When it’s hot outside and you try to turn on your AC to get your house cooled down, only to find that the air conditioner won’t come on, you’ll know something is wrong right away. But the opposite situation is also a problem: when your air conditioner comes on… and it won’t turn off. Not only does this mean you’ll have a house that’s too cold, but it’s a major waste of energy and puts enormous amounts of stress on the AC. What’s causes this to happen?
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Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning Repair’
Why Your Air Conditioning System Won’t Turn Off
Monday, May 2nd, 2016Low Refrigerant in an AC: It’s Not Quite What You Think It Is
Monday, April 25th, 2016The modern air conditioner is a complex refrigeration device, so it’s understandable that many people aren’t sure of the ins and outs of how they operate. That’s why there are professionals to take care of them when they malfunction.
Why Does My Cooling Feel Uneven?
Monday, June 29th, 2015You have a whole home air conditioner to stay comfortable throughout the hot summer months; experiencing uneven cooling, aka, hot and cold spots, can leave you anything but comfortable. There can be a few reasons why you are experiencing uneven cooling in your home, but no matter the cause, it’s important to remedy the situation as soon as possible. Uneven cooling can put undue stress on your system as it tries to achieve more even cooling for your home. The AC specialists at Comfort Flow Heating can assist you with all of your air conditioning needs in Eugene, OR – just give us a call!
Why Is My Air Conditioner Constantly Turning On and Off?
Monday, May 25th, 2015As the homeowner, you know the normal operational habits of your air conditioning system. Therefore, when you hear it constantly turning on and off – a situation known as short-cycling – you know something isn’t right. Air conditioners are made to operate in a full cycle so that they can adequately cool and dehumidify your home. Not only does short-cycling create problems with your indoor comfort, it can create mechanical problems for your air conditioner. If you have noticed that your AC is short-cycling, don’t wait to call for an expert. Contact your Comfort Flow Heating specialist right away and schedule an appointment for AC repair in Eugene, OR.
How Do Air Conditioning Repairs Improve Energy Efficiency?
Friday, August 1st, 2014During the summer, you’re used to seeing your energy bills go up and up. But you may have unusually high bills if you allow air conditioning repair needs to go unaddressed for too long. Air conditioning works by removing heat from a home and releasing it outdoors. This process repeats over and over again until your home reaches the desired temperature. If a problem interferes with heat exchange, however, your air conditioner will have to run for a longer period of time and work a lot harder to reach this temperature. When your air conditioner cycles for too long, you use a lot of energy even though your home may never be able to reach the set temperature with some problems.
Types of AC Repairs that Can Improve Efficiency
There are many problems that can cause your air conditioner to consume a lot of energy. Here are some of the repairs that can improve the efficiency of your air conditioner.
- Frozen Evaporator Coil: The evaporator coil freezes when there is reduced airflow in the indoor portion of an AC. This coil helps to remove heat from the air, so any hindrance reduces its ability to transfer heat. Repairing a frozen coil restores efficiency, allowing the heat exchange process to take place uninterrupted.
- Thermostat Issues: Replacing a faulty thermostat is another way to improve efficiency. Sometimes, wiring issues can cause the air conditioner to short cycle, or your home may never reach the set temperature. A new digital thermostat can not only solve these problems, but may also have more features than your older model.
- Fan Motor Problems: As refrigerant cycles through the indoor evaporator unit of your AC, a blower fan moves indoor air over the evaporator coil and distributes cool air throughout your home, while an outdoor fan helps refrigerant to condense and dissipates heat outdoors. A broken fan motor may cause a fan to turn too slowly, and repairing or replacing the part can keep air moving through your unit and into your home.
Don’t let repair needs go unexamined for any longer. For air conditioning repair service in Springfield, OR, call Comfort Flow Heating today!
Thermostat Problems and Air Conditioning Repairs
Monday, June 16th, 2014Thermostats are small devices compared to rest of a home’s comfort system. But don’t let that diminutive size deceive you: thermostats are powerful control centers that can make or break an air conditioner. In this post, we’re concerned with the ways a malfunctioning thermostat could “break” your AC—or at least make it start to work incorrectly and require that you call for air conditioning repair service in Eugene, OR.
Because thermostat issues can look like electrical or mechanical failures inside an air conditioner’s cabinet, you must have skilled repair technicians handle the job of fixing them. The professionals will know where to search to determine the source of your home’s cooling woes. You can reach Comfort Flow Heating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for emergency service that will cut to the heart of the problem and fix it.
Some Common Thermostat Issues That Require Repair Work
- Miscalibration: When a thermostat begins to misread a home’s temperature by a few degrees or more—a miscalibration in the temperature sensor—it will result in behavior from the air conditioner that will create an uncomfortable home environment. This is usually a simple repair for technicians, although they may advise that you replace an old manual model thermostat with an updated and more precise digital programmable unit.
