Common AC Repairs During Summer

Phoenix summers are notorious for being dangerously hot, and besides a pool, the most important thing residents in the Valley of the Sun need is a working air conditioner. 

Even if you keep your air conditioning unit well maintained throughout the year with check ups and regular maintenance, it’s especially important to keep an eye on it in the summer. During these scorching months, your air units work extra hard to keep your home cool and comfortable and the extra work can take its toll quickly. 

We’re here to point out some of the most common problems air conditioners have and the reasons they break down each summer. Keeping an eye out for these problems can help you recognize the need for a quick fix before an easy repair becomes a big disaster. 

Warm Air

There’s nothing we want and expect more when we turn our AC units on than cold air, but if you find that the air is warm, there could be a number of things wrong. Check your thermostat and make sure it’s programmed properly. If it is, the condenser coils could be covered with dirt and debris which will prevent the air from cooling before it’s distributed into your home. 

Frozen Evaporator Coils 

Aside from dirt and dust, your coils can also freeze up, which is something you don’t want to see. This means that cold air is being produced, but it’s stuck inside the air handler and isn’t getting pushed through the air ducts. Not only will this prevent your home from staying cool, but blocked airflow can cause damage to the working parts of your air conditioning system. 

Sensor Issues

The sensor is a really important part of your air unit. It measures the temperature of the air coming into the evaporative coil, which determines when and how long the AC will blow the air until your desired temperature is reached. If the sensor breaks or gets knocked out of position, the air conditioner can act up, thus resulting in damage or unexpected energy usage. If you find you need to adjust the sensor, move it by bending the wire that holds in place just a little bit. It should be near the coil but not touching it. 

Refrigerant Leaks 

Low refrigerant levels mean one of two things: that it leaks or it wasn’t filled up all the way at installation. If you do have a leak, simply adding more refrigerant to your system won’t do any good. Since the efficiency of air conditioners depends on the refrigerant charge matching the manufacturer’s directions exactly, it’s important that you get a professional to come to your home to fix the leak or fill it up. Plus, these leaks can be harmful to the environment, so if this happens, fix it right away! 

AC Not Working

This could be the most common and most irritating of the common problems your air conditioner can suffer from in the summer. If your air simple won’t turn on, first check the circuit breaker to make sure it’s not a simple fix you can do on your own. If everything looks okay, you might have an electrical problem, in which you’ll nee a professional’s help.

These are just some of the common air conditioning problems we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in the summer. If you feel that there’s anything wrong with your cooling system, contact us and we’ll be out to help your home return to a cool and comfortable oasis in the middle of the desert summer.

Signs That Your Air Ducts Are Leaking

Last week, we debated when the best time is to get a new air conditioning unit over replacing it. If, however, you find that you’re having problems but your unit is function properly, you may have a related but different problem on your hands: leaky ducts.

Research by PG&E in homes finds that faulty ductwork can account for up to 25% of heating and air conditioning loss in your house, sometimes even more. If your air ducts are leaking, your air units will work twice as hard to achieve the temperature that they’re set at, which uses a bunch of extra electricity without you even knowing it.

And what else are you losing if the air you pay for is slipping right out of your home? That’s right… money.

We have some tips and tricks when it comes to spotting a leaking air duct so not only can you stop wasting energy, but your wallet can stop leaking money.

First of all, if you find that certain rooms in your home are almost impossible to cool down in the summer or heat up in the winter, you might have a leaky duct near that room. If the duct is leaking, it won’t be able to transport the cold or hot air to the room, and thus, is likely to leave it an unpleasant temperature. 

Another sign that you might have leaking air ducts is if you find that rooms are dusty and dirty after you turn your air conditioning off. When there are leaks in your air ducts, contaminants will get sucked into your home and will settle in rooms into which the leaky duct leads. Not only will this cause a headache from constantly cleaning, but this can actually be detrimental to the health of you and your family by allowing dirt and pollutants into your home. 

As we mentioned before, another huge indicator of a leaky air duct is an abnormally high electric bill. Your heating/air condition unit will have to work harder in order to achieve the temperature it’s set at, which means it’s going to work longer and use more energy. In turn, you’ll end up spending more money for less efficient heating and air. 

If you notice any of these triggers on a regular basis, call a professional to come out and take a look inside your home.

Especially with the summer officially here, we want our customers to be comfortable day and night, so we’re always available to help, especially in an emergency. Call us at 623-533-5718 for all your heating and air installation and repair needs today!

Air Conditioners: Replace or Repair?

Summer is almost here, and our air conditioners are more important than ever to keep us cool and comfortable in our homes. However, if your air conditioner doesn’t seem to be in as good of working order as it should be, you might be finding yourself facing a dilemma regarding your unit: fix it or replace it. 

