The term short-cycling describes a condition where a heating or cooling system starts to turn on and off rapidly over an extended period. In an air conditioner, short-cycling consists of the compressor kicking in, but then shutting off only a brief time later before it can complete its full cooling cycle. Not long after, the compressor comes on again and the process repeats.
Red Rock Mechanical, LLC Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning Repair’
3 Mistakes You May Make With Your Air Conditioner This Summer
Monday, May 18th, 2015
As summer starts, people all over the country will turn on their air conditioners to keep their homes comfortable during the heat. But many of those people will make basic mistakes with operating and caring for their air conditioning systems that will end up costing them money or even contribute to an early failure for the ACs.
Air Conditioning Question: What Is the Evaporator Coil?
Monday, April 27th, 2015
Most homeowners know very little about how the air conditioner that keeps their house cool works. There’s no problem with this; that’s the reason we have highly trained professionals to take care of any issues an AC might encounter, as well as to handle installation and maintenance work. However, a bit of knowledge can always come in handy, and in this post we are going to shed some light on one of the most crucial components in your home’s cooling system: the evaporator coil.
Some Early Air Conditioning Repairs to Watch for This Spring
Monday, April 13th, 2015
Now that spring is here, air conditioning systems throughout Northwest Vermont and the Plattsburgh, NY area will start to turn on for their long stretch of work during the middle of the year. If you haven’t done so already, make sure you schedule routine maintenance for your air conditioning from a professional HVAC technician. This is necessary to see that the AC works at peak efficiency and to catch potential repair problems so they can be dealt with early.
3 Signs You Need Air Conditioning Repair
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014
It can be difficult to tell if something is seriously wrong with your air conditioner. If something is not quite right but doesn’t seem like an emergency, you may feel as though you can put off air conditioning repair until a later time. However, this is a dangerous way of thinking. If you put off air conditioning repair for too long, you may run into other problems, or you may lose cool air entirely right in the middle of summer.
So when should you call for AC repair? As soon as you run into a problem! We’ve put together a list of three of the most common reasons you might need to call for air conditioning repair.
- Loud Noises: Don’t assume that the strange noises coming from your AC unit are normal. There are a number of moving parts in your air conditioner that may make noise when they are not working properly. If your fan motor runs into problems, you may hear a grinding noise. A hissing noise could indicate leaking refrigerant. Loose or bent parts in your outdoor condenser unit may begin to make a banging or clanking sound.
- Not Enough Cool Air: Your air conditioner may lose cooling power for many reasons. Even if the temperature is still bearable, an AC that doesn’t cool properly drives up your energy bills, and it can cause serious damage to other components of your system. The first place to check is the air filter as a dirty filter may block airflow. However, loss of cooling power may also indicate low refrigerant or damage to the compressor.
- High Energy Bills: High energy bills should be reason enough to have someone look at your air conditioner. All air conditioners lose efficiency over time, but a significant increase indicates a big problem. If your system is running up your bills, you may have serious problems with some important parts of your AC, such as the compressor or evaporator coil.
The consequences of a damaged AC are not worth delaying repairs. For air conditioning repair in Stowe, VT, contact the experts at Red Rock Mechanical.
3 Common Condenser Problems with Your Air Conditioning System
Friday, June 6th, 2014
The condenser is the outdoor unit of a split air conditioning system. Where the indoor unit, the evaporator, handles removing the heat from your home, the condenser does the job of releasing the heat to the outside. The condenser also contains the most powerful and important component for air conditioning operation: the compressor, which puts the refrigerant under pressure in order to change it into a high pressure, high temperature gas and start it off on the heat exchange cycle. The condenser also contains a fan to draw air across the condenser coil to allow for the release of heat.
If any issues start inside the condenser, it will threaten the cooling power of the whole system. If you suspect condenser trouble, don’t open the cabinet. Instead, put in a call to a local professional HVAC repair service.
Finding fast, quality air conditioning repair in Burlington, VT is simple: you only have to call up the team at Red Rock Mechanical. We have over 23 years of experience with heating, cooling, and plumbing, and we are ready to assist you 24-hours a day with emergency service.
3 Condenser Problems We Often See:
- Damaged fan: An issue with the condenser is that it is outside, and therefore at the mercy of the elements. Although designed to withstand a great deal of punishment, condensers can still suffer from problems due to debris like rocks, gravel, leaves, sticks, and even tree branches getting through the grill and causing injury to the fan. The fan is a precision instrument that is carefully balanced, and should it receive damage that bends its blades, it will start to strike the casing. This will not only lead to a broken fan, it will damage other parts of the condenser. Fan troubles always require professional repairs.
