DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning Repair’

Signs Your Air Conditioner May Be Low on Refrigerant

Monday, May 25th, 2015

Your air conditioner works by removing heat and humidity from your indoor spaces and transferring it to the outside. The chemical that facilitates this transfer is refrigerant. Unbeknownst to a lot of homeowners is the fact that every single air conditioner has to have an exact amount of refrigerant to operate correctly. There is no set standard for this as each manufacturer determines what this amount is according to the the design of the unit. What does this mean for you? This means that if a refrigerant leak develops with your system, it won’t have the necessary amount of refrigerant to run as it should. However, there are some telltale signs that indicate a refrigerant leak has developed in your system, and the experts at DB Heating & Cooling would like to share these with you:

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What’s That Sound?

Monday, May 4th, 2015

We are getting closer to air conditioning season here in Westwood, and spring offers a great time to test your AC to make sure it’s running as needed. If you choose to test your system before the hot weather arrives (and we recommend you do), you’ll want to listen to your air conditioner. Why? Because strange sounds are one of the main ways your AC lets you know that things are not ok. If you do hear something odd, your best course of action is to turn off your air conditioner and call the experts at DB Heating & Cooling for assistance.

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Why Are Parts of the Air Conditioner on the Outside of the House?

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Air conditioners are a staple of 21st century life, but the specifics on how they work are often known only to professionals. Services that offer air conditioning repair in Teaneck can usually explain the details if something goes wrong with your system, but home owners can also educate themselves about certain particulars. For example, why are parts of the air conditioner on the outside of the house? The short answer is to vent hot air. But how does a unit designed to produce cool air end up producing hot air?

The components on the outside of the house usually include the condenser valves, the compression coils and the condenser motor. This is where the process of air conditioning begins. Refrigerant gas enters the valve, which places it under a great deal of heat and pressure, and then moves to the coils, where the heat is bled off into the surrounding air. The liquid – still under pressure – then moves inside, where it passes through an expansion valve and into the evaporator coils. As it evaporates, it pulls heat from the surrounding air, which can then be blown into your house to cool it.

That process only works if the refrigerant is in liquid form and it won’t reach liquid form without giving off a great deal of heat. Obviously, you don’t want any of that hot air in your air conditioner, since it will defeat the whole purpose of air conditioning. Hence, that part of the cycle is often left outside. The hot air can be vented into the outside atmosphere and the condenser array can do its job without interfering with the second part of the cycle (the one that produces the cool air). It’s a strange set-up but it makes a lot of sense in terms of efficiency. And with air conditioners, efficiency is the name of the game.

If you know why parts of the air conditioner are on the outside of the house, you also know that the delicacy of the system requires professional attention when something goes wrong.

For air conditioning repair in Teaneck, give the technicians at DB Heating & Cooling a call. We can fix just about anything, so contact us today!

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Air Conditioning Repair Tip: Why Change the Air Filter

Friday, April 18th, 2014

An air conditioner needs annual maintenance, consisting of an inspection and tune-up, for it to run efficiently and effectively during the year. It takes the knowledge of an HVAC professional to perform maintenance, so you should seek out a maintenance program from a trusted contractor to handle this task for you each year.

You can take a few maintenance steps on your own. One of the most important is to regularly change the air filter on your air conditioner; you might need to do it as often as once a month during the summer. We’ll explain why this is such a crucial step. (If you don’t know the location of the air filter for your system, ask a repair technician.) If you need air conditioning repair in Bergen County, NJ because of air filter troubles, call on DB Heating & Cooling—any time of the day or night!

Why replacing the air filter is necessary

  • To prevent debris contamination: The air filter is located where the return air vent brings in air from inside the house to circulate through the AC. Dust, lint, pollen, dander, hair, and larger particles like gravel can come with this air. If these pollutants get inside the air conditioner’s cabinet, they will cause damage leading to inefficient operation and eventually repair needs. Dust can cause motors to run down and evaporator coils to ice over, while large contaminants can bend fan blades. If the air filter becomes too clogged with the objects it traps, it can develop damage that will allow the debris to get inside.
  • To maintain airflow: As the filter catches more debris, it will start to slow down the airflow into the air conditioner. A thick clog can choke off the flow to almost nothing. Even minor clogging will restrict flow enough that the AC will need to work harder, and this will cause a drain on power. You will notice a spike on your energy bills as the filter becomes congested.

A bit more on filter change frequency

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you should change the filter every 1–3 months depending on the type of AC, where you live, the time of year, and how much you use the system. During the summer, when you run the air conditioner frequently, you should change the filter every month. During cooler seasons, you can lower the frequency, although make regular checks to see how fast the debris builds up.

Regular maintenance will help you with this task, since your technician will detect how quickly the filter clogs up. (Changing the filter is part of a maintenance visit.) To sign up for the maintenance plan at DB Heating & Cooling, or to schedule air conditioning maintenance in Bergen County, NJ, call one of our staff members today.

