Air Conditioning Service: Ensuring Your HVAC System Reaches Its Lifespan | Mansfield, TX
Your Mansfield, TX heating and cooling system might not always perform appropriately as you’d like for various reasons. If your HVAC system is ineffective, it doesn’t provide comfort on a freezing winter day or the much-needed relief during the humid Texan summers. However, the good news is that staying abreast with maintenance and enlisting periodic air conditioning services can help keep your AC components working at optimal conditions.
Suppose you don’t have routine air conditioning maintenance and service. In that case, you will find the water air conditioner’s energy efficiency reducing as time progresses, and the HVAC system might become irreparable soon. This means that it will not meet the service life, and you’ll have to replace the unit, and HVAC systems aren’t cheap. Enlisting regular air conditioning services might save you from getting hurt financially by the expensive replacements.
Factors Affecting The Service Life Of Your HVAC System
The unit size, brand, installation, indoor air quality, maintenance schedule, and air filter size are all factors that could affect the entire lifespan of your HVAC system. Let’s now consider each of the elements above.
1. Your Unit’s Size
You might be wondering, does the size matter with your air conditioner unit? Absolutely! Your residential or commercial property air conditioner should be able to meet the space’s heating and cooling needs. A far too small air conditioner cannot cope with cooling or heating your entire house, leading to uneven cooling and heating, frequent breakdowns, and lower energy efficiency because of overuse as the unit tries to stay abreast with the demand.
A far too large AC unit might exhibit what is called short cycling. These are short operation cycles occurring when the HVAC does not need to stay long before meeting the required temperature. Although anybody can appreciate the unit’s effort to bring your home to the required temperatures quicker, this might lead to shutting off and restarting the HVAC multiple times all through the day. This can hurt your energy utility bills.
If you aren’t sure whether your AC is of the right size, consult your HVAC technician during the air conditioning service visit to determine whether you should downgrade or upgrade the unit. Inquire what operation will benefit your home and reduce the frequency of potential repairs while also reducing the energy bills. A unit that works too hard might suffer from a lower lifespan as various parts burn out quickly and need to be replaced.
2. Your Chosen Brand
Your HVAC brand of choice can be an indicator of how long the HVAC unit will serve your home. For instance, some brands like Goodman HVACs have a rated lifespan of between 10-15 years before a costly compressor or coil malfunction arises. Others like Carrier HVAC might last for about 15-25 years with proper maintenance.
More expensive HVAC systems have components or parts of higher quality, meaning they offer longer service life and better performance. However, regardless of the quality of the unit or cost, it still requires regular air conditioning services, including the leading HVAC models from the industry-leading manufacturers like Bryant, Trane, and Carrier.
3. The Installation Of Your HVAC Unit
One factor that might have an impactful effect on the HVAC at your home is how It was installed. Was the unit installed in the right place? Is It correctly installed? If the unit’s components aren’t installed snugly or in the wrong location, you might not realize the energy savings you desire. This has a knock-on impact on the lifespan of your HVAC unit.
Keeping it in a cool, shaded place can help prevent your HVAC unit from overheating. If the condenser unit is installed indoors, in a garage or an attic, its effectiveness and functionality will be reduced, consequently placing limitations on your AC system. This reduces the unit’s effectiveness and increases the likelihood of frequent repairs.
A licensed, professional HVAC technician in Mansfield, TX, can install a new heating and cooling system in a suitable location to ensure its effectiveness. Are you unsure whether you need to move your unit to enhance its lifespan? Ask your technician when they visit for an air conditioning service.
4. The Air Filter Size Of Your Unit
Though swappable, an air filter is a component that could affect the lifespan of your home’s HVAC system. Most air conditioners need one-inch-thick filters, although some units need specifically sized filters. The HVAC system finds it hard to force the air through if the filter is too thick. This results in an overworked unit. The air filters should be of perfect size to ensure they can keep the dirt, debris, dust, and other contaminants from impacting your unit’s efficiency.
If your unit has disposable filters that aren’t correctly sized, you can have them replaced and removed when a technician visits your home for air conditioning service. Alternatively, if the unit has a reusable, washable filter, you can prolong your HVACs lifespan by swapping the piece out and cleaning it regularly. However, this doesn’t mean that you only need to be mindful of your AC filters. Your furnace would also benefit from having a correctly sized and regularly maintained air filter.
5. Indoor Air Quality Of Your Home
Dust and dirt might reduce the indoor air quality at your home, and if they accumulate inside your HVAC system, then your bank balance and health might take a toll. The air contaminants increase the probability of contracting respiratory complications like allergies and result in a drop in the energy efficiency of your HVAC system and especially the efficiency of the air conditioner.
Besides your routine air conditioning service, you might want to invest in duct cleaning and interior air quality assessment. These extra services could determine if indoor air pollutants might be affecting your unit’s lifespan.
6. The Maintenance Schedule for your HVAC unit
Maintenance is the greatest of all the factors affecting your HVAC system’s lifespan. Whether the unit’s components are inspected monthly, weekly, annually, or quarterly or never, this plays a vital role in determining when you might require complete replacement for the unit. You might often avoid possible breakdown, unexpected repairs, and unnecessary part degradation by planning or arranging a monthly air conditioning service with a technician to inspect all the HVAC components from the thermostat of the air filter.
