When Do I Need Professional Air Conditioning Services? | Frisco, TX
Spring is here, which means the hot summer months aren’t far behind. Home and business owners in Frisco, TX, know exactly how important air conditioning is when the thermometer shoots up. Don’t wait until high temperatures arrive to consult Air Conditioning Service professionals. Get started early to make sure your AC is in perfect working order when you need it.
Avoid Unexpected Problems
The importance of air conditioning varies from comfort to health reasons. People with respiratory disorders may experience difficulty breathing if temperatures are too high. Humidity is really the problem, but air conditioning removes moisture from the air as well. Consult an Air Conditioning Service professional before temperatures and humidity levels rise. This is even more essential if someone in the home does rely on air conditioning due to a respiratory condition. A sudden problem with an AC unit can lead to significant problems because temperature and humidity will start rising almost immediately. Sometimes vulnerable people have to leave the house and find a cool environment until temperatures drop. These are all good reasons to schedule an Air Conditioning Service maintenance visit.
AC units tend to run constantly during the summer months in Frisco, TX. Constant use puts a lot of stress on the various components inside the unit. Continuous use also provides lots of opportunities for something to go wrong. Safeguard your AC by scheduling regular maintenance from Air Conditioning Service technicians. Annual spring maintenance goes a long way towards ensuring smooth, uninterrupted performance from your AC. Regular maintenance can also lower energy bills because an AC unit in good condition uses less energy than a unit that’s struggling to overcome worn-out parts or other issues.
Air Filters and Evaporator Coils
Changing air filters regularly is an essential component of Air Conditioning Service. Filters may be replaced during an annual appointment, but there are lots of reasons to change filters more often. Homes with pets may see a lot of pet hair and dander build-up on filters. Homes near busy roads may see filters fill up with debris and dust faster than expected. Your Air Conditioning Service technician can evaluate your situation and schedule filter changes accordingly. Dirty and soiled air filters restrict the amount of warm air that travels over evaporator coils. This means coolant inside those coils can’t absorb as much heat from the air, so less cool air is produced and pushed into your home.
Evaporator coils can even freeze if they’re deprived of warm air. Frozen coils are much less efficient and force the unit to work harder to compensate for ineffective coils. This leads to higher energy bills, and you may also notice that the temperature in your home is warmer than you’d prefer. Forcing a unit to work harder can also lead to overheating and wearing out components of your AC prematurely.
Coolant inside coils absorbs heat, and the warm air is forced through the condenser and cooling fins to dissipate outside. The condenser and cooling fins are actually outside the house, so they can accumulate dirt and grime surprisingly quickly. Layers of dirt and dust prevent efficient heat transfer and act as an insulator.
Moisture and Drainage
Moisture on the condenser can even lead to moss growth, which severely limits the unit’s ability to function. Some AC units barely work at all if the condenser and cooling fins are heavily soiled. Air Conditioning Service technicians clean condensers and cooling fins thoroughly. Homeowners can try to do this task themselves, but it’s very easy to bend the flexible cooling fins. Fins don’t function as they should after they’re bent out of shape, and it’s hard to force fins back into the correct shape without damaging them.
Condensation is produced while warm air cools. This condensation trickles into the drain pan. AC units can produce a great deal of moisture during hot, humid weather. Moisture encourages the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria, algae, and mold. Water should drain outside through a drain line, but mold, algae, dirt, and debris can block drain lines.
Your Air Conditioning Service technician can check drain lines to make sure they stay clear and let water drain easily. It’s important to keep water draining and under control because the water has to go somewhere if the drain lines are blocked. The only available directions may be the interior of your AC, which can lead to electrical short-circuits, or onto the floor under the AC inside the home. Water damage can cause mold and mildew growth as well as water damage on the surrounding walls, curtains, or furniture. Call an Air Conditioning Service provider immediately if you notice water damage around your AC.
Every AC unit has a condensate pump that removes accumulated water from inside the unit. A condensate pump may stop working due to damage that interferes with its power supply or malfunctioning microswitches or sensors. The pump is equipped with a float that rises along with the water level and triggers the pump to start removing water as needed. Debris buildup or worn-out components can interfere with this process and prevent appropriate prompts to turn the pump on. A clog in the drain hose could also lead to moisture backups.
Warm Air and Coolant Leaks
Summer temperatures in Frisco, TX, can be extreme. You’ll probably notice if your AC starts blowing warm air very quickly. Warm air blowing from vents means something has gone wrong, and it also means your AC is effectively useless until the problem is fixed. Running an AC that blows warm air usually does nothing but waste energy. It very likely isn’t accomplishing anything. Clogged air filters are a common cause of warm air. Frozen evaporator coils are also common culprits. You could also be dealing with a malfunctioning thermostat. An Air Conditioning Service professional can pinpoint the problem.
