When the air conditioning (AC) shuts down on a hot, summer’s day it can be bad for your family and bad for business. Your first thought may be about getting it quickly running again, so you have a look at the unit to see if there’s anything you can do. This may not be your best option. In fact, it could make matters worse. Calling a professional air conditioning repair person is the fastest way back to cool, comfortable indoor temperatures.
Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) professionals can diagnose the problem, since they’ve seen it a hundred times, and will have the correct tools and parts to fix it on the spot. You can relax in the surety that not only will things will be back to normal soon, but your air conditioner will be in good shape.
Air conditioners today are built to be energy-efficient and have extensive electronic systems and other components that make them much more complicated than 30 years ago. A professional can trace the problem back to its source, so it’s fixed properly the first time. This will make your AC system more efficient and last longer.
When a professional comes to your rescue, he or she will perform a thorough inspection of the whole system. This means you get the repair you require, but you also get an evaluation of all the parts, to see if the next problem is waiting to happen. Rather than calling a repair person when your system breaks down, it is more cost efficient and saves you from spending time in a hot environment if you have your unit regularly inspected by a professional.
There are several reasons why your air conditioning unit breaks down. According to Eagar Heating and Cooling, “It may be because of a worn-out part or break in the system, but it could also be because the area being cooled is producing too much heat for the unit to handle. This could be because someone inadvertently leaves a window open that is letting in hot air or because there are too many people in the room. When the unit overworks, the refrigerant that produces the cool air may start to leak out of the coils. This will reduce the capacity of the system and you’ll notice that the room is not getting cool.”
When the air flow over the outdoor condenser is reduced, the unit cannot reject outdoor heat. In regions with dry climate, this can happen to indoor units. In regions with humid climate, the indoor humidity will become higher. If the airflow becomes too low, the evaporator coil could freeze. This will be expensive to repair. Meanwhile, the indoor air in your home or office is hot.
Some regular maintenance can be done by you such as cleaning and changing the filters. However, at the beginning of spring or summer when it’s time to cool down your house, your best option is to call a professional to brush dirt and other obstructions from the coils and drains and make sure there is no damage caused by cold, winter weather. They will also check the airflow and refrigerant charge.
If you have central air conditioning, your ducts need to be regularly checked for leaks. A leaky duct can cost you 20 to 40 percent of the energy required to cool your house. You could get an extra half-ton or air conditioning if you get your ducts professionally checked and insulated.
As with any precision instrument, your air conditioning unit requires expert care to run efficiently. Allowing it to run inefficiently can cost you money every day and bring a big repair bill soon.