- Connection loss: A thermostat (except for recent wireless models) communicates to an air conditioner through a series of wires that control when the fans and the compressor turn on and off. Loss of connection in any of these wires due to breaks or loose connections will cause the air conditioner to fail to turn on or refuse to turn off. These types of problems often look like serious malfunctions within the AC itself, but experts will narrow down the problem if it originates with the thermostat and provide the necessary targeted repairs.
- Poor unit placement: If amateurs originally installed the AC in your home, the thermostat may be located in a poor position to record accurate temperatures. If it the thermostat is too far from the center of the house, it will pick up outlier readings that won’t reflect the actual temperature of the rest of the house. If placed in direct sunlight or near outside drafts, the thermostat will detect “ghost readings” higher or lower than the true temperature. These problems will all lead to poor AC performance. Technicians will have to move the thermostat to a better spot.
Call Comfort Flow Heating for AC Repairs
Sometimes determining what is causing a malfunction in an air conditioning system is the hardest part of a repair. But if you leave your air conditioning repair in Eugene, OR to the experienced team at Comfort Flow Heating, you can expect a fast and accurate solution to whatever ails your comfort system.
Do I Need to Call for Repairs if There Is Frost in My Air Conditioner?
Thursday, June 5th, 2014A common mistake homeowners make regarding their air conditioning systems is to think that the appearance of frost on the indoor evaporator coil is normal and nothing that requires repairs. But frost or ice appearing anywhere on an AC is a serious problem that needs remedy from professional technicians as soon as possible.
We’ll look into the reasons that ice can form over the coil in your air conditioner. Regardless of the original cause for the icing, call Comfort Flow Heating right away for the necessary air conditioning repair in Salem, OR that will reverse the problem and restore your cooling.
The trouble with ice on an AC
Ice forms along the evaporator coil whenever the coil begins to absorb less heat than normal. The evaporator coil performs the crucial job of removing the heat from the air that will pass into the ventilation system and move out into your living spaces. If the coil doesn’t absorb enough heat, the cold refrigerant inside it will remain at a low enough temperature that it will freeze condensation moisture along the coil. Once this ice forms, it will further block heat absorption, leading to a downward cycle until ice blocks the whole coil and no cooling can occur.
Why ice might form
A common reason for this to start is because of a clogged air filter. When the air filter cannot bring in sufficient warm indoor air to the evaporator coil, the refrigerant will not cool down fast enough, and the ice will start. This is one of the many reasons you must change the air filter once a month during the summer when the AC runs regularly.
If excess dirt enters the AC’s cabinet, it will lead to a grime layer across the evaporator coil, which will insulate it and lower heat absorption, triggering the ice growth. Professionals will need to remove the coil and clean it. Don’t attempt to scrape the ice off on your own, as you might damage the coil.
Finally, and most seriously, a loss of refrigerant due to leaking will also cause ice to form. Less refrigerant in the coil means reduced heat absorption, and the remaining refrigerant will remain cold enough to start the freezing. Low refrigerant charge can lead to serious damage in the compressor, so this must be solved right away. Professionals will seal the leak and recharge the refrigerant to its proper level.
Professionals are only a call away
At Comfort Flow Heating, our motto is, “No job is too large or too small.” No matter what problem has caused the ice on your AC, you can trust us to bring you quality air conditioning repair in Salem, OR. We are always ready for your call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Why Is Excessive Condensation in My Air Conditioner a Problem?
Friday, May 30th, 2014You are probably familiar with the sounds an AC makes during normal operation: the whir of the blower, the hum of the compressor, and the occasional sound of dripping water. The source of that last sound is the condensation that develops along the evaporator coil. As warm air flows across the coil, the coil absorbs heat and also collects moisture. This moisture then drips down into a condensate pan, where a drain and pump remove it down a line toward the wastewater system of your plumbing.
When your air conditioning system is working well, you shouldn’t need to worry about the water along the evaporator coil. But when you encounter excess condensation and drainage issues, it can lead to serious problems. If you detect water around your AC, notice mold or mildew growing in its vicinity, or experience increases in humidity, call for air conditioning repair right away. Technicians will find out what is wrong with your AC and repair it.
Call the experienced staff at Comfort Flow Heating, any time of the day or night, when you need air conditioning repair in Florence, OR.
Condensate problems in an air conditioner
A number of issues can cause the water in the condensate pan to begin to build up: the line can become dislodged, bacterial growth might block up the drain. When this occurs, the condensate pan, which is shallow, will start to overflow and spill out into your home.
The first trouble this will cause is water damage. Because you often won’t notice this at first, since the air conditioning cabinet isn’t in a place you frequent, the water damage can become extensive and may lead to thousands of dollars in repairs.
The high humidity also encourages the growth of mold and mildew. These bacterial contaminants will contribute to building damage (mildew warps wood and eats right through drywall) but also release toxic spores into the air, lowering indoor air quality. Rats and insects will also be drawn to water pools, adding another unpleasant nuisance.
