Air Conditioning Service: Things To Do To Maintain Your AC During Summer | Irving, TX

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Summer is here and one of the main things on your to-do list should be to call an HVAC company for air conditioning services in Irving, TX. The air conditioning service will include a thorough physical inspection of all parts of the unit and minor maintenance services, like tightening up loose screws. Some services also include a filter change and a thorough cleaning.

An air conditioning service is one of the easiest ways that you can keep cool and comfortable through the summer. It will basically include everything that you need to do. There are some other things that you can do as well. In this article, we’ll look at several different ways that you can maintain your AC during the summer.

#1. Install a SMART/ Programmable Thermostat

With summer here, you should really consider upgrading some components of your AC system. In many cases, the technicians can perform the upgrades that you’re looking for while they perform the air conditioning service in Irving, TX. It kills two birds with one stone, as you won’t have to wait around for the technician to come back again to reinstall upgraded parts. This saves a lot of time and effort.

One of the major upgrades that you should consider making is switching to a smart or programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat or a smart thermostat will allow you to easily control the temperature inside your home when you are away. If you have a smart thermostat, the thermostat can even recognize when you are at home using geofencing technology. The technology can automatically turn the AC on when you are close to home and off when you are away from home.

Some smart programs can also connect with other smart appliances in your home. It really depends on what you visualize your household as.

#2. Check Refrigerant Levels

Your AC relies on refrigerant. This substance can easily change phases in an efficient manner, and it is one of the main components of an AC system. It’s responsible for carrying heat away from the area and displacing it with cooler air. In short, it’s vital that your AC system has enough refrigerant or else it won’t be able to cool down the air inside your home in an efficient manner.

You should never have to top off the refrigerant. The AC system does not use up refrigerant like it does energy. Instead, it recycles it in a sense. You won’t need to top off the refrigerant unless there’s a leak in the system. To ensure that there are no leaks, the technician will check the refrigerant levels during the air conditioning service in Irving, TX.

Signs of a Refrigerant Leak

It can be difficult to determine whether there’s a leak in your unit unless you know what to do. Annual air conditioning services inspect all aspects of the AC system to ensure that nothing is amiss. Some of the most common signs of a refrigerant leak include:

• AC isn’t blowing cool air. Although you might still notice airflow coming from the AC system, the air isn’t cool at all. In fact, it might even feel a little bit warm.

• The AC goes through long cooling cycles. In order to cool the home down to your desired temperature, the AC will need to be fun for a really long time. This means that you’ll also be using a lot of energy. The long cooling cycle is mostly attributed to the fact that the AC cannot cool the air in an efficient manner. Think about all of the energy that you’re wasting!

• Ice is present on the evaporator coils. When there’s a refrigerant leak somewhere in the system, you’ll usually find ice on the evaporator coils. This will further affect the energy efficiency of the AC unit.

In some situations, you might even be able to hear the refrigerant leaking out. If you hear a hissing sound, it generally means that the leak is still relatively minor, and should be fairly easy and inexpensive to fix if you call an HVAC company immediately. Once the hissing sound becomes a gurgling sound, it’s usually an indication that the leak has worsened significantly. The repairs needed may be a lot more costly.

#3. Clean the Inside and Outside of the Unit

Another thing that you really should do is clean the inside and outside of the unit. This includes getting rid of any dirt, dust, or other particulates that have accumulated on the surface of the vents. Many air conditioning services will actually do the cleaning for you, so you won’t have to worry about a thing. It’s good to leave this job to the professionals because it can get very messy. Experienced HVAC technicians will know how to prepare the area, so dirt and other particulates do not get everywhere.

If you won’t be getting air conditioning services for some time, you can try to clean the unit yourself. You might not be able to disassemble the AC unit and kit to the inner parts. However, you can wipe away the dirt, dust, and other contaminants that have accumulated on the outside surface. You can also use a soft-wired brush and a cloth to wipe the vents and other areas.

If your AC system has an outside part, you should try to clean that area as well because it is more likely to get dirty. It’s important to get rid of as much dirt and dust as possible, as these contaminants can affect the performance of the AC unit. A clean unit will run much more efficiently.

Is It Okay to Spray Water on Your AC Unit?

