B&B Air Conditioning & Heating Service Blog: Archive for the ‘Virginia’ Category

PSA | R-22 Availability Outlook

Tuesday, January 4th, 2022

This is a “PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT” from B&B Air Conditioning & Heating Service Co., Inc. to our highly valued clientele on the availability and the future outlook of HCFC-22 refrigerant or as the industry calls it, R-22 or Freon. If your current residential or commercial air conditioner or heat pump system was manufactured before 2008, then your system may utilize HCFC-22.

Section 605 of the Clean Air Act establishes the U.S. phaseout targets for Class II substances. In 1993, EPA established the phaseout framework and the “worst-first” approach, which focused first on HCFC-22, HCFC-141b, and HCFC-142b because they have the highest ozone depletion potentials of all HCFCs. The phaseout schedule has drastically diminished the availability of HCFC-22 and has exponentially driven up the overall cost of this refrigerant over the past two years.

What does this mean to you? Well, if your equipment utilizes HCFC-22 and you experience a malfunction in the refrigeration circuit, then you will have a very serious decision to consider.  The cost associated in repairing older systems is extremely difficult to justify because of the pricing of HCFC-22.   Currently, HCFC-22 has a price range of $250.00 to $300.00 per pound and many of our suppliers have quit handling the product due to the high cost associated with maintaining inventory. The average residential air conditioning or heat pump system uses approximately 8-12 lbs to provide the required cooling capacity, and we anticipate the cost to continue to escalate as we approach the spring/summer of 2022.

The other alternative to repairing your antiquated air conditioning or heat pump system is to have new updated equipment installed that doesn’t use HCFC-22 refrigerant. All equipment manufactured after 2008 required the implementation of an alternative refrigerant. Currently, the HVAC industry is using HFC-410A or R-410A which is a “chlorine-free” based refrigerant and is much safer on the atmosphere.

Updating homeowner’s equipment is not as easy as it sounds today. Each and every person in the United States are experiencing some sort of supply chain issue. The manufacturers of HVAC equipment are having the same dilemmas. Copper, steel & aluminum are critical materials that manufacturers use to build their products. These supply chain issues have drastically reduced the production of HVAC equipment and it is our understanding that the availability of air conditioning & heating equipment will only worsen as we enter 2022.

B&B Air Conditioning & Heating Service Co., Inc. has been in business since 1957 and has grown to be one of the largest HVAC service companies in the Washington/Baltimore Metro area. This enormous feat could not have been accomplished without keeping our clients informed with real issues that are relevant to this industry today.

If your HVAC equipment was manufactured prior to 2008, we are strongly urging our customers to consider proactively exploring the age of your HVAC equipment before a problem arises. If you don’t know when your equipment was manufactured, then please contact us and we can research your service information so we can aid in determining the age of your equipment, and if necessary provide you with a free at-home solution.

Christopher F. Ghanayem

Executive Vice President

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How to Tell Your Water Heater Is Dying

Monday, October 18th, 2021
water-heater

You don’t want to be trapped with a failed water heater, because losing hot water in your house will throw off your day. The good news is that water heaters rarely fail without giving off warnings, and if you catch those warnings in time, you can call for water heater repairs in Fairfax, VA to see if the unit can be fixed.

For an older water heater (we’ll get into that more below), scheduling a replacement is often the better choice. But at least you’ll have the replacement done on your schedule rather than a failed water heater forcing you to do it on its schedule.

We’ve put together a list of ways to tell you may have a water heater heading for failure. Follow us below and we’ll help you see into the future of your water heater.

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The Best Benefits of Installing a Tankless Water Heater

Monday, July 12th, 2021
tankless-water-heater

Whether you are taking a shower, cooking food, washing your hands, or taking a hot bath, the water heater you bought ensures you have the necessary hot water. Having to spend so much on energy bills due to a tank-style water heater might not make much sense during the hot summer months.

What if we told you that there is a way to significantly save on your energy bill without having to turn off your home’s hot water supply? That is one of the several benefits of switching to tankless water heaters.

Water heaters in Chantilly, VA do not get better than tankless water heaters. These units are also known as on-demand water heaters that heat water only when you need it, reducing wasted heat and energy. Let’s discuss the benefits of tankless water heaters so you can understand why it might be better to upgrade to a tankless water heater for your home.

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The Top 6 Warnings You Need Air Conditioner Repair

Monday, May 17th, 2021
old-ac

As warm weather settles in, you’ll rely more often on your home’s air conditioner to keep your family cool. Like any machine, too much strain on an AC system can cause it to break down or malfunction and provide substandard cooling. 

As the summer starts and you make more requests of your air conditioning system, it’s a good idea to know the signs that you need to call us for air conditioning repair in Fairfax, VA. The sooner you get a problem addressed, the better it is for the AC as a whole.

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Is a Heat Pump as Effective at Cooling as an Air Conditioner?

Monday, May 3rd, 2021
heat-pump

If you’ve never used a heat pump for home comfort before, you’ll likely have many questions about them. Most people in our area grew up in homes that used a combination of a furnace (gas or electric) and an air conditioner, usually housed in the same cabinet and using the same blower fan. A heat pump replaces both the air conditioner and furnace, working as a home’s combined cooling and heating system. It’s a great convenience, and if installed properly a heat pump can be a money-saving addition to a house. 

But can a heat pump do as effective a job at heating and cooling as either a furnace or an air conditioner? Does the two-in-one functionality mean sacrificing power? Since summer is coming up, we’ll address the question of cooling first (and we will have a little to say about heating at the end).

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AC Sizing: It’s Why You Need Pros to Install Your Air Conditioner

Monday, April 19th, 2021
air-conditioner-condenser-3D-render

‘Tis the season to install a new air conditioning system! (Well, if you need one at least. If you aren’t sure, please call our technicians to ask them if an air conditioning installation in Fairfax, VA is something you should have done this spring.) With the summer weather not far away, now is a good time to take advantage of the relatively mild weather and go over your options to replace your old AC. And then take this simple quiz:

The easiest way to install a new AC is to…

  1. Do it yourself. There are plenty of online tutorials that make it a snap!
  2. Get Phil to do it. You know, Phil. That guy who says he can install anything as good as a pro.
  3. Call licensed and professionals HVAC technicians to handle the service.

The right answer is…

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