Posts By: Grant Meagher

Why Los Alamitos Homeowners Need Reliable AC Repair

Los Alamitos summers hit 90 degrees regularly. When your air conditioning fails, comfort evaporates fast.

You face a choice: attempt a DIY fix or call a professional. The risk of a wrong move is high. One mistake can damage the compressor, which costs $1,500 or more to replace.

Knowing when to call a pro saves money and prevents bigger problems down the line.

Common AC Problems in the Los Alamitos Area

Refrigerant leaks. Low refrigerant reduces cooling power. Your AC runs but doesn’t cool. This needs professional repair. Patching the leak and recharging the system requires EPA-certified technicians.

Frozen evaporator coils. Restricted airflow or low refrigerant causes coils to freeze. The system shuts down to prevent damage. Clearing the blockage or fixing the root cause requires professional diagnosis.

Compressor failures. The compressor is the heart of your AC. If it fails, cooling stops completely. Replacement is expensive. Catching problems early (through regular maintenance) prevents this.

Electrical issues. Faulty capacitors, relays, or wiring cause the system to not start or cycle off unexpectedly. Electrical work requires licensed technicians.

Clogged filters and dirty coils. These reduce efficiency but are easy fixes. Change filters monthly and have coils cleaned annually.

DIY Checks You Can Do Right Now

Check your thermostat. Ensure it’s set to “cool” and the temperature is below room temperature. Sometimes the fix is that simple.

Inspect the air filter. A clogged filter restricts airflow and triggers shutdowns. Replace it if it’s gray or brown. This takes five minutes.

Clear outdoor condenser debris. Leaves, dirt, and branches reduce airflow around the outdoor unit. Gently remove visible blockages.

Check the breaker. Is the AC breaker tripped in your electrical panel? Reset it and test the system.

These checks handle 30% of AC complaints. If they don’t work, call a professional.

When You Need Professional AC Repair

AC doesn’t cool despite filter and thermostat checks. This signals refrigerant loss, compressor issues, or electrical problems.

Strange noises from the outdoor unit. Grinding, squealing, or rattling indicate mechanical problems. Continuing operation risks damage.

Water pooling near the indoor unit. The condensate drain is clogged. While sometimes cleanable, it often indicates deeper issues.

Burning smell. This is urgent. Shut the system off immediately and call a technician. Electrical fires are rare but dangerous.

System cycles on and off rapidly. This wastes energy and stresses components. Professional diagnosis is needed.

Getting Reliable AC Repair in Los Alamitos

Choose a licensed, insured contractor with local experience. Ask about their warranty on repairs. Most reputable shops guarantee labor for 12 months.

Get a written estimate before work starts. It should itemize parts and labor. Transparent contractors build trust.

Ask about preventive maintenance plans. Regular tune-ups catch issues early and extend system lifespan by years.

Thomson Air Conditioning serves Los Alamitos and the surrounding area. Our technicians are certified and equipped for any AC repair. Same-day service available for emergencies.

Call (562) 373-2386 or visit our contact page to schedule service. We’re here to get your AC running again.

Tips For A Hassle-Free AC Installation

Are You Ready For The Summer?

Summer is around the corner! Most U.S. states leave the freezing weather behind. Are you ready for the sun-soaked dry season? As I’m sure you know all too well states like California can get really hot when the summer sets in for good.

In 2016, California broke its 122-year record of having the warmest months between June and August. During these months, the average temperature was 75.5°F. Keeping in mind the historical monthly average of summer temperature, brace yourself for another scorching season.

Well, this is not a climate report, but rather a reminder that you should be ready to take on the California heat, and it starts with your home.

If you, for example, live in and around Huntington Beach, where the mercury is already touching an average of 95°F (Max), it’s just about time to get the air conditioning in your home up and running. After all, you don’t want to power through those sweaty, humid uncomfortable nights due to persistent heat.

Chances are your current AC won’t last this summer, especially if you haven’t serviced it for a long period of time. Contact an HVAC contractor for a new air conditioning installation in Huntington Beach, CA today and make sure that you and your loved ones will be taken care of for good.

How Choosing The Right HVAC Contractor Can Make A Difference?

To make sure that your AC unit provides enough cooling throughout the summer, you need to consult an HVAC contractor who understands building architecture well and will install your air conditioning system by using a structured method.

An AC is only one of the many components that help with the cooling of your home. Other elements such as air leakage, insulation, and solar gain through windows, duct leakage, and radiant heat problems in the rooms also affect the comfort, health, durability, and energy-efficiency of your home.

