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Air conditioners are a necessary appliance in any Chattanooga, TN household. The Tennessee summers can feel like walking in hot water and are generally used every day and all night and are rarely turned off due to the high temperatures and oppressive humidity.

That is why it is crucial to watch out for signs of problems with your air conditioner because they are like cavities and the problems with air conditioners that don’t go away on their own. A routine subscription service will keep your central air conditioning in tip-top shape and prevent having to shell out enormous amounts of money for a new appliance or a costly AC repair.

Most people in Chattanooga, TN trust us for all their heating and AC repair needs. The team of experts at Metro Plumbing, Heating, and Air are well-regarded within the community. Our highly trained team has many years of experience dealing with AC repair, installation, maintenance, and complete re-designs and renovations for your heating and air conditioning needs.

Red Flags that You Need an AC Repair Service

Without routine service and care, it is most likely your air conditioning will begin to malfunction. Older air conditioners that rely on Freon are harder to fix because Freon is dangerous to the environment, your children, pets, and yourself. It is being phased out by the government due to its danger to the planet.

A plumber would have to spend ample time chasing down the Freon that is still available in Knoxville, TN. Ignoring red flags runs the risk of your unit breaking down and needing expensive repairs or a total replacement. There are some elements of malfunctioning in air conditioners you should be aware of:

• The unit makes strange noises.
• Reduced airflow from the unit
• Larger than expected energy bills
• Less cold air coming from the unit.
• Leaking coolant around the unit

If you spot any of these warning signs you may need an AC repair. Call Metro plumbing as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your HVAC system as it can be dangerous for elderly people, children, and people with chronic illnesses to withstand such high temperatures and oppressive humidity levels.

Common Issues Needing AC Repair

What is the age of Your Air Conditioner?

The top-of-the-line air conditioners, even the meticulously maintained ones will last between 10 -20 years. This depends on how well the AC is maintained and how appropriate the size of the air conditioner is for your home or office.

Buying a cheaper air conditioner that is not strong enough to appropriately cool the environment will put stress on the appliance and significantly reduce the life of the air conditioner.

Newer Energy Star air conditioners are a great investment if your air conditioner is reliant on Freon or other older types of coolant. The Energy Star Program is a federally supported organization that aims to help consumers choose the best appliance for their needs while reducing carbon footprints all over the country. Newer air conditioners will save you money on electricity rates because they won’t have to use as much energy to do their job.

A Frozen Evaporator Coil

For the air conditioner to work properly the evaporator coil must have consistent airflow across it whenever it is in use to work effectively. Heat moves between the cooling element into the evaporator coil where the warm air flows over the evaporator coil exchanging hot air for cool and making your home or office more comfortable.

The reduction of airflow over the evaporator coil can make it freeze and slow down the functionality of the air conditioner and the level of comfort in your home. This causes other components in the AC unit to work harder and harder, increasing your energy bills. Like stress on humans, this type of pressure on your air conditioner will cause problems, including breaking down the air conditioner completely which will demand a new air conditioner.

Filthy air filters block air return grills and a dirty evaporator coil will reduce the movement of hot air to exchange the coolant. Metro Plumbing Heating and Air offer an affordable subscription service that routinely checks on your entire heating appliances, air conditioner, and the cleanliness of your air vent. The air conditioner must be cleaned periodically before the coil freezes or you could be hit with an outrageous AC repair bill.

Dirty and Blocked Condensers

The cooling fin and condensers are typically located outside your home where they receive plenty of air to flow over the condenser which releases the heat from inside your home to flow outdoors and keep the home or office cool.

A central air conditioner that is outside can easily become covered in dirt and grime over the cooler seasons and will need a check-up and cleaning in the early spring. The collected dirt acts as an insulating layer that interrupts the heat transfer and can cause your home to be warmer than you want it to be. Layers of debris will force your condenser to work much harder and it may even break it.

Cleaning the condenser is a job you should not do yourself because it is easy to use too much force and before you know it you need a brand new air conditioner. However, Metro Plumbing Heating and Air’s subscription service is affordable, dependable, and thorough. Consider signing up for our subscription service while it may cost more up-front over time it will protect your air conditioner and lower electricity tariffs.

Coolant Is Leaking

The coolant removes the excess heat and humidity from the environment. A lack of coolant in your unit will not be able to provide the cooling services that you expect if there is a coolant leak. Coolants are dangerous chemicals that are harmful to people, pets, and plants, and attempting to refill the coolant yourself may cause you bodily harm. Only licensed and experienced heating and air conditioning professionals who have trained for years should handle this task.

If you notice that there is less cool air coming from your appliance take the time to call Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air for a free chat about what options are available, and we can provide a general estimate over the phone, but upon inspection, this estimate may change depending on the work that needs to be done to complete a necessary AC repair. If you see ice on the evaporator coil then it is definitely being damaged. An AC repair service from one of our skilled team members will locate and repair any leaks.

Please give us a call as soon as possible. We don’t want our community members sweating throughout the sweltering summers in TN.