Photo By Photography By Tonelson

Anybody who lives in Garland, TX, knows all about long hot Texas summers. As the temperature rises, people will rely more on their air conditioning systems to keep cool. During these times people’s greatest concern is that their air conditioner will break down. The lack of cool air will mean that living conditions can become intolerable and hazardous very quickly without proper air conditioner repair. The risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke will increase greatly.

It is important to find a reliable air conditioner repair service as quickly as possible. That is why people call K&S Heating and Air have assembled an expert and experienced team of technicians who can deal with any air conditioner repair on most models of air conditioners.

How to Prevent a Costly Air Conditioner Repair

The best way to avoid an air conditioner repair is to have it regularly serviced. Many people forget to have their unit serviced or think that they can save money by skipping the necessary work. But do you want to risk your unit breaking down on one of those swelteringly hot summer days in Garland, TX?

Without a working unit, it will not be long before conditions become uncomfortable in your home or office. You could open the windows, but you will be only letting in pollen and other pollutants. This is not good if you suffer from asthma or another respiratory condition.

It may be some time before your air conditioner will be repaired and the emergency repair will not be cheap. The average bill and call-out charge for an air conditioning repair can often run into hundreds of dollars, so the cost of an AC routine service represents excellent value.

Most Common Air Conditioner Repair Problems

Air conditioner repair technicians are in high demand during the period running from the late spring to the late summer. This is not surprising as this is a peak time for air conditioners to break down. We at K&S Heating and Air suggest that you have your air conditioner serviced before the summer starts. Not only will a maintenance service give you peace of mind, but it will be easier to book an appointment at a time to suit you.

K&S Heating & Air knows how hot and humid it can get in Garland, TX, and your safety is our top priority. In summer temperatures often rise above one hundred degrees with humidity levels to match. Without a working air conditioner, living conditions can soon get tough and even dangerous. This is when you need a dependable air conditioner repair company to fix your air conditioner quickly.

Frost and Ice Forming on Evaporator Coils

Understanding what causes a breakdown will help you keep an eye out for any possible problems and avoid an expensive air conditioner repair. The most common sorts of problems are:

• When warm air is extracted from your home is blown over evaporator coils. The liquid coolant inside the coils will absorb the heat from the warm air and blow the cooler air back into your home. The first sign of a problem with the evaporator coils is that you notice frost and ice starting to form on them. This can happen for several reasons.
• Dirty air filters – to work efficiently the evaporator coils need a constant supply of warm air to be blowing over them. Dirty air filters will restrict that airflow, and they need to be cleaned or replaced regularly. Cleaner air filters will improve the air quality in your home by blocking dust particles from entering your home.
• Faulty Fan – any difficulties with the fan will also reduce the airflow over the evaporator coil and cause frost and ice to form.
• Low levels of coolant – each air conditioner is going to need an optimum level of coolant in it. Less coolant will mean less cooling effect, so less heat is going to be absorbed from the warm air allowing frost and ice to form.
• Dirt on the evaporator coil – any dirt will reduce the rate at which the coil and coolant absorb the heat from the warm air. This is because the dirt acts as an insulation layer, and so the coil needs to be cleaned periodically.

Regular service from K&S Heating and Air is a much more prudent choice than trying to fix complex machinery that may cause further damage or even break the unit. A word of caution, ignoring the frost and ice forming is a bad idea as eventually, the coil will freeze, and you will need to turn the air conditioner off to allow the coils to thaw. If this problem keeps occurring, then the air conditioner may break down and you will need an air conditioner repair from a trusted HVAC company in Garland, TX.

Coolant Leaks

Low coolant levels will have a knock-on effect on the rest of the components in your air conditioner. We have already mentioned frost and ice forming on the evaporator coils, but other signs of a coolant leak include:

• You can hear a hissing noise – a hissing sound is usually a sign that you have a coolant leak and need an air conditioner repair.
• Your energy bills are climbing – a leak will reduce the amount of coolant in your unit, so there is less to absorb all the heat from the warm air. The other components in your air conditioner will have to work harder to maintain the temperature. If they are working harder, then they use more electricity and so your energy bills increase. The components will also get hotter, increasing the risk that they will burn out and need to be replaced during an air conditioner repair.
• Less cool airless coolant means less cool air. The air conditioner is unable to remove as much heat from the warm air as before.
• Increased humidity levels – as well as warmer air, being blown back into your home, it will be more humid as well. This is because warmer air contains more moisture than cold air.
• You need to call a technician from K&S Heating and Air to top up the coolant levels in your air conditioner and to fix any leak.

