In Texas, it can be a big inconvenience to have your home or business cooling system not work, especially if it’s hot outside and you’re in a hurry to get to work or play. The good news is that repairs can be done relatively quickly by a qualified HVAC technician such as the ones at Cool Experts AC.
Several factors contribute to a home or business air conditioning system failing, including age, temperature, and humidity. When your AC repairs are required, you want to know when it is time for an indoor unit check and a complete AC check to find out if the problem is serious.
In this article, let’s check out The Best Ways To Know If You Need AC Repair.
Signs of an Air Conditioning Unit Problem
If you’re looking for signs of your HVAC unit needing repairs, you can typically spot some issues by looking at the unit itself. These can include:
- Age of the system
- No or poor airflow
- A different smell than usual
- A temperature fluctuation
Let’s talk about some of these symptoms below
The Age of Your AC System
The older your AC system, the longer it may take to repair. If the AC system is relatively new, then you should only have to wait a few days for a technician to come out to work on it.
If you have an older system, you might be looking at a few weeks for repairs. The average age of the cooling units is 10 to 15 years.
Cooling System Health
The overall health of your AC system can affect its ability to work efficiently. For example, if the unit is more than 10 years old, you might want to consider having your air conditioning unit checked by a professional.
An air conditioning problem doesn’t necessarily have to be with the cooling units. A leak or circuit board problems may also be to blame.
Temperature Inversions
Although they’re not common, inversions can cause indoor temperatures to rise, therefore making it necessary for the air conditioning to break down. There are a number of different causes for this, the most common being a leaky exhaust system or faulty condensing unit.
Ducts
If ducts are dripping, it can cause condensation and eventually the ducts will need to be cleaned. The more ducts that have issues, the harder it is to cool the home.
Water Leak
If you’re having a problem with a fan and no water is flowing inside the unit, this is usually not a big problem. However, if a water leak is causing problems, get a water leak detection system.
What Can Be Done To Fix the AC?
If your A/C isn’t functioning properly, there could be a lot of potential problems that could be fixed easily. The simplest way to diagnose a problem with an A/C system is to call your HVAC service professional to find out what’s wrong with it and see if the problem can be fixed without having to purchase a new unit.
If you have a good service plan for your home, you may even be able to arrange for your new AC unit to be installed while you wait for the repair to be completed.
Indoor Unit Maintenance
An indoor unit needs regular cleaning and maintenance. You should clean your condenser coils once a month.
To clean your coils, you may need a professional cleaning service. Also, you should rotate your equipment every two years.
This means the evaporator coil, condenser coil and blower coil should be changed on the same schedule. Common signs of cleaning Indoor unit condenser coils look like a type of metal carpet, which should be maintained.
When the coils are dirty, the air conditioner is using more energy to function. A dirty coil not only affects the AC’s performance but also your utility bill.
The air conditioning system needs adequate airflow to ensure that the temperature stays within the right range.
You should also get a free estimate for an inspection of your home’s HVAC system. A knowledgeable HVAC professional can determine if any problem exists that has not been detected during the yearly inspection.
This can help save you money on parts and labor, as well as prevent further damage to your HVAC unit.
Complete AC Maintenance
Maintenance is the number one factor when considering if you need an indoor AC repair. When you don’t maintain your system, you start to see significant signs of problems.
This is particularly true if you’ve owned the house or business for more than a few years. If your unit has more than 50,000 hours on it, then it’s time for maintenance.
No system would last this long if it were not being regularly maintained. The first thing to do before maintenance is to have your unit checked and have a technician install your dehumidifier.
A dehumidifier will help your unit maintain cooler temperatures longer, giving you extra time to complete the maintenance. The dehumidifier should be plugged into the unit. An HVAC technician will also inspect the condensing unit.
A complete AC check can be done at your HVAC company, or you can send in the units yourself. Keep in mind that these inspections are to be done before seasonal replacement.
If there are no issues, the problem could be a clean air filter or inefficient heat exchanger. If something is wrong, technicians will check out the controls, humidistat, ventilation, or heat exchanger.
If you have the necessary tools and know-how, you can do these inspections yourself.
Cool Experts AC Can Take Care of Your AC Problems
You always want to make sure that your AC units are operating properly, as well as the systems that go with it. After that, you need to decide if a professional can look into the problem and fix it quickly, or if you need to do it yourself.
If you’re still unsure, contact Cool Experts AC about getting your AC unit repaired as quickly as possible.