- Hard starting compressor: Issues with the compressor are among the most serious for an air conditioner. If the compressor burns out from too much stress and lack of repair work, it usually means the entire AC needs replacement. A compressor can begin to “hard start” (stutter as it comes on, then turn off early) because of electrical malfunctions, a failing motor, bad capacitors, or mechanical stress. When this happens, call for technicians to investigate right away.
- Refrigerant line leaks: The refrigerant that runs through an AC must remain at the same level (charge) at all times. The only way the charge will drop is through leaking occurring, which can sometimes happen in the connections to the compressor or from the compressor itself. If you notice ice appearing anywhere on the system, it may mean a loss of refrigerant, and this needs skilled repair work right away.
Trust to Red Rock Mechanical for the air conditioning repair in Burlington, VT necessary to protect the condenser from failure. We are a small, family-owned business dedicated to bringing a personal touch to all our professional work. Give us a call today to schedule your next service appointment with us.
Recognizing Signs of Trouble with Your Air Conditioning in Montpelier, VT
Wednesday, August 7th, 2013
When it comes to your air conditioning, the sooner you can spot a potential problem, the better the chances of dealing with it before it becomes a much larger problem. Problems can arise through lack of use that only become apparent months after they’ve first appeared. Recognizing signs of trouble with your air conditioning will go a long way towards addressing them in a timely fashion, saving you the cost of a big repair.
Signs of trouble can vary widely, but a few of the most common ones can be found below:
- Higher bills: The first and most obvious sign of an AC problem comes with your monthly electric bill. If you see a spike in the costs and haven’t altered your electrical use habits, it could signal an air conditioning system that is laboring to keep your home cool.
- No cool air: If your air conditioning is blowing air, but none of it seems to be cool air, it may signal lowered refrigerant levels. (A professional technician can safely recharge the refrigerant for you.) It might also signal a dirty air filter, which you can replace with a clean one fairly easily.
- Low air flow: Low air flow usually indicates a blockage in the system somewhere, requiring a professional cleaning to fix. It might also indicate a damaged or leaking vent, which would also prevent air from circulating your home.
- No power: If the AC refuses to turn on at all, it could be a sign of serious trouble. Many air conditioning systems have automatic switch-off features when a particular component gets damaged. They’re intended to prevent any further damage to the system. It may also indicate something much simpler, like a thermostat set too high or an electrical problem elsewhere in the house.
- Unusual noises: Broken or damaged components within the air conditioning system may create a buzzing or rattling noise. You might also hear a hum or a whistle if air is escaping through leaks in the system, or a grinding noise if broken components are scraping against each other.
Regardless of the exact symptom, you should call in a professional once you recognize signs of trouble. Red Rock Mechanical handles air conditioning issues in Montpelier, VT, including maintenance and replacement projects. Contact us today to see about solving your AC problem.
Burlington, VT Air Conditioning Guide: How to Tell if Your AC is Overloaded
Tuesday, July 16th, 2013
When the summer months start, it’s nice to come home to a cool, comfortable house as a respite from all the heat. A good air conditioning unit can provide years of service while keeping the worst excesses of the heat at bay. But while you’re enjoying those low temperatures, your air conditioning may be working far harder than it should to bring them to you. An overworked air conditioner is far more likely to break down than an AC with a manageable workload: costing you a great deal in repair bills or even forcing you to buy a new air conditioner if the problem gets bad enough. So how can you tell if your AC is overloaded? Here’s a few signs to point the way:
- Higher bills: We all expect a little increase in summer energy bills, but if you see a sharp spike with no apparent change in your energy use, your air conditioning may be laboring to keep your house cool.
- Constant running: When the temperature in your home hits the number on your thermostat, the AC shuts off, then turns back on again when it starts to rise. An AC under stress may never shut off, however, or only shut off for brief periods during the day. (Which in turn may lead to higher bills as discussed above).
- The circuit breakers trip: In some cases, an overworked air conditioner can trip the circuit breakers in your home, cutting off electricity. If the circuit breaker trips every time you turn on the AC, it might be time to consider other options.
The most common cause of an overloaded AC is simply installing a system that is too small for your home. Air conditioners measure their cooling ability in BTUs (British thermal units) per hour, with a certain amount needed to cool a certain space. If your air conditioning doesn’t have the capacity to cool your entire household, it’s going to work too hard and run the risk of a breakdown. An overloaded AC can also be caused by neglecting maintenance, or when certain components start to fail and put extra strain on the rest of the system.
The hard working Burlington, VT air conditioning professionals at Red Rock Mechanical can help take the pressure off of an overworked AC, either by cleaning and tuning it to improve its efficiency or installing a new one to better suit your needs. We offer a one-year warranty on all our labor, and stand by our commitment to professional, high quality workmanship. If your AC is overloaded, give us a call and set up an appointment. After all, the summer is no time to overwork your system… especially when the comfort of your home depends on it.
