Do You Need AC Repair Work? | Fort Worth, TX
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Those living in Fort Worth, TX will need no reminding just how hot and humid it gets during the summer season. Air conditioners will be kept on all day and night for extended periods to stay cool and safe.
It is little wonder that our units are more prone to breakdowns at this time, requiring an AC repair. Thankfully, you can depend on the services of One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth, TX because we have NATE-trained technicians available 24/7, ready to help you with an air conditioning repair or another HVAC service.
Have Your Unit Regularly Serviced
The best way to avoid an expensive AC repair in TX is to give your air conditioner annual service. Just like a tune-up for your car, all the components that make up your unit will be given a thorough inspection.
They will be adjusted to ensure their smooth and efficient running, with any defects taken care of. The service represents good value, especially when you consider that an AC repair bill can run into hundreds of dollars in TX.
It would be very uncomfortable if your unit were out of action while you organized an AC repair with One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. Unless you’re proactive about an AC repair and have one scheduled in a shoulder season like the autumn or during the winter when there is less demand and more availability for a quick, affordable AC repair in TX.
What Happens During an Air Conditioning Service?
Your air conditioner comprises two main sections, one is situated inside your home and the other outside. The part inside your home contains the evaporator coils, a compressor, an internal fan, thermostats, and electrical circuits.
The outside part contains the condenser, cooling fins, and external fan. All these components are connected by copper tubing which holds the coolant. Any cool air produced is circulated to your home through air ducts. An air conditioning service from One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. TX will examine all these components and much more.
Checks Conducted on the Indoor Section
First, everything is given a good clean, removing any dust from the electrical components which could cause them to overheat.
The coolant levels are examined and topped up if necessary– Every air conditioner requires an optimum level of coolant within it to work properly.
A small leak will lower this level, so your unit cannot absorb as much heat from the warm air inside your Fort Worth, TX home. After any defects are found on your air conditioner your permission will be asked to undertake any AC repair.
The evaporator coils are cleaned – Any dirt that accumulates on the coils will act as an insulating layer. This will reduce the rate at which any heat is removed from the warm air. Unless the evaporator coils receive enough heat, the coolant will cause the coils to freeze. Your air conditioner will shut down and could need an AC repair.
Included Services
The Air Filters Are Cleaned Or Replaced – The air filters remove dirt, dust, or any pollen from the air ensuring better air quality in your home.
The Fans Are Checked – There are fans located both inside and outside your home. The internal fan extracts warm air from inside your home and blows it over the evaporator coils and after it is cooled the air is returned to your home.
Any adjustments are made to ensure that it is blowing sufficient warm air over the coils. Without enough warm air the coil could freeze, causing the need for an AC repair visit from One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth, TX.
The Thermostats Will Be Checked and Recalibrated – Poorly calibrated thermostats will waste a lot of energy. If the thermostat misreads the room to be at a higher temperature, then your air conditioner will provide too much cooling air.
An overworked unit not only wastes money but could lead to an AC repair. A badly placed thermostat will have the same effect, as one placed near an open window or in direct sunlight because this will register a false reading.
Most homes have older dial-type thermostats, these are less accurate than new programmable ones, and you may want to consider upgrading during the service.
Moving Parts Are Lubricated – Moving parts will wear out more quickly without lubrication and this is especially true for the fans.
Electrical Parts Are Checked and Adjusted – Checks include looking for loose connections and tightening them. Any loose solder is removed and replaced.
Further tests on each component will check whether they are working within the manufacturer’s design specifications, and if needed, any defective components will be replaced.
Checks Conducted on the Outdoor Section – Cleaning of the Condenser and cooling fins after the coolant removes the heat from the warm air blown over the evaporator coils, the compressor pumps the coolant around the cooper tubes, passing through the condenser and cooling fins.
With the aid of the external fan, the outside air is blown over the cooling fins, removing the excess heat. Been located outside your home the condenser and cooling fins will get covered in dirt and grime.
They may even get covered in weeds and plants. All this material will need to be removed as it acts as an insulating layer. The layer reduces the rate at which heat is removed from the cooling fins and could cause the condenser to overheat, burn out, and need an AC repair.
The External Fan is Checked and Adjusted –A fault with the fan will reduce the rate of heat transfer from the coolant to the outside air. This will lower the cooling effect inside your home.
The AC drain line and the drain pan are inspected and cleaned – any blockages will mean that no water can exit to the outside. The water could overflow the drain pan and come into contact with the electrical circuits.
Other Checks
Air ducts are also checked for damage during the service. Any gaps in the ducts or joints allow cool air to escape into the crawl spaces. As up to 30 percent of your air conditioner’s energy output can be lost in this way, this is a lot of wasted money.
The air ducts are likely to be filled with dirt and debris and you may want to consider having them cleaned as well.
What Factors Raise the Risk of an AC Repair?
There are several areas of concern that will require your attention, or they will lead to an AC repair.
Your Energy Bills Are Way Too Expensive!
As you use your air conditioner more, you expect to use more energy and your bills will go up. But if they go up by more than you expect you could have a problem with your air conditioner. Any component that begins to show signs of wear and tear will not work effectively.
The other components will try to compensate by working harder to maintain the temperature and humidity levels you have set. Any piece of equipment that works harder will use more energy and drive up your energy bills. If any component is overworking it could overheat and burnout will need an AC repair.
You Notice Short-Cycling
Another cause of repair work is short-cycling, this happens when the compressor switches itself off and on too often. Each air conditioner has its cooling cycle, which is normally around the twenty-minute mark.
For ten minutes the compressor is switched on and for the rest of the time it switches off. The correct cycle allows for the most efficient cooling and dehumidification of the air. If the compressor is turned off or on too quickly you will experience a reduced cooling effect. The increased rate at which the compressor is used increases the risk of a breakdown
Frost and Ice on the Evaporator Coils
It may come as a bit of a surprise to see frost and ice forming on the evaporator coils at the height of summer, but unless the coils receive enough heat this is what will happen. The lack of heat may be due to several reasons, lack of coolant in the coils is one. Without enough coolant the coils are unable to absorb as much heat from the warm air blown over them, reducing the cooling effect.
Dirty air filters and a faulty fan are other causes. Should the warm airflow over the evaporator coils be restricted, again the coils will not receive enough heat, and frost and ice will appear on them.
Unless you act, the evaporator coils will start to freeze, and your air conditioner will shut down. You may have to wait up to 24-hours to allow the coils to thaw before you can turn your unit back on again. If these shutdowns occur too often, they will lead to an AC repair.
Humidity Level Goes Up
Because warmer air contains more moisture than cooler air, when the cooling effect is reduced for any reason, not only will it be warmer, but it will also feel more humid in your home
You See Puddles of Water Near Your Air Conditioner
If you see water leaking from your air conditioner this is a sure sign that you need an AC repair from One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. The cause could be a simple loose water hose connection, or it could be due to a blocked drain pan or AC drain line.
Once the warm air is cooled the moisture condenses at the lower temperature into water. The water is collected in the drain pan and then flows outside your home through the AC drain. Algae and mold could grow inside the pan and line and block them.
The water will then overflow the drain pan into the air conditioner and leak onto your floor. The water could even cause an electrical short and that too will need an AC repair. This water will also cause the humidity levels to increase inside your home.
Strange Smells Coming from Your Unit
Any moldy smell you detect in your home could be due to the mold and algae growing in the drain pan or AC drain line. Spores from this mold and algae could cause allergic reactions or breathing difficulties.
You could experience burning smells due to overheating components or pieces of loose solder. Any dust covering electrical components will add to the sense of burning smells. They should not be ignored as they indicate a risk of fire. You must call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth, TX straight away for an AC repair.
Your Unit Is Over Ten-Years Old
Even a well-maintained air conditioner will need to be replaced sooner or later. An older unit will need increased maintenance and even more AC repair work to keep working. It becomes more expensive to keep running and you may find it more difficult to find replacement parts and older Freon coolant. Freon is no longer manufactured in America because it can damage the Ozone layer.
A new air conditioner installation is not going to be a cheap option, but your investment will be repaid in time as you recover your initial costs from lower energy bills, reduced maintenance, and fewer repairs.
One crucial factor is to choose the right-sized unit for your home. Selecting a unit that is too powerful may seem a good idea, but it only going to lead to short cycling. The unit will cool your home down quickly but will turn off before the humidity levels are reduced satisfactorily. Let the experts at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth help you with the entire process from selection to installation and then maintenance.
A Trusted Air Conditioning Company
One Hour has been serving the people of Fort Worth, TX for many years. We realize the importance of offering a speedy repair service during the hot Texas summers. We want you and your family to be safe, and that is why we hire only the most skilled technicians.
For your further safety, all our staff are drug tested regularly, undergo very thorough background checks, and are registered with the state of Texas. Whatever concerns you have with your air conditioner please call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth today.