Air Conditioner Issues In Old Homes That Require AC Repair | Euless, TX
The history and beauty of old houses make some people love them. However, staying or living in an old home might not be the bliss some think it is. To begin with, you might need money and time to fix some issues and components in an old house. Additionally, these homes have old plumbing systems, while the cooling and heating systems need replacements unless installed recently. Hence, the AC doesn’t heat or cool the home efficiently or effectively, especially if the HVAC has some preexisting conditions that is most likely the case.
Such issues might impact your comfort and health while also contributing to high energy utility bills at the end of the month. You could also end up with serious and expensive AC repairs or replacements. Below are some HVAC issues to look out for before purchasing or renting the vintage residential home you’ve always admired.
Unusual Noises
Most homeowners want their houses as quiet as possible with little to no external noises. However, it isn’t unusual for homes to make noise, like creaks in the floorings or a humming refrigerator. Some normal sounds, while others might indicate a potential issue that needs some checking. For example, the modern air conditioners are quieter, unlike the older versions. Nowadays, ACs are designed to have variable-speed compressors. They also feature sound-dampening technology to ensure the noise levels don’t exceed 55dB.
Hence, you should be worried when you notice exceptionally loud noises or unfamiliar sounds from the air conditioner. Additionally, the furnace might produce some noises but ensure that you enlist an air conditioner repair service provider to inspect it if the sounds are frequent and unusual. The unusual sounds produced by the air conditioner in the old homes are usually because of broken, worn-out components or a lack of consistent maintenance.
This affects your comfort, especially when sleeping at night, resulting in expensive AC repairs. It might also mean that you may have to replace your entire unit if it has been ignored or unmaintained for a long time. Therefore, whenever you hear an unusually disturbing sound, you must promptly reach out to an air conditioning repair expert.
High Utility Bills
Insulating your house could save you about 15% on average cooling and heating costs. Insulating your basement, exterior walls, attic, and crawl space maintain the temperatures in your house in the winter and summer while also increasing the value of your property, whether commercial or residential.
Unfortunately, some homeowners usually overlook insulation when purchasing a home in Euless, TX, and they ultimately have to enlist AC repair service. With the current high standards in construction, modern homes feature higher insulation compared to those built decades ago when the contractors never cared about insulation. Hence, the HVAC system found in an old home may have to overwork to keep the indoor temperatures because of less insulation. Unfortunately, this results in frequent breakdowns, meaning that you will have to spend more money to pay for AC repair costs.
Additionally, you will be getting high energy utility bills in an old home since the systems are aged and require frequent maintenance and more care to make sure they are optimally working. If you plan to purchase an old home, it helps to invest in routine maintenance to save some money on energy utility bills. If you notice any issues, have them promptly repaired by an air conditioner repair technician to avert any further wear and tear of different components of your HVAC system.
Smells
During a blazing hot summer, you only need to relax in your air-conditioned, fresh home. You don’t want to relax in a house with an unpleasant smell/odor that doesn’t give you that relaxing and refreshing feeling. A smell coming from your air conditioner is never a good sign. Instead, it may be a risk to your health because some smells are toxic.
Because the AC is your home’s workhorse, it could be a considerable inconvenience and might affect the comfort of your home if it experiences a problem. Fortunately, before the HVAC unit stops functioning, it shows some signs which give you a chance to call an AC repair technician. Stinky smells are among the many other signs that the air conditioner might show if there is an issue.
Although a bad smell doesn’t always smell doom to your AC, they are worth having an AC repair technician come over for an inspection. For example, it could be mold in the air conditioner or a dirty filter that requires cleaning. However, if the AC produces a funny smell, the underlying issue might require an AC repair service. Such smells include:
AC Is Smelling Like an Exhaust of a Car
Though your air conditioner doesn’t run on internal combustion engines, sometimes it might smell akin to car exhaust. This is specifically because the unit produces some fluids that smell like exhaust fumes whenever heated. Whenever you notice this smell, it might signify that the refrigerant line leaks. If this is the case, the air conditioner releases hazardous chemicals that aren’t environmentally friendly.
Most air conditioners continue using Freon as the refrigerant. The coolant eliminates the heat from your indoor air and then releases it outside. However, Freon is harmful to the environment. Hence, immediately seek the services of an AC repair technician whenever you detect a leak in this refrigerant.
Detecting freon is easy. This is because it has this sweetish smell like your car’s coolant. Ensure that your home is ventilated properly and adequately while waiting for the AC repair technician to arrive. Open the windows to prevent the air from accumulating in your Euless, TX home and resulting in harmful impacts of Freon.
AC Produces a Cigarette Like Smell
If you have a member of your family that uses cigarettes or you yourself smoke, do not be surprised when your air conditioner begins smelling like decayed cigarette smoke. Besides the unpleasant smell coming from your unit, you might have allergic reactions and headaches. This is because the evaporator and filter coils normally absorb the smell of cigarette smoke.
