Air Conditioning Service: Why Have Your Energy Utility Bills Skyrocketed? | Frisco, TX
No homeowner wants a high energy bill. Hence, you must know why your home’s electricity bills are high. Many appliances use electricity at your home. However, an air conditioner is among the appliances that consume a lot of energy in your Frisco, TX, home. According to the US EPA, air conditioners use about 6% of the total energy produced yearly. Unfortunately, even after consuming all that energy, they might use it even more whenever they are dysfunctional.
Whenever you notice that the air conditioning electricity bills have skyrocketed, that is usually a sign that your air conditioner has an underlying problem. Since DIY air conditioning repairs are highly discouraged, you should have an air conditioning service provider inspect the unit to locate and fix the problem. With their equipment and experience, the professionals can safely inspect the air conditioner, locate the problem and take the necessary steps to remedy the issue.
However, you can have routine air conditioning services to avert such issues that might cause high energy consumption. During the routine maintenance visits, the technician will catch the issues in their early stages of development and fix them. Just as you don’t skip a car servicing by a mechanic, you should also ensure that the air conditioning unit is regularly inspected and serviced by a professional. First, the professionals examine whether the air conditioner has an issue. They will then use their skills to fix it completely.
So, what causes the air conditioner to use more energy? Several factors are associated with this particular issue. Hence, it is critical to know the root cause of the issue either during or before the air conditioning repair. To ensure that you are appropriately informed, below is a list of the potential issues that might make the air conditioner consume more energy. However, you should note that a regular air conditioning service can catch and fix them before they worsen. The main reasons for the increased air conditioner energy utility bills include;
Improper Maintenance
You might be wondering why your electricity bill is suddenly too high. The right questions should be when you last had the air conditioner serviced. Although your air conditioner requires regular maintenance, you should emphasize proper maintenance. Only an experienced and licensed air conditioning service technician can offer this kind of maintenance. Proper maintenance is critical as it can help the air conditioner reduce energy consumption.
Hence, you should adequately vet the technicians before allowing them to service your air conditioner. Remember, some DIY enthusiasts and quacks pass themselves as professional air conditioning repair technicians. Proper maintenance ensures reduced energy consumption and may increase the air conditioner’s overall efficiency. Hence, only hire experts next time.
Unevenly Cooled Rooms
Have you noticed that some of the rooms at your Frisco, TX, home aren’t evenly cooled? That is not only a sign that the air conditioner is overworking but also that the filters might be clogged. It also indicates that the hair conditioner hasn’t been properly maintained. The HVAC systems depend on a series of blowers, vents, compressors, ducts, fans, condenser and evaporator coil, and thermostat to cool or heat your home sufficiently. If the filters, air ducts, and outlets have not been cleaned lately, they might have an obstruction.
This prevents the cooled or heated air from flowing into the other areas. A clogged or blocked filter or air duct can also result in mold formation, a particularly dangerous fungus, especially in respiratory systems. Therefore, ensure that the heating and air conditioning service provider inspects and services your HVAC system to avert such an issue. They will clean or replace the air filters to ensure a seamless supply of cooled air in your home.
Insufficient Refrigerant
The refrigerant is an essential component of your air conditioner because it plays a vital role in your home’s cooling and heat distribution. It facilitated the production of cooled air by removing heat from the incoming air passing over the condenser and evaporator coils. Hence, if the air conditioner leaks the refrigerant, it will not effectively remove heat from the heat. As a result, your AC system is forced to work significantly harder to attain the desired temperatures, resulting in higher electricity bills.
Refrigerant leaks are an emergency that should be addressed immediately. This is because the coolant is highly toxic and harmful to the environment. You can catch the issue of refrigerant leaks early if you have the unit regularly inspected and maintained by an air conditioning service provider. The professional will patch and refill the leak to ensure an efficient heat exchange in your unit.
Damaged or Dirty Air Filters
The air filter is an essential component of the air conditioner that ensures the air entering your indoor space is contaminant-free and high-quality. Because of the nature of their work, the air filters collect dander, debris, dust, and other contaminants. As clean and tidy as your Frisco, TX, home is, pet furs and dust will always find their way into the air ducts. Clogged air filters are even more prevalent in homes with furry pets such as cats and dogs. In such homes, the filters need cleaning or replacement every month by an air conditioning service provider.
Normally, it is recommended that you ensure the air filters are replaced after every 2-3 months. If you have pets, consider having an air conditioning service provider replace the filters with ones having a higher MERV rating or HEPA filters. Unfortunately, clogging of the air filters doesn’t only mean that your air will be contaminated. It also reduces the performance of the air conditioner and increases energy consumption. Because the air filter is blocked, the air conditioner system works harder to push the air into the vents and your living space.
Whenever this happens, the AC works harder, consuming more energy. Unfortunately, this overworking has many other impacts. The issues that arise with the overworking need the immediate attention of the air conditioning repair service provider. But what are the signs that the air conditioner is overworking?
