Tag: hvac

Knowing When It’s Time To Replace An Air Conditioner

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Is It Time To Replace Your Current HVAC System?

AC Man Houston | Replace Your Houston ACOne of the most important decisions when it comes to owning a home is knowing when it is time to replace or repair your heating and air conditioning system. Many people make costly repairs instead of replacing their unit; however, these costs can quickly add up. A new heating and cooling system will last approximately 15 years when it is properly maintained. If you are trying to decide if it is time to replace your current unit or continue making repairs, continue reading this article.

Questions to Consider

  • Does your heating and cooling system need repairs often?
  • Have your utility bills increased for no apparent reason?
  • Does your HVAC seem to run more frequently than it once did?
  • Is your heating and cooling system older than 10 years?
  • Does your system no longer keep your home at a comfortable temperature?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, it may be time to have your heating and cooling system inspected by a professional. Because an HVAC system is intricate, you will need to know the warning signs of when it is time to replace your unit. If you are experiencing the symptoms listed above and have to make repairs to your HVAC system frequently, it is time to replace your current HVAC unit.

Symptoms to Look Out For

If you begin to notice water on the floor under the furnace or corrosion inside the unit, your heat exchange may have developed holes or cracks. This can be a dangerous situation because the gasses from the unit could escape and enter your home. These gasses include carbon monoxide. Other symptoms of a problem with the heat exchange include soot around your heat registers or furnace or an exhaust odor that permeates your house. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is time to have your furnace replaced to protect you and your loved ones.

A failing or broken air conditioner is loud and does not cool your home effectively. If you begin to hear sounds that are out of the ordinary or your air conditioner is not cooling your home, it may be time for a replacement HVAC system.

Routine maintenance is the key to keeping your HVAC system running efficiently. In order to keep your home comfortable year-round, you must maintain your system. If routine maintenance is no longer working, talk to your local Houston air conditioning company or contact AC Man Houston about getting a new system for your house.

You’re Not The Only Thing Overheating This Summer in Houston

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Causes Of Burning Smell From An Air Conditioner

Unlike other places in the United States, Texas is the one place that no one can survive without air conditioning. The weather here is almost always hot and humid, which makes homes and offices extremely hot and uncomfortable with the AC turned off. It is due to this reason that most people ensure their air conditioning maintained regularly to avoid HVAC emergencies. Having a certified Houston HVAC expert work on your air conditioner is the only best way to ensure it remains functional all year round.

With the AC system working all day every day, many people report of a burning smell coming from their air conditions. Although this may be due to the system being overworked, it would be best to have the unit checked immediately.

Some of the common causes of odd smells from cooling systems include:

Musty Odor

AC Man Houston | AC Repair Houston TexasA musty smell may be as a result of a clogged condensate line in the cooling unit, or due to mildew growing in the ductwork. Some of this may be due to the accumulation of water in the drip pan allowing mold to grow.  Should the pan be misaligned in a way, then the drain line gets clogged from the stagnating water. While some AC systems will turn off automatically to prevent further damage, the excess water may short out electricals inside. Having the problem addressed, however, eliminates the problem.

Burning Smells

Always turn off the air conditioner should you detect a burning smell from the system. Both electric and gas powered AC systems need an electric igniter to start.  Should the system be faulty, the igniter can cause an electrical fire which could spread pretty fast especially with the hot and humid air flowing. If certain that there’s a burning smell coming from the system, turn the system off immediately then call a Houston HVAC repair technician immediately. The technician should be able to diagnose the problem and handle the repairs easily.

Getting to know your air conditioner and some of the potential causes of burning smells in HVAC appliances include:

a. A failing motor:

Dust buildup and lack of adequate lubrication on the same is one of the factors that cause the motor to fail and the burning smell. Since the motor has to drive fans in the system, continued use of the same causes significant stress that creates the burning smell. The technician can either repair/clean the motor or replace it altogether.

b. Clogged air filter:

An AC’s air filter works in an almost similar way as your car’s air filter. Its main job is to protect components inside from dust, dirt, and other debris. With this component working all the time, these particles and mostly dust start building up making it hard for the system to get enough air. Charred particles of the filtered out particles add an acrid smell to the air vents, thus the burning smell. Replacing the air filters at least once every 3 months can, however, prevent this from happening.

In Conclusion

Hiring an HVAC contractor in Houston to take care of your AC system is the best way to ensure your system remains in tip top condition. Contact AC Man Houston today for a quote.

A/C Man Houston Teaches Ice and Air Conditioners Don’t Mix

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Discover Why Air Conditioners And Ice Don’t Mix

It makes perfect sense that most people depend on their HVAC Tech when they need expert advice about their air conditioning. If any of them have told you, however, that it’s normal to see ice anywhere on your unit, you’ve been misinformed. Of course, it’s understandable why you would think that’s normal and believe anyone who told you that.

Most people associate cold air and ice as having a relationship and so if they see such a thing with their air conditioning unit they think it’s normal. Unfortunately, however, this means that your air conditioner is actually not doing its job. It’s, in fact, a clear indication that your unit is in need of repair in Houston. Please visit here for more information regarding the services we provide. Air conditioners and ice don’t go together, and if you see any appearing on your unit you shouldn’t ignore it.

Understand How The Cooling Process Works

An air conditioning unit doesn’t use a freezing method to cool the home. At no time does your air conditioner create ice. For that reason, there shouldn’t ever be ice on the unit as a by-product. Heat pumps and air conditioners actually transfer heat from one place to another place.

So when the unit is set for cooling it will take heat from inside your home and move it outside. This process is accomplished by using chemical refrigerant which will condense and evaporate during the exchange of heat. The evaporator coil does get very cold from the refrigerant but when the process is working correctly it won’t create ice because as well as cooling, it is also warmed up as heat passes over.

If You See Ice It Needs Service

AC Man Houston | Ice On Your Air Conditioner in Houston TXWhen ice accumulates, there’s something going wrong with the system that you will need to have serviced. It’s possible that you have a clogged air filter. The air filters purpose in an air conditioner is there to protect the working parts in the unit. If it becomes clogged it’s unable to work efficiently and heat will not be pulled over the evaporator coil as it should. That leads to the coil becoming too cold and any moisture there will begin to freeze. The ice then creates a barrier that makes the evaporator coil unable to do its job.

You could have a dirty coil. As debris and dirt build up over time it can also make a barrier that prevents the coil from doing its job. Just like the ice, it will then trigger the moisture to freeze because the coil is too cold.

It may be a leak that’s allowing refrigerant to escape. Leaks are not normal and they shouldn’t be happening if everything is as it should be. If you’ve noticed that your refrigerant levels have reduced it could lead to your compressor being damaged. This problem also reduces the unit’s ability to absorb heat on the evaporator coil.

Once ice starts accumulating on the coil it has to be serviced because otherwise, it will just continue to get worse. You don’t want to make the mistake of trying to scrape the ice off because that doesn’t solve the problem that creates the ice. That’s why you’ll need to call on a professional to fix the problem.

If you’re in the Houston area and want to schedule a quality air conditioning service tech for a consultation, all you need to do is call AC Man Air Conditioning And Heating today.