Conditions Affecting Your HVAC Performance
There are three conditions that indicate how efficiently your existing AC and other HVAC parts might perform. The three conditions help provide indicators for when you should replace the unit. They include humidity, age, and usage. Even a properly maintained air conditioner with a regular air conditioning service might start losing its efficiency after serving you for a decade.
Additionally, when you notice your HVAC unit is beginning to leave higher humidity levels as it operates, it might be time to replace it. If your energy bill expenses don’t reduce after having a tune-up during an air conditioning service, the HVAC unit might be approaching the end of its lifespan.
Signs You Might Need to Repair or Replace Your AC
Several complications may arise during the life of your air conditioner. Every problem might have a long-term negative impact on the organization’s overall health. While scheduling a routine air conditioning service can help delay the inevitable, replacing your air conditioner is, simply, inevitable!
So, what are telltale signs that your HVAC system has reached the end of its useful life and that it may be more economical to replace the entire unit? What signs do you have that you need to contact a repair shop to replace parts?
Foul Odors On Startup
When operating correctly, the air conditioner shouldn’t produce any smell. However, if you notice a change in smell whenever you start the air conditioner, it is a sign that you might need to repair the air conditioner. Sometimes, enlisting an air conditioning service could help resolve the foul smell issue, especially in the case of a musty smell caused by dust accumulation in the ducts.
However, if the musty odors are frequent, that can be a sign of a more severe issue, such as mold growth favored by a damp, leaky air conditioner. The other smell you might notice when the air conditioner is operating is burning. This is perhaps the most disturbing odor for a Mansfield, TX homeowner to experience. It is usually a sign of burning internal AC unit components. This reduces the HVAC unit’s effectiveness and could cause fires and replace the entire unit if you don’t resolve it appropriately.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
In essence, the thermostat is the control center for your air conditioner operation. The component tells the air conditioner the volume of cold air it must create to achieve the specified temperature. The incorrect ambient temperatures will result from an inaccurately calibrated thermostat. However, this isn’t always a deal-breaker. A professional air conditioning service may tune up your thermostat, ensuring it detects the proper temperatures and appropriately communicates this information.
If the air conditioner is susceptible to short cycling, your thermostat may not be able to determine whether the system is turned on or off effectively. This results in the unit not switching on whenever needed. Because of the various electrical components involved, any problems should be investigated by a skilled HVAC specialist. Your air conditioning unit may have to be replaced depending on the cause of a malfunctioning thermostat, like burning out various components or constantly having short cycles.
Whenever You Notice A Leakage
If you detect moisture leaking from your air conditioner, it’s one of the most severe signs that you need air conditioning service or replacement. Freon is a toxic gas that is used in most air conditioners. If this fluid is leaking, it must be addressed immediately. Condensation from blocked or broken tubes could also cause moisture pooling.
You could also notice ice accumulating on the refrigerant lines within the unit. Regardless, any presence of water, or other unexplained moisture, needs to be assessed. Any leaking parts of the unit should be replaced as soon as possible by a technician in Mansfield, TX!
Excessive Noise
Most air conditioner noises are frustrating and might indicate that you need to call for air conditioning services to repair or replace the parts of the HVAC unit. Scrapping, Grinding, or even screeching, for instance, are a sign that there is a belt that is out-of-place within your unit. Such issues might cause expensive damages to the other parts and also interrupt the comfort and serenity of your Mansfield commercial or residential property. Noises can also cause hearing discomfort if too loud. Call an air conditioning repair technician whenever you experience such at your home.
The Age Of Your HVAC Unit
As previously stated, like all your other Mansfield, TX household appliances, air conditioners have a set lifespan. If you know that the air conditioner is approaching the ten-year mark, you’ll need to be more vigilant about scheduling a routine air conditioning service. Most units collapse immediately after reaching the 10-year mark.
Because air conditioning technology is constantly improving, a new air conditioner will almost certainly have more modern technologies that are energy-efficient, cost-effective, and often simple to use. The older models’ natural decline in energy efficiency is seen over time. You’ll also see an increase in AC issues, which usually indicates that it is time to replace the HVAC unit entirely.
Rising Energy Bills
Although an increase in your energy bill may be due to a change in your energy provider, it could also signal something wrong with your home’s HVAC system. If your energy expenses are constantly increasing, several reasons could be the cause. Repairing duct leaks and broken thermostats can reduce the costs again, but other issues, like advanced age, are beyond the scope of routine air conditioning service & AC maintenance. When there are no other options, purchasing a new air conditioning unit that leverages modern technology can help lower costs to manageable levels.
Reputable Air Conditioning Service In Mansfield, TX
Many factors contribute to how long your air conditioner can serve your Mansfield, TX residential or commercial property. However, you can certainly boost the service life by enlisting a reliable air conditioning service and maintenance company. Schedule the next air conditioning service with our technicians at Minuteman Heating & Air to get punctual, thorough, and reliable air AC inspections, duct cleaning, and AC repairs. Call us at Minuteman Heating & Air today to schedule an appointment.