The Top Signs You’re In Need Of Air Conditioning Service | Fort Worth, TX
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There is nothing worse in the summer in Fort Worth, TX than coming home, cranking the thermostat way down, and finding no cool air coming from your central air conditioner. You have just figured out your AC unit broke down. While this sign of a failing or failed AC unit might be obvious, some signs that you need air conditioning service in your Fort Worth, TX might not be so obvious to someone outside of the HVAC field. Sadly AC problems tend to happen at the worst possible time, like in the middle of summer when you depend on your central air conditioner. Sometimes it is a failing part in your AC unit that is to blame, other times it is simply an AC unit that is too old that has been pushed past its aging limits. You can avoid costly repairs however by learning the signs that your AC unit is in trouble. Our air conditioners tend to warn us with various signs, sounds, and even smells that something is wrong or amiss with the unit. If you learn the signs and what the signs might mean, you can avoid costly AC replacement.
We would like to point out before delving into the top signs you need air conditioning service for your Fort Worth, TX home a word about AC maintenance. Many if not most of the signs we will discuss today can be totally prevented if you do yearly maintenance on your AC unit. Just like your car or truck, so too does your AC unit need regular care. AC units are not simply an appliance that you set up then forget about. You should have an AC tune-up done every year to care for your air conditioner. Your HVAC technician will check over every system in your AC unit and also clean it out. Did you know that many of the problems that cause AC units to break down and dirt, grime, and debris are related? Everything from clogged or dirty filters to dirt and grime building up on the condenser coil can cause an AC malfunction or a series of system breakdowns that cause you to need AC replacement. AC units were designed to last 10 to 15 years, but customers will likely only see the top end of this lifespan if the AC unit is well taken care of, which includes performing an AC tune-up every year. If you do opt to have an AC tune-up done every year the chances you will need air conditioning service for your Fort Worth, TX home drop dramatically. We should also point out that customers who do not opt to maintain their central air conditioners might not even see their AC units last for 10 years. You have invested a lot into your central air conditioner, and they are not cheap, so do try and maintain it, you will be happier and cooler if you do.
Is your air conditioner giving you the best possible performance? Most times your central air conditioner will send you signals that it is failing or might need costly AC replacement. The team at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth will go over many of the top signs that you are in need of air conditioning service. Learning these signs can help you prevent a full-blown breakdown of your central air conditioner. Here are the top tell-tale signs that will oftentimes indicate that there is a problem occurring with your air conditioner that needs to be addressed with air conditioning service.
Thermostat Is Not Working
Your thermostat is the command and control center of your entire AC system. When you go to dial down the thermostat to produce cold air, the thermostat tells your AC unit how much cold air to produce. It also monitors the level of cold air and humidity in your home to ensure that the AC unit is functioning correctly. If your AC unit shuts down often before cooling the home, this could be an issue with your thermostat. Thermostats are complicated devices and are prone to failure as they age. If your AC fails to run altogether, you also may be dealing with a thermostat issue as the thermostat may not be able to tell if the system is running or not. If your home seems hotter than what it should be according to your thermostat you may be dealing with a broken thermostat. Believe it or not, your thermostat can cease to function due to dust, grime, cigarette smoke, and dirt. Your local air conditioning service can check your thermostat over and clean it if necessary. Another problem that can cause your thermostat to cease functioning correctly is if it was installed poorly or is not sitting level. If you have a mechanical thermostat, you may want to consider upgrading to a more modern electric thermostat that has a computer inside of it. Your local air conditioning service can replace your thermostat with ease as it is an easy fix and should not break the bank to do.
