Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning Repair’

Has My AC Sprung a Leak?

Monday, July 3rd, 2017

Usually when we talk about leaks in air conditioning systems, we may be talking about oil or, unfortunately for some, refrigerant. However, every now and then we get a call from a homeowner concerned that their air conditioner is actually leaking water. This is not only alar ng, but also perplexing. After all, it is not as though an air conditioner actually uses water in its operation, right?

Well, that doesn’t mean that you are seeing things if you notice water surrounding your indoor unit, nor does it mean that the water is leaking from elsewhere in the house and is just pooling here. The air conditioner may well be the source of this water. It just may not be leaking out of the system in the way that you are thinking.

Here are a few different potential causes of this leaking, and what they mean for your air conditioner in Alexandria.

Tags: AC, AC Repair, Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Repair, Alexandria
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Why Is My AC Blowing Warm Air?

Monday, May 8th, 2017

There is nothing better than coming home to a cool, comfortable environment on a hot summer day. When the heat of summer is at its worst, your air conditioner is your last line of defense against serious discomfort. That is exactly why any problems with your air conditioner should be dealt with immediately. Ignoring “minor” problems with your AC is only going to give those problems the opportunity that they need to get worse, negatively affect your comfort, and potentially do costly damage.

Not all problems with an air conditioner are easily ignored, of course. Certain issues will elicit more concern than others. With the exception of an air conditioner that has broken down entirely, one that blows warm air is probably the most alarming situation a homeowner can face. If your air conditioner in Arlington, VA is blowing warm air, we have some tips to help you determine the proper course of action.

Tags: AC, AC Repair, Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Repair, Arlington
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3 Warning Signs that It’s Time for AC Repairs

Tuesday, May 17th, 2016

Nobody wants to entertain the notion that their air conditioning system is in serious trouble. If you ignore any warning signs that your system is struggling, you are only doing yourself a major disservice.

The longer that you wait to have any air conditioning issues resolved by a trained professional, regardless of how “minor” you may believe the issue, the greater the likelihood of your system suffering real and costly damages. Read on to learn what a few of these warning signs look like, and then remember to call us for outstanding AC repairs.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Alexandria
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How to Spot a Refrigerant Leak This Summer

Monday, March 28th, 2016

When in the midst of the hottest weather of the year, the last thing that you want is to discover that your air conditioning system is not functioning precisely as it ought to. However, you must remember that no air conditioning system is guaranteed to operate at peak performance levels at all times. Your air conditioner is a mechanical system, and the occasional operational problem is inevitable. It is always best to have any such problems resolved as soon as possible, of course, which is why it is so important that you learn to recognize early warning signs of AC trouble, such as when you have a refrigerant leak in your system.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Georgetown
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How a Malfunctioning Thermostat Will Harm Your Air Conditioning This Summer

Monday, May 4th, 2015

The thermostat that hangs on the wall of your home is one of the key parts of how you cool down your household during the summer. But it’s also easy to take it for granted and not notice when it starts to malfunction. Problems with your air conditioner may sometimes stem from the thermostat, but you won’t be able to tell unless you have a professional look over the system. (This is one of the reasons that you must always call on trained HVAC technicians when you need air conditioning repairs; 50% of repair work involves diagnosing the source of the problem.)

Tags: Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Repair, Washington DC
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Signs You Need to Call for Commercial Air Conditioning Repairs before Summer

Monday, April 27th, 2015

Keeping your business in Arlington, VA cooled down through the often hot and humid summers takes a great deal of work from an air conditioning system. During the spring when your AC first starts to work on a regular basis, take the time to look for any signs that might indicate the system is experiencing malfunctions. If you catch these problems early, you’ll have time to arrange for repair work and lower the risk of the system experiencing a catastrophic breakdown during one of the hotter days of the summer—and that is certainly nothing you want to risk with your business!

Tags: Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Repair, Washington DC
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How Dirty Coils Lead to Air Conditioning Repair

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

Many people are surprised to learn that an air conditioner does not actually create cool air. Rather, it moves the heat from the air in your home back to the outdoors. Your air conditioning system contains two coils that help this to happen—the evaporator coil and the condenser coil. As refrigerant moves to these components, it undergoes phase conversions that allow heat to absorb or dissipate. But these coils, and the rest of your AC system, require cleaning and maintenance to prevent the need for air conditioning repair later on.

Dirty coils are problematic because these parts are so important to the refrigeration cycle. Refrigerant changes from a liquid to a gas at the indoor evaporator coil, absorbing heat as a fan blows the warm air from your home over the coil. The fan then distributes cool air through the ducts. Refrigerant becomes highly pressurized and heated at the compressor outdoors and then moves to the condenser coil, where it condenses into a liquid, giving off heat into the outside air. Refrigerant continues to cycle through both parts of the system, repeating the process over again.

The coils are especially susceptible to dust because fans suck in air to blow over both the indoor and outdoor coils. If a coil is dirty, it means the refrigeration process cannot occur as efficiently as it should. Dirty coils impair their ability to participate in heat exchange, which means that other parts will have to work harder to make up for the deficiency. And as other parts run for longer periods of time, they may begin to wear out, so you’ll have to call for air conditioning repair sooner than is usually necessary. You’ll probably notice reduced cooling capacity when you have dirty coils, or you may even feel warm air from the vents.

Maintenance technicians clean the coils during any maintenance visit as well as other pertinent tasks that help to restore efficiency and keep problems at bay.

