Author Archive | kurthartmann

About kurthartmann

Air conditioner service, repair, maintenance, and installation contractor in Fort Myers, Florida.

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AC Repairs From Last Summer

AC Repairs From Last Summer

 

Community Cooling’s summer was chock full of ac repairs.  As many folks in the SW Florida community dealt with the combination of heat, humidity, and unfavorable weather our phones  were quite busy with requests for a wide variety of not only ac repairs, but, we had our normal amounts of maintenance calls and installations as well.

AC repairs are cheaper than ac replacement! Community Cooling works with you to work within your budget.

 

 

We have a larger than normal number of calls where we found leaking coils.  It is our opinion that “they just ain’t making em like they used to.”  In an effort to keep their prices down, many ac companies have opted to have their coils made overseas, where the quality of materials used may be suspect.  If the increase in coil repairs is any indicator, that appears to be the case.

 

Damaged ac coils

 

Problems with coils almost always means you need refrigerant, and we have seen a lot of those calls as well.

 

Adding refrigerant to an air conditioner

Any given Summer we seem to see a large number of calls for ac repairs on iced up equipment.  This can be caused by a wide variety of reasons such as poor air flow, low levels of refrigerant, or a combination of weather related/thermostat issues.

 

iced up air conditioner 33

 

 

When you need ac repairs you want a trained technician to show up … NOT A SALESMAN!

Community Cooling new flagship service truck

Community Cooling and Heating has been serving Lee County Florida since 1970, and our long standing reputation for honesty and integrity is important to us!

We believe in putting our clients needs first, earning your trust, and making sure we provide a level of service that ensures you will call us again the next time!

Air Conditioner Compressor Repairs

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

Call Today For Reliable, Expert Service

239-267-2117

Post Irma AC Work

The past few weeks following Hurricane Irma have been busy for us. Aside from the normal, day to day repairs, services, and scheduled appointments that keep us hopping throughout the year we have also been facing a large number of calls related to Post Irma AC Work. High water and wind have wreaked havoc on many of our loyal clients HVAC equipment, and we have been extremely busy getting their air conditioners back up and running.

palm tree on park model home after Hurricane Irma

Park model home after Hurricane Irma

 

Customers in park model homes have really had it tough with post Irma ac work.  90% of park model homes have their ac ducts underneath the flooring, which makes those ducts susceptible to flooding when the water rises.  Even if somehow the ac is running, and blowing air, the fact that the air is entering the home by blowing over pooled water in the ducts (or even simply over damp duct material) means it is picking up moisture (humidity) before it even re-enters the home, which means that it will be difficult if not impossible to achieve the desired level of comfort.

Flooded or damp duct work makes a home nearly impossible to cool

Flooded duct work in park model home

 

Honest air conditioner repair means putting your clients needs first!

We take great pride in the QUALITY of our work! Too many contractors are in the trade just to make a quick buck, Community Cooling has always been about using knowledge and experience to provide service to our clients at a fair price. That business model has served us and our customers quite well for over 40 years! A substantial portion of our new clients come from previous clients who recommended us. That’s the best kind of marketing there is … word of mouth … friend to friend.

Community Cooling and Heating has been serving Lee County Florida since 1970, and our long standing reputation for honesty and integrity is important to us!

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner serve, repairs, or maintenance.

We believe in putting our clients needs first, earning your trust, and making sure we provide a level of service that ensures you will call us again the next time!

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

Call Today For Reliable, Expert Service

239-267-2117

Hurricane Irma Recovery

Hurricane Irma Recovery

Recovering from the impact of a storm like Hurricane Irma requires an entire community. State government, FPL, private contractors, FEMA, and volunteers from the private sector all working together with one common goal in mind … to restore the quality of life for the residents of Marco Island, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral, and all of SW Florida.

 

Trucks leaving Fplbase of operations in Bonita springs Florida sw Florida

FPL and contractors heading out for another day of restoring power.

 

Thanks to FPL, FEMA, and all contractors and volunteers for your assistance in

SW Florida’s Hurricane Irma Recovery!

Out of state contractors pitch in to help clear power line

 

 

Hurricane Irma Recovery doesn’t end with simply getting the water out, the power on, and clearing away the trees.  Outdoor equipment, such as air conditioners need to be checked thoroughly by a licensed contractor to ensure safe and efficient operation, not just for now, but, for the foreseeable future as well.  Exposure to water, tides, high winds, or impacts with flying debris can create a myriad of problems, both obvious and unseen, that can have a dire effect on …

the air you breathe

the level of comfort in your home

what you pay for that comfort monthly

the lifespan of the air conditioner

 

Community Cooling new flagship service truck

Call Today For Air Conditioner Service, Repair, Maintenance, and Installation

239-267-2117

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner serve, repairs, or maintenance.

