Reasons You May Need A New Air Conditioner

Even if you take perfect care of your air conditioning unit, it won't last forever.  If you have high energy bills or your air conditioner isn't working as well as it used to, you might need to replace your unit.

Because replacing an air conditioning unit is a big investment, you want to make the right decision. If you are thinking about replacing your unit, we’ve detailed some points for you to think about.
First, you may be asking yourself "how long can I expect my air conditioner unit to last?" Generally, air conditioner units are expected to last around 10-15 years. That timeframe will depend on many factors, including how well the air conditioner unit was maintained and how hard it worked during its lifetime.

Because the ideal replacement time will be different for every homeowner, there is no perfect time to replace your unit. That said, below are reasons why you might need to replace the unit.

• Your air conditioner breaks down frequently: At some point, it's going to cost more money to keep repairing an old air conditioner than to replace it.
• Significant home renovations: If you are expanding the livable space in your house, you may need a more powerful air conditioner to cool your house down.
• You have high energy bills: One cause of high energy bills is an older air conditioning unit. New air conditioner models are built to be more efficient than older units.  In addition, wear and tear will reduce the efficiency of an older model. You may be able to dramatically reduce your energy bills with a new air conditioner unit.
• Your home isn't comfortable, even after running your air conditioner: If it's difficult to cool down your house or takes longer than it used to, you might need a new unit.

If you think you might need to replace your air conditioner unit, contact us here at Kent Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. We can discuss the best options for your home and install a new unit in no time! 

How Will You Know if Your Thermostat is Bad?

If you have been experiencing issues with your HVAC system, you may be wondering if perhaps your thermostat could be to blame. Of course, you would prefer the problem to be with your thermostat, as it is much cheaper to replace than your heater or air conditioner; but how can you know for sure which one is the problem? Here are just a few of the signs that can indicate problems with your home's thermostat.

First Things First, Your Thermostat Won't Work

One of the clearest signs that something is wrong with your thermostat is if you cannot get it to work properly. If it takes several tries to adjust your settings, then your thermostat may be beginning to fail. However, if your thermostat is completely unresponsive, or the screen is blank, then it has likely stopped working altogether.

Your Heater or Air Conditioner Won't Turn Off

A symptom that often baffles homeowners is when their heater or air conditioner runs constantly and refuses to turn off no matter what they do. This is generally a sign that your thermostat needs to be repaired or replaced, as either the wiring is broken, or the thermostat is miscalibrated, and your HVAC system isn’t receiving the signal to shut off.

Room Temperature and Setting Don't Match

A more subtle sign of problems with your thermostat is if the displayed room temperature, and the temperature you have set, do not match. For instance, if you have your thermostat set to turn your AC on at 78 degrees, but you hear your system turn on when it is only displaying 75 degrees inside your home, then something is clearly wrong with your thermostat. You will want to have this problem addressed as soon as possible, as it can become costly if your system runs more than it should.

Contact us to learn more about the signs which can indicate problems with your home's thermostat. Our team of professionals is here to help!

My Air Conditioner Is Leaking Water!

Life is good when your air conditioner is working perfectly and keeping the temperatures in your home favorable. But when you notice leaking around your air conditioner, this could send you into a frenzy. Questions running through your mind might be… Is my air conditioner broken? Can I fix it myself? Do I need a professional to check it out? Will air conditioning repair costs cause a dent in my pocket?

Well, don’t panic; a leaking air conditioner is a very common problem! Here are some of the reasons why your air conditioner may be leaking.

Filthy Air Filters

Constant airflow is a necessity for a proper air conditioning unit. Filthy air filters prevent easy airflow over the air conditioner's evaporator coil, thus causing it to freeze. When the evaporator coil eventually melts there will be excess water being released, meaning capacity may be beyond what the drain pan can accommodate. Thus, the result is a leaking air conditioning unit! To avoid this problem, be sure to clean your air filters or replace them regularly depending on the season.

Clogged Drainpipe

The air conditioning process results in the production of water. This water is directed out of your house through a drainpipe and onto a drain pan. If the drainpipe is clogged by dirt, mold, debris or sludge, it will cause water to back up into the air conditioner and eventually leak. Having an HVAC professional clear the blockage should fix your leaking air conditioner.

Damaged Drain Pan

Over time the air conditioner drain pan will develop cracks, holes, and/or rust. These damages can cause the water that has collected to leak from the air conditioning unit. Replacing the pan should address the problem.

Broken Condensate Pump

In instances where water from the air conditioning system must flow uphill out of the home, a condensate pump is used to get the task done. When this condensate pump breaks down, it will fail to pump out the water allowing it to collect and eventually leak from your air conditioner. In such cases, the condensate pump should either be repaired or replaced.

Low Refrigerant Levels

Low refrigerant levels will cause the evaporator coil to freeze due to the low pressure in the air conditioning system. Eventually, the humid air that has frozen will melt, and when it does, it will overflow in the drain pan. If your air conditioner cools with difficulty or produces a bubbling noise, this is a further indication of refrigerant issues.  Have an AC professional examine your air conditioning unit as soon as possible.

Improper Installation

If your new air conditioning unit has just been recently installed and it is already leaking water, then the most probable cause is that it was not installed correctly. Consult an AC installation and repair expert to have the unit installed appropriately.

We hope that you’ve found the information within this blog post to be helpful. If you feel that your problem requires professional attention to resolve, or you simply have a question that you need answered, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Kent Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. for fast and reliable air conditioning repair services.

Air Conditioning Tune ups: A Pound of Prevention is Worth an Ounce of Cure

Everyone loves to save money.  HVAC maintenance is one of those areas where it is very tempting to skimp.  However, it always pays in the long run to get your air conditioning unit tuned up regularly.

Regular Maintenance on Your Air Conditioning Unit Helps it Run at Maximum Efficiency

Many homeowners make the mistake of paying attention to their air conditioning unit only when it stops working completely.  It is sometimes hard to understand why you would need to service a unit that seems to working adequately.  If you do not regularly maintain your unit, it is almost certainly not working as well as it should.  It may not get your home as cool as it could and your energy bills are probably much higher than they ought to be. 

An Air Conditioning Tune Up Can Keep Small Problems from Becoming Big Ones

Your air conditioner may limp along for several months before it finally quits completely.  Unfortunately, air conditioners have a bad habit of malfunctioning at the hottest part of the summer.  If you have gotten in the habit of neglecting your air conditioning unit, you aren't alone.  Summer is usually the busiest time for air conditioner repairmen for this reason.  It can be torture enduring sweltering heat in your home because you have to wait for an opening in the repairman's schedule.

It doesn't have to be this way though.  With an air conditioning tune up, you can discover potential problems in your air conditioning before they break down.  If you get your air conditioning tuned up every year in the spring, you don't have to be at the mercy of the repairman's busy summer schedule.

Air Conditioning Tune ups Usually Pay for Themselves Very Quickly

The savings from your lower electricity bill will often more than offset the modest cost of the tune up.  Also, if the technician detects a problem with your air conditioning unit, it will typically cost much less to address it before your air conditioning unit completely quits.  All things considered, you really cannot afford not to get your air conditioning tuned up every year.

We encourage you to contact us with any questions and/or service needs you may have.