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The last thing you need on a hot summer’s day is for the air conditioner to break down. Not only will there be an increased risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, but the air quality will soon deteriorate leaving those suffering from chronic breathing conditions such as asthma under greater stress.

The people of Chattanooga, TN, need to be able to contact a trustworthy AC repair company as quickly as possible. This company needs to have a 24-hour emergency call-out service and offer the highest standards of AC repair at affordable prices. They will contact Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air, for all their air conditioner needs.

Your Air Conditioner Needs a Regular Service to Work Safely

During a hot Tennessee summer, our air conditioners are constantly working. This places them under a great deal of stress, and you need to have peace of mind that they will work when called upon. The best way to achieve this is to have the unit regularly serviced by one of our highly trained technicians. The service will pick up on any minor problems and fix them before you need an expensive AC repair. Your unit will now work safely and be more energy-efficient saving you on electricity bills.

A Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air technician is going to be busy during the summer period, so we suggest that you book your service during a quieter time like the early spring. This way you will be able to book an appointment at a time that is suitable for you

When Do You Need an AC Repair Company?

A simple answer is when the conditioner breaks down, but if you are on the lookout for any signs of trouble you may be able to avoid the inconvenience of an emergency AC repair. The most common signs of pending problems are:

You See Frost on the Evaporator Coil

The evaporator coil absorbs the excess heat from the warm air in your home. To work properly the coil needs a constant supply of warm air to be blown over it. If the airflow is restricted, then frost and ice will start to form on the coil. If the air filters are dirty or the fan blowing the air over the coil is faulty this will reduce the airflow.

Another possible cause is that a dirt layer has formed on the evaporator coil. This layer acts as an insulator and reduces the rate of heat transfer from the warm air. Reduced levels of coolant in the coil will also impede the rate of heat transfer and allow frost and ice to form.

All these items will be checked and are part of any service from Metro plumbing but replacing or cleaning dirty air filters is a job that you can do yourself regularly. Cleaner air filters will not only improve airflow but will also improve air quality by allowing less dirt and pollen to enter your home.

Coolant Leak

The coolant in an air conditioner flows around it through copper pipes, pumped by the compressor. In the evaporator coil, the coolant is in a liquid state, as it absorbs the excess heat from the warm air it is transformed into a hot gas. This hot gas is pumped outside and passes through the condenser and cooling fins. It now loses its heat energy to the outside air, and it turned back into a cold liquid again and continues its journey back to the evaporator coil.

Without an optimum level of coolant in it, the air conditioner will not work efficiently and need an AC repair. A small leak will reduce the coolant levels and you will notice less cool air as the cooling effect is reduced.

You may hear a slight hissing sound, if not often the first signs of low coolant levels are frost forming on the evaporator coils or increased energy bills. Your energy bills increase because the other components in your air conditioner must work harder to make up for the reduced cooling effect. Harder working components use more energy and are more likely to overheat and break down, needing an AC repair.

Dirty Condenser and Cooling Fins 

As the condenser and cooling fins are located outside, they are likely to be covered with a layer of dirt and grime from any pollutants in the air. This will reduce the rate of heat transfer from the hot gas to the outside air. The condenser and cooling fins need to be cleaned periodically; this is a job you could do yourself but can be part of a regular service. This dirt layer can also cause the condenser to overheat as it is acting as an insulating layer, so leading to an AC repair.

You Notice Increased Humidity in Your Home

Now for the science lesson, warm air carries more moisture in it than cold air. If the cooling effect from your air conditioner is reduced, warmer air is blown back into your home so increasing the humidity levels. As we have seen, low coolant, faulty fans, and dirty condensers, and cooling fins could be the cause.

Have you ever wondered what happens to all that moisture that is removed from your home? It is collected in the drip pan and then flows outside through an AC drain line. All this moisture can encourage the growth of mold and algae in the drain pan and AC line and will cause a blockage. The moisture will accumulate in the drain pan and then overflow into your air conditioner and then onto your floor, increasing the humidity levels in your home. The drain pan and AC drain line will need to be cleaned regularly and is also part of any service. A blocked AC line may cause the air conditioner to shut down, so it is always worth checking to see if the line is blocked by dirt or leaves before calling for an AC repair.

Keeping Chattanooga, TN Cool and Safe

Regular service from Metro Plumbing, Heating, and Air in Chattanooga, TN will deal with many of the issues mentioned above. But even the best-maintained unit will break down occasionally. Metro has technicians available 24/7, to quickly respond to any air conditioner emergency.