Schedule maintenance to prevent the need for air conditioning repair in Washington, D.C. Call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. for maintenance or repairs today!

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Washington D.C.
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Air Conditioning Repair Question: Is My Compressor Damaged?

Monday, August 4th, 2014

The compressor is one of the most important components of your air conditioning system, but it’s also one of the parts that is most likely to fail when your air conditioner runs into problems. If you believe your compressor is faulty, you may hesitate to call an AC technician for fear of costly repairs. However, it is better to get the problem fixed with professional air conditioning repair soon than to risk irreparable damage.

The compressor is responsible for compressing, or adding pressure to, the refrigerant in its gaseous state. Refrigerant must continuously change from a gas to a liquid and back again in order to absorb and release heat from your home, so the compressor allows this process to begin before it changes to a liquid at the condenser.

Compressor problems may be caused by a number of different issues. In general, the best way to keep your compressor free of damage is by calling a maintenance technician at least once a year to inspect your system. But there are many reasons the compressor fails, and the effects may be sudden.

One of the reasons a compressor may become damaged is if there is a refrigerant leak. The components of your system are designed and sized to hold only a certain level of refrigerant. The compressor in particular suffers when refrigerant levels drop due to leaks or incorrect installation, and it may fail if not enough refrigerant can pass through.

Overheating is another common cause of compressor damage. Overheating may result from electrical damage. In general, however, if any component of your AC is damaged, your compressor has to run longer and work harder to compensate, which could cause it to wear out. Of course, a compressor will also become damaged over time, and may simply fail because it is too old to function.

So how can you tell if the air conditioning problem you’re having is compressor damage or not? This is something you should leave up to the experts. While banging noises, hard starting, and a system that won’t turn on are all good indicators of damage, these can point to other problems as well, and you may only need a small repair.

For air conditioning repair in Arlington, trust the trained and certified technicians at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Give us a call today!

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Arlington
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3 Noises That Indicate Air Conditioning Problems

Friday, May 9th, 2014

Air conditioning technology has not reached the stage of artificial intelligence programs that can perfectly detect operating problems, diagnose them, and then alert homeowners to what needs repairs. But ACs do have something like an early-warning system: strange noises. When you hear any sound different from the hum of the fans and the compressor, pay attention close to it. It is likely a fault that requires the work of an HAVC expert to fix. If you ignore the warning noises, the trouble will grow worse and possible cause the air conditioner to break down. A great way to prevent your air conditioner from falling into disrepair is to enroll in our maintenance program.

Here are three common noises that signal you need to call for air conditioning repair in Washington, DC. For fast local service, call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. We will do the work right the first time.

3 air conditioning warning sounds

Hissing: This is almost certainly the sound of refrigerant escaping from a leak. Loss of refrigerant will cause the system to start losing the ability to absorb heat from inside your house. This will not only lower your comfort, but it can cause ice to develop over the coils and even damage to the compressor that can turn catastrophic. Technicians will locate the leaks and seal them, then recharge the refrigerant to its original level.
Groaning/grinding: Best described as “mechanical failure noises,” the sort you associate with a failing car engine. The problem is often in the motors of the air conditioner, which run the blower fans and the compressor. Loss of any of these will impair or shut down the air conditioner. If repairs reach the problem in time, they can rescue the motors. Often, the motor will need replacement.
Clicking: If you hear this sound when the compressor or the fans start, and the unit stutters to get going, you have a system that is “hard starting” because of electrical trouble. The most common reason for this is failing capacitors: the components that transmit voltage to the motors. Repairs will replace the capacitors or else install a hard-starting kit that will overcome the problem.

Never ignore unusual air conditioning sounds: any stress on the AC system means it is wasting energy and putting additional stress on other components. Tackle the repair when it’s isolated and less extensive, and before you need to worry about the air conditioning shutting down during one of the hottest days of the summer.

Call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. to have your Washington, DC air conditioning repair job finished fast and effectively by highly trained professionals.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Washington DC
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Consequences of Delaying Air Conditioning Repair in Northern Virginia

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

Air conditioning repair in Northern Virginia often needs to be sooner rather than later. With our hot, humid summers, even a few hours with an air conditioning system can feel like an eternity. At the same time, however, people often delay consultation with an air conditioning service technician. As long as the AC unit is running, the reasoning goes, why incur the cost of an expensive repair bill? That may help your pocketbook in the short run, but there can be significant consequences to delaying air conditioning repair in the long run.

The possibility of greater damage serves as the most obvious consequence, as does the higher costs involved. As parts wear out or maintenance issues arise, they can create a cascading effect that resulting in more significant damage as time does one. For instance, a loose connection can cause a leak in the refrigerant levels, a relatively straightforward issue to correct. If left unattended, however, your air conditioning system must work harder to cool the air sufficiently. That extra struggle could damage the motors and other components; ice could form on the evaporator coils; and the chances for a serious malfunction go up. That comes on top of the higher monthly energy bills that come with reduced efficiency.

Scheduling a service call early in that process can save a great deal of money. A service tech can isolate and seal the leak, recharge the refrigerant, and return the unit to peak efficiency.. Every month you delay means higher electric bills, as your system has to work harder to keep your home cool.

As with so many things in life, it’s easier to treat a smaller problem than wait for it to become a large one. The trained technicians at Polar Bear can take care of your Northern Virginia air conditioning repair service. We can help save you money by doing the job right the first time, every time. Schedule an appointment today!

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Northern Virginia
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