One of the easiest ways to determine if you should get a new air conditioning system is to determine how long you’ve had it. While today’s air conditioners are as efficient as they’ve ever been, they still need to be replaced about every 10-12 years. This time frame could vary depending on how often you use your air conditioner and how big or small your home is, but this tends to be the general lifespan of an AC unit. So, if it’s been about a decade, and your unit is having issues, this might be a tell-tale sign to upgrade.

Another obvious sign that you probably need to replace your air conditioner is if it breaks down… constantly. If you find that you’re calling a repairman more than once a season, odds are, the problems are going to keep coming. If your need for air conditioner repair gets really bad, air conditioner replacement can actually save you some money by eliminating the need for costly repairs.

If you’re having repeated problems with your air conditioner, stop and think about how much money you’ve spent to have it fixed each time. You may not realize it, but there’s a pretty good chance that buying a new unit altogether is actually less expensive than getting it fixed time and time again. 

A new system will require far fewer repairs and will run much more efficiently. In fact, replacing an aging and worn out air conditioner can actually have a number of benefits. New units are more energy efficient than old ones, which means you won’t be spending as much money on your electric bill each month. Brand-new air conditioners also improve the air quality of your home and produce less carbon emissions than old ones. 

Whether you decide you need a brand new air conditioning, want to repair the one you have, or even just have your unit inspected, Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating can provide all the services you need. Call us at 623-533-5718 for information and to get started today.

Gas and Electric Water Heater Repair

Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating is skilled at making repairs to both gas and electric hot water heaters. These two different types of hot water heaters require specific attention to make sure that all repairs are done to minimize future problems.

Gas Water Heaters – This type of hot water heater is designed with a gas valve that cycles itself on and off as the water heats and cools in the tank. Most gas water heaters have a pilot light that heats the tank at the bottom. The pilot flame is controlled by a thermocouple. Gas hot water heaters are built with a safety valve, usually located on top, which controls water pressure. If the pressure in the tank of the gas water heater gets to high, it will open allowing the water to safely be discharged to an area that will do no damage. Gas hot water heaters are also built with a flu that discharges the harmful fumes to the outside of your home.

Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating is highly trained in all aspects repairing gas hot water heaters with a focus on professionally making repairs and providing you with a safe and reliable hot water. Our technicians go through a complete checklist when diagnosing your gas water heater to make sure that all important components are operating properly.

Electric Water Heaters – Electric hot water heaters use heating elements to create hot water. These elements are located on the top and bottom of the water tank. Both heating elements are controlled by thermostats to keep the water at the desired temperature. Just like gas water heaters, they are protected by a temperature and pressure relief valve.

The technicians at Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating are trained to make professional repairs to electric water heaters. We can replace thermostats, heating elements, temperature and pressure valves, dip tubes, and anode rods. A common problem that we fix is the drain at the bottom of the electric water heater tank. This is remedied with the installation of a new drain valve.

Give Arctic Fox Air Conditioning and Heating a call today for any gas or electric water heater repairs or installations. Our water heater technicians proudly serve the Glendale, Surprise, Phoenix, Sun City, Peoria, and all other communities in the West Valley. Call us at 623-533-5718 today.

Prevent Condensation on Your Air Ducts

As homeowners, we’re often very aware of any issues we have with our air conditioning and heating systems. However, we tend to over look a very important aspect when it comes to our units: the air ducts.

It’s important to make sure your air ducts are working properly for a number of reasons, as the air ducts are responsible to keep either warm or cool air moving throughout your home. One problem that homeowners often face is condensation in their air ducts, which can be a huge issue for you and your family. Condensation can cause mold to grow and bacteria to build up, which is then pushed out into your house, where your family breathes it in.

We’ve got a couple ways that you can make sure your air ducts don’t build up condensation, no matter how humid or warm the surrounding area might be.  

When checking your air ducts, make sure they’re completely and properly insulated. This is a requirement for all air duct systems that aren’t air conditioned themselves.

When checking for potential causes of moisture or condensation, you should make sure that all the ducts are sealed properly. If there’s any sort of leak or water damage, you can probably assume that there will be moisture build up. If you do spot an issue like this, it’s important to get it fixed by a professional right away.

Make sure the condensation pan is draining the way it should be. Also check the cooling coils and the insulation around the coils to ensure there are no wet spots, as this can be problematic to the ducts. 

If nothing seems wrong, but you want to be extra precautious, install a humidifier to help keep condensation out of the air ducts. This can especially help in the summer time when Arizona tends to experience monsoon season, which brings rain and humidity.

These are some easy things you can do on your own to make sure your air ducts are working well and not building up any moisture. If your air ducts aren’t working properly or something doesn’t look right, give us a call at (623) 533-5718.