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Air Conditioning Repair - Air Conditioning Questions
1.70How often do air conditioning units need to be charged with freon?
Q.We have been having terrible problems with our central air conditioning unit. Our house is about 8 years old and we have a zone system (separate heating and cooling thermostats for upstairs and downstairs). For the past 2 years the unit is not cooling the house properly (heating works fine). We had the dampers replaced 2 years ago and I know the dampers are fine. We have had several repair technicians look at the unit. They always recharge the unit with more Freon (3 times in 1 summer) after claiming to fix a leak. This past weekend again a repair person claimed that we had an internal leak in the unit. He said that he had plugged the leak and then he charged the unit with Freon. Not only did this not work (our house continued to get hotter from 73F to 85F while AC was running all day) the pipe coming from the unit outside our house was all frozen over with ice (all the way to where the insulation started).
Any suggestions or help will be appreciated. Thank you.
A.A system only needs to be charged once, when it is installed. If it gets a leak, the leak must be repaired, and verified that it is repaired with a vacuum test. It is a laborious process, and some homeowners would rather just juice up the machine each year than spend the funds to get it repaired.
Some units have leaks that can never be identified. There are lots of fittings, small bends in the coils, and hundreds of feet of tubing that need to be traced with an accurate tool. Many Tech's don't have access to this tool, and rely on soap bubbles to identify leaks.
Contact the manufacturer of your unit, and have them recommend a competent company in your area. If it is the company that you've been using, explain that they have not fixed the unit. For very hard to find leaks, there is a product available that can be added to the refrigerant similar to "Stop Leak" for your auto radiator. This product is rather spendy, about the same price as five pounds of refrigerant, but if you are charging your unit each season, it would be worth the investment.
Contact the company that "repaired" the leak last time, and ask how the technician verified that the leak was repaired, and how he verified that the charge was correct.
1.00Anyone know of a good, yet reasonably priced air-conditioning repair service in Dallas?
Q.I think my AC unit is shot. I suspect the repair to be major, so cost is pretty important to me. Can anyone recommend a dependable repairman or repair service that won't gouge me? Thanks!!
A.Independent HVAC
steve baser
214-724-1862
1.00No website on Air Conditioner Servicing (& Maintenance) ?
Q.Does anyone know a good website that teach me step by step how to service ( and do commonly needed replacement) my single room (Window /wall mounted) Air Conditioner.
Googled website almost all only show companys that do air cond repair.
I want this as new hobby !
T H A N K S !!
A.Try starting here: http://www.hometips.com/cs-protected/guides/centairfix.html
Google diy air conditioner repair.
gl
1.00How much to have the ducts cleaned and mold removed?
Q.I just moved into a new home that had never had the ducts cleaned. The house is a ranch with gas forced air heat on one zone with about 9 vents. I found this company on a coupon for $45 which included unlimited vents and a couple access holes. When the company began their work they found mold and the price skyrocketed from $45 to $1400. Does this sound like a screw job or is that price accurate for mold removal and duct cleaning?
A.Mold removal/remediation is entirely different from air duct cleaning. However, it is not uncommon to find mold in your air ducts. That is why we recommend the Electro Breeze Duct Mount UV kit at http://www.allergy-relief-air-purifier.com/air-conditioning-filters.html. This unit will eliminate mold and bacteria from your indoor air and keep your air conditioning coils clean from mold.
You must consider that to remove the mold from your air ducts, the air duct cleaning company is entering into a potentially dangerous situation for their employees. This requires expensive equipment and a person with the skills to do the remediation properly. Now that they have knocked the mold loose, you will need the high efficiency filtration and ultra-violet light of the Electro Breeze DMUV kit to kill and capture the mold spores in your indoor air. I hope this helps.
1.00How do you clean the air ducts in a car?
Q.My car is getting older and I've noticed the air coming from the air conditioning ducts and air vents smells musty, dusty, and dirty. Is there a way I can clean the ducts and vents? Also, is this something I can get done at an auto detailer?
A.The answer to your 2nd question first. Maybe?! Some detailers will only clean/restore what they can reach, although there are some who might go the extra mile. The problem is, they don't want to be responsible for destroying your dash vents to get at the ducts.
When I worked in a body shop, we simply used compressed air through the vents to blow out the dust and dirt accumulated while the car sat inside being worked on.......some people even put pieces of air freshner directly in the vents to sweeten the smell afterwards.
1.00How can I find a good air duct cleaner in the San Francisco Bay Area?
Q.My doctor told me I need to get my air duct cleaned, but I keep hearing all kinds of horror stories about air duct cleaners. Does anyone knows of a good air duct cleaner near San Francisco?
