As any resident in Mansfield, TX will tell you, temperatures can climb to over one hundred degrees in summer. With humidity levels to match, it is vital for you and your family’s safety that your air conditioner is functioning properly all summer long. The best way to do that is to have your unit regularly serviced in Mansfield by one of Minuteman’s highly trained technicians.
Minuteman Heating & Air has been the leading air conditioning repair company in Mansfield, TX for many years. After the service, your unit will be running more efficiently, leading to an increased cooling effect. Hopefully, you will be using less energy, which is some cushion against rising prices. More important is the fact there will be less chance that your unit will break down and need an air conditioning repair. This will give you peace of mind whenever your air conditioner is running.
Warnings Signs That There May Be Problems
Even a unit that has been routinely serviced can still break down needing an emergency air conditioning repair. An emergency call-out is always going to be expensive, but some initial warning signs allow you to take preventive steps.
You Spot Frost Starting to Appear on the Evaporator Coils
The evaporator coils perform a vital role in keeping your home cool. A fan extracts the warm air from your home and blows it over the coils. The coolant in the coils removes the heat from the warm air, which is cooled and blown back into your home. Unless the evaporator coils receive enough heat, they will start to freeze over, and you will notice frost and even ice forming on them.
There can be many reasons for this happening:
- The air filters are dirty.
- The fan blowing the warm air over the evaporator coils is faulty.
- The coolant levels in the unit are low.
- A dirt layer has formed on the coils.
Air filters need to be replaced or cleaned regularly or else as they become dirty the airflow over the evaporator coils will be restricted. Dirty air filters also allow more dust, pollen, and dirt particles into your home, further degrading air quality. Replacing or cleaning is done during a regular service from Minuteman Heating & Air but is a task you can do yourself.
If you notice a buildup of dirt on the air filters you should change them. How often you do this varies from home to home, but if you have pets you will need to change them more often than homes without. Ignoring dirty filters could lead to an expensive air conditioning repair.
Frost can also start to form on the coils if the fan is faulty. Any loud screeching sounds you can hear coming from your unit could be due to worn-out fan belts or bearings in the fan motor. If you hear any strange and loud noises coming from your air conditioner for a visit from Minuteman Heating & Air. The longer you wait the more likely your unit will break down and need an air conditioning repair.
If the coolant levels in your unit have fallen, the evaporator coils will not be able to absorb as much heat from the warm air. The result is a reduced cooling output from your air conditioner and frost and ice forming on the coils. Over time a dirt layer will appear on the coils, acting as an insulating layer, further reducing the rate at which heat is absorbed from the warm air.
Cleaning or changing the air filters is something you can do yourself, but it is unlikely that you would want to tackle replenishing the coolant levels or fixing a broken fan. These are jobs best left to the experts at Minuteman Heating & Air.
Your Condenser and Cooling Fins Are Dirty
Once the coolant has removed heat from the warm air it flows outside your home and through the condenser and cooling fins. Here the excess heat is removed from the coolant and expelled to the outside air. Another fan will blow outside air over the condenser and cooling fins to help in the removal of the heat. If you live in an area with a lot of air pollution you will notice dirt and grime accumulating and even moss and weeds growing on the condenser and cooling fins.
These materials act as an insulating layer and limit the rate at which heat is transferred away from the coolant. These need to be removed by periodic cleaning. Failure to do so could cause the condenser to overheat, burn out, and need an air conditioning repair. Again, cleaning the condenser and cooling fins is part of a service from Minuteman Heating & Air is something you should consider doing yourself if you observe a buildup of dirt.
Increased Energy Bills
Energy costs are rising rapidly, and we must do all we can to limit their growth. A service helps with this but if you notice your energy bills increasing by more than you expect, you may have a problem with your air conditioner. Any ice that covers the evaporator coils will act as an insulating layer, reducing the rate at which the coolant absorbs heat from the warm air inside your home.
Any of the issues highlighted in this article will result in components like the compressor having to work harder. Any component that works harder will use more energy and drive your running costs up. As they work harder the components are also more likely to overheat and break down, necessitating an air conditioning repair.
Why Risk an Air Conditioning Repair If You Can Avoid One?
As we have seen by keeping your eyes open for some warning signs and taking some simple steps, you can avoid an expensive emergency call out for an air conditioning repair company. But even a well-maintained air conditioner can suffer a breakdown. In an emergency, you want a dependable company that will come out no matter whatever the time, whether it be day or night, weekends, or holidays. You want a company that has a reputation for the highest standards of work at affordable prices. You need Minuteman Heating & Air of Mansfield, TX. Give us a call today!
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