Air Conditioning System Is Blowing Warm Air
If your AC unit is blowing warm air, you have a problem and will need to make the call for your air conditioning service to investigate the problem. You want your AC unit to blow out cool air during the hot and muggy summertime, not make you feel worse. There are some common causes of this problem which we will discuss. If your air filters have become dirty, the system will not be able to move air throughout the system properly. This will strain your AC system, causing your system to overwork itself and therefore not produce cool air. If your filter is dirty it will need to be changed. You should change your filters often to avoid this issue. If your evaporator coils have frozen over you can also be dealing with the flow of warm air. While it may seem as if frozen coils would be no big deal as far as cool air is concerned, it is. This is because frozen coils prevent the transfer of heat, so you will feel warm or hot air instead of cool air. Frozen evaporator coils can happen due to many different reasons including refrigerant leaks, damage to internal components, and poor airflow. Only a certified air conditioning service technician can tell you for sure what the root cause is and correct it. Your thermostat can also be to blame for your system blowing hot air, as discussed above. If your refrigerant is leaking, you will also experience warm or hot air flowing throughout the home as your system will lack the proper charge to finish its cooling cycle. Only a licensed HVAC air conditioning service can handle repairing the leak and replacing your lost refrigerant. If you happen to hear a hissing noise come from your AC unit, this is often the sound of escaping refrigerant. Refrigerant leaks are dangerous as the gas is toxic to you and your family so you should call a professional Fort Worth, TX air conditioning service right away if you suspect you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Unusual Noises
Air conditioners tend to make strange noises when they are failing. It is the number one warning sign customers tend to experience when something is amiss with their system. Your AC should sound relatively quiet indoors, while outdoors your unit will make a noticeable noise. When the outdoor unit starts to make loud strange noises you know it is time to call an air conditioning service to come and investigate the problem and make any needed repairs. Should you happen to ignore strange sounds coming from your AC unit you could end up facing costly AC replacement, and no one wants that. Let’s examine some sounds that should worry you if you hear them:
Banging Sounds
This sound usually indicates that you are dealing with either a loose or a broken part inside of your central unit. It could be anything from a connecting rod to the crankshaft or even your piston pin. Sometimes an unbalanced blower can cause this issue as well. Rarely this sound may signal the need for a replacement of your compressor. Only your local air conditioning service will be able to tell for sure and make the needed repairs.
Clanking
If you are hearing a clanking sound this is often due to a loose part. Sometimes it can be due to a part that has become out of balance as well. You are likely dealing with parts that have failed or are in the process of failing. This is one issue you do not want to delay in having seen by an air conditioning service.
Constant Clicking Sounds
You might hear a clicking sound when your unit cycles on and off, which is a normal part of an AC unit’s operation. You should not however hear a clicking sound nonstop coming from your unit. This is most often an electrical issue such as a defective control or a thermostat that is now failing. Since your AC unit is loaded with electrical parts you want to have this issue attended to as soon as possible by an Air conditioning service to avoid serious issues with your air conditioner.
Buzzing
This is one sound you should never hear from your AC unit and it is never a good sign. It can have many causes which include the possibility of loose parts, debris in your unit, a problem with your fan motor or your fan blades among other possible causes. Sometimes it is as simple as needing your condenser coils cleaned or your air filter changed. Only your local Fort Worth, TX air conditioning service will be able to diagnose the issue and make the needed repairs.
Squealing
If you hear a squealing noise it is most oftentimes a problem with your outdoor fan motor or your indoor blower motor. It can also signify an issue with your blower wheel and housing. This is a serious issue that should be addressed right away by an air conditioning service. If you ignore this warning sign your entire unit may break down.
Screaming
This is the one sound you do not want to hear. Should you hear this sound, turn the unit off right away and call an air conditioning repair service or you could end up dealing with the need to replace the entire unit. Oftentimes this sound is due to a rather serious refrigerant leak. Refrigerant leaks are dangerous to you and your family. We would recommend calling for emergency AC repair from your local Air conditioning service if you are dealing with this issue.
Whirring
This sound can have many possible meanings. Oftentimes it signifies that you have either bad bearings in the indoor blower fan motor or a faulty fan. If your fan blades start to become loose or broken a whirring noise can result. You could however be dealing with a belt inside your system that is either broken or failing. Other times it can be as simple as a piece of debris stuck inside of one of the fans of your unit. An HVAC technician will need to peer inside the unit and diagnose the problem.
Should you happen to have any of these warning signs you should call the experts at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth today. Ignoring these warning signs is bad for both your air conditioner and you and your family, as your unit could cease to function altogether if these warning signs are ignored. If you are experiencing anything strange with your air conditioner do not hesitate to make that call for air conditioning service from the professionals at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. We have decades of experience behind us and thousands of satisfied customers. You can also call us for an AC tune-up which helps you to avoid costly AC repairs. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your convenience, so make that call today!