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner service, repairs, or maintenance.

 

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Kurt Hartmann, Owner of Community Cooling and Heating

 

AC Service Ft Myers

Community Cooling and Heating Inc.
Air Conditioner Repair, Service
239-267-2117
Fort Myers, Florida
Serving Ft Myers and all of SW Florida since 1970

Hurricanes Floods Air Conditioners

Hurricanes Floods Air Conditioners

Fort Myers Estero and Bonita Springs air conditioners have seen a lot of moisture lately. In fact Many have been either partially or totally submerged as a result of recent storms. With hurricane Irma bearing down upon us now there is the likelihood for more of this kind of flooding.

After this kind of exposure to the elements it is extremely important to have your air conditioning equipment looked at by a licensed air conditioning contractor.  Exposure to water can knock an air conditioner out of position bending or crimping pipes or other components

Burned wires on compressor terminals

Park Model Homes, mobile homes,  any home that has the ductwork underneath the floor, certainly needs to be checked as that is a prime place for vegetative growth to thrive, go unoticed,  and potentially putting harmful spores into the air.  Air quality is a major concern after hurricanes & floods.  Air conditioners are perfect breeding grounds for many types of vegetative growths, that once they take root in your home, are very difficult to get out, and can often require a licensed mold remediation specialist.
Community Cooling and Heating can inspect your HVAC equipment make sure that it is functioning properly and safely and creating an environment that is safe for you and your family.

Hurricanes, floods, air conditioners combined with high winds and flying debris, can also create electrical hazards as well!

Community Cooling and Heating has been serving Lee County Florida since 1970, and our long standing reputation for honesty and integrity is important to us!

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner serve, repairs, or maintenance.

We believe in putting our clients needs first, earning your trust, and making sure we provide a level of service that ensures you will call us again the next time!

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

Call Today For Reliable, Expert Service

239-267-2117

Iced Up Air Conditioners

Iced Up Air Conditioners
Community Cooling
Air Conditioner Repair, Service, Maintenance
239-267-2117

Fort Myers, Florida

Iced Up Air Conditioners

Iced up air conditioners represent a large portion of the calls for service we recieve over the Summer months.  During the Summer our SW Florida air conditioners are fighting a never ending battle against outright oppressive heat.  If a few small things get out of alignment (such as air flow, refrigerant levels, run time, or humidity) the end result can too often be an iced up air conditioner, and insufficient levels of comfort inside the home or business in question.

iced up air conditioner 33

The two main causes of an air conditioner icing up are low levels of coolant, or insufficient air flow.  There are several reasons why these causes can occur, but, basically it usually boils down to the  Joule Thomson Effect.

Frozen over air conditioner

When an air conditioner is running, but, the air it is pushing out is not at the normal flow, or as cool as it should be, there is a good chance your air conditioners icing up. The problem is not going to reverse itself on its own!  It is always worth a try to turn the ac off for a few hours, let the ice melt, and the turn the air conditioner back on and see if the cooling is improved.  While the a/c is off is a good time to check/replace the air filter as insufficient air flow is one of the prime causes of iced up air conditioners.

 

Community Cooling and Heating has been serving Lee County Florida since 1970, and our long standing reputation for honesty and integrity is important to us!

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner serve, repairs, or maintenance.

We believe in putting our clients needs first, earning your trust, and making sure we provide a level of service that ensures you will call us again the next time!

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

Call Today For Reliable, Expert Service

239-267-2117

Air Conditioner Refrigerant Acidity

Air Conditioner Refrigerant Acidity

Community Cooling and Heating Inc.
Air Conditioner Repair, Service
239-267-2117
Fort Myers, Florida
Serving Ft Myers and all of SW Florida since 1970

 

Air conditioner refrigerant acidity often goes undetected and can wreak havok on your air conditioners compressor, the heart of your homes air conditioning system.  It is not unusual for acids to develop in the refrigerants of vapor compression refrigerators, heat pumps, and air conditioners which can severely shorten the life of the compressor and the refrigerant. These acids can be formed by chemical reactions within any of a myriad of combinations of components, Greases, oils, or any number of impurities that may have inadvertently entered your system.

Community Cooling new flagship service truck

In cases of excessive air conditioner refrigerant acidity the refrigerant acts as an abrasive as it passes through the compressor.  Checking for acid in the refrigerant lines on a regular basis is recommended for any air conditioner… however … that goes double if  you have had any recent major trouble with your air conditioner.

 

Often times seemingly unrelated issues like a burned out fan motor, elevated temperatures, or restricted air flow are enough to disrupt the acidic balance in your air conditioners refrigerant.  Once air conditioner refrigerant acidity reaches a certain level, the tendency will always be to get worse, as opposed to getting better.

ac acidity test

Air conditioner refrigerant acidity test

 

Community Cooling can quickly determine your air conditioners level of acidity, and restore it to manufacturers specifications.   Proper maintenance and inspection is always the best way to not only get the most use and longest life from your air condiyioning equipment, but also, to get the greatest level of cooling and comfort from it as well.

 

HIGHER THAN NORMAL ELECTRIC BILLS?

AIR CONDITIONER RUNS LONGER THAN IT SHOULD TO COOL YOUR HOME?

INSUFFICIENT COOLING IN YOUR HOME?

Not knowing why … IS COSTING YOU MONEY!

WE CAN HELP!

Call Today For Air Conditioner Service, Repair, Maintenance, and Installation

239-267-2117

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner serve, repairs, or maintenance.

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner service, repairs, or maintenance.

 

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Kurt Hartmann, Owner of Community Cooling and Heating

Vapor Barrier Keeps Moisture Out Cool Air In

Vapor Barrier Keeps Moisture Out Cool Air In

Community Cooling
Air Conditioner Repair, Service, Maintenance
239-267-2117

Fort Myers, Florida

A vapor barrier, for air conditioning purposes, would be any material, or combination of materials working together, to keep moisture from entering a specific area. ,  Vapor barriers typically come in the form off a plastic or foil sheet, that diminishes the ability of moisture to penetrate the living area through walls, ceilings and floors.

Florida heat and humidity make an effective vapor barrier

critical for park model home owners

repairing a vapor barrier under a mobile home

 

Many of our clients in park model homes think they have air conditioner trouble, when the real problem is that the vapor barrier under the home is allowing so much moisture to rise into their home that the air conditioner has to work full time just to keep up. In restoring the vapor barrier there is far less latent heat (in the form of moisture) for the air conditioner to contend with.

“… the best way to deal with moisture in the air is to not let it in, in the first place … an effective vapor barrier can do that!”

Kurt Hartmann

repairing a vapor barrier under a mobile home 2

Community Cooling and Heating has been serving Lee County Florida since 1970, and our long standing reputation for honesty and integrity is important to us!

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner serve, repairs, or maintenance.

We believe in putting our clients needs first, earning your trust, and making sure we provide a level of service that ensures you will call us again the next time!

Air Conditioner Compressor Repairs

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

Call Today For Reliable, Expert Service

239-267-2117

Time IS Now! Air Conditioner Service 2017

Air conditioner service is the number one factor in determining how comfortable your home will be during the summer months to come.  Air conditioner performance, when the weather turns hot, is largely dependant on how well the a/c was maintained, and how recently was it serviced.  Virtually everyone knows that air conditioners run cheaper, and deliver a higher degree of comfort when they are well maintained.   A full air conditoner service check is recommended not only to get the most “bang for your buck” with regard to cost and comfort, but also, to extend or even double the life expectancy of your equipment.  Air conditioner service and maintenance is more important than ever if for no other reason than they don’t really “make em like they use to.”

Air Conditioner Service? The Time IS Now!

Community Cooling new flagship service truck

More and more we are seeing a diminishing quality in the way air conditioners are being manufactured these days. While technologically advanced, and in many cases “greener” … generally speaking it appears todays equipment doesn’t stand up to abuse, neglect, and being overworked as well as their American made counterparts from 10 years ago.  In my honest opinion … proper and regular air conditioner service has never been more important … (and it was always pretty important!)

 

 

A well maintained air conditioner runs better, lasts longer, and saves you money!

 

storing refrigerant

Capturing refrigerant before cleaning a/c coils

 

Community Cooling is offering a 16 point cooling system check which includes:

Clean your condenser coils.
Check operating pressures
Check electrical connections
Check sub-cooling
Check fan blade
Lubricate moving parts
Clean air filters
check thermostat
Check blower operation
Check controls
Check superheat
Check temperature drop across evaporator
Clean indoor coil if visible
Check complete unit operation
Treat condesate line and pan
Make necessary recommendation

 

HIGHER THAN NORMAL ELECTRIC BILLS?