Hence, when you switch on the air conditioner, the absorbed/trapped tobacco particles get released into your house through the air conditioner vents, resulting in poor indoor air quality. You could avert this issue by having an AC repair service change the air filters after a month or two and frequently clean the filters. You can also advise the smokers at your home to be smoking outside.
AC Produces a Rotten Eggs Smell
Sometimes, dead rodents and critters are stuck in an air conditioner. They release a foul or rotten egg smell. Additionally, insects and birds might find refuge in your ducts and be trapped. Over time and when they decompose, they emit a pungent smell. A pungent smell is released into your house whenever you turn on the air conditioner.
Besides the foul smell, the stuck or dying animals might damage entirely different parts of your system. You can have an AC repair service to pest-proof the air conditioner and prevent the rotten egg smells to avert such cases. The AC repair technician will also remove the nests and dead rodents or insects in your ducts.
The repair professional will first inspect the air ducts and pinpoint where the stench is coming from, remove the covering, and get rid of the carcass. Once the professionals remove the dead animal, they wipe and clean the surface to ensure that it is completely dry. Next, hire an AC repair technician to regularly inspect the HVAC system to remove dead animals and ensure your home doesn’t experience bad smells.
Burning Smell
Your air conditioner has various electrical parts, from the circuit board, the fans, wires, and the compressor. If the AC unit starts smelling akin to gunpowder and burning plastic, it might mean that one or more components on your unit are burning. You should immediately turn the air conditioner off and call an AC repair company in Euless, TX, whenever this happens.
However, a burning smell may also be because of dust and debris, nothing serious. This might happen, especially if your air conditioner hasn’t been used for an extended period, making dust settle inside the unit. Hence, whenever you turn your AC on after a long period, it blows off the dust, resulting in that awful smell.
Mildew, Mold, and Must Smell
You might, at some point, experience a stale and dingy smell emanating the smell coming in from your air conditioner. Musty smells from your air conditioner are caused by water accumulation in the drain pans or drip lines, causing fungal or mildew growth. If there is a leakage, you might notice several signs in your indoor unit, for example, dripping water down the wall.
Dirty filters can also cause a musty smell. For instance, when you turn your air conditioner on after an extended period of humid and hot summers, the moisture accumulates within the filters. You would need an air conditioning service repair company to clean the ducts when this happens.
You can avoid the mildew or moisture issues by hiring an AC repair service to replace the filters, schedule bi-annual air conditioner tune-ups, fix the water leaks and enhance the drains. Additionally, you might have to cover the soil if you’ve got exposed earth in your crawl space or basement in Euless, TX.
Poor Interior Air Quality
Modern homes in Euless, TX, are compliant with the efficiency standards. However, the older homes might have gaps that allow the air contaminants like dirt and pollen to find their way into your home. As the cool outdoor air leaks, the AC unit will have to work harder and longer to heat your home during winter.
Further, as the cool air from indoors outside, the HVAC system works harder to keep your home cooler in summers. Hence, you will have to pay more for the additional energy consumed by the unit. The gaps around the windows and doors should be sealed to ensure air doesn’t leak to the interiors or outside of your home. Sealing it will also help prevent or block the air contaminants from getting into your home. The AC repair company might also replace the clogged or damaged air filters. But, of course, the other factor that affects the air quality is the smell.
Leaking Duct System
Some homeowners forget their duct system because it is normally hidden behind their walls.
Others do not even bother to seal them. Therefore, the energy efficiency of their air conditioning units takes a toll. The air ducts distribute the conditioned air to the various rooms at your home. The ductwork may allow the air to leak out before it reaches the intended part of your home because the spaces in the connections cause energy loss. If the ducts that have leaks are dirty, then the pollutants will get absorbed into the system and distributed throughout your home.
You are advised to ensure that the ducts are sealed by calling an AC repair professional to avert this situation. This will enhance the indoor air quality of your Euless, TX home. The issue will worsen in old homes due to shifting due to earth movements or the weather. This results in small cracks in the walls or tile floors. The movement also causes the ducts to shift, and leaks might arise in the warped ductwork. The leaking ducts make the house lose the conditioned air, making the air conditioner work harder.
Hence, the chances are high that the ducts will have already aged when you purchase an old home. This means that the air might be leaking out because the duct joints and elbows have become weak due to the natural wear and tear. You have to pay for their repair or replacement, which might cost you a fortune.
Without enlisting an AC repair technician for unit inspection, you will not notice the leaks. The air might escape behind the ceiling and walls, meaning you will pay high energy utility bills at the end of the month. To prevent this issue, hire an AC repair technician to inspect the ductwork and do the repairs or replacements, if any, based on the extent of the damage.
An air conditioner is vital, especially during the winters and summers. It ensures the comfort of your home while protecting you from extreme temperatures. Hence, you must ensure that the unit operates at optimal conditions throughout the year. Do you want AC repair services in your Euless, TX home? Call us today at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth.