6 Signs It’s Time To Call A Professional For AC Repair | Fort Worth, TX
Texas summers are very hot, and you rely on your air conditioner to keep your home cool and comfortable. It’s not uncommon for the temperature to reach 90 degrees or higher during the summer, and your house is the perfect place to escape the heat. The last thing you want is your air conditioner to break down when you need it the most. Your home can reach 120 degrees on a 90-degree day without air conditioning, creating a significant risk for heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
Several issues can occur with your air conditioner that can affect your home’s temperature, the humidity level, and some can even put your home and family at risk. DIY air conditioning repair isn’t recommended unless you’re a licensed HVAC tech. HVAC techs go through years of professional training and internship to learn their craft, and if you don’t have the necessary training, you could do more harm than good by attempting a DIY repair.
If your air conditioner experiences any of the following problems, it’s best to hire a professional in AC repair as soon as possible.
#1 Thermostat Issues
The thermostat is your HVAC system’s brain and tells it what to do and how warm or cool you want your house to be. If the thermostat isn’t working correctly, the air conditioner won’t get the correct signal and can affect your home’s temperature.
Your thermostat will exhibit signs that it isn’t working correctly, including:
- The panel doesn’t light up even after changing the batteries.
- The thermostat is entirely unresponsive.
- The temperature in the house doesn’t match the thermostat setting.
- The air conditioner cycles too frequently.
A professional in AC repair in Fort Worth, TX, can check the thermostat to determine if it’s time for a replacement, and they can discuss your options. Thermostat technology has come a long way over the last decade or so, and there are several money-saving options available.
- Programmable thermostats allow you to adjust the temperature in your house based on when you’re home and when you’re not, helping you save money on your energy bills.
- Wi-Fi thermostats can be adjusted using your Smartphone from anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection. When you can adjust the thermostat when you aren’t home, you can save money on your energy bills.
- Smart thermostats work with Amazon Alexa or Google Home and can be controlled using the sound of your voice. Also, you can use the smart device’s app on your phone to control the thermostat when you aren’t home.
A professional in AC repair in Fort Worth, TX, can help you choose the best thermostat for your family’s needs.
#2 Restricted Airflow
You should feel a powerful rush of cold air from the vents in your house when the air conditioner runs. If the airflow is minimal, it’s best to hire a professional in AC repair. Restricted airflow affects the temperature in your house and will cause the unit to work harder than it should to keep the house cool. The extra work will cause your energy bills to increase and could reduce the unit’s lifespan.
A few issues can prevent adequate airflow, and you’ll need a professional in AC repair in Fort Worth, TX, to determine the cause.
- Clogged air ducts: Dirt, dust, and other debris from your home can build up in the air ducts over time. In just one year, up to five pounds of debris can accumulate, blocking the airflow from the vents. Clogged air ducts don’t just restrict the airflow, affecting your home’s temperature, and can also put your family’s health at risk. When the air conditioner runs, the debris from the ducts will circulate in the air, affecting the air quality. Breathing in the debris can result in allergies and respiratory issues; therefore, it’s best to call an AC repair professional immediately. An HVAC tech can clean the ducts to remove the debris, and they’ll explain why it’s essential to have the ducts cleaned every three to five years.
- Damaged air ducts: You won’t be able to see any visible damage to the air ducts because they’re hidden behind the walls, under the floor, or above the ceiling. The one sign of air duct damage is poor airflow. If there’s a break or crack in the ducts or the seal has failed, the cool air will escape from the damaged areas before reaching the vents, resulting in inadequate airflow. An AC repair tech in Fort Worth, TX, can inspect the ducts for damage and make the necessary repair. You can prevent this problem from reoccurring by having the ducts cleaned every three to five years. The tech will inspect the ducts for damage while cleaning them, allowing them to detect issues early.
- Broken blower: The blower is responsible for forcing cold air from the unit, through the air ducts, and to the vents in your house. If the blower isn’t working correctly, the air won’t be forced to the vents, resulting in poor airflow. An AC repair tech in Fort Worth, TX, can inspect the blower to determine if it can be fixed or needs to be replaced to restore adequate airflow.
Reduced airflow indicates issues that could cost a significant amount of money or affect your family’s health, and it’s best to call a professional in AC repair as soon as the problem is detected.
#3 Warm Air Coming from the Vents
When your air conditioner runs, you should feel a powerful rush of cold air from the vents. If the air is warm, you may need to hire a professional in AC repair. You should check a few things first to avoid an unnecessary service call.
First, check the air filter. If it’s been a while since the filter was replaced, the dirt and grime will prevent airflow in the unit, causing it to overheat and produce warm air, and replacing the filter will solve the problem.
Next, check the thermostat setting. If it’s not set correctly, the air conditioner won’t get the correct signals, affecting the air temperature. The thermostat must be set to the cooling mode, and it has to be warmer in the house than the setting on the thermostat. Finally, make sure the fan is set to auto. If the fan remains on, it will keep running when the air conditioner cycles, and you’ll feel warm air coming from the vents.
If everything checks out, it’s time to call an AC repair professional in Fort Worth, TX. A few issues can prevent the unit from producing cold air, and you’ll need an HVAC tech to find the cause.
- Broken compressor: The outdoor compressor and the indoor unit work together to produce cold air. If there’s no power going to the compressor or it isn’t functioning correctly, the indoor unit can’t produce cold air on its own, and you’ll feel warm air coming from the vents.
An AC repair professional can find the issue with the compressor and make the necessary repair. - Frozen evaporator coils: The unit’s evaporator coils extract heat and humidity from your home to begin the cooling process, and when the coils freeze, the cooling process won’t start, and you’ll feel warm air coming from the vents. A few issues can cause the coils to freeze, including:
- Poor airflow in the unit
- Dirty evaporator coils
- Clogged drainpipe
- Low refrigerant
- You ran the air conditioner when it was too cold outside.
- A professional in AC repair can thaw the coils to restore the cold air and will determine why they froze to prevent it from happening again.
#4 Strange Smells When the Unit Runs
Your air conditioner shouldn’t emit a smell when it runs; if yours does, it’s best to call a professional in AC repair. The foul odor indicates an issue that could put your home and family at risk, so it’s best to have the problem resolved immediately. The smell in your home can give the tech an idea of what is causing the problem.
- Mold: A moldy smell could indicate mold in the air ducts. The ducts are dark, and condensation will form when it gets humid in the house, creating the perfect environment for mold growth. Mold in the ducts will do more than create a foul smell in your home, and it is a significant health hazard. When the air conditioner runs, mold spores from inside the ducts will circulate in the air, causing various health issues, including:
- Chronic headaches
- Allergies
- Burning eyes, nose, and throat
- Skin rashes
- Respiratory issues
- A weakened immune system
- An AC repair tech can inspect the ducts for mold, and an antimicrobial fogger will eradicate any mold they find. If the air ducts are clean, the mold could be in the air conditioner, which is a more serious problem. Neglecting to have the air conditioner maintained every year could result in mold growth in the unit. Unfortunately, it’s more challenging to eliminate mold in the AC than in the ducts. If the tech cannot eliminate every mold spore, replacing the air conditioner is the only option to keep your family healthy.
- Burning: A burning smell when the unit runs indicates a wiring issue and should not be ignored. Allowing the problem to persist for even a day can result in an electrical fire that can destroy your home in minutes. It’s best to turn off the air conditioner as soon as you detect the small, and call a professional in AC repair. The tech can locate the wiring problem and repair it to ensure it’s safe to run the unit.
Strange smells coming from the unit should never be ignored. A professional in AC repair can fix the problem quickly, ensuring your Fort Worth, TX home and family are safe.
#5 Refrigerant Leak
Your air conditioner relies on refrigerant to produce cold air. An adequate amount of refrigerant is also essential to keep the evaporator coils from freezing. Refrigerant leaks occur when the rubber seals on the service valve have worn out. A leak can also happen when acid creates a pinhole leak in the copper tubing. If you suspect your air conditioner is leaking fluid, you can confirm this by checking for yellowish-green liquid around the unit and should hire an HVAC professional immediately.
If the unit was installed after 2010, the tech can fix the leak and refill the refrigerant. If the unit was installed before 2010, the tech wouldn’t waste time fixing the leak because they won’t have refrigerant to fill the unit. Units manufactured before 2010 use R-22 refrigerant, which is toxic and harmful to the environment. This type of refrigerant was banned in the US on January 1, 2020, so you’ll need to replace the unit.
#6 Strange Sounds
The only sound your air conditioner should make is a low-level clicking when it cycles. You should call a professional immediately if you hear any other sounds, such as banging, hissing, or screaming. These sounds can indicate broken or loose parts, an issue with the blower or outdoor fan, or high pressure in the unit.
An AC repair professional can inspect the unit to determine what’s causing the sound, so it can be fixed before further damage occurs.
Call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth Today
If your air conditioner is acting up and you need help from an AC repair professional, call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. We’re a full-service HVAC company, serving customers in the area since 1988.
Our techs are professionally trained, licensed, and NATE certified. They have the knowledge and experience to handle any HVAC repair and can install new equipment. We want our customers to feel safe when our techs go into their homes, so they must pass a drug test, background check, and register with the state of Texas before they’re hired.
To schedule an appointment for air conditioning repair or any other HVAC service, give us a call today.