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If you live in Mansfield, TX, you know that your air conditioner is one of the most noticeable consumers of electricity in your house. Of course, the consumption can go up in summer since your air conditioner might have to work extra hard to keep your indoor temperatures within a comfortable range no matter how hot the weather gets. However, your electricity bills need to be predictable from year to year. Therefore, if you have noticed a sudden spike in your electricity bills, then you could be facing a serious air conditioning issue, and you might need to call a professional air conditioning repair service to get to the bottom of the matter. But what can possibly cause such a sudden rise in the cost of keeping your home cool? Below is a rundown of some of the most common reasons your air conditioner might lose its efficiency and force you to pay more for electricity.
The Age of Your Air Conditioner
Your air conditioner is quite a durable appliance. However, it is not designed to last forever. On average, air conditioners last twelve to seventeen years. As your air conditioner approaches the end of its lifespan, it will naturally lose its efficiency, meaning that it will require more electricity and cost you more money to run. As such, if your air conditioner is over a decade old and you have noticed a sudden increase in your electricity bills, then it probably needs to be replaced. However, it is imperative for you to consult your air conditioning repair service to help you determine if the age of the equipment has something to do with the issue at hand and whether getting your air conditioner replaced is the most appropriate thing to do at the moment.
Poor Air Conditioner Maintenance
Like any other machine, an air conditioner is not an appliance you can just install and forget. For it to continue working optimally over an extended period, it must be subjected to routine maintenance. For instance, the moving parts have to be lubricated, and the air filters must be cleaned or replaced as directed by the manufacturer. If you neglect your air conditioner and fail to service it on time, you will soon have to deal with efficiency issues. This implies that a poorly maintained air conditioner will have to work harder than necessary to keep your Mansfield, TX home comfortable, meaning that it will need more electricity to reach its objectives. To prevent such an eventuality, it is imperative for you to work with a professional air conditioning service to ensure that your air conditioner does not miss routine maintenance.
Leaky or Dirty Ducts
The ductwork is an integral component of your HVAC system. It is essentially a network of ducts that ensures that the cooled or heated air is evenly distributed throughout your home. Therefore, if your ducts are leaking or blocked by dirt, they can negatively affect the performance of your air conditioner. With such an issue, your ducts will fail to distribute the cooled air evenly, meaning that some sections of your home will remain hot no matter how hard the air conditioner works. Unfortunately, this means that your air conditioner will be forced to work overtime to achieve its objective. As such, it will consume more electricity and cost you more to run. To prevent such an eventuality and keep your air conditioner working optimally, you will have to work with a professional air conditioning repair service to ensure that your ducts are inspected and cleaned regularly. If there are any leaks detected, your air conditioning expert should fix them accordingly to restore the efficiency of your air conditioner.
Leaking Refrigerant
The importance of the refrigerant in your air conditioner cannot be overstated. Its job is to absorb heat from your indoor air as the air gets blown over the evaporator coil. The refrigerant is then pumped to the condenser coil, from where the heat is released into the atmosphere. Once the heat is released, the refrigerant is pumped back to the evaporator coil, where the process begins again. Therefore, if your refrigerant is leaking, your air conditioner might not work optimally. This means the air conditioner will have to work harder than normal to keep your home comfortable. Therefore, if you have noticed a sharp rise in your cooling bills, it is probably because your refrigerant is leaking, and you need to call a professional air conditioning repair expert to examine the level of the refrigerant, seal any leaks, and refill the refrigerant to restore your air conditioner’s efficiency.
Dirty Coils
As mentioned above, the evaporator coil and the condenser coil have an important part to play in your air conditioner’s operation. However, they can quickly get covered with dust and debris, which can negatively affect the performance of your air conditioner. For instance, if the evaporator coil is dirty, the refrigerant in it might not absorb heat efficiently. Similarly, if the condenser coil is covered with debris, it might fail to release the heat efficiently. Unfortunately, this means that your air conditioner will need to work harder than it should to keep your indoor temperatures within a comfortable range, meaning that you might have to pay more for electricity. To prevent such an eventuality, you need to work with a professional air conditioning repair service to keep your air conditioner’s coils clean.
The Bottom Line
Overall, it is apparent that if your air conditioner is losing its efficiency, several underlying issues could be causing the issue. However, unless you’re a professional air conditioning repair expert, it is hard for you to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem and fix it accordingly, meaning that you will need to call a professional air conditioning repair service for assistance. If you are looking for a reliable air conditioning repair expert in or around Mansfield, TX, Minuteman Heating & Air is an excellent HVAC contractor to consider. Feel free to contact us today for more information about our company and air conditioning repair services.