The hardest-working part of your air conditioning system is the compressor. You’re probably familiar with the sound it makes—it’s the whirring noise that you hear each time the AC starts the cooling cycle—and it’s essential for providing the comfortable environment in your home during hot days. The compressor is a pump that places refrigerant under pressure to turn it into a hot gas so it will circulate through the system, moving heat from the inside to the outside. Basically, if you don’t have a working compressor, you don’t have an air conditioner.
ServiceMax Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioner Repair’
Fixing a Hard-Starting Compressor in an Air Conditioner
Monday, August 1st, 2016Did You Know? Some Interesting Facts about Air Conditioning History
Monday, July 11th, 2016Residential air conditioning is so common now that it’s easy to take it for granted, or think that there isn’t anything interesting about the unit the keeps your home comfortable during the summer days and nights. However, the electro-mechanical air conditioner has been around for more than a hundred and ten years now, and it’s racked up some interesting stories during that time. Below we’ve listed a few of the more intriguing pieces of AC history and the ways that it changed the country.
Watch Out for Air Conditioner Capacitor Problems!
Monday, August 31st, 2015In our last post, we discussed some issues your air conditioning system might face at the close of the summer. It’s always a smart idea to see to any repairs your air conditioner may need right away, even as the weather begins to cool off. You may still need the AC to work for you in September, and the earlier you have any fixes done, the less expensive they are likely to be.
A Few Air Conditioning Problems to Watch for at the End of the Summer
Monday, August 24th, 2015Summer is coming to an end, although we can still expect some lingering heat through the early autumn. The air conditioning system in your home has probably spent most of this last season working hard, and all that stress and wear could possibly cause the system to break down. During these final weeks of hot weather, make sure that you pay close attention to some of the warning signs that your AC is having trouble. (And don’t wait to have any problems fixed in the spring! The sooner repairs are done, the less expensive they will be.)
How Air Conditioning Refrigerant Leaks Start
Monday, August 3rd, 2015Among the many different problems that can occur in an air conditioning system, one of the most common (and serious) is a leak along the refrigerant lines that allows the liquid/gaseous refrigerant to escape. Refrigerant, sometimes known as “Freon,” is essential for an AC to work, and if the level should ever drop, the system will not only start to work poorly, it could suffer from a catastrophic breakdown. When refrigerant leaks happen, you need to call on professionals who will 1) locate the leaks, 2) seal them, and 3) recharge the refrigerant to its proper level.
What did I do wrong that caused these leaks?
Don’t worry: you almost certainly aren’t at fault for refrigerant leaks. The unfortunate part of this problem is that it is difficult to prevent and almost impossible, even for professionals, to notice before it starts. You must simply be vigilant about your AC’s performance and call on repair technicians immediately. Regular maintenance will also catch any leaks when they are still small.
Now, as to what causes the leaks in the first place: formaldehyde. You are probably unaware of it, but this chemical is a common pollutant in residential air, and even with excellent air purifiers it is hard to remove it entirely. Formaldehyde causes something known as formicary corrosion along copper lines, such as those in an AC, as it leaves formic acid along the surface. Although copper is resistant to most forms of corrosion, formicary corrosion is an exception. It’s almost impossible to notice along copper surfaces until it weakens the metal to the point the leaks occur.
Any AC over four years old is susceptible to this kind of corrosion, and high-efficiency air conditioners are more likely to suffer from it because they have narrower refrigerant coils to help with heat exchange. Make sure that you have quality air conditioning technicians to help you in Winnetka, IL in case your air conditioner encounters refrigerant leaks.
Malek Heating & Cooling offers 24-hour emergency air conditioning repairs in the Chicagoland area.
How to Get Your Aging Air Conditioner to Work Better
Monday, June 29th, 2015A quality air conditioning system can often last for around 15 years, maybe more, while still providing the right level of cooling for a home and without wasting energy. If you have a system that is over 10 years old and you’ve noticed that it isn’t working as well as it should (problems with cooling, increased energy bills), there are some steps you can take to make it work better. Below are a few of them.
Don’t Let a Clogged Condensate Drain Get in the Way of Your Summer Air Conditioning
Monday, June 15th, 2015Considering how many possible things can go wrong with a complex system like a modern air conditioner, it’s impressive that malfunctions are rare during most of their service lives. It helps, of course, to have professionals install an AC in the first place and to provide annual maintenance; these services will reduce repair issues to a minimum.
What Does the Expansion Valve Do in an Air Conditioning System?
Monday, June 8th, 2015The modern air conditioner is quite a marvel of engineering. The complex working of its components is the reason that only professionals can effectively diagnose and repair a malfunctioning air conditioner.
When Is the Best Time to Call for Air Conditioning Repair?
Monday, June 1st, 2015Malfunctions with an air conditioning system are not always easy to detect (unless you are a trained HVAC professional). A slight drop in the cooling levels in one of the rooms, a hissing sound from the outdoor condenser unit, an uptick in electrical bills when the AC is running, and water condensation around the indoor unit are all small indications that something is wrong with a residential air conditioner. There are larger and more obvious signs, of course, such as loud grinding sounds, constant short-cycling, or a system that won’t turn on at all.
Summer Is Almost Here: Is Your Air Conditioner Ready?
Monday, May 25th, 2015We are less than a month away from the official start of the summer season. Now is the time to take an inventory of your air conditioning system to see if it is prepared to make it through the heavy amount of labor it will need to perform all that through and into the fall. If you air conditioning system isn’t in good working order, you may end up with emergency repair calls and even an irrevocably broken AC. You don’t want that to happen, so here are a few steps to take to see that your air conditioner is ready for the coming season.