Keep in mind that the installation process is different based on the type of AC unit you purchase, your home’s features, and your HVAC contractor. Be it central air conditioning or ductless air conditioning, an experienced contractor will make sure that you have a cool and comfortable summer.

Things To Consider And Do Before AC Installation

There are some basic procedures that you may need to follow during air conditioning installation in Huntington Beach, CA.

Getting familiar with the process will help you understand the work to be done, so that you can ask your contractor relevant questions. Here are some general installation steps that you can expect from your contractor:

• Haul away your old air conditioner materials, and clear all the debris before installing a new unit.
• Get proper permits and schedule an inspection by the relevant authority in your city.
• Install a new ductwork (if required), or prepare the existing one to use with the new system.
• Make sure that electrical, refrigeration lines and piping are safely connected.
• Install a new thermostat or make sure the old thermostat is in working condition.
• Charge and start the new AC unit after checking the manufacturer’s specifications.
• Carry out a post-installation inspection before final inspection.

These are basic yet key steps for seamless installation process that will equip you to sustain the summer heat pretty well.

Conclusion

Before installing a new AC unit, you need to decide which type of system will be better for your home. Window units, for example, are heavy and difficult to install. They occupy lots of storage space in the seasons like winter and fall.

Central AC, on the other hand, can get you efficient cooling with even air distribution in every room. However, these systems require significant maintenance. Discuss everything with a reputable HVAC contractor to make the right choice.

For air conditioning installation in Huntington Beach, CA, call us today at (562) 201-3014, and our specialists will assist you.

5 Hacks To Keep The Heating Bill Low

The ideal situation for any house during the chilly cold nights is to be warm at night with absolutely no cost, but we all know that it seldom happens this way, unless you live on another planet. There are some tricks that anyone can use to keep a house warm during the coldest night of the year and not have to cut a limb off to achieve it.

Keeping the heat in

When it gets cold outside, most of the heat in a building is lost through the windows and any other openings, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem. The first trick is to keep the heat inside the house, otherwise, if a furnace produces warmth and it flows right outside, spending money on heat is a waste. Sealing all openings tight so that no air gets in or out without your permission will make sure you don’t lose valuable heat. Sometimes gaps are obvious and visible, and often, when they are in the attic or under the house, they need to be spotted by a trained professional. Be sure to let us know if your heat is escaping your home too rapidly, or if you feel like you have an abnormally “drafty” house. It may not be as difficult as you might think to improve this.

Insulation

Like a good blanket on a cold day, insulation doesn’t cost anything to be effective. However, the absence of insulation can really add up the costs. In Southern California, it was not until recently that homes were even required to have ANY insulation. So you could be effectively producing enough heat to meet the needs of your home only to have it lost due to a lack of insulation or insulation that is poorly performing. I’ve seen instances where insulation has paid for itself in a matter of months.

[Added bonus: Good insulation also helps keep the noise levels down too]

Program your thermostat

Even if you have a perfectly constructed home, the simple act of programming your thermostat could save you as much as 50% of your heating costs, according to Energystar.com. Programming your thermostat to allow your furnace to rest while you are asleep and while you are away is a great place to start. This doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice comfort. Good programming and a current model thermostat will make sure that your home is nice and toasty before you wake up and before you arrive home. Consider getting a Wi-Fi enabled thermostat to allow you to operate your system when you’re away from the house giving you even more customization and available options. Read more about: What Kind Of Thermostats Are There?

Sources of heat

Explore as many options as you can when it comes to providing heat to your home. Different areas of the country have different utility rates. It may help lower your bill to switch from gas to electric or from electric to gas. As wood burning fires are getting more regulated and restricted, it may be wise to consider alternatives to the method you’re currently using. The switch of many homes to solar allows for many old gas furnace homeowners to switch to heat pumps and electric forms of heat.

Maintaining your Furnace

Since air is the way most of our furnaces transmit the heat throughout our homes, keeping your air filter, blower compartment and coils clean is perhaps the simple most effective way to keep your costs down (especially if you’ve checked all the other stuff off this list). A gas valve out of adjustment and many other components to a heating system need maintenance and tuning. Southern California Edison released an article showing that homeowners can save up to %75 by maintaining their systems regularly. It should be noted that not maintaining your furnace is the fastest way to shorten its life expectancy.

Conclusion

Keeping the energy bill low is realistic only if the all of the advice above is applied effectively. Call Thomson Air Conditioning at (562) 201-3014 if you’d like us to do a service call for you!