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Air Conditioning Repair in Emerson, NJ: Damaged Ductwork

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

In a central air conditioning system, the ductwork exists to move cool air into every corner of your house. Ducts usually run through the crawlspaces in your home or in unobtrusive areas like the attic. Since they’re out of sight most of the time, it may take some time to notice damaged ductwork and call a service professional to correct the problem. That can result in higher energy bills in the interim, and air conditioning repair in Emerson can take on an added urgency thanks to our hot, muggy New Jersey summers. The quicker you can spot the problem, the quicker you can get it restored.

Ductwork can become damaged in a number of ways:

  • It can crumple or become distended  if your home is damaged in a storm or starts to settle.
  • Fiberglass or similar material can clog ducts
  • Rust and similar damage are not uncommon, and the fittings between lengths of ductwork and wear out over time.
  • Without regular cleaning, your ductwork can become dusty, and dust can seep in through cracks and similar leaky spots as well.

The result of all of that is impeded air flow and – in the case of holes or leaks – cool air lost through the damaged component. Not only does it force your air conditioning system to work harder, but it may result in a complete loss of cooling to the affected part of your home. In the case of dust and similar build-up, the quality of your indoor air may be affected, as particles and contaminants are carried through the air into the home. You may notice that your airflow is severely reduced, or that your monthly bills are higher due to the AC unit having to work harder to cool your home.

Repairing damaged ductwork is the purveyance of professionals. A trained service tech can isolate the source of the problem, and determine what precisely is needed to correct it. In some cases, that might mean nothing more than a cleaning. In others, the damaged ductwork will need to be removed and a replacement length sealed in its place.

For damaged ductwork and similar issues, you can trust the experts at DB Heating & Cooling. We’re dedicated to customer satisfaction, and conduct our operations with thoroughness and professionalism at all times. Call us today to schedule an Emerson, NJ air conditioning repair service.

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Why Schedule Prompt Air Conditioning Repair in Westwood, NJ

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

We all lead busy lives filled with work and family, which sometimes means putting off problems that should be dealt with promptly. This is especially true with air conditioning repair. Muggy New Jersey summers means that a good AC system is absolutely vital, but unless the air conditioning shuts down completely, it may be tempting to defer a repair service call until a later date. In most cases, that’s a mistake. Prompt air conditioning repair is often the safer and less expensive option than leaving the problem for later.

The most obvious reason is to prevent a relatively small problem from getting worse. Air conditioning units require regular maintenance, just like any other piece of complex equipment. A worn or outdated part can be replaced with relative ease by a trained professional. If left unaddressed, however, that part can cause severe damage, as the air conditioning works harder to compensate and surrounding components run an increased risk of breakdown. For example, components like air filters and compensate collection pans usually only require a little periodic cleaning, but can result in significant damage if dirt or stagnant water are allowed to build up.

Then there’s the question of weather. You don’t want to be left without an air conditioner on a hot muggy day, and deferring a visit from a service technician might mean a breakdown at the worst possible time. Scheduling a visit on a comparatively cool day, on the other hand, means that any problems are addressed and your AC is functioning properly when the hot weather rolls around.

Simply put, running an air conditioning you know is in need of repair can easily result in more damage and higher bills, especially in places like Westwood, NJ in the height of summer. It may feel like you’re saving money, but in most cases, you’re just putting off a larger bill come due. For prompt air conditioning repair service in Westwood, NJ, call DB Heating & Cooling. We pride ourselves on courtesy and professionalism and our staff is on call 24 hours a day in case of emergency. Schedule an appointment today and get your air conditioning running sooner rather than later.

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Does this Noise Mean it’s Time for Air Conditioning Repair in Emerson, NJ?

Monday, July 8th, 2013

Your air conditioning system will make a variety of noises as it starts up, operates and shuts down. But if you start to hear any new or unfamiliar noises you may want to think about calling for air conditioning repair in Emerson, NJ. At DB Heating & Cooling, Inc.,  we often get called about our customers’ AC units making new noises. We thought it would be good to put together a few of the most common noises and what could be causing them.

  • Squealing – One of the most common, and also most annoying, noises that your air conditioner might start to make is squealing. This can be a high-pitched squeal or a low-pitched droning. Either way, this problem is usually caused by a bad fan motor belt that needs to be changed.
  • Hissing – If your air conditioning system is hissing you should definitely call air conditioning repair. Hissing usually is a sign that you have a refrigerant leak somewhere. Your air conditioning system uses compressed refrigerant to cool your home so if it is leaking it means that not only do you have insufficient refrigerant, but you also have insufficient pressure.
  • Gurgling – Another common noise is gurgling which is caused by low refrigerant levels. The gurgling is caused by air in the lines. This problem requires that a professional technician refill the refrigerant levels to their proper place.
  • Buzzing – If you have a heat pump that is buzzing it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong. This can be caused by the reversing valve solenoid. The reversing valve controls the direction of flow for the refrigerant. Heat pumps use these to reverse the flow of refrigerant so that they can provide both heating and cooling to your home.
  • Lack of noise – In some cases, silence could also be a problem. For example, if you only hear some components switch on then it likely means that something has gone wrong. This might happen if your outdoor fan motor starts up but the compressor’s motor doesn’t fire on.

