Your Affordable AC Repair Company in Allen TX

Top 10 Air Conditioning System Repairs

Air Filter Replacement

This is one of the cheapest and easiest “repairs” you can do. The filters are going to be available in your local home improvement store and cost very little. Make sure you know the filter size before driving to the store. For example 20x20x1 or 20x25x4. The last number is the thickness of the filter, usually 1 or 4 inches. If your air handler can hold a 4 inch filter, use ne of those as they are more efficient at cleaning the air.

Thermostat

This is a delicate piece of equipment usually attached to an inner wall of the home or office that controls the temperature. Make sure this is:

• Turned on
• Set to the correct temperature
• Set on heating or cooling
• Level
• Away from any direct sunlight
• Firmly fixed to the wall
• The contacts to the back plate are clean

Refrigerant Leak Detection and Repair

When coolant leaks from the air conditioner system, it will not perform correctly, and the temperature may not get as cold as desired, or at best fluctuates. The technicians at Code 3 Air Conditioning and Heat will locate the source of the leak and repair as needed. Sometimes we can plug it with specialized leak sealant or replace or tighten a leaky connection. We advise that you have your system inspected for leaks on a yearly basis.

Some older systems use R-22 Freon, while others use the more efficient and more eco-friendly R-410A.

Bear in mind that if we need to recharge with R-22 coolant, it will be more expensive, and we cannot mix R-22 with R-410A. The government mandates that all new AC systems shall use R-410A coolant and has inflated the cost of R-22 to dissuade people from using this type of coolant. If you find that you need to recharge with R-22 every year, it might be more cost effective in the long run to replace your old system with a newer R-410A based system.

Drain Line Blockages

The drain line is connected to a pan that lies underneath the coil components in the inside (usually in the attic) components. It can become clogged with dirt, dust, and even bugs. If it becomes clogged, the drain pan will fill up, spilling water to the whatever is below – ceilings, other equipment. Sometimes all it needs is a cup of bleach poured into the drain line or blown out with a high pressure air pump.

Blown Breakers and Fuses

These items prevent the AC unit’s motor or compressor from overheating. Rather than cause expensive damage to a motor, the breaker or fuse will break as a preventative measure. It’s much cheaper and quicker to replace. If you call in regarding a motor that has stopped working, this is one of the first things we’ll check. These parts are designed to be the weakest parts of the whole system. If they keep blowing however, this is a sign that something else is causing the issues and we’ll have to do some further checks to see what’s causing the problem. This can be a DIY job, however, if it keeps blowing, you should call the AC pros at Code 3 Air Conditioning and Heat.

Contactor Failures

A contactor is an electrically controlled switch or relay that is used to switch high voltage electrical circuits, such as used in your AC system. It’s controlled by a lower power circuit such as a 24-volt coil electromagnet. There are contactors for the blower motor, compressor and condenser fan. Contactors are used to supply power to star the motors in your AC system. Over time, they can get dirty or pitted which prevents them from doing their job. While these are straightforward jobs, this is not really a novice weekend job, especially when you’re dealing with high electrical power.

Dirty or Leaky Condenser coils

Condenser coils are located in the outside compressor unit. We’ll often find them clogged with grass, pollen or even covered with tall grass and weeds. The best thing to do is to blow out any debris you notice and also wash out the coils from the inside with a hose pipe. Rise them out with a hose pipe once a year. If they are too dirty, we will clean them with a specialized chemical cleaner. If you can add this to your yearly maintenance check list, it will help your compressor unit last longer and keep your home cooled for years to come.

Dirty or Broken Evaporator Coils

Located inside the home or office, evaporator coils absorb warm heat from the air and blow the cooled air back into the house through the air ducts. Over time, these coils corrode or spring leaks. It’s a good idea to inspect these coils on a yearly basis for leaks or build up of debris or dust.

Blown Capacitor Replacement

There are a couple of capacitors in your system that we will check and replace as necessary. These cannot be repaired. One is next to the blower motor and the other one is in the outdoor condenser unit. These are generally inexpensive electrical components and quick to replace. You are dealing with high voltage and caution needs to be exercised at ll times. That’s why we make sure the power is turned off before we make any repairs.  There are two kinds of capacitors we’ll look at: the start capacitor sends a voltage spike to activate the motor, and the run capacitor sends a series of electrical bursts to keep the motor working. The AC unit will stop if either of these break. These are a quick and straightforward replacements, although generally not a DIY activity, despite what you see on YouTube!

Frozen AC Coil

When the coil freezes, it’s often caused by a problem with a lack of airflow, often caused by dirty AC filters or blockages in the return ducts. If the system is low on refrigerant, that could also cause a coil to freeze. When the coil freezes, the cooling ability of your system is impaired. It may not cool at all, or have a reduced ability to cool your home.