Signs of an Overworking AC System
Constantly Adjusting Thermostat
Have you noticed that you must constantly adjust the thermostat to reach the needed temperatures? Then there is a high chance that the air conditioner isn’t functioning properly. A correctly functioning air conditioner will effectively and quickly heat your home uniformly or according to the set zones. This sign that your unit is overworking, causing the thermostat misconfigurations. Therefore, if you have to adjust the thermostat frequently, you should have an air conditioning service inspect the unit further. It will also consume more energy whenever it starts this behavior.
Whenever You Find That You Need Frequent Repairs
An air conditioner is designed to be long-lasting. However, it will run into issues like any other electrical system. But this doesn’t mean that it should keep requiring frequent repairs. If the repairs exceed half of the total air conditioner’s cost, you better have an air conditioning service provider install a new unit. This might make more economic sense because the new unit will operate effectively and be energy efficient. You should consider a replacement whenever your air conditioner lives past the 10-year mark. It is also around the same time that you’ll notice the repairs increase.
A Dusty Home
Your air conditioner filter catches dander, dust, dirt, and other forms of debris brought by the incoming air. Have you noticed an increase in such materials at your Frisco, TX, home? That is a sign that the filter isn’t catching them as it should. Hence, it starts to overwork itself to contain the dust. The filters will become clogged in most cases, necessitating a need for an air conditioning service to clean the filter.
Strange Noises
Screeching, banging, rattling, hissing and other strange sounds aren’t normal for an air conditioner. For instance, the compressor might produce a banging sound whenever it overworks. Such sounds indicate that the air conditioning and heating unit are malfunctioning. Hence, have an air conditioning service to inspect the reason for the sound and fix it.
The Air Conditioner Won’t Start
If the air conditioner has been working for an extended period, some components like the capacitor can be damaged by overheating. In such a case, you might notice that it won’t start. This is a clear sign to call having an AC service in Frisco, TX, as there can be.
Yellow Pilot Light
A yellow flame is produced whenever the gas mixture in the combustion chamber isn’t right. This is a sign of carbon monoxide. For the gasses to burn properly, a regulated flow of oxygen is required in the burner. If the filters in the combustion chambers are clogged, you might experience this. Call a professional air conditioning service provider to inspect the unit whenever you notice this.
Blocked Air Vents
If the air vents are blocked by materials and items such as furniture, they can harm the heating and air conditioning system’s ability to heat or cool your home. Hence, you might notice that you need to keep on adjusting the thermostat to get the desired temperatures. When the air conditioning service technician comes for maintenance, they will check for clogs in the vents and whether they are obstructed by furniture. If obstructed, the professional will clear up the way for efficient functioning.
Failing Parts
The failing parts on the air conditioner, such as capacitors, compressors, motors, condenser coils, evaporator coils, and thermostats, might also make the unit use more electricity. Since an air conditioner is just a huge collection of individual components, a failure in one impacts the rest. For instance, if the condenser motor fails and you are trying to cool your indoor space, then it means that the motor will not remove the heat from your home properly. Because the motor is struggling and your thermostat isn’t satisfied, it will make the motor run longer, resulting in high electricity consumption. If not checked by an air conditioning service technician, this will continue until the motor fails, and you’ll have an air conditioning breakdown.
Leaking Ducts
The cooled air might escape from the designated pathway because of a leakage in your air ducts. Your air conditioner will work harder to compensate for the lost air and reach your desired temperatures whenever this happens. In such a case, you might find that you must regularly adjust or lower the thermostat to achieve the desired temperatures since it seems like the air conditioner isn’t operating properly. As a result, the unit uses more energy. Hence the higher energy utility bill. Homeowners are advised to regularly have an air conditioning service in Frisco, TX, because such issues can be caught early.
Poor Insulation
You might have a quality air conditioner, but that wonderfully heated or cooled air will escape if it has shoddy insulation. The poor insulation might make homeowners adjust the temperatures on the thermostat and run the air conditioner longer to attain the necessary cooling or heating. This, unfortunately, makes the energy bills go up. If the air ducts aren’t properly insulated, ensure that they enlist the help of an air conditioning service provider for their insulation. Unless the ducts are cooled, the air will never remain as cool as you need it to be.
A Bad Installation
The other reason the air conditioner might use more energy is a bad installation. For instance, the air conditioning service provider might have installed an oversized unit at your Frisco, TX, home prone to short cycling. By kicking off and on rapidly, it results in increased use of electrical energy. This happens because the AC uses more energy when starting up. Hence, they are more energy-efficient when you reduce the number of startups.
Professional AC Services You Can Depend On
An air conditioner is an essential appliance in most homes. It ensures they are comfortable during the summer season. Hence, you should ensure that yours is properly serviced before summer sets in. However, it is also a leading user of electrical energy in some households. Have you noticed a spike in your heating and cooling energy utility bills? As explained above, many issues might make the air conditioner use more electrical energy. A routine air conditioning service can quickly catch most of these issues. Do you need your air conditioner to be regularly serviced? Don’t hesitate to contact us today at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas.