Your AC is essential to keeping your home cool during the summer. There’s nothing worse than having to deal with the sweltering Texas heat and humidity without the comfort of a cool home that promises a good night’s sleep.
However, just like any other piece of machinery, your air conditioner needs attention and care to function optimally. Even then, things can go wrong, often at the worst possible time.
That’s why it’s important to have an HVAC technician that you can trust. Not only will they help keep your air conditioning system running throughout the summer, but they’re also there to fix any issues that need attention.
Your AC Co. has built its reputation on providing the best possible air conditioner service to all of our customers. Not only do we have a 24/7 emergency AC service hotline, but we also offer installations and maintenance to ensure you get the best cooling possible.
When you first call Your Air Co., we’ll note the details of your problem, as well as the make and model of your air conditioning unit. Doing so allows our HVAC technician to arrive with the right tools and parts to conduct a quick and effective repair. Summers in the Houston area get extremely hot, extremely fast, and we need to keep up to ensure your comfort year-round.
If you’ve noticed that your air conditioning isn’t working as well as you expected, you should consider calling an air conditioning service company. However, it’s also worth conducting several small checks to see if you can’t fix the problem yourself.
We always encourage people to do these small checks first since it saves you time and money. However, if these small fixes don’t resolve the problem, then it’s time to get in touch with Your Air Co.
Check Your Thermostat
While it may seem obvious, your air conditioner won’t work right if your thermostat isn’t set right. Make sure that you’ve set your thermostat correctly to your desired temperature and that it hasn’t accidentally been turned off or switched to the wrong setting. You may want to get out your user manual and follow the configuration instructions, or you give us a call to help set it up.
Check the Outdoor AC Unit for Debris
An outdoor AC unit will accumulate garden debris like leaves, grass cuttings, spider webs, and other dirt. Plants can also grow too close to the unit and impede airflow, making your unit work harder than it should.
As part of your regular maintenance routine, check the unit for debris. Clean it out and remove any plants that are growing too close. However, if you see something stuck in the blades, or if the blades are bent, don’t try to fix it yourself – call a professional instead.
Clean or Replace Your Air Filter
Air filters are some of the hardest-working parts of your air conditioning system. They trap any particles, such as dust, dirt, and spores, stopping them from entering the ducts and your home.
Air filters get clogged regularly. If you use your AC daily during the cooling season, you may need to check your air filters every two to three months.
A clogged air filter makes it difficult for air to pass through the system, so your air pump and AC must work harder to process the same amount of air. This puts a lot of pressure on your AC, resulting in strange smells and poor indoor air quality.
Most HVAC systems have readily accessible air filters. If you notice strange smells or have inefficient cooling, it’s worth checking the air filter before calling an HVAC technician. If it’s clogged, cleaning or replacing the filter may fix the issue. However, if it persists, it’s time to call an air conditioner service expert.
While there’s a lot you can do to keep your air conditioning system running correctly, some signs indicate that the problem is best left to a professional. Below you can find some common AC issues and their potential causes. If your AC system shows any of these signs, you know it’s time to call an expert HVAC technician.
AC Keeps Blowing Hot Air
Warm air is a common symptom of poorly insulated or leaking ductwork. A broken or disconnected duct can pull warm summer air from the outside and directly into your home. Poorly insulated ducts heat up dramatically in summer, leading to the cooled air from the AC heating up before it reaches your room.
Another potential issue that causes warm air is that your outdoor unit may be faulty. Your refrigerant levels may be too low, or your compressor may be malfunctioning. Only an expert technician will be able to identify the issue and correct it.
Uneven Cooling
If you have hot and cold spots in your home, it’s often a sign of poor ductwork. Obstructed or blocked vents can also lead to an increase in warm spots during the cooling season. Identifying ductwork issues can be tricky, as small leaks can be challenging to detect.
Your AC Co. has several tools that help us assess your ductwork to find out where the issue lies. Whether it’s poor insulation or a broken duct, our air conditioner service will have your system working optimally in no time.
Dripping Water
Condensation is an expected part of how air conditioners work. That’s why your unit has a drip pan and drain lines to get rid of excess moisture, especially if you live in a humid area.
These drain lines and pans can occasionally get blocked by debris, which results in a build-up of ice on the evaporator coil. It may also be an issue with the ductwork or blocked filters that result in a build-up of moisture that has nowhere to go.
With so many potential causes, it’s vital that an HVAC technician gets a look at the issue early. While occasional freezing may not be harmful, it can be a sign of a much larger problem.
Strange Noises
If you hear a strange noise coming from your car, you immediately take it to the repair shop. The same is true for air conditioning systems. Different noises can indicate different problems, but only an experienced technician can diagnose and repair the issue.
No matter how minor the noise can seem, please don’t ignore it. Even if the sounds only happen occasionally, it indicates a need for air conditioner service.
A screeching or squealing sound often indicates an issue with a belt or bearing in the blower motor. This sound can be intermittent or constant and can be a warning sign that the entire motor is about to fail.
Rattling, clanging, or bumping indicates that something is loose that shouldn’t be. The longer you leave this part alone and use your AC, the more damage it will do to your entire AC unit or blower assembly.
Sometimes you may also hear a rattling noise that only happens when the fan and compressor are on, indicating a failing motor. A professional technician can replace or tighten the loose part or address any other causes of the sound.
A ticking noise similar to cards on a bicycle spoke can be a subtle indicator of debris in the blower blades. Any impediment to the blower blades results in additional strain on the motor, leading to further complications. We recommend having a professional look at your blower blades since any mistakes can result in serious injuries. Our experts have the required training to work safely around your AC system to resolve your problems.