AC Drainage Problems

As the warm air is cooled it releases the moisture it contains and deposits it in the drip pan, it then flows outside your home through the AC drain line. If the drip pan or drain line becomes blocked for any reason your air conditioner may shut down.

Signs of a blockage are:

• Pools of water forming around your air conditioner – If the drain line or drip pan are blocked, the drip pan will fill up and overflow. Pools of water will be seen inside your air conditioner and on your floor. This will cause damage to your air conditioner and seeping into your wall and floors or create wet spots in your yard.
• Mold smells in your home – excess humidity will encourage the growth of mold or algae in the drip pan or drain line and could explain the smell of mold in your home. Therefore, they need to be cleaned regularly.
• Increased humidity in your home – any excess water will increase the humidity levels in your home.
• If your unit does shut down it may be worth checking whether the AC drain is blocked by debris, but be careful attempting to clear any blockages there could be dangerous chemicals mixed in.

Signs That You Need an Air Conditioner Repair in Garland, TX

Even with a service, things can still go wrong with an air conditioner, especially if it is getting long in the tooth. During the summer, air conditioners are often on all day and night and will suffer more wear and tear as a result.

If you stay alert and spot the following signs, you could deal with a problem before you need an emergency air conditioner repair. If you have not had a service these signs may persuade you to change your mind.

You Notice Short-Cycling

During a normal cooling cycle, the compressor will be on for about ten minutes and then turn itself off for another ten. This way your home or office will reach its ideal temperature.

If the cooling is shortened by the compressor cutting out early this temperature will not be reached. The compressor will be working harder and break down and need an air conditioning repair.

If the air filters are dirty, the evaporator coils will have frost and ice on them, or if the coolant levels are low, these could cause the short-cycling. These problems will be dealt with during the routine service.

Your Energy Bills Are High

Most people will say that their energy bills are already too high, but if you notice a sudden spike in your bills, there could be a problem with your air conditioner.

During short cycling, the compressor will be working a lot harder. Any electrical component that works this hard will use more energy so your bills will rapidly increase. The more stress on the component the more likely it will overheat and burn out. Those parts will need to be replaced during an air conditioning repair.

Your Air Conditioner Is Blowing Less Cool Air

As this is the main purpose of the air conditioner any reduction in the cooling effect will soon be noticed. As warm air is extracted from your home or office space, it is blown over the evaporator coils. The coolant in the coils removes the heat from the warm air. The now cooler air is blown back into your home or office space. For the cooling effect to be at its maximum, several things need to work effectively.

• There needs to be enough coolant in the air conditioner.
• There needs to be enough warm air blown over the evaporator coils.
• The evaporator coils need to be clean.
• The air filters also need to be clean.
• The fan needs to be working properly,
• The thermostats need to be calibrated correctly.

The cooling effect will be reduced if there is a problem with any one of these issues. Again, any of these problems will be dealt with during an AC service. One or a combination of these issues will lead to frost and ice forming on the evaporator coils. If the frost and ice are allowed to grow further the coil may freeze and the air conditioner will shut down.

You would then have to wait up to 24 hours to allow the coils to thaw before you could turn the unit back on. If this happens too often you will run the risk of an air conditioner repair or even require a brand new air conditioner and installation.

Humidity Levels Are Higher

If the cooling is reduced, warmer air will make its way back into your home or office. Warmer air will carry more moisture than colder air. This is because the moisture condenses into water when it is colder. This means the humidity levels will increase.

As the air cools over the evaporator coils, the moisture condenses into the drain pan. This water then flows through the AC drain line to the outside. These increased levels of moisture may cause mold and mildew to grow in the drain pan and AC drain line and cause a blockage. Any water in the drain pan will overflow into the air conditioner and then onto your floor.

This will also increase the level of humidity and the risk of an electrical short and potentially a fire hazard.

There Are Strange Smells

If you can detect the smell of mold in the air, this could be from the drain pan and AC drain line. These need to be cleaned periodically and this is also part of an AC service. On a hopefully rare occasion, you could detect burning smells, you should turn off the air conditioner and call K&S Heating & Air immediately for an air conditioner repair.

Keeping Garland, TX Cool and Safe

Regular servicing from K&S Heating & Air deals with many of the issues highlighted above. But even a well-serviced air conditioner will break down occasionally. For this reason, we have our technicians available 24/7, to quickly respond to your air conditioner emergency. Whatever your air conditioner concerns please call us today.