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Air conditioners have become an essential appliance in any household. On a hot humid Texas day, life will quickly become unbearable without one. That is why it is vital to have a reliable air conditioning repair service should the need arise.

You need to be able to have your AC unit repaired as quickly as possible at all hours of the day or night. Not every company can do this, but Minuteman Heating and Air will.

We have assembled a team of highly trained technicians, who are on call 24/7. They have had many years of experience dealing with air conditioning repair, maintenance, and installation on most types of air conditioners.

How Does an Air Conditioner Work?

A fan takes warm air from your room and blows it across evaporator coils. The evaporator coils contain a liquid coolant that absorbs the heat from the air, the now cooler air is blown back into the room.

The coolant is a volatile liquid that changes into a warm gas when it absorbs heat. Since colder air cannot carry as much moisture as warm air, the cooler air will now be less humid.

The coolant (either as a gas or liquid) is pumped around the AC unit by the compressor through copper pipes. The compressor as its name suggests, compresses the warm gas, to a higher pressure.

The gas gets hotter because of this. This hot gas passes outside your home and goes through a condenser and cooling fins. As the heat is radiated away to the outside air the gas now changes back into a cold liquid and continues its journey back to the evaporator coils and the cycle resumes. An air conditioning repair company can help with this process.

Common Problems with Air Conditioners

Air conditioners are normally very reliable, but we do take them for granted and without a regular service, they will break down eventually. But there are some signs you can be on the lookout for to avoid an expensive air conditioning repair.

• The evaporator coils have frost and ice forming on them – to effectively work the evaporator coils need to be cleaned regularly and have a continuous flow of warm air across them.

• The dirt will form an insulating layer and reduce the rate of heat transfer between the warm air and coolant in the coil.

• Without a continuous flow of warm air, the coil may start to freeze. As it does the other components such as the compressor need to work harder to compensate. As a result, they may overheat and burn out, needing an air conditioning repair.

• The air filters are dirty and have not been replaced in a long time – dirty filters will also restrict the airflow over the evaporator coils and need to be replaced regularly. This can be done as part of a regular service from Minuteman.

• Your energy bills are higher than usual.

• If the components in the air conditioner are working harder, then they use more electricity and so your energy bills will be higher.

• A regular service will make sure your air conditioner is working safely and make it more energy-efficient.

• The condenser and cooling fins are dirty – these need to be cleaned regularly too and require a constant flow of air to be blown over them. As they are located outside your home they can get covered in dirt and grime.

• This dirt layer will reduce the rate of heat transfer from the condenser and cooling fins to the outside air. Other deposits such as moss and weeds will also need to be removed as they will restrict the airflow.

• You can hear the fans rattling – as with any electrical part a fan can break down, if you hear any strange noises then you could need an air conditioning repair.

• A screeching sound could be due to a worn-out fan belt. If the fan is not working properly, then there will not be enough airflow over the evaporator coils or condenser and cooling fins.

• You can smell coolant – If you can hear a hissing sound or smell a sweet, chloroform-like odor you probably have a coolant leak and you need an air conditioning repair.

• Your system needs an optimum level of coolant to work effectively. Less coolant will mean less cooling and will cause the other components to work harder.

• Problem with thermostats – a poorly calibrated thermostat can cause your air conditioner to work harder than normal. It will mistake the temperature to be higher or lower than it is and will cause the air conditioner to work harder to maintain the temperature.

• A poorly positioned thermostat will also have the same effect. If placed near an open window warm air from the outside will make the thermostat believe it is warmer than it is.

• Your air ducts are dirty or damaged.

• It has been estimated that up to 30% of an air conditioner’s energy will be wasted by cool air escaping through gaps in damaged ductwork. This means larger energy bills. Dirt and pollen in the ducts can also enter back into your home and reduce air quality.

The best thing you can do for your air conditioner is to have it regularly serviced. The service will include replacing dirty air filters, cleaning air grilles and the inside of the air conditioner, topping up coolant levels, cleaning the evaporator coils and condenser, checking the electrical connections, and many other tasks.

Some of these jobs you can do yourself, but if you have not got the time or do not feel confident then leave it to Minuteman. An air conditioning repair can be expensive and stressful, so give yourself peace of mind and schedule a service with Minuteman today.

Why Choose Minuteman Heating and Air of Arlington, TX?

Minuteman Heating & Air is a family-owned business and takes enormous pride in delivering quality and affordable plumbing services to our local community around Arlington, TX.

Needing an air conditioning repair is a stressful experience and if you need to wait too long for a repair it can put your family’s health at risk. We can help by sending one of our highly trained technicians around to you ASAP. For any plumbing emergency, please call Minuteman Heating & Air. We are ready to help 24/7.