The hot summer months bring the opportunity for trips to the beach, barbecues with loved ones, and picnics in the park. For most people, summer is the best season of the year, and many of us spend the long, cold Winter months just waiting for those first warm, sunny days. With the season comes certain drawbacks, however, and one of the biggest is scalding hot weather. If you live in a country which has really hot summers, or even one which is hot all year round, the importance of an efficient and effective air conditioning system can never be overstated.
These days, there are many different options available when it comes to ACs and modern units work extremely well, requiring minimal maintenance. There are, however, occasional times when your AC may experience some issue or another and will need repairing. If you don’t want to spend many hot days sweating, it is vital to get your AC fixed by calling AC repair services as quickly as possible.
To help out everyone who is experiencing AC issues, here is how to easily get your air conditioner repaired.
1. Hire a Qualified HVAC Repair Service
We all like to think of ourselves as proficient handymen or women, but whilst air conditioners provide a relatively simple function, they are incredibly complex pieces of equipment. Trying to fix any electrical appliance is not only complicated, but it can also be extremely dangerous. You can easily cause permanent damage to your AC or potentially electrocute yourself if you don’t know what you are doing or you don’t take the proper safety precautions. There are many HVAC repairs that should only ever be attempted by a professional. HVAC engineers are highly trained to diagnose AC issues and make the necessary repairs whilst protecting themselves from danger. There are many minor issues that can easily be repaired by a professional engineer which you can exacerbate into far more significant (and costly) problems. It is always advisable to have your AC or HVAC undergo regular maintenance so that a professional engineer can spot and fix any issues before they escalate. It’s best to seek local professionals within your area for Dallas Air Conditioner Repair.
2. Check and Replace the Filters
One of the most important parts of an AC is the filters as they clean the air which is then circulated around your home. There are many unpleasant pollutants and particles which can gather in the air in your house which can cause lots of health problems for you and your family. Pollen, mold, pet dander, dust mites, and other nasty things can negatively affect the respiratory system and cause major allergic reactions if not filtered properly. If you notice that the air in your home seems to be bad or you are sneezing or experiencing other flu-like symptoms more than often, it may be that your filter needs replacing. Regular AC inspection by a licensed professional will ensure that your filters are working properly and that they don’t need cleaning out or replacing.
Filters can easily get clogged, especially if you live in an area with particularly bad quality and these filters will need action to be taken more often. There are various types of filters that you can fit into your AC and which will help to improve the quality of the air in your home and protect you and your family. Speak to the manufacturer when you buy your AC, and to your inspection engineer, and ask them what kind of filter they recommend.
3. Address Strange Sounds Before They Escalate
One of the most common issues with AC units is that they are noisy or make strange sounds. There are many different kinds of sounds that you may hear such as loud vibrations or a strong blowing sound. On the whole, these sounds are not normally anything to worry about and do not hint at any serious mechanical problem with your unit. If your air con’s normal operating sounds are too loud and are seriously bothering you, you may want to consider buying a quieter, replacement unit or having an engineer come in to see if there is anything that they can do to reduce the noise levels. One common complaint is the outside unit vibrating on its supporting surface, and one potential easy fix is to put a rubber pad under the unit to absorb the vibrations and act as a muffler.
If you are still concerned about the noises your unit is making, then there are some easy things that you can check. First of all, make 100% sure that the unit is unplugged and that your electricity is turned off. Open up the unit and look inside. Many people often hear a knocking sound coming from their outside unit and this can sometimes be caused by some loose copper tubing that is being struck by the fans.
4. Check the Condenser Coils
The condenser coils are among the most important of all the elements in your AC system as they are the elements which cool the air. They do this by removing the heat from the air and expelling it outside before circulating the cooler air back into your home. If your condenser coils get dirty, however, they cannot function properly. This often happens in big cities which are heavily polluted. The coils then have to work much harder to cool down the air and this can then have a domino effect and cause further damage to the unit.
Make sure the area around your AC unit is clear or weeds and plants so that there is lots of air circulation and regularly clean grime and dirt off your until so that it cannot cake the coils. Clean the condenser coils regularly and this will keep your AC working efficiently.
Of all the household appliances, a quality air conditioner has perhaps the biggest impact on the quality of our lives. Especially during the hot summer, having a hot, humid home can be incredibly uncomfortable and so it is vital that you ensure your AC is working properly. If you have any issues with your unit, make sure that you call in the professionals so that they can assess them and do what is necessary. If left unaddressed, minor AC issues can escalate into much bigger problems so it is really important that you seek immediate help if anything seems to be amiss.
5. Examine The Thermostat Frequently
The thermostat plays an important role in most cooling devices such as an air conditioner as it keeps the temperature in check and determines if the room has the right temperature. If the temperature is too high, the thermostat will automatically activate the cooling system and control how long it will run.
Because the thermostat is considered the “brain” of an air conditioner, it’s important that you examine this part frequently to check if there are minor issues requiring repair. Here are problems caused by a faulty thermostat and ways to repair them immediately:
- The Air Conditioner Stops Working Suddenly
Most of the time, this happens due to dead batteries, a blown fuse on the main electrical service panels, or a tripped breaker. To solve this problem, turn off the thermostat and check the inner components. There may be dirt or dust build-up and other coatings of debris. These specks of dirt affect the operation of the thermostat; hence, you need to clean them using a soft brush or canned compressed air. It can also be caused by loose wiring and terminal screws that should be tightened properly.
- The Air Conditioner Heats or Cools the Room Inconsistently
Even if your AC can heat or cool the room during operation, but stops midway in spite of working below the desired temperature, this can be an indication of an issue on the thermostat. Therefore, ensure that you clean the thermostat and install it in an area with no direct sunlight to prevent problems like this.