A.Here are some Union companies that do duct cleaning. They all do good work.
Atlas Heating and AC
Oakland, CA
510-893-1343
Advanced Solutions Heating and Air Conditioning
San Mateo, CA
650-347-4828
Bell Products
Napa, CA
707-255-1811
1.00How can I fix my air conditioning?
Q.I have central air in my apartment and for the most part it works but lately it has not been cooling down the apartment. Any ideas on how I can fix this? Thank you.
A.How old is the unit and when was the last time it had a freon charge? Unless it has leaks, the ac unit should be checked and recharged once a year. If everything is working, but it is not really putting out cold air, usually an indication of a recharge needed. To verify everything is working: Set the thermostat to Auto, Cool and about 75 degrees. If air is coming out of the vents, the air handler (inside unit) is working ok. Next, go to the outside unit and see if the fan is turning and the compressor is running. (fan by sight; compressor by sound). If okay, all components are working as they should and the unit probably needs a recharging.
1.00How long does a londlord have to fix air conditioning?
Q.Our air broke on Satuday it is now monday still not fix he is saying maybe wednesday we har having heat warning right now
A.He has no legal responsibility to fix it at all.
Maybe the serviceman can't get there 'til Wednesday?
More Air Conditioning Questions
Repair
Most air conditioner repair problems are the result of faulty installation, and poor maintenance procedures. Getting your air conditioner installed by an unqualified technician can lead to leaks, and affect the air flow of the unit. For instance, if the technician does not charge a sufficient amount of refrigerant during installation, or if it doesn't match the company's specifications, then the unit quickly develops leaks. In such a situation, air conditioner troubleshooting involves more than simply adding refrigerant. The leak has to be fixed, and then, the optimum amount of refrigerator must be charged. Besides, improper installation, there are wear and tear issues that can necessitate HVAC repairs. Most of this wear and tear can be avoided by following proper procedures. For instance, when an oversized AC switches on and off regularly, it can wear out the fan controls and compressor.
Air conditioner problems also frequently occur due to insufficient HVAC maintenance. Cleaning your air filter is something that should be done at least once or twice during the peak season, and more often, if you have pets at home, or if your air conditioner is used constantly. Cleaning air filters is a simple task. Just remove the protective grill, and clean the condenser fins with a vacuum brush or soft cloth. Dust or debris that accumulates on the filter can disrupt the flow of air, and affect the efficiency of your air conditioner. These dust particles can also travel through the evaporated coil, affecting the heat absorbing capacity of the coil. Other common air conditioner problems are associated with improper usage. For instance, if you have an oversized air conditioner that turns on and off frequently, it can affect the compressor leading to the need for AC compressor repairs. If the air conditioner does not turn on as soon as you switch it on, the thermostat may be set to above the current room temperature. There could also be a trip in the breakage or a blown fuse.
AC repairs including AC heater repair, AC motor and compressor repair and other kinds of air conditioner troubleshooting are best left to qualified professionals. Get your air conditioner repairs performed only by licensed bonded and insured Memphis AC repair technicians. To find reliable AC repair contractors in Memphis, just fill out the form.
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Most air conditioner repair problems are the result of faulty installation, and poor maintenance procedures. Getting your air conditioner installed by an unqualified technician can lead to leaks, and affect the air flow of the unit. For instance, if the technician does not charge a sufficient amount of refrigerant during installation, or if it doesn't match the company's specifications, then the unit quickly develops leaks. In such a situation, air conditioner troubleshooting involves more than simply adding refrigerant. The leak has to be fixed, and then, the optimum amount of refrigerator must be charged. Besides, improper installation, there are wear and tear issues that can necessitate HVAC repairs. Most of this wear and tear can be avoided by following proper procedures. For instance, when an oversized AC switches on and off regularly, it can wear out the fan controls and compressor. 
Air conditioner problems also frequently occur due to insufficient HVAC maintenance. Cleaning your air filter is something that should be done at least once or twice during the peak season, and more often, if you have pets at home, or if your air conditioner is used constantly. Cleaning air filters is a simple task. Just remove the protective grill, and clean the condenser fins with a vacuum brush or soft cloth. Dust or debris that accumulates on the filter can disrupt the flow of air, and affect the efficiency of your air conditioner. These dust particles can also travel through the evaporated coil, affecting the heat absorbing capacity of the coil. Other common air conditioner problems are associated with improper usage. For instance, if you have an oversized air conditioner that turns on and off frequently, it can affect the compressor leading to the need for AC compressor repairs. If the air conditioner does not turn on as soon as you switch it on, the thermostat may be set to above the current room temperature. There could also be a trip in the breakage or a blown fuse.