Your HVAC system is one of the most expensive systems in your home, but yet most homeowners know very little about them. In fact, most people don’t even pay attention to their HVAC system unless they suddenly find themselves in need of emergency air conditioning repair. If you are a savvy homeowner, it doesn’t have to take a complete breakdown to learn about your air conditioning system.
Proper seasonal air conditioning repair performed by a licensed technician can help save you from many problems, and can also elongate the life of your system. In addition, it can save you from an emergency during a heatwave, when finding an available repair technician may be a bit of a problem.
Like most major appliances in your home, a lot of people pass on their family and friends’ advice without thinking much about it. Some of these trinkets may be true, but a lot are myths that have just built up over time. The following are the most common myths and truths of an air conditioning system to help you become a bit more familiar with the air conditioning system in your home.
While it may not seem that important right now during this cold Minneapolis, MN spring, in a few months your AC will become your best friend. One that you would miss immensely if it was suddenly gone. So take a few minutes to learn what you should be on the watch for, and why you should schedule an air conditioning service repair visit today.
You Need to Refill Your Refrigerant
This is one of the largest air conditioning myths that people hear on a regular basis, when in reality if you need more refrigerant this is a sign that you actually need air conditioning repair. Refrigerants are stored in a closed circuit inside of your air conditioning system. In theory, it should never go anywhere but in its closed loop. If you are low on refrigerant and require a refill, then this is a sign that there is a leak somewhere in your air conditioning system.
There are multiple reasons that you may have a refrigerant leak, but they all require air conditioning repair right away. It is not common for a leak to occur, but refrigerant is a toxic material that needs to be properly cleaned up. In rare cases, trauma from outside of the air conditioning unit can cause a hole or puncture in the refrigerant tube. If this occurs you need to call for help from a licensed technician, and you will probably notice that the air is not as cool in your home.
In fact, before you notice that your refrigerant is leaking you will probably notice that the air coming from your air conditioning system is not as cool. This is because a hole will change the pressure inside of the condenser unit which impairs the ability of the system to produce cool air. There are other reasons why your AC may be warmer than usual, which is why it is best to let an air conditioning repair technician assess the situation.
Microbiological Growth Can Occur within Your AC System
While this can seem a bit extreme, it is actually true. Condensation occurs in several places within your HVAC system, and that allows microbiological particles to grow. It is actually not uncommon for microbiological growth to occur, and it is even more likely that there is some growth in your AC during the summer months in Minneapolis, MN. The bad news is that this growth can affect the quality of air inside your home.
The good news is that you schedule a seasonal air conditioning repair maintenance call, your technician will clean your AC unit as part of the cleaning and remove microbiological growth. This helps restore the air quality of your home and keeps germs from circulating in the air. While the microbiological particles can accumulate in multiple places, they usually are found in drip pans and evaporator coils.
During a routine maintenance call, your air conditioning repair technician will also check to ensure that your condensate lines are properly aligned. Ideally, they are in an external location so that water will only pool in one spot. This can lead to other issues like mildew and even electrical issues.
Your AC System Can Freeze
This is partially true, while it is not common, parts of your AC system can actually freeze over. This generally occurs when the motors stop working if the air filter has not been replaced in a very long time. Luckily, you can easily prevent this from ever happening by simply having an air conditioning repair technician out to look at your AC system if you notice the motors are not running properly. If you have a seasonal appointment scheduled, the filter change can take place then or you can make it a point to change your filter every three months.
The AC works by pushing air from inside of the home through the air filter which removes allergens and unwanted particles and pushes the air onto the evaporator coils. The air is cooled as it passes over the coils that are cooled by the compressed refrigerant. If the air filter has not been changed and is very dirty then much less air is able to pass through the filter. This, in turn, means that less air will pass over the coils. When the expected amount of room temperature air stops passing over the coils, they eventually start to ice over. This will require an emergency air conditioning repair visit so you don’t want to end up in this position.
Schedule Your Air Conditioning Inspection Today
Now that you know a little bit more about your AC system, you may want to schedule an air conditioning repair technician to come to your home and proactively inspect and clean your AC system. Blue Ox Heating & Air is an expert team of trained HVAC experts who would be happy to teach you more about your system so that you can keep it in tip-top shape and ready to combat the heat of summer.