Standing water will start to increase your home’s humidity, causing additional discomfort that will begin to make the AC’s work more difficult.
We don’t advise that you try to repair condensate problems on your own: a mistaken fix can end up causing additional leaking. Instead, contact professionals like those at Comfort Flow Heating. Our team that handles air conditioning repair in Florence, OR will find the source of the problem and fix it so it stays fixed.
Sounds that Can Indicate Air Conditioning Repair Needs
Friday, May 16th, 2014You turn on your air conditioner and, after hearing the normal tick and whirr of the start-up, you hear something not so normal: a banging, a screech or a rattle. You turn the system off, leave it for a bit, and then start it again. And once again, you hear something that just doesn’t sound right. While your air conditioner may be working, that noise can be indicative of a problem with your system. How can you know? Below are some familiar noises our experts at Comfort Flow Heating have all heard prior to completing an air conditioning repair in Salem.
The Usual Noises
As the homeowner, you know what constitutes the normal sounds your AC makes when operating. Typical noises would include things like:
- A click when the system starts
- Hum or whirr when the motors and fans begin to run
- A “whoosh” sound when air begins to flow through the ducts
- Click when the system shuts down
The Unusual Noises
Here are some unusual noises that can indicate the need for a Comfort Flow Heating specialist to inspect your system:
- Rattling – a rattling sound can indicate several potential issues. Common ones are loose pieces of hardware from fans and other components, loose ductwork and loose equipment covers.
- Squeaking – squeaking can indicate a few things, some bigger than others. On the smaller end of the scale, squeaking can mean poor lubrication on ball bearings or other components; it can also mean a belt in the system is wearing down and may need replacement.
- Loud Buzzing – loud buzzing can mean there is a potential electrical issue somewhere in your air conditioning system, such a faulty connection or an issue with the circuit breaker.
- Screeching – a loud screeching noise may indicate that the pressure in your system’s compressor is too high, which can be a potentially dangerous situation. If you hear a loud screeching, turn off your system immediately and call a Comfort Flow Heating specialist right away.
- Hissing – a hissing sound emanating from your outdoor unit typically means there is a refrigerant leak somewhere in the system. Refrigerant is the chemical that runs through your air conditioner, removing the heat and cooling the air that gets blown back inside. As such, if you have a leak, it should be repaired right away by a trained specialist so as not to potentially stress your system.
Don’t Ignore the Noise
It can be easy to ignore a noise that may seem minimal, especially if your air conditioner appears to be working as expected. But, an unusual noise in your air conditioner is not something you want to take lightly. Hearing something unusual? Call Comfort Flow Heating today and schedule an appointment for one of our experts check out that noise. You may require professional air conditioning repair in Salem.
How Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Your Air Conditioning
Wednesday, August 28th, 2013Did you know that according to the EPA most of us spend about 90% of our time indoors? This means that the quality of air that we have in our homes has a huge potential to affect our respiratory health. In fact, the EPA also estimates that poor indoor air quality is one of the top 5 leading threats to respiratory health. However, poor indoor air quality can also negatively affect your air conditioning system. At Comfort Flow Heating, we offer a large range of indoor air quality and air conditioning repair services in Salem, OR. We wanted to share about how your air quality and AC system are interrelated.
Salem, OR Air Conditioning Repair Tip: How Air Quality Affects Your Cooling System
When you have bad indoor air quality it means that your air is full of contaminants like dust, pollen, pet dander, cleaning fumes, insect droppings and more. These are a few of the ways that your air conditioning can suffer because of those problems.
- Clogged air filter – Probably the most common cause of air conditioning problems is a clogged air filter. If your home has poor indoor air quality then the air filter for your air conditioner could get clogged very quickly with pollutants and restrict the flow of air moving through the system. This could have some very serious consequences. It could reduce the amount of cooling that you get in your home, reduce the efficiency of your system and also increase the need for repair. Making sure that your home has good indoor air quality and that the filter gets changed regularly can go a long way to helping your AC system.
- Clogged ducts – Another issue that can arise from poor indoor air quality is contaminants in your ductwork. As your AC pulls in outdoor air or recirculates indoor air, the contaminants in the air can get deposited in your ductwork. Not only is this bad for your respiratory health, but it could eventually start to restrict the flow of air through the ducts which will cause the system to have to work harder to push the air through them.
- Motor issues – Your air conditioning system has a fan motor that pulls in warm air to cool it and then push it throughout your home. If there are a lot of contaminants in that air then they could get deposited inside the fan motor. This will likely cause it to malfunction which would result in you needing to call for Salem air conditioning repair services in order to get cooling in your home.
If you need any kind of air conditioning repair services, call the Salem, OR air conditioning technicians at Comfort Flow Heating.
