Air Conditioning Service: What Affects The Service Life Of Your HVAC System? | Dallas, TX
Because of various reasons, your Dallas, TX HVAC system may not always be able to perform as you might have wanted or even to your expectations. If the HVAC unit isn’t effective, it does not provide you with the comfort and convenience you might have wanted during the humid and scorching summer or the freezing Texan winters. Fortunately, you can help keep the various components of your air conditioner optimally working by staying abreast with routine maintenance and enlisting various air conditioning services.
If you do not enlist a technician for routine air conditioning maintenance and inspections, you’ll notice that the efficiency of your unit is reducing with time. Further, you’ll also notice that the unit’s energy efficiency takes a toll. With time, the air conditioner might become irreparable. The HVAC unit won’t meet or attain its intended service life. Hence, you’ll have to replace your heating and cooling system prematurely. Remember, an HVAC system isn’t a cheap appliance.
For this reason, you should enlist for a routine air conditioning service to ensure any issues are caught in the early stages before they worsen into a full-blown menace. The last thing any homeowner wants is to replace their HVAC system prematurely, especially during winter or summer. Besides routine maintenance, several other factors have an impact on your HVAC system’s lifespan, as explained below;
Your Maintenance Schedule
How often do you schedule the maintenance of the HVAC system? HVAC system maintenance is among the greatest factors that impact your unit’s service life. Whether the various components of the HVAC system are inspected yearly, monthly, or even quarterly plays a vital role in determining when you might have to replace the entire unit. Through planning and scheduling for monthly or yearly air conditioning service in Dallas, TX, you could avoid any possible breakdown, unnecessary part degradation, and unexpected repairs. The professional will inspect all the parts of the HVAC system and repair any issues they come across.
Your Unit’s Size
Does the size of an HVAC system have a bearing on its service life? Yes, it does. The HVAC system at your commercial or residential property must meet that space’s cooling and heating needs. If it is too small, it won’t cope with the heating or cooling of the indoor space. This results in uneven heating and cooling, lower energy efficiency, and frequent breakdowns since the unit will be overused when it tries to stay abreast with the demand for conditioned air.
On the other hand, if the HVAC unit is far too large, it may show the signs of what’s referred to as short cycling. Short cycling refers to the shorter heating and cooling operation cycles when your HVAC system doesn’t have to stay on for long before it properly heats or cools your home to your desired temperatures. You might appreciate that your HVAC system is doing very well in cooling or heating your home. However, short cycling might result in restarting and shutting off the HVAC unit several times throughout the day. It will use more energy and is constantly exposed to wear and tear.
If you are unsure about the right size of an HVAC system, then you should consult your air conditioning service provider. These professionals have the experience and knowhow to size up your home’s HVAC system. to help you choose the right unit, the professionals consider the following;
Climate
Does your area experience a warm or extremely cold climate? Then the AC service technician will advise you to purchase an HVAC system with a higher SEER rating. This is a measure of energy efficiency, and the higher the SEER, the more the energy efficiency of the HVAC system. In areas such as Dallas, you’ll have to run the HVAC unit during most of the year.
Your Home’s Exterior
The type and color of the material making the exterior of your home can affect the amount of heat that is reflected or absorbed. This is a critical factor the technician will consider to determine the size of the HVAC system needed.
Sun Exposure and Shade
West-or South-facing homes usually take longer to cool since they are exposed to more sunny periods during summer. Hence, you’ll need an HVAC unit with a higher SEER rating than homes facing north or east and with a lot of shade. Hence, the former will also need more air conditioning services because the unit is running for a longer period.
Insulation
The other factor that the air conditioning service provider considers to determine the right size of an HVAC system is your home’s insulation. The HVAC system will also run more efficiently if it is well insulated.
Ceiling Height
The homes with a high ceiling have a larger volume than a room with the standard 9ft ceiling height. Hence, the professional will also have to calculate a BTU or two higher over the recommended level to ensure that the unit cools your room efficiently.
Heat Generating Appliances
Laundry and kitchen rooms have some components or appliances which produce heat. If your Dallas, TX home has more heat-generating appliances, it will need more BTUs to cool your indoor spaces, which your air conditioning service provider will certainly calculate.
Your Brand of Choice
The other factor that can determine how long an HVAC system serves your home is the brand. Some brands produce lower-quality HVAC systems that can only serve your home for a little over ten years, while others might serve your home for over 20 years. The main component that determines the duration of time that an HVAC system can serve you is the compressor and evaporator coils.
The costlier HVAC systems feature components or parts which are of high quality. As a result, they have a longer service life and better performance. However, cost shouldn’t always be the factor here. Whether an HVAC system is cheaper or expensive, it would still require a routing air conditioning service from a professional.
