How Old Is “Too Old” for an Air Conditioning System?

Monday, November 12th, 2018

air-conditioning-scrapheapMaking upgrades or full replacements to your air conditioning system are good projects to schedule during fall and even winter. After all, you don’t often need the AC working during these seasons, so you can take time to plan for the best outcome and won’t have to worry about being without a cooling system while the work is done.

You may be considering putting in a new AC, but are uncertain because you don’t know if your current one is old enough to be considered too old. Below, we’ll look at some of the facts about air conditioning system age to help you think about a replacement. For the Bossier City, LA, air conditioning service from professionals that will make the choice much easier, you only have to call us.

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October May Not Let Up With Heat: Look Out for AC Problems

Monday, October 1st, 2018

autumn-backgroundThe Halloween Season is when we can expect the crisper, cooler weather to arrive. But there’s no guarantee we’ll experience this break from the heat all month long. The hot weather can linger far into the fall, so we can’t stress enough that you must keep a watch on your AC system during this period so you won’t end up with an emergency.

Air conditioner burn-out

We’ve addressed this is another recent post, but an air conditioner is at higher risk of failure at the end of the season. August is probably the worst time for this because the system is still running on an almost daily basis. But the stress and strain from all those months of operation are still around in October, so a hot day can end up pushing the system over the edge so it fails. There are times when this can happen without warning, but they’re rare. Usually, an air conditioner approaching a critical failure will show signs:

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My AC Is Running All the Time—What’s Wrong?

Monday, June 25th, 2018

air-conditioning-compressorWe may joke about how during our hot and humid Louisiana summers the air conditioners have to be running nonstop. Of course, there are cooler spells and evenings when ACs power down, and no air conditioner needs to power the compressor constantly to meet a home’s cooling demands. (At least, not if it was correctly sized for the space when it was installed.)

If you do notice that your air conditioner’s compressor is running constantly rather than cycling down as it’s supposed to, you may have a malfunctioning cooling system. Below we’re going to look at some of the reasons you’ve got a runaway air conditioner.

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Why Your AC May Overheat and Stop Working

Monday, June 11th, 2018

compressor-in-ac-unitYour air conditioning system works hard on hot days—that’s what it’s there for, after all! But even an air conditioning system can get too hot, causing its motors to trip the circuit breaker to the system. You can reset the breaker, but it’s likely to happen again and again and again. Not an inconvenience you want during the summer!

An air conditioner is designed to handle extremely hot days, but malfunctions can cause it to overheat and trip a breaker. We’re going to list the most common malfunctions that create this problem and what you can do to help prevent them.

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Why Bad Ductwork Is Bad News for Your AC

Monday, July 24th, 2017

vent-cover-roomWe once did a post on how problems with ductwork can mean a spike in winter heating bills. But it’s not a problem that’s limited to the winter and times when you need your heating system working. The standard central air conditioner that uses ductwork (which is the majority of systems) can suffer from major issues if there are breaks, gaps, and other leaks in the ducts of the ventilation system.

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How a Dirty Evaporator Coil Affects Your Air Conditioner

Monday, June 26th, 2017

Air-conditioner-repairmanWhere does the actual “cooling” in an air conditioner occur? It happens along the surface and fins of the evaporator coil, located in the indoor cabinet of the air conditioner—which is also known as the (surprise) evaporator. Warm air drawn through the return air ducts by a blower fan passed over the coil, and the cold refrigerant moving through the coil evaporates. This draws heat from the air (as well as moisture), lowering the temperature of the air. The air continues into the ventilation system and then to the various rooms around the house.

It’s important for an the evaporator coil and fins to have a clean surface. During regular air conditioning maintenance, HVAC technicians always make a check of the coil and fins to see if they are developing dirt and grime across their surfaces. If they are, the technicians clean off the dirt so the air conditioner will work at its best during the summer.

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Summer Humidity vs. Your Air Conditioner

Monday, May 15th, 2017

air-conditioning-condensers-on-risersIn our last blog post, we looked at the ways summer heat puts strain on your air conditioner and how this leads to needing to call us for repairs.

But as you know as a resident of Louisiana, heat is only half the story during summer. The other half: HUMIDITY. The scary eight letters! Our air conditioning systems in Shreveport, LA face special challenges because the moisture in the air is especially high. This not only means needing to run air conditioners for longer (putting more strain on their components), it also means the moisture causing wear to the AC.

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Is It Too Early to Think about Air Conditioning Maintenance?

Monday, March 6th, 2017

sun-and-snowflake-badgeIt’s March, and March means the start of spring… although not until later in the month. But we are already experiencing hotter weather here in the Shreveport area. The temperatures can go through major shifts during March, a month that is proverbially known for its unpredictability. (Does it enter like a lion and leave like a lamb, or is it the other way around?) You may still need your heating system in the coming weeks, but if you’re wondering if it’s time to consider scheduling air conditioning maintenance, the answer is a big “yes.”

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A Late-Season Air Conditioning Concern: Clogged Drain Line

Monday, September 7th, 2015

One of the serious problems that we deal with in the Shreveport area is high humidity. The excess moisture in our air can create problems for your air conditioning system, especially at this time of the year when the AC has already put in a lot of work keeping your home cooled down for the summer.

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Why You Must Have Leaking Refrigerant in an AC Fixed Immediately

Monday, July 6th, 2015

The modern air conditioner is built to last for many years while experiencing only a minimum of malfunctions. But it is impossible to prevent all malfunctions, and one of the problems that can occur with a residential air conditioner is leaking refrigerant. Airborne chemicals in a house can contribute to spots of corrosion occurring along the refrigerant lines, leading to the high-pressure refrigerant gas escaping—often without any more outward sign aside from a slight hissing noise.

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