Category: HVAC

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What Is Involved in Having My Home