AIR CONDITIONER RUNS LONGER THAN IT SHOULD TO COOL YOUR HOME?

INSUFFICIENT COOLING IN YOUR HOME?

Not knowing why … IS COSTING YOU MONEY!

WE CAN HELP!

Call Today For Air Conditioner Service, Repair, Maintenance, and Installation

239-267-2117

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner serve, repairs, or maintenance.

Our well stocked trucks, and well trained air conditioning technicians are always on call when you need air conditioner service, repairs, or maintenance.

 

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Kurt Hartmann, Owner of Community Cooling and Heating

SW Florida Air Conditioner Repairs 2017

SW Florida Air Conditioner Repairs 2017

Community Cooling
Air Conditioner Repair, Service, Maintenance
239-267-2117

Fort Myers, Florida

 

Air Conditioner Repairs 2017

Community Cooling has been SW Florida’s trusted source for honest, professional, and reliable air conditioner repairs, service, and installation for nearly 50 years. Year in and year out we provide our customers in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Estero, and Bonita with a level of customer service, and a cost effective end result, that earns their trust and ensures that they will call us again the next time a problem arises.

 

Honest air conditioner repair means putting

your clients needs first!

We take great pride in the QUALITY of our work! Too many contractors are in the trade just to make a quick buck, Community Cooling has always (since 1970) been about using knowledge and experience to provide service to our clients at a fair price. That business model has served us and our customers quite well for over 40 years!   Our service technicians are all experienced and field tested. Their training goes beyond simply knowing how to do the work on air conditioners in an expert fashion. We fully train our staff to respect our clients and their homes.  A substantial portion of our new clients come from previous clients who recommended us. That’s the best kind of marketing there is … word of mouth … friend to friend.

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

Community Cooling takes great pride in showing up on time, accurately assessing your air conditioning problem, and providing the consumer with the full range of options available to him … and then letting the customer decide which option makes the most sense to him personally, and fits his family’s budget as well!

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

a/c repairs ft myers

Community Cooling and Heating President/CEO

Kurt Hartmann, Owner of Community Cooling and Heating
Call Today For Air Conditioner Service, Repair, Maintenance, and Installation

239-267-2117

AC Coil Cleaning Fort Myers

AC Coil Cleaning in Fort Myers and all of SW Florida

 

AC coil cleaning not only reduces the workload of your air conditioning equipment, but, can also make an immediately noticeable difference in how well you air conditioner cools as well.  By cleaning the coils that exchange heat within your a/c equipment we are effectively doubleing, tripleing, and in some cases even more, the surface area of your coils which enables them to draw much more latent heat (in the form of moisture) from your home.

 

storing refrigerant

Capturing refrigerant before cleaning the coil

 

Capturing and saving the refrigerant saves the cost of replacing it, helps the environment, and gives our techs a chance to see how easily, and to what extent the refrigerants are moving through your ac system.

 

Dirty air conditioner coil

 

Proper ac coil cleaning involves the use of a specially formulated coil cleaner designed to be strong enough to remove thick imbedded layers of dirt and muck without damaging the sensitive coils themselves.

 

 

Cleaned air conditioner coils

 

We let the coil cleaner work for a few minutes, and then rinse it off thoroughly.  The end result is a nice clean air conditioner coil that will cool the living space more efficiently and cost effectively.

 

Three pounds of sludge cleaned out of ac coils

We pulled over three pounds of dirt and sludge from the coils.

 

As we were picking up our tools and cleaning up the work area a bit we let the a/c run to be certain there were no issues.  Before we could finish loading up the service truck the home owner said she could already tell the air conditioner was blowing not only more air, but, colder air as well.  She stated ” there is a crispness to the air that wasn’t there before … it’s dryer air …”.

AC coil cleaning provides a greater opportunity for your a/c to remove latent heat in the form of moisture

Community Cooling and Heating has been serving Lee County Florida since 1970, and our long standing reputation for honest ac service, fairness, and putting the clients needs first  is important to us!

We believe in putting our clients needs first, earning your trust, and making sure we provide a level of service that ensures you will call us again the next time!

Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …

just an honest professional”

We guarantee all our repairs and offer a Free Second Opinion

Kurt Hartmann, Owner of Community Cooling and Heating

Call Today For Air Conditioner Service, Repair, Maintenance, and Installation

239-267-2117

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