Dead Compressor—Does It Mean You Need a New AC?

September 9th, 2019

compressor-in-ac-unitWhat’s the worst problem a central air conditioner can face? We won’t keep you in—it’s a dead compressor. When you turn on the air conditioning system to cool down your home, and you hear no sound from the outdoor cabinet aside from the fan, the compressor has stopped working. The fault might not be a dead compressor—it could be a failed capacitor or an electrical issue—but it’s a possibility.

The compressor is the literal heart of an air conditioning system. It’s where energy is applied to the refrigerant to make it circulate through the rest of the AC. Without the compressor to turn refrigerant into a high-pressure hot gas, the refrigerant won’t move between the indoor and outdoor coils and cool the inside air of the house.

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When Your AC Starts and Stops Too Often

August 26th, 2019

air-conditioner-cabinetsDuring a hot summer day in Katy, air conditioners in home put in long hours. You’re used to hearing the air conditioner humming away for long stretches during a 90°+ late summer afternoon. This is normal, although we recommend setting the thermostat as high as comfortably possible. This will reduce the strain on the AC and allow it to cycle down for periods.

However, your air conditioning system should for cycles of 15 minutes or more. When you notice cooling cycles shorter than this, something may be wrong. The AC’s compressor shouldn’t run for less than 10 minutes and then turn back on a short time later and repeat the process. This is short-cycling, and you don’t want it affecting your cooling system.

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The Capacitors in Your AC—What Can Go Wrong?

August 12th, 2019

Hvac-wiresYour air conditioner is not a magic wand. It’s an electronic device that works with wires, switches, capacitors, and everything else that’s contained within our modern technology. So when something goes wrong, there’s usually a technical way to figure out what’s going on. Troubleshooting electrical devices isn’t rocket science.

Does that mean you should open that baby up and start pulling out wires? Of course not.

If your AC isn’t working, even if you’re positive it’s an electrical problem, you can always contact a professional for anything technical having to do with air conditioning in Katy, TX. That being said, sometimes curiosity can’t be stopped! How can we figure out if your AC problems are due to a bad capacitor? Let’s find out!

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What Can Happen to Your Cooling During the Intense Heat

July 29th, 2019

thermometer-going-redThe heat we’re experiencing right now in Katy is extreme. It’s not easy to stay outdoors for long, but at least you have a home with a powerful air conditioning system so you can always retreat to it.

You can’t rely on your AC 100% of the time, however, because no matter how well it was built and installed, no matter how dutifully you’ve had it serviced and maintained, it can still malfunction. When the heat rises to levels such as we’re currently experiencing, there’s a higher risk of an air conditioner problem due to all the extra work the system takes on.

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What Goes Wrong With a Clogged Condensate Drain in an AC

July 15th, 2019

water-dropletsWhat sort of sounds do you hear coming from your air conditioning system? You expect to hear the whir of the fans and the hum of the compressor when it turns on. But what about the dripping of water? Yes, this is one of the routine noises you can expect to hear coming from your AC as it works on a hot day. It’s the condensate moisture in the system dripping down into a pan, where it is then pumped down a drain and out of the house.

Your AC doesn’t use water to cool down air, but water is a product of how it cools the air. When the cold refrigerant in the evaporator coils and fins evaporates, it draws heat out of the air as well as moisture. The moisture collects along the coil and a pan below catches it when it falls. The condensate drain and line removes the water—unless the drain is clogged up.

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I’m Not Feeling Cool Enough in My Home! What’s Wrong?

July 1st, 2019

woman-in-front-of-fan-hand-on-headWhen the Katy summer heat settles in, it doesn’t fool around! When it’s hot, it’s hot. You want to be assured that your home is always a cool retreat from the summer heat thanks to a central air conditioning system.

But have you started to feel less comfort in your home? When the AC is running, does it feel like it’s not doing its job as well as it once did? You may have a malfunctioning air conditioner, or even one that needs to be replaced. On the other hand, you may only have a simple problem you can take care of on your own. We’ll look over the possibilities to see when you need to call for air conditioning services in Katy, TX.

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Does a Heat Pump Work Differently in Its Two Modes?

June 17th, 2019

sun-and-snowflake-badgeHeat pumps are a popular option for home comfort here in Katy because they are ideally suited to our climate: hot weather during most of the year with a short, cool winter. A heat pump works as both an air conditioner and heater, able to switch between the two modes with only an adjustment on the thermostat. During hot weather, a heat pump is as powerful as an air conditioner of the same cooling tonnage. During colder weather, a heat pump delivers heat at lower cost than using an electric furnace.

But how does a heat pump do both jobs? Does it switch between different operations when it goes from one mode to the other?

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Why Does My AC Just Keep Running and Running?

June 3rd, 2019

The runaway air conditioner is a common cooling problem homeowners may run into during the summer. Everyone knows why it’s bad news when an air conditioning system won’t turn on at all. But an air conditioner that just won’t power down and keeps its compressor running on and on is just as bad a problem. In most cases, the AC will need to have professional repairs to fix what’s wrong.

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Going With Ductless Cooling Has Great Benefits

May 20th, 2019

ductless-ac-unit

Ductless cooling. When you read that term, does your mind first go to a window AC unit, or maybe one of those portable air conditioners that can attach to windows to provide cooling for a room? Yes, these are cooling methods that don’t use ducts. But what HVAC experts mean when they talk about ductless cooling is something different, and more powerful, efficient, and convenient.

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Steps for Finding the Right Air Conditioning Contractor

May 6th, 2019

frustrated-customerThe central air conditioning system in your house is one of its most essential appliances. The heat during our Texas summers is intense, and hot days can arrive throughout the rest of the year as well. When you need repairs for your AC, are planning to schedule maintenance, or want to have a new air conditioner installed, you’ll look for an air conditioning contractor in Katy, TX to do the job. (Please don’t try to DIY any AC job—only professionals can do this work.)

But finding the right AC contractor isn’t as easy as picking the first name to pop up on search results. Not all HVAC companies are equal. To make sure you hire the right contractor, there are a few steps to take to narrow down your choices.

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