7 Causes Of Temperature Imbalances In The Home

We’ve recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Keen Home, a new company that is working hard at providing new technology to the connected home and the HVAC system. Because I was asked to “read over their” article to proofread for technical accuracy, they have been so kind as to mention Thomson Air Conditioning in their post. They did a great job at quickly and simply breaking down some HVAC misconceptions. I highly recommend that each of you read their post.

“7 Causes of Temperature Imbalance In The Home”

I’m very excited to be working with Keen Home on any level at this point, based on what I’ve seen so far from their organization, and am excited to see how their partnership with Nest thermostats develops in the future. Please take some time to read their article and see what can be done to help balance the temperature in your home.

As always, if you would like to have us out to your home for free to consult with you on these or any other needs you may have, please contact us.

Ductless Heat Pump Installation In Church Sanctuary

When it comes to Air Conditioning systems, some are very straightforward, yet others require a great amount of precision and attention to detail… Such is the case with Los Altos Grace Bretheren Church.

We needed to use systems that would complement the integrity of this beautiful church building. They needed to be quiet, they needed to look good… and yet they still need to cool this MASSIVE amount of space.

Traditional ducted systems were expensive, noisy, and yet still very inefficient. Yet with Daikin’s lineup of ductless products, we were able to design a system that would meet not only the budgetary requirements of this church but would be relatively silent, and equally powerful and continue saving them energy for the entire life of the product.

We mounted three systems above the stage; two up front to cool the front half of the seating area, and one painted black behind the cross to cool the people on stage. This gave us an incredible TEN tons of cooling power for the front of the house. In the back of the space, we hung two, three-ton wall-mounted units, giving this area a combined total of sixteen tons of cooling power.

With these variable speeds, silent, and zone-controlled systems, this sanctuary is ready and will be more comfortable than ever before.

Question: Why Does My AC System Blow Fuses Or Air Your Conditioner Trips The Breaker?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXO4EKwtnJw

If your AC system blows fuses or air your conditioner trips the breaker, there are a few things you can try at home. As always, Thomson Air Conditioning is here to help. There are many reasons for this problem to exist. below is a short list of things to check, change or do before you call a professional. If for any reason, you feel uncomfortable with any of these items, please call us and we will assist you with the process.

Your Condensing Coil Could Be Dirty

If your fuse is blowing or your breaker is tripping, you could just have a bunch of dirt clogging the condensing coil. This part of your system exists to cool off the refrigerant as it travels through the system. If the condensing coil gets clogged, the refrigerant will overheat and it will shut off on high head pressure. Some coils are easier to clean than others. If you feel your condensing coil needs professional cleaning, click here to set up an appointment, and we will handle it.

Power Fluctuations May Have Tripped Your Breaker

Common during periods of high usage and “brownouts” this repair is easy. Simply reset your breaker. This is very uncommon. However, in some cases, when voltage drops, amperage must go up to keep your system running. Try resetting your breaker at your electrical panel and see if this does the trick.

Direct Short To Ground

A direct short to ground happens during an equipment failure. A break in one of your wires is another reason. Grounded wires are a problem. In this case, call the professionals. You can identify this at home by resetting your breaker at the panel. If it trips quickly after resetting, don’t simply repeat this process. Breakers exist for your home’s protection. Do not attempt to override this safety feature.

Overcharged With Refrigerant Or Capacitor Failure

In this event, the unit will try to start up. You will hear a buzzing or humming sound coming from the motors. This sound will only last a few seconds before quitting. Often, at this point, your breaker will trip. This indicates your system is trying to start, but can’t for some reason. It could be high head pressure. It could be a bad capacitor, or it could just be old and dying. At any rate, this must be diagnosed by a professional. 

Old Fuses

If the fuses in your service disconnect are old, it is possible for them to fail on their own. A blown fuse most commonly points to a more serious problem, but could in fact just need to be replaced. Simply turn off the power to the disconnect appliance from the breaker panel and change the fuses. Most fuses for air conditioners can be found at your local hardware store.

Arcing Wires Or Loose Wire Connections

When a wiring connection is loose, it will arc. When this occurs, the wires can heat up and trip the breaker or fuses. Fuses and breakers exist for this very reason, check all wiring connections on the connected circuit and make sure none of the terminals, lugs, or wire nuts are loose. This could prevent an electrical fire. If you suspect you have a problem with your wiring, please get it checked out by a professional. Electricians are extremely capable of helping you with this repair.

Electricity is nothing to play with! ALWAYS use a licensed electrician or AC contractor as appropriate.

If your AC system blows fuses or air your conditioner trips the breaker, Call Us at (562) 201-3014 and we will help.