You may also hear a distinct clicking noise when you turn your AC on or off. This sound indicates a problem with the relay, which requires professional attention.
The Outdoor Unit Has Frozen Condenser Coils
Frozen condenser coils put excessive strain on your AC system and indicate a problem with the airflow in your AC or low refrigerant levels. In a properly functioning cooling system, the air flows quickly over the condenser coils, preventing water from freezing. However, excess moisture or poor airflow gives the water enough time to cool down enough to freeze on the coils.
Weird Smells
Strange smells are a great way to tell if something is wrong with your AC. Just like with noises, different smells can indicate different issues.
Musty smells mean that you have stagnant water or dirty coils, which will require a professional clean. Your HVAC technician will also conduct a visual inspection to identify why water isn’t moving out of the drip tray into the drainage ducts.
A musty smell can also indicate mold growth, which is very common in air ducts with poor moisture control. As the summer gets hotter, the ducts get more humid, making it the perfect place for mold and mildew.
Rotten egg smells can indicate pests in your duct. Often, the smell becomes worse as the animals breed and die in the ducts. Nobody wants to breathe corpse air, so give your professional AC service technician a call.
However, it’s also possible that a rotten egg smell has a different cause – namely, a gas leak. We recommend calling a gas technician before reaching out to us.
A sharp, burning smell means that either one part is generating a lot of friction against another (like the fan motor) or that a circuit board has short-circuited. In either case, the issue requires urgent air conditioner service.
High Energy Bills
If you have a modern air conditioning unit, it’s probably relatively energy efficient. However, if your AC has to work harder due to a fault, it will draw more energy to produce the same cool air temperature. High energy bills are a symptom of an overstressed or faulty system and a clear sign that your AC needs attention.
The AC Doesn’t Work at All
The most obvious sign of a broken air conditioning system is one that refuses to work at all. In most cases, if you took note of previous signs, you’ll never have a completely broken system. However, if your AC fails to turn on or generate cold air, then it’s a definite sign that it needs repairs.
Many of the potential issues with your cooling system are due to neglect. AC units contain many parts that will wear down over time. As these parts get increasingly worn, they stress the whole system, increasing the overall wear and tear.
For example, a clogged filter will only get more clogged, and it will put increasing strain on your AC while also affecting your air quality.
Regular maintenance can help avoid many of the common AC issues we see during the cooling season. We often recommend having an HVAC technician examine your AC just before the cooling season and your furnace or heat pump just before the heating season. Our maintenance service consists of many small tasks to ensure proper operation throughout the year while also checking for larger issues.
Many professionals use a scheduled maintenance routine as a way to conduct a thorough visual inspection of your system to identify potential issues. If we notice something serious, we’ll provide recommendations on how to get your system back up and running optimally.
If you’re unconvinced by the effectiveness of regular services, maybe your manufacturer’s warranty will change your mind. Most manufacturers require that you service your AC unit regularly. If you fail to do so, it can render your warranty void, which can be a disaster if your AC has a manufacturing fault.
Regular maintenance is essential to ensure the proper operation of your air conditioner and heating system. In most cases, it’s only a two-hour visit from an HVAC technician, which results in peace of mind for the rest of the year.
The worst time to start looking for an AC service company is during an emergency. As you’re already in a rush, you’ll probably choose the first company you find online, which may not necessarily be the best.
Instead, we recommend you take the time, do your research, and find an air conditioning company you can trust. The results are well worth the effort. However, if you do find yourself in a pinch, Your Air Co. is proud to offer emergency service.
Research Local Companies
Make a list of local companies offering air conditioner service. Visit their websites to get a feel of their brand. See how long they’ve been in business and whether they have reviews on their site. Are they easily contactable through several methods, like phone, email, and live chat?
Get Recommendations
Your family and friends may have already done a lot of the hard work for you. Talk to them about their experiences with local contractors and ask if they have any recommendations. Even if they can’t make a good recommendation, they can give you an accurate opinion about any contractors they’ve worked with before. We’re happy that many of our customers have referred us to their family and friends.
Check Reviews
Don’t only rely on reviews on the contractor’s website. Also, check Google, Facebook, and trusted review sites for more realistic opinions. Look for trends rather than individual reviews. See if the company responds to negative comments, which can give you an excellent view of how they treat their customers.
Look for Certifications
When it comes to your air conditioner, work with the experts. Check the contractor’s website for a license number as a bare minimum requirement. Working with insured and bonded contractors is also important, as it means that you won’t be on the financial hook for their mistakes.
Also, look for contractors with North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certifications. These are challenging to get and display a good level of expertise.
At Your Air Co., not only do we have all the necessary certifications, but we also have our own trade school to train technicians who go on to work across the U.S. and Canada.
Your Air Co. has earned its reputation as one of Houston’s best air conditioning repair and maintenance contractors. We always put our customers first, no matter what you need. Our customer service team and technicians work together to provide a unique, personalized experience for every customer.
Understanding HVAC systems is challenging, and dealing with repairs can feel intimidating and overwhelming. We aim to provide comprehensive advice and information that helps you make an informed decision. Our expert team can help you decide if you need repair or replacement, taking your budget and needs into account.
As one of the best contractors in Houston, we have a strong sense of community with our customers. It’s why Your Air Co. offers 24/7 emergency services to ensure that your home stays comfortable throughout summer. We know how rough Houston summers can get and how they can impact your health and productivity. With our dedicated emergency repair process, we’ll diagnose and repair the issue as quickly and efficiently as possible.
As a comprehensive HVAC contractor, we don’t just deal with ACs. We also offer:
Contact us today at 281-LOVE-AIR or go online to request service. Let us show you why we’re one of the most popular air conditioner service companies in town.