Does Your Home Need AC Repair? | Fort Worth, TX
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When the weather gets warm the last thing you want is to be without your air conditioner. After all, you want to be able to enjoy the nice, warm weather outside, but then come inside to cool, comfortable temperatures. But how do you know if you need AC repair before it’s time to start turning it on? You don’t want to wait until the middle of winter or until that first really hot day and realize that the AC in your Fort Worth, TX home just isn’t working anymore.
At the end of the season
One of the best times to get your air conditioner serviced or check for any AC repair needs is at the end of the warm season. This is when you’re ready to pack it away for the year (or rather turn it off) and you’re not going to need it. That means you’ll be okay if you can’t use it because you’re ready to switch on the heater instead. If the job can’t get done right away then you’ll still be okay.
Getting general service taken care of at the end of the season could detect a problem before it becomes serious and definitely before you are feeling the loss of that air conditioner. Not to mention it could prevent some serious repair needs. If you get general maintenance taken care of it’s going to help reduce the problems that could occur because those minor things don’t have time to turn into anything.
At the beginning of the season
If you haven’t gotten your AC serviced at the end of the previous season then you may want to try and get it serviced at the beginning of the warm season. It’s best to do this before the temperatures get too hot and you really want to use the unit because it might take a little time to get it looked at or to get anything taken care of. You don’t want to wait until the last minute and then find out you’ll be without your AC for a while while it gets repaired.
If you need AC repair then getting service done early could help you detect it and get that minor problem taken care of before it becomes serious. Or it could prevent you from needing AC repair in the first place, which is definitely going to be a good option for you. Just make sure that you are being proactive about getting your AC taken care of so you can get to using it as early as possible.
Warm air blowing
If you’ve already started using your AC and you notice that warm air is coming out of it that’s definitely not going to be a good sign. The whole reason you’re using your AC is to get cooler air, right? So, make sure you check a couple things for yourself, first. You want to make sure that your thermostat says that it’s set to cool and you want to make sure that the temperature you have set is lower than what it says the current inside temperature is.
If you notice warm air blowing out even with these two things then it means you need to get someone out for AC repair. You might have some type of restriction on airflow through your vents or you might have a problem with the compressor or something else entirely. Whatever it is, you want a professional to look at it and get it taken care of quickly so you can get back to enjoying the cool.
Low air pressure
Air conditioners don’t blow out air at extreme pressure, but there is a decent amount of pressure that you can feel if you put your hand in front of the vent. If you’re not getting the same pressure that you used to or it feels like you’re getting very little air flow you might be right. And that could be a sign of something blocking the duct or the vents themselves.
There could even be a problem with the motor that’s pushing the air out. Or, if it’s a minor clog you could end up with a problem with the motor if it’s trying to push air out and that air can’t get anywhere. That’s why it’s important to get your low air pressure problems looked at and make sure you get AC repair as quickly as you can if you’re noticing it for yourself.
Constant cycling
Your air conditioner is supposed to run whenever the temperature in your home gets to a certain level. You get to set what that level is, but once you set it your system should be able to cool to that temperature and keep the house there relatively easily. The hotter it is outside the more frequently it’s going to need to run in order to keep that temperature, but it shouldn’t be running constantly.
If your system seems to be running constantly or if it turns off and on frequently then you want to get someone out to take a look. You might need a minor AC repair like a tune-up or you might have a more serious problem. It could be that your air conditioner isn’t able to do the job anymore, either because it’s too old or because your home is larger than your air conditioner is able to handle.
Increased humidity
Along with maintaining a cool temperature in your home, your air conditioner is also in charge of maintaining a decent level of humidity. That means you should be getting cool and dry air in your home. That means there should be some humidity left in your Fort Worth, TX house but it shouldn’t be so moist that you feel sticky in the house. The air should be comfortable and if it’s not that signals a need for AC repair.
