AC Repair: Knowing When You Might Need It Can Keep It Running Well | Fort Worth, TX
Photo By Unknown at istock
AC repair is vital to keeping you cool in the midst of summer. During the intense heat, your Fort Worth, TX home should be a haven of comfort and joy, and that can be easily achievable with proper maintenance and good care. The folks at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth, TX know that there may be times when your unit may turn off suddenly or fail to produce the desired cool you seek for your enjoyment.
Turning on your air conditioning only to be greeted by a lonely, dry click of the dial is one of the most frustrating situations you’ve ever had to deal with. Just the thought of having to go without cool air is not something that anyone would ever look forward to, especially during the intense heat of the midsummer months.
That said, a closer examination of the ways that your air conditioner is most likely on the brink can serve as your personal blueprint for what to expect during AC repair. Quirks such as odd noises, bizarre odors, and leaks are but a few of the symptoms of imminent failure where your air conditioner is concerned, and calling the experts for AC repair should be done as soon as possible.
Odd noises such as loud, banging sounds have a story of their own. They tell you when something is wrong and AC repair is needed. And the problem often lies with a nuisance inside of your air conditioner. This nuisance is often in the form of a broken part or a part that has suddenly jarred loose for no apparent reason. Grating or grinding noises may indicate that the problem lies within your fan belt, which can become loose or worn over time. All the technician needs to do is get in there and tighten the fan belt or possibly replace it during AC repair service. Failure to perform this action can have major consequences and may mean that a complete unit replacement is in the works.
A system compressor failure is imminent when you notice that no cool air is coming out of your air conditioner when you turn it on. Real failure is a reality when the unit simply fails to come on at all, and that’s when you may wish to consider investing in a replacement. Fortunately, your AC repair technician in Fort Worth, TX has vast knowledge of all of the options available and can help you pick the most energy efficient one for your home.
Getting your air filters changed should become a routine during annual AC repair service, as the dirt that they collect can have disastrous consequences for the rest of your air conditioning unit. If anything, a dirty, clogged air filter has a way of distributing its mess onto the AC’s other components, thus causing a healthy level of clogging that has an impact on the reduction of cool airflow. Air filters can get even dirtier when you happen to live in an urban area that’s far heavier in air pollution due to more traffic and industrial smoke. This calls for more frequent air filter cleanings and changes, which may need to be done more than once per year when the season changes.
Dirty air filters pave the way for dirty evaporator coils, which can pose an entire set of their own problems. What they often present is a dilemma with your unit’s airflow and its capacity to provide enough cooling to help you keep up with the demands for quality air conditioning. Any coil that’s caked with dirt or grime can interfere with your air conditioner’s ability to successfully remove the heat from your home while bringing in the comforting cool you’re longing for on a hot summer day in Fort Worth, TX.
Grime-stricken evaporator coils can wreak more havoc on your air conditioner’s general functions than you’d ever realized. In fact, they have a startling ability to make your unit run in cycles that last much longer than is actually needed to keep up with your thermostat. These cycles will keep the AC running constantly and will result in greater energy costs down the road if not caught and fixed in time. Excessive running may freeze your unit’s evaporator coils, thus leading to a total system breakdown and the need for a unit replacement as soon as possible.
Annual AC repair should be able to troubleshoot the root causes of dirty evaporator coils, such as clogged up air filters. But if it turns out that these coils are already dirty, then your HVAC technician should be able to remove them and clean them thoroughly upon your request. However, it is advised to get your air filter changed right at the same time to ensure that you might be able to enjoy the best of cool air at an optimal level.
Air conditioner tune-ups are a vital part of AC repair service and should be performed at least once per year for maximum performance. In fact, failure to do so may lead to experiencing foul odors and complete system failure. Tune-ups that are scheduled on a regular basis will extend the life of your air conditioner and help keep you relatively cool in the summer months to come.
With that being said, there are many important checkpoints that are covered during annual and semiannual unit tune ups, most of which touch base with the basic functions of your air conditioner. One thing is that your condenser coils will be properly inspected for heat transfer loss and grime build up. Other points that get covered during the tune up process are your blowers and fans, along with the unit’s fan belt to make sure that it remains snug and unharmed. If the fan belt is loose, your AC repair technician can simply get in there and tighten it.