If you need any kind of air conditioning repair in Emerson, NJ, make sure that you call the technicians at DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. today.

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Air Conditioning Repair in Westwood, NJ: Why Your Compressor Won’t Run

Wednesday, June 26th, 2013

In a perfect world, you would never have to worry about the performance of your air conditioning system. The truth of the matter, though, is that your air conditioner is a mechanical system and, just like any other mechanical system, it is susceptible to many different operational problems. The important thing to keep in mind is the fact that the best way to deal with any air conditioning system problems is to schedule any necessary air conditioning repairs as soon as possible. The longer you wait to do so, the more serious any resulting damages are likely to be. Contact the Westwood, NJ air conditioning repair technicians at DB Heating & Cooling today to learn more about why your compressor won’t run.

While a compressor that will not start up is obviously undesirable under any circumstances, the potential cause of such a problem can vary in severity. One very possible reason that your compressor will now start up may be that that there is a wiring problem. If the electrical wiring that powers your compressor or connects it to other vital components in the system is not in good condition, you cannot expect your compressor to operate reliably.

You may also have a bad capacitor in your system which could result in your compressor failing to run consistently. There are 2 types of capacitors: a run capacitor and a start capacitor. If your compressor will not come on at all it is possible that the start capacitor, which gives a motor some extra torque during startup, is not operating problem. If your compressor will not continue to run after starting up then the problem may be with your run capacitor. This capacitor maintains a constant level of voltage to keep a motor running.

To learn more about potential reasons why your compressor won’t run properly, contact the company you can count on for quality air conditioning repair in Westwood, NJ. Call DB Heating & Cooling. Our team of professional technicians is happy to help you keep your air conditioning system as effective, reliable and efficient as possible. Contact us today to get started.

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Bergen County, NJ Air Conditioning Problems: Causes of Uneven Cooling

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

Are you satisfied by your AC’s ability to cool your home? Do you feel hot spots in certain rooms, or a major difference in temperature throughout the home? If you have any air conditioning problems, then you should not hesitate to get them solved quickly. Like any other aspect of your home, there will come a time when routine maintenance is not enough and you need to have it professionally repaired. There are numerous causes of uneven cooling. Only a professional HVAC technician will be able to assess exactly what’s gone wrong with your AC. Give DB Heating & Cooling a call today to learn more about our Bergen County, NJ air conditioning repair services.

  • Ductwork blockage: If there is one area in particular that does not seem to get as cool as the others, the problem (and solution) might be in the air ducts. If you have a forced air distribution system, then you rely heavily on the integrity and cleanliness of the ducts to deliver the cool air throughout your home. But the system will be unable to work properly if the ducts are filled with dust, dirt, and other debris or they have been comprised by cracks, holes, and loose connections.
  • Low refrigerant: Low levels of refrigerant can adversely affect your home’s ability to stay cool during the summer. During installation, your AC was charged with a certain amount of refrigerant that would adequately absorb and dissipate thermal energy from your home into the outdoor air. But if a leak has occurred, then you may have low refrigerant levels that are leading to inadequate cooling.
  • Dirty condenser coils: Because of their location, your outdoor condenser coils are subject to more wear and tear then your indoor coils. Over time, they will become caked with dust and debris unless you have your AC routinely maintained. This is a common cause of inadequate and uneven cooling.

If you’re having any difficulty with your air conditioning system in Bergen County, NJ, then do not hesitate to call for professional service from DB Heating & Cooling.

 

 

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Common AC Problems in Oradell, NJ

Tuesday, June 11th, 2013

Who doesn’t love to flip on their air conditioning system and feel the cool air start to pour out? But if your air conditioning system isn’t working well then your home could be uncomfortable this summer. Call the Oradell, NJ air conditioning repair pros at DB Heating and Cooling today if your AC is experiencing any problems. We have years of experience working on all different kinds of air conditioning issues and wanted to share some of the most common calls for service that we get.

  • Not enough cooling – If your air conditioning system is blowing warm air or if it is producing enough cool air, call for repair immediately. These types of issues don’t fix themselves and will likely just get worse. This problem could be caused by faulty thermostats, bad compressor or a broken fan motor.
  • Strange noises – Has your AC started making an unusual noise that you’ve never heard before? Squealing can be caused by a bad fan motor belt that needs to be replaced. Hissing usually indicates that you have a refrigerant leak somewhere. Gurgling is often caused by low refrigerant.
  • Clogged air filter – A clogged air filter is by far the most common cause of Oradell, NJ air conditioning repair. Your AC’s air filter is there to keep the inside clean and working well. If the air filter gets clogged it can restrict the flow of air through your home’s AC system. This will cause insufficient cooling, increased wear and tear, reduced efficiency and many other issues.

For all your Oradell, NJ air conditioning repair needs, just pick up the phone and call the friendly experts at DB Heating & Cooling.

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