The Installation of the HVAC System
The other thing that may affect the service life of an HVAC system is its installation. Who installed it? How was the HVAC system installed? Where was the unit installed? Was the installation done properly? The HVAC system should be installed properly by a professional technician. Otherwise, if it’s snugly installed at the wrong location by a quack, then it might be prone to wear out, frequent repairs, and shortened service life. It also means you won’t experience the energy efficiency you might have thought.
If the condenser unit is installed indoors, in a garage, or in an attic, its effectiveness and functionality will be reduced, consequently limiting your AC system. This reduces the unit’s effectiveness and increases the likelihood of frequent repairs. The professional and licensed air conditioning service providers in Dallas, TX, can install the cooling and heating system properly and at a suitable location that ensures energy efficiency and effectiveness.
The Quality of Your Home’s Indoor Air
Dirt and dust may reduce your home’s indoor air quality when they accumulate within your HVAC system. As a result, this makes your wallet and health take a toll. The air contaminants increase the chances of you or your family contracting various respiratory complications like allergies. They also result in a drop in the energy efficiency of a heating and air conditioning system. In addition to the routine air conditioning service, you may consider investing in duct cleaning services and assessing the interior air quality. These services will help determine the contaminants’ impact on your HVAC system’s service life.
How Do You Know It’s Time to Replace or Repair the Air Conditioner?
Foul Odors
Does your HVAC system throw a foul stench upon starting up? When properly operating, the air conditioning system shouldn’t throw any smell. However, it isn’t uncommon to notice a change in the smell whenever you turn on the unit. This is a telltale sign that the HVAC system needs repair. Sometimes, seeking help from an air conditioning service provider might help resolve the foul smell issue. Below are the five common smells that you are likely to notice;
Burning Smell
This is among the scariest smells that your HVAC system might throw. You might hear some people refer to this smell as fire or gunpowder smell. It is usually produced by burnt wires or overheating motors. The smell might also emanate from other mechanical parts of the HVAC system. Whenever you notice it, ensure you turn off the HVAC system and call an air conditioning service provider in Dallas, TX.
Dirty Socks Smell
Have you noticed a dirty sock smell from your air conditioner? If you have, that is a sign that bacteria are growing on the HVAC condenser coils. This issue needs an air conditioning service to clean the condenser coils, remove the bacteria, and eliminate that dirty socks smell.
Exhaust Smell
Most homeowners are aptly familiar with their car’s exhaust smell. The HVAC system also might create a similar smell. This happens especially if there is a leakage of a liquid onto a hot or warm part of the HVAC system, most likely on the HVAC unit’s motor. Whenever you notice this, have an air conditioning service inspect the HVAC system.
Garbage Smell
Is it starting to smell like a garbage dump in your Dallas, TX, home? The culprit might be the HVAC system. The rodents, birds, and other critters seek warmth in the air ducts in various seasons. When this happens, they easily might find themselves burrowed within the components of your HVAC system. This smell emanates from the dead critter and rodents in the air ducts. Whenever you notice this, have an air conditioning service for duct cleaning and inspection of other HVAC system components.
Mold Smell
Have you noticed mildew or mold when you turn on the HVAC system? That is a surefire way of mold growth within the HVAC system. This might happen in any heating and cooling system component, although the main culprit is the air ducts and condensate drains. Mold is a dangerous fungus that might result in respiratory complications and allergic inflammations. Whenever you notice the moldy smell, have an air conditioning service provider inspect the air ducts and other parts of the HVAC system and clean them using antimicrobial foggers.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
The thermostat is the brain or the operational control center of the entire HVAC system operation. It tells the HVAC system volume of heated or cooled air it should produce to get your indoor air to your preferred temperatures. If the thermostat isn’t properly calibrated accurately, it will collect incorrect ambient temperatures. An air conditioning service provider might tune-up your thermostat to ensure it can detect the right temperatures and communicate this information to the HVAC system.
If the HVAC system is prone to short cycling, then the thermostat won’t be able to determine if the heating and cooling system is fully turned on or off. As a result, the unit might not turn on whenever you need it to. Since an HVAC system is an electrical appliance, a skilled HVAC technician should assess any issue. Based on the cause of the malfunction and the age of the heating and air conditioning system, it might need to be replaced.
Excessive Noise
Most of the HVAC noises are annoying and frustrating and usually indicate a heating and cooling system problem. You should turn off the HVAC system whenever you hear them and have an air conditioning service provider inspect it thoroughly. However, the kind of noise produced by your HVAC unit might narrow down the cause of the problem.
For instance, the grinding, screeching, and scraping sounds point to something like an out-of-place belt. The issues that bring about these sounds might result in serious and expensive damages to the other parts of the HVAC system and interrupt the serenity and comfort of your residential or commercial property in Dallas, TX. If too loud, the sounds might cause hearing discomfort. Whenever you experience such, enlist the help of an AC service technician.
At One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas, we pride ourselves on quality HVAC services. Our technicians are properly equipped, licensed, trained, and experienced to offer various services efficiently. Our clients are our first and foremost concern. Call our technicians today if you need an air conditioning service.