Blog

https://www.onehourairdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/air-conditioning-repair-richardson-tx-clock-image.png
If You Experience Any Of These 6 Common Issues, Your HVAC Unit Requires Air Conditioning Repair | Frisco, TX

If You Experience Any Of These 6 Common Issues, Your HVAC Unit Requires Air Conditioning Repair | Frisco, TX

If you’ve lived in Frisco, TX, for at least one summer, you know how hot it can get. The average summer day can reach 95 degrees or higher, and most people spend more time in their air-conditioned homes to escape the heat.

If your air conditioner isn’t working correctly, it can get dangerously hot in your home, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Also, some issues can put your home and family at risk.

If there’s an issue with your air conditioner, it’s best to hire an HVAC professional. Air conditioning repair can be complicated, and it takes years of professional training to diagnose problems and make the necessary repair. You shouldn’t attempt a DIY repair if you aren’t a trained HVAC tech. Also, trying to repair the unit yourself will void the warranty.

If your air conditioner experiences any of the following problems, it’s best to hire a professional in air conditioning repair.

#1 Poor Airflow

If you stand in front of a vent in your home when the air conditioner runs, you should feel a powerful rush of cold air. If you feel minimal airflow, it’s best to call a professional in air conditioning repair immediately.

Poor airflow will affect your home’s temperature and won’t be as cool as you like. The air conditioner will have to work twice as hard to keep your home cool, consuming more energy, and your energy bills will increase considerably. In addition, the extra work will strain the unit, reducing its maximum lifespan.

A few issues can cause reduced airflow, including:

  • Clogged air ducts: Up to five pounds of dirt, dust, and other debris can accumulate in the air ducts in one year. Over a few years, enough debris will accumulate and clog the ducts, preventing adequate airflow. When the air conditioner runs, the debris in the ducts will circulate in the air, affecting your home’s air quality, and your family can develop allergies and respiratory issues.
    An air conditioning repair service can send a tech to your home to clean the ducts. When they finish, the airflow will be restored, and the air won’t make your family sick.
  • Damaged air ducts: Air ducts are hidden behind the walls, under the floor, or above the ceiling, and you won’t see any visible damage. If the ducts are damaged, or the seal fails, the cold air will escape before reaching the vents, resulting in poor airflow.
    A professional in air conditioning repair can inspect the air ducts for damage and make the necessary repair.
  • Broken blower: The blower forces the cold air from the unit, through the ducts, and to the vents. If the blower isn’t working, the air won’t be moved to the vents, and you’ll feel minimal airflow from the vents.
    An HVAC tech can repair the blower, allowing for maximum airflow.

Because poor airflow can cause health and financial problems, it’s best to have the issue resolved as quickly as possible.

#2 The Unit Produces Warm Air

If you stand in front of the vents in your Frisco, TX home when the AC runs, you should feel cold air. If the air is warm, you may need to hire a professional in air conditioning repair.

There are a couple of issues that you can fix yourself, starting with the thermostat. The unit won’t produce cold air if it’s not set correctly. The thermostat has to be set to the cooling mode, and it must be warmer in the house than the setting on the thermostat. Also, the fan has to be set to auto. If it’s set to on, the fan will keep running between cycles, producing warm air.

Next, check the air filter. If you haven’t changed it on schedule, the dirt, dust, and debris will clog the filter, preventing adequate airflow in the unit and causing it to overheat.

If everything checks out, it’s time to call a professional in air conditioning repair. A few issues can cause the unit to produce warm air, including:

  • Frozen evaporator coils: The evaporator coils extract the heat and humidity in your Frisco, TX home to begin the cooling process. If the coils are frozen, the cooling season won’t start. A few issues can cause the coils to freeze, including:
    • Clogged or dirty air filter
    • Dirty evaporator coils
    • Low refrigerant
    • A backed-up or clogged condensate hose
  • Refrigerant leak: Your air conditioner relies on refrigerant to produce cold air. If the refrigerant leaks, your Frisco, TX home won’t stay cool and comfortable. A few issues can cause a refrigerant leak, including:
    • The rubber seals on the service valve around the valve stems have worn out.
    • A pinhole leak is caused when acid eats away at the copper tubing.
    • Weak joints or connections
    • You ran the air conditioner when it was too cold outside.
  • An air conditioning repair professional can fix the leak and refill the refrigerant if the unit was installed later than 2010. If the unit was installed before 2010, you’ll need to replace it. Older units use R-22 refrigerant, which was banned in the United States because it’s toxic and harmful to the environment. An HVAC tech won’t waste time fixing the leak because they won’t have R-22 to repair the unit.
  • The compressor failed: The indoor unit and outdoor compressor work together to produce cold air. If the compressor fails, the indoor unit will produce warm air.
    A professional in air conditioning repair can fix the compressor, restoring the cold air, and your home will be cool and comfortable again.

If your air conditioner isn’t producing cold air, your home will get dangerously hot, which is an emergency and requires immediate attention by a professional in air conditioning repair.