Add coolant leaks and damaged electrical components, and you have a very diverse range of issues that could be causing problems. Chances are that most homeowners won’t be able to pinpoint the problem on their own. Random attempts to repair the unit can do more harm than good. It can also waste money if you buy a replacement part and then discover that the problem was something altogether different. You can save a lot of time and aggravation by contacting an Air Conditioning Service provider immediately. Professionals can diagnose and fix the problem quickly. This is your best bet to get your AC up and running again as soon as possible without wasting time or money.
Coolant Leaks, Capacitors, and Strange Sounds
Signs of a coolant leak include hissing noises, warm air, and visible leaks. Even if you know that a coolant leak is the problem, you still need to hire an Air Conditioning Service professional. There are also a lot of rules governing coolant and regulating how it should be handled and disposed of. Professionals are certified in proper coolant handling protocols. Your AC may also need more coolant to refill the unit. A certified professional can access coolant supplies and refill your AC.
A broken capacitor can leave your AC down for the count. The most recognizable sign of a capacitor issue is a humming sound when you turn on the AC. Although the unit may not blow any air, or only blow warm air, you’ll still hear a humming noise. The capacitor is a cylindrical battery that transfers power to the motor when the unit is powered on.
An AC that shuts off intermittently, takes a long time to start running, or runs in very short cycles, may have a faulty capacitor that could fail completely at any time. Don’t try to handle capacitors yourself. This component is an integral part of the electrical system in the unit and handles high voltage, so it isn’t safe to attempt repair or replacement without proper training and tools.
Air conditioners make noise during operation, but the noise shouldn’t be loud enough to be disruptive. If your unit makes a lot of noise, or if the noise is inconsistent and jumps to high levels occasionally, there’s probably something wrong. Strange noises such as buzzing, hissing, squealing, or rattling also indicate a problem and you should contact an AC service provider as soon as possible. Unusual noises could be giving you advance warning that a component within your AC is about to fail, so catching the problem early could save your household from going without an air conditioner after a complete breakdown. Turn your AC unit off and call a professional in Frisco, TX, as soon as you notice unfamiliar sounds.
Thermostat Issues
Although setting a thermostat seems fairly simple, many households in Frisco, TX, use much more energy than necessary. A faulty or uncalibrated thermostat makes it very difficult to keep indoor spaces at preferred temperatures. It’s easy to assume that turning the thermostat down will cool your home more quickly. However, this isn’t always true. Rapid changes in temperature can lead to excessive wear and tear that shortens the lifespan of your AC unit as well.
An Air Conditioning Service professional can evaluate your situation and AC unit and help you figure out the most appropriate thermostat settings. Households with dial-type thermostats may want to switch to newer programmable thermostats that offer more control of indoor conditions. New thermostats usually don’t need to be recalibrated, which leads to less wasted energy and more efficient AC function. Your Air Conditioning Service technician can help you set up a smart thermostat and teach you how to use it.
Smart thermostats have a lot of advantages. You can control the settings on your AC unit with a personal device such as a smartphone or laptop, even if you aren’t at home. A smart thermostat is also more sensitive than older styles, so temperatures are more consistent and your AC unit won’t use as much energy. In addition to increased comfort, you may also extend the lifetime of your AC unit. Most smart thermostats also let you set different temperatures for specific times throughout the day.
Maintenance
Some homeowners may wonder why they can’t just handle Air Conditioning Service themselves. There are lots of good reasons to leave this job to the professionals. AC units contain a lot of electrical components, especially in homes with central air and buildings with completely integrated HVAC systems. Attempting to repair the unit or replace components without appropriate tools and training could lead to electrocution. It can also cause more damage to the unit, which defeats the purpose anyway. Always consult professional Air Conditioning Service providers if your AC is still under warranty. Your warranty may pay for repairs, but it’s best to use a professional even if it doesn’t. DIY work can void warranties entirely, so you won’t be able to submit a claim for anything in the future either.
Air conditioners tend to be fairly large purchases for most households. Large purchases aren’t taken lightly, so it’s only natural to want the product to last as long as possible. Most air conditioning units last for an average of 10 years, but this is only an estimate and your unit could last longer than that. It could also break down early, which is definitely an outcome to avoid. Professional Air Conditioning Services keep your AC in good repair and maximize the functional lifetime of the unit. Air Conditioning Service technicians can also offer advice and suggestions to optimize comfortable temperatures in your home and keep your AC running efficiently.
The HVAC professionals at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas are always ready to provide Air Conditioning Services in Frisco, TX. They have plenty of experience dealing with heating and cooling issues and help keep your home’s HVAC system running reliably and efficiently. You can choose from a wide range of service options and schedule appointments to fit your household schedule. Contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas to ask questions or schedule a consultation or appointment.