An AC that can’t maintain humidity levels may need to be recalibrated in order to get the right balance. On the other hand, you might need to get a dehumidifier that can help your system to operate. Make sure you talk with the pros to find out just what’s going on with your system and why it’s suddenly not able to keep up with whatever humidity is happening inside of your home.
Leaking water
Your air conditioning unit does have water running through it, in the form of refrigerant. And that refrigerant is necessary for cooling things down. If you check out the unit itself you might find some condensation while it’s running and that’s perfectly normal, but that’s all you should see. There shouldn’t be any kind of accumulation occurring.
If you notice puddles around your air conditioner or anywhere else in your home that means your system isn’t working right and you need AC repair. If you have water or refrigerant leaking in your home it could cause some serious damage to the system and to the surrounding area of your house as well, which is definitely not something you want to deal with. AC repair can take care of this quickly.
Bad smell
Sometimes you might notice a little bit of a musty smell when you first turn on your AC after it’s been off for several months. This smell should be mild and it should go away quickly. On the other hand, if you notice a bad smell that sticks around or that starts up randomly then you absolutely want to call a professional for AC repair. It could be a sign of something very serious going on.
On the other hand you may be able to get by with a general tune-up for your system, which will help clean things out and give you a fresh start. If that doesn’t work you might need a more deep clean or something else to figure out what’s going on with the HVAC system entirely. There could be something major going on, especially if you notice the smell continuing or getting worse.
Strange sounds
You know what your house sounds like and you definitely know when there’s anything different happening because you can recognize those strange sounds. So, make sure that you’re listening for anything that’s out of the ordinary. If you do hear something, try to figure out where the sound is coming from. If it appears to be coming from your HVAC system then definitely get someone out for AC repair.
Strange sounds could be a sign of any number of problems and while you may notice a few little sounds the very first time you start your AC for the season, you’ll be able to tell the difference. You’ll definitely be able to recognize when there’s something more serious going on or when the AC is just warming up to get running.
High bills
If you notice that your air conditioning bill is higher than it normally would be or if it seems to go up suddenly for no reason then there might be a problem with your unit. In general this will happen if the system is not working efficiently, such as a failing motor, clogs, and more. But if you don’t notice those things you will likely notice that your bills are higher than you remember.
Get someone out for AC repair when you notice that your bills are going up. They may find something minor that can be taken care of quickly or you might need something more extensive. You might even need an entirely new system depending on what’s happening with your current AC unit.
Constant repairs
If you’re noticing that you have AC repairs a lot then it might be time to get it looked at more carefully. There could be something serious that has been missed in the past that’s causing those frequent problems. Or maybe you just need to replace the unit entirely. After all, once it gets so old and it’s been repaired so many times it will eventually start to wear out.
If you think it might be time to replace your Fort Worth, TX AC unit, you will still want to call an AC repair service to help you figure out what you need to do and maybe even help you choose the new system that you want to install. Remember, there are plenty of ways to replace your system and you want something that’s going to last and work the way you would expect.
It’s Been 10 Years
How long have you had your HVAC system? As we mentioned, they will start to wear out after a while and you won’t be able to do AC repair forever. If it’s been over 10 years you should absolutely get the system looked at to make sure there’s nothing wrong. And you should probably start talking to your AC repair person about replacement options.
That doesn’t mean you need to replace it right now, but you absolutely want to be prepared for the time when it is going to need replacing. That’s because they’re not designed to last longer than 10 years. If you’ve made it this long you should absolutely be happy about it. And you should start looking at your options so you can replace the unit before it fails and you’re really stuck.
If you’re in need of AC repair in Fort Worth, TX you will definitely want to take a look at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. We can help you figure out what’s going on with your unit and what kind of AC repair will take care of the problem for you. Not only that but we can make sure that it’s taken care of quickly and efficiently. By the time we’re done you’re going to be more than happy with the way your unit works.
And, if you do need to have your entire system replaced, we can take care of that for you as well. We’ll help you figure out which new unit will work best for your needs and get it installed and running in no time.