8 Signs Your AC Needs Air Conditioning Service | Richardson, TX

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In order to keep your AC system in great condition, it’s crucial that you scheduled regular air conditioning services throughout the year. While you do not necessarily have to get the services every several months, you should at the very least schedule an air conditioning service once a year for your Richardson, TX residence. The best time to do so is during the spring, as you’ll still have plenty of time to complete any repairs that may be needed.

Although you should have regular air conditioning services, you should also keep an eye out on your unit in order to determine whether it needs any extra help at all. In these situations, it wouldn’t hurt to call a contractor over to perform another service. This service will realign various components and parts and can be really helpful in identifying areas that may need to be repaired soon or immediately.

If you’re unsure of whether you need any air conditioning services in Richardson, TX, give One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas a call. We can help you assess the situation in order to gain a better understanding of what might be beneficial for your home. We’ll also walk you through each step of the service, so you know exactly what’s going on at all times. This is quite a crucial thing that most HVAC contractors skip in the interest of time; however, here, we believe that our customers should be as well informed as possible.

With that said, knowing when to call for an air conditioning service in Richardson, TX can be difficult. Here are some signs to look out for.

#1. Outrageously High Energy Bills

It’s not unusual for most homeowners to keep an eye on their energy bills. It’s important to compare the cost of running your AC each month. In general, unless there was a heatwave, the energy usage should be similar during the warmer months. As a result, you should have a fairly good idea of what to expect from your energy bills. However, if you notice that your energy bills are outrageously high or if you notice that they are steadily climbing, it means that you should call us for an air conditioning service immediately.

Outrageously high energy bills are a sign that there’s something wrong inside the AC unit. Unless you call us for an air conditioning service you may never notice any signs of damage from the outside. A lot of the damage that affects the unit is actually on the inside. For example, there might be some faulty connection with electrical wiring, causing your AC to become inefficient. As it uses up more energy to cool down your home, you’ll see your energy bills rise significantly.

Once we have serviced your unit, you’ll usually notice that the energy bills will drop almost immediately back to their original state and condition. You’ll be able to save a fortune. Depending on how much your energy bills have risen, getting an air conditioning service for your unit can be substantially higher.

#2. Higher Recorded Energy Usage

This is on par with the point made above. However, if you notice that your energy usage has risen significantly, then there’s a really good chance that there’s something wrong with your AC unit. You can tell whether the energy usage has risen through your energy bills. Or, you can download some type of app if you have a smart system and it will record your energy usage.

If you suspect that your AC unit is using more energy but are unsure of whether that is truly the case, you can even consider calling an HVAC contractor to come to perform an energy audit. Depending on the type of energy audit that you’ve chosen to do, you can get quite a lot of information out of the audit. You’ll easily pick out where all of the inefficiencies are, and our team will even propose multiple solutions for fixing those inefficiencies.

With that said, if you are not too bothered by the higher energy usage, you can always wait for your annual air conditioning service to bring this problem up. Speak with your HVAC contractor to get a better idea of whether they’re planning on performing an energy audit on your system with the package. If they are, there’s not much that you need to do; however, if they aren’t, ask them what it will cost to add an energy audit to the air conditioning service. In most cases, the cost will be quite minimal, so it’s definitely something that is worth looking into.

#3. Loud Operation and Odd Sounds

Another sign that you need to call a professional for air conditioning service in Richardson, TX is if you hear loud and persistent sounds. These sounds are usually an indication that there’s something wrong with your AC system. For example, if you hear a loud banging sound, there’s a good chance that some of the parts may have shifted out of place or have come apart. During the air conditioning service, we will realign all of the components and parts.

Make sure to record the types of sounds that you hear, as well as when you hear them. This information can help the HVAC contractor narrow down what might be wrong and also determine what types of repairs are needed to correct the situation.

#4. A Refrigerant Leak

AC systems use refrigerant to cool down the warm air that gets sucked into the unit. The cool air then gets blown back out and distributed throughout the home. Although all AC systems rely on refrigerant, you don’t really need to worry about this substance because you don’t need to top it up (unlike oil for your car). Unfortunately, the coils and other components that house the refrigerant can crack. At which point, the refrigerant can leak out. You can tell that there’s a refrigerant leak if there is a:

• Decrease in cooling ability. You’ll notice that your AC unit is no longer able to cool down the home as efficiently as possible. Although you might have your AC turned on to max setting, you might find that the air inside your home is quite warm or not cool enough. It could also take your AC system longer to cool down the entire home.

• Perpetual hissing or a gurgling sound coming from your AC system. This tells you how severe the leak is. If you hear a slight hissing sound, it usually means that the leak that you are dealing with is relatively small and not hard to repair. On the other hand, if you hear a gurgling sound, then it usually means that the crack has worsened to the point where the refrigerant is gushing out. It might take the air conditioning service some time to fix this problem. In some cases, your AC might also be inoperable while it is getting repaired.

Anytime that you were dealing with a refrigerant leak, you should leave the problem to the professionals. This is because refrigerant is a toxic chemical and can harm you. Professional HVAC contractors, on the other hand, will have all of the knowledge and experience necessary to deal with the refrigerant. They’ll be able to use safe practices.

#5. Foul, Strange Odors

Another sign that you need to call us for air conditioning service is if you smell strange and foul odors coming from your AC system. This usually happens when there’s something growing inside the AC system. For example, you might have a mold infestation or even a bacterial infestation. The potency of the smell is an indication of how bad the problem is. If the smell is simply intolerable, you can expect a huge problem on your hands that might take the air conditioning service a long time to repair and fix. In some cases, they might even deem your AC system as a safety hazard and recommend that you get a new one instead.

Foul, strange odors can also be caused by dead vermin or vermin feces. It’s really hard to tell what could be causing the odor unless the air conditioning service takes everything apart in order to take a better look at the system.

Once we have determined the cause of the odor, we can propose several different solutions. In most cases, we’ll usually recommend that you let us disinfect the entire unit. If not, it’s easy for these contaminants and pollutants to linger in the air and get distributed throughout the entire home. These contaminants are particularly harmful to those who struggle with autoimmune disorders, respiratory conditions, asthma, and allergies.

#6. Excess Humidity in the Air

Have you noticed that your home feels a lot more humid than before? Many homeowners don’t realize this, but their AC system is responsible for removing excess humidity from the air. As a result, if there is something wrong with the AC, then there’s a good chance that the air inside the home will feel too humid. You might feel like you’ve just landed on a tropical island. Or, it might be something as simple as noticing that any food you leave out tends to mold much sooner than expected.

The best way to solve this problem is to call us for a service. While excess humidity may be a sign that there’s a problem with your unit that needs to be repaired, it could also be a sign that there’s something that’s simply not aligned properly or not connected properly. During the service, we’ll be able to take a deeper look at the system in order to figure out what’s wrong.

#7. Inconsistent Cooling

if you notice inconsistent cooling, then you should also consider calling us for an air conditioning service. This might be anything from a thermostat that doesn’t seem to be able to hold its temperature. Inconsistent cooling can actually be caused by a lot of different things. As a result, the best way to solve the situation is to call us for air conditioning services.

Inconsistent cooling is often one of the easiest problems to diagnose. We should be able to figure out what the problem is as well as the cause of the problem within record time.

#8. An Air Duct Leak

Last but not least, you also need to keep an eye out for air duct leaks. These are not as uncommon as you’d think. You’ll know that you have an air duct leak if you hear weird hissing sounds coming from the ducts. If you put your hand by the vent, you might also notice that only a small amount of air is being blown out from the vents. This is because the majority of the air is leaking out elsewhere.

Not only do the air ducts need to be repaired, but it’s also a good idea to call for service during that time because you want the entire system to be recalibrated.

Give Us a Call for AC Services in Richardson, TX

Many homeowners make the mistake of failing to schedule regular air conditioning services throughout the year. They might accidentally skip a year, and then continue a tradition of skipping every year afterward. While skipping a year accidentally may not be a big problem, it’s a huge problem if you never service or maintain your AC system, as your AC system will be much more likely to break down and fail prematurely.

If you’re looking for professionals to service your AC system in the Richardson, TX area, give One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas a call. We are one of the most experienced HVAC contractors in the area and have a lot of experience in servicing all types of AC systems. We can work with various brands and models and will be able to provide you with some insider knowledge on the condition of your system, as well as whether there is anything that you need to look out for.

Call us today to schedule a service and we’ll walk you through the entire process.