Other critical aspects of yearly system tune ups should include a thorough inspection of ductwork for those who rely on central air for their home. The ducts will be checked for any holes, tears, or rips, and will be replaced as needed. Loose ducts will be reconnected or replaced, and duct work vacuuming can be done in cases where dust and debris happen to be present.
If the air conditioner’s wiring happens to be frayed or faulty, it should be replaced right away for reasons of personal safety. Failure to do so will result in an electrical fire which can destroy your home in minutes. Prior to checking the AC’s wires, your AC repair technician should turn off the electricity supply to your home so that electric shock can be avoided.
Good AC repair and tune ups need to cover so many vital points in an effort to keep the lifespan of your air conditioner going in the years to come. The idea behind the tune up is to catch problems before they get any worse and result in further repairs that may cost more money down the line. During the tune up, you should consider having your freon levels checked and ask the technician to repair any leaks that may exist so that you can avoid danger.
Freon leaks are fatal, especially in homes where small children and pets live. They aren’t as common as you might think, but they can happen in the most unlikely situations. For example, they can happen in cases where a brand new air conditioner is poorly installed or has a factory defect of some kind. In either case, you should seek a refund or exchange for another AC unit. Inhaling freon is just as deadly as swallowing it, which marks it as an emergency as far as AC repair is concerned.
However, corrosion, wear and tear are some of the other more common causes of freon leaks that should be addressed quickly by your AC repair technician. In fact, common problems of corrosion happen when formic acid and formaldehyde somehow manage to leak and create holes in your unit that allow the freon to escape. Sometimes it gets onto the evaporator coils and other small components, all of which can be easily replaced upon notice. Having it repaired is the best solution in this case.
Once the leak has been repaired, your AC repair technician needs to recharge your freon if your levels happen to be too low. This will allow your air conditioner to continue to provide hours of quality cool for your home so that you can enjoy relative peace and comfort. Freon depletion is no fun, and can result in poor to no airflow being ignored.
Cleaning your air conditioner’s drain line is also vital to the life and functionality of your unit. In fact, doing so can allow more room for your air conditioner to continue to run as smoothly as possible as the drain itself actively removes the condensation and blows it out of the system. Condensation pans that have been improperly drained or not drained at all may result in water leaks around your unit that can contribute to the growth of mold and mildew within your home. And with these problems come other issues, such as allergies and breathing difficulties for those with mold sensitivities.
Motor bearings are another major chunk of the overall functionality of your air conditioner, and should be routinely inspected to ensure that they are tight and in good working order. Bearings that get knocked loose can make the loudest clanging noises within your unit, and that only means one thing: that they need to be replaced as soon as possible. Even rattling noises within the unit’s motor can indicate a loose bearing, which is not something that should be ignored. Any bearing that’s left free to roam around can cause significant damage to the fan, fan belt, or motor, and will even wreak havoc on other parts of the unit if left unattended.
Prior to replacing the bearings, your AC repair technician needs to first cut off the power supply to your home to avoid the occasion of severe electric shock. Once the actual repair work begins, you should have brand new bearings in your sir conditioner, which will help bring you the type of comforting cool you need to battle the heat of summer.
Removing the bearings should take almost no time for your AC repair technician to do, as it simply requires the use of a screwdriver to get in there, grab the old ones, and put in the new ones. General cleanup around the area of the air conditioner where the bearings are is a good idea, as it can help to protect your unit’s condenser coils and keep the cool flowing in. Adding oil for better lubrication is never a bad idea, as these bearings must continue to move in order to keep your unit’s fan belt going.
Keeping your temperature at a level that’s safe for you and your home is something that can be well within your realm of control. Having the unit’s temperatures checked during an annual tune up can keep your unit’s thermostat in check regardless of the intensity of the heat outside. This can be done by using a digital thermometer after allowing the unit to run for approximately 15 minutes for an accurate reading.
When your air conditioner isn’t performing up to its own standards, having this tune up can help. But, unfortunately, a tune up is never foolproof when it comes to the idea that anything can go wrong and inherently will. Keeping in check with your air conditioner is critical, and having excellent knowledge of the warning signs of impending failure is a good way to keep vigil over it. Good AC repair includes adopting good habits by looking for any signs of AC failure and alerting your AC repair technician when something goes wrong.
And when something goes wrong, there’s no need to panic. With One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating, you’ll always have a qualified professional on your side. All you have to do is contact them today for an appointment and the rest is done for you.