn the AC off if you’re not at home. Some smart AC remotes are integrated with a smart thermostat; however, the features that are available will vary from one brand to another. If you’re not quite sure what you’ll be getting, talk with a representative from the AC repair company.
Another good thing about a smart AC remote is that you can pre-program certain patterns or settings for the AC to follow. For example, you might like it if you woke up in a cooler room. In that case, you can set the AC to turn on and cool the room down to a certain temperature at a specific time.
Smart Remote vs. Cheap IR Repeater
Some people may wonder whether they could just get a cheap IR repeater to do the same thing. The short answer to that question is that a cheap IR repeater can do some of the things that a smart AC remote can do, but not all of them.
A bond controller, which is a type IR repeater, can do something similar; however, it will have its own limitations. For example, it won’t come with a custom app that allows you to adjust the temperature, mode, and fan speed of the AC. You’d also have to build your own custom program for every function that you need.
While this may be appealing to those who are more technically inclined, the truth of the matter is that it’s a lot of work. With a smart AC remote controller, everything is already done for you, so you won’t have to worry about a thing. The apps are not only user-friendly, but they also often come up with excellent customer support should you run into any issues. Smart remotes will also often provide information about the humidity of the room, along with other types of data.
#3. Replace the Vents with Smart Alternatives
Sometimes, the problem may lie not with the AC unit, but with the vents. For example, if you find that the AC unit is no longer able to sustain the same type of cooling activity as before, it could be because of the vents. You might need a Chattanooga, TN professional to clean the vents or patch up a leak or crack.
Another smart upgrade that you can get is smart vents. If you have smart vents, you can control the flow of the air into the different rooms. This gives you more customization over the cooling capacity and ability of the AC. You can also adjust the temperature of each room to suit the needs of each individual. For example, while you might prefer a cooler room, your partner might prefer a warmer room. Smart vents can automatically detect who is in each room and adjust the settings in that way.
Replacing the vents with smart alternatives is actually quite simple and easy. If you live in an older building, replacing the vents with smart alternatives can really boost the overall energy efficiency of the entire unit. More importantly, it can also improve the market value of the property, as many potential buyers will be impressed with this new function when you put your property up for sale. It’ll also make your property stand out from the other options that are in the same area.
Integrate the AC with Other Smart Appliances
It’s always a good idea to get all of the upgrades that you need all at once. If you have called an AC repair company to your home to fix any problem, you should also ask the technician to integrate the AC with other smart appliances all at once. This way, you won’t have to try and figure out how to configure everything by yourself.
Most of the time, the technician from the AC repair company will also be more than happy to get everything integrated, as it will give them a better idea of whether all of the parts are compatible and whether your HVAC system is running efficiently or not. For example, you can integrate your smart AC with a smart AC ceiling fan or even smart blinds. For the latter, the smart system may close the blinds if it notices that a lot of heat is entering from the windows.
By integrating the various systems together, you’ll be able to improve the overall energy efficiency of your home by quite a bit. This can be quite beneficial for your AC system, as it will not need to work as hard to maintain and regulate the temperature inside each room. As a result, it’ll be less likely to need repairs in the future.
You can also integrate the AC with voice control. This means that you’ll be able to tell the AC to turn on without having to move a single muscle. Although this may seem a bit extravagant, it’s actually really convenient. Once you’ve installed the voice control, you really won’t want to go back.
Smart Repairs May Be Cheaper
Another thing to note is that smart repairs may actually be cheaper than replacing or repairing an old part. There are many government programs and rebates out there that will cover a portion of the cost of a smart repair. This means that you might actually spend less money on a smart repair than on a repair on an original part.
It can be difficult to really learn more about the various rebates and programs that are out there which is why you should find an AC repair company that’s knowledgeable in this field. Their technicians will be able to tell you what types of programs are available and how you can get the best deal possible. The AC repair company may even fill out the forms for you, so you won’t have to worry about anything. They’ll get the compensation for the repairs at a later date. This makes it a lot easier for many homeowners to upgrade their appliances.
If you’re not sure how much everything will cost, ask the HVAC company to do a breakdown of everything. They should provide information on not only the cost of the parts but also the cost of labor. While smart repairs may look more expensive on paper, you should also remember that they’ll often require fewer repairs and maintenance in the future. They’ll also improve the overall energy efficiency of your home, so you will have lower energy bills for the foreseeable future. In a sense, the smart alternatives pay for themselves in the long run.
Call Us for More Information
So many homeowners spend a lot of time improving the smartness of their HVAC unit. They install smart thermostats and other appliances that will reduce the carbon footprint of the household and improve the overall energy efficiency of everything in the household. It can also improve the overall quality of living as well for all occupants.
One of the best times to talk about an upgrade is when you need an AC repair company to come to fix a problem. It’s easy for the AC repair company to swap out an older part with a smarter alternative. The AC repair company in Chattanooga, TN might even be able to provide you with information on government rebates and programs that could help you save money on the upgrade.
Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air in Chattanooga, TN is an AC repair company that’s been around since 1989. We are able to provide full turnkey premium solutions and even budget-conscious repairs. We’ll be able to help you find the solutions that you are looking for. More importantly, our customers are always our top priority. Our goal is to make sure that you get honest answers to your questions, upfront pricing, and the best customer service around. That’s how we’ve become one of the top AC repair companies in Chattanooga, TN. For more information, call 423-668-0507.