#3 Foul Smells

Is there a foul smell in your Frisco, TX home only when the air conditioner runs? If so, it’s best to call a professional in air conditioning repair. Foul odors indicate issues that could put your home and family at risk, and you should call an emergency air conditioning company.

  • Mold: The air ducts in your home are hidden, so they’re dark. When it gets humid, condensation forms in the air ducts, creating the perfect environment for mold growth. Mold in the air ducts is a serious problem, and mold spores will circulate in the air when the unit runs, putting your family’s health at significant risk. According to the CDC, mold exposure causes various health problems, including:
    • Allergy symptoms
    • Respiratory problems
    • Chronic headaches
    • Skin rashes
    • A weakened immune system
  • If a family member has a chronic lung or respiratory condition, mold exposure will make their symptoms and condition worse.
    A professional in air conditioning repair can inspect the air ducts for mold and will use an antimicrobial fogger to eradicate it. If the air ducts are clean, there could be mold in the unit, often caused by neglecting to maintain the unit. Removing mold from the unit can be challenging, and if the tech cannot reach every mold spore, you’ll need to replace the unit to ensure your family’s health.
  • Burning: A burning smell indicates a wiring issue that can start an electrical fire if ignored. You should turn off the air conditioner as soon as you detect the odor and call an HVAC professional. The tech can inspect the unit to find the problem to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

You should never ignore strange odors in your Frisco, TX home, and it’s best to schedule an appointment for emergency air conditioning repair immediately.

#4 High Summer Energy Bills

If you’ve lived in your home for at least one summer, you have an idea of what your summer energy bills will cost. If your bill has increased considerably and you haven’t installed any new appliances or devices, your air conditioner could be to blame, and you should call a professional in air conditioning repair.

The most common cause of this problem is maintenance neglect. If it’s been a while since you’ve had the unit maintained by a professional, a tuneup and recalibration can solve the problem. If the air conditioner is 15 to 20 years old, it’s nearing the end of its lifespan and may not work as efficiently as it once did, causing your energy bills to increase.

#5 It’s Very Humid In Your Home

Your air conditioner is designed to remove humidity from your Frisco, TX home. When it gets humid, it will feel warmer and sticky. A few issues can prevent the unit from eliminating the humidity, and you’ll need to hire a professional in air conditioning repair. A few problems can result in high humidity, including:

  • The thermostat: If the thermostat fan is on, the moisture absorbed by the cooling coils will remain on the coils and blow back into your home. The fan should be set to auto, and you can resolve the problem yourself.
  • Dirty evaporator coils: The evaporator coils extract heat and humidity from the house to start the cooling process. If the coils are dirty, they can’t pull the humidity, and an HVAC professional can clean them, making your home more comfortable.
  • Refrigerant leak: A refrigerant leak will cause high humidity levels, and a tech can fix the leak in newer models or replace the unit if it was installed before 2010.
  • Leaky ducts: Leaks in the ducts can pull humid, dirty air into the home, and a tech can fix the ducts to keep the humidity out.
  • The unit is nearing the end of its lifespan: If your air conditioner is 15 to 20 years old, it won’t work as efficiently as it should, making it challenging for the unit to eliminate the humidity.

Your home won’t feel cool and comfortable when it’s humid, so it’s best to call a professional to resolve the problem immediately.

#6 Strange Sounds

The air conditioner in your home should be relatively quiet when it runs. It’s normal to hear a low-level clicking sound when the unit cycles. If you hear any other strange sounds, it’s best to call a professional in air conditioning repair immediately.

The sound the unit makes can help the tech find the problem’s cause.

  • Banging: A banging sound indicates a loose or broken part and can cause further damage if not fixed immediately. There could also be something struck in the compressor’s fan, or the indoor or outdoor fan could be out of balance.
  • Hissing: A hissing sound indicates a refrigerant leak that can cause the unit to produce cold air.
  • High-pitched screaming: If you hear a high-pitched sound, turn off the air conditioner immediately and call a professional. This sound indicates high pressure in the unit, which can be very dangerous.

If your air conditioner makes any of the sounds above or any other noises, it’s best to call a professional in air conditioning repair immediately.

Why Choose One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas?

If your air conditioner is acting up and you need to hire a professional in air conditioning repair, look no further than One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas. We are a full-service HVAC company serving customers in the area since 1988, and many of our customers have trusted us with their HVAC equipment for decades.

Our techs are professionally trained, highly skilled, and have the knowledge and experience to handle all HVAC jobs. HVAC technology is constantly evolving, and our techs undergo ongoing training and attend seminars to ensure they can install, maintain and repair the latest HVAC models.

If you have a heating or cooling issue that can’t wait, we provide emergency service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We’ll do our best to get a tech to your home as quickly as possible to resolve the problem.

If you need to install new HVAC equipment, our knowledgeable staff can give you information on rebates and tax credits to save money on the cost of the equipment.

To schedule an appointment for air conditioning repair or any other HVAC service, give One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas a call today.

Photo By antoniodiaz at Shutterstock