For some reason or another, some homeowners are very hesitant in cleaning their AC unit themselves. They’re not sure how much water they can use or whether they can even use water at all. The good news is that you can absolutely spray water on your AC unit to clean it. The water will not damage the AC unit at all. This makes it a lot easier to clean the unit.

If you have a unit that is located outside, you can even spray it down with a garden hose. You really don’t have to be gentle with the cleaning. Instead, you want to focus on getting rid of as much dirt and dust that’s on the unit as possible. You do want to be more careful with the inside of the unit, like the condenser and the electrical compartments; however, a general cleaning to the outside doesn’t require much attention at all.

#4. Change the Filter

Depending on how often you use your AC system, you should also consider changing the filter. In fact, this is one of the main things that most air conditioning services recommend. If you don’t turn on your AC too often, you should still change the filter at least once a year. However, if you’re someone who loves to blast the AC throughout the entire year, you might want to change the filter every other month or every month. If the filter is too clogged, it will prevent cool air from being evenly distributed throughout the entire home. As a result, you might think that your AC unit is not running efficiently at all.

To change the filter, you will need to disassemble the unit. Fortunately, most filters are in very accessible locations, so changing the filter shouldn’t be too difficult. If you have never changed the filter before, you should ask the HVAC technician to show you when they come over for an air conditioning service. You’d be surprised by just how easy the entire process is. It’s also a good idea to inspect the filter every once in a while in order to see how much dirt has accumulated on the filter. Once the filter gets too dirty, you should replace it immediately.

Types of AC Filters

When you’re changing the filter, you can always decide to switch to a different type of filter than what you already have. If you’re unsure of what you have or if you don’t know about the benefits of the other types of filters that are available, you can always speak to the technician during the air conditioning service. An HVAC technician can give you more information as to the type of AC filter that might be best suited to your needs. Some of the most common types include:

• Pleated filters. This is probably the type of air filter that you have. If the air conditioning service includes a filter change, it’s usually for a pleated filter. This is one of the easiest filters to deal with and is also the most affordable. It does a decent job at filtering out contaminants from the air.

• Electrostatic air filters. Not a lot of homes have this type of filter, but it essentially uses electrostatic charge to attract airborne particles.

• High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. These filters are a great choice for those who have allergies or respiratory conditions. These filters can screen up to 99.97% of contaminants in the air, which is why it is highly recommended by many HVAC technicians. It’s fairly easy to switch from a standard AC filter to a HEPA filter during the air conditioning service.

It’s always a good idea to stay informed about the different types of filters that are available. If you do not change your filter regularly, you should ask the HVAC technician to show you the condition of your filter during the air conditioning service. If the air conditioning service does not include a filter change, you should ask the HVAC technician to add on a filter change possible depending on the cost.

#5. Inspect the Coolant Lines

Last but not least, you want to pay attention to the coolant lines. This is also something that the HVAC technician will inspect during the air conditioning service.

The coolant lines are also known as the pipes that carry refrigerant from the evaporator to the condenser. These lines are often covered with some type of insulation that will prevent it from losing energy or prevent heat from dissipating into the unit. With time, the insulation can become damaged. If you come across any areas where the insulation is damaged, you’ll need to replace it immediately in order to prevent it from affecting the AC unit.

If the insulation is damaged, there are many different potential solutions that you can choose from. You should speak with an HVAC technician to get a better idea what the pros and cons of each decision may be. For example, the HVAC technician can install foam insulation sleeves to the lines. Or, they can wrap the lines with a type of foam insulation tape. Both options are feasible, but they will have their own unique pros and cons. You’ll need to take into account the efficiency of each type of insulation, their cost, and their expected lifespan when making a decision.

Get Air Conditioning Services in Irving, TX

If you regularly rely on your AC, you definitely need to get your AC unit serviced frequently in order to keep it in excellent shape. Air conditioning services in Irving, TX not only ensure that your AC unit is energy efficient, but also help reduce the number of repairs that you’ll need in the future, as well as the severity of the repairs. If you maintain your unit regularly, it’ll save you quite a bit of money and headache.

Since 1988, One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas has offered HVAC services to those in Texas, including those who live in Irving, TX. We can schedule regular air conditioning services for your home and will do our best to keep your AC in excellent condition. We can handle all types of AC units and systems.

For more information about our services, give us a call at 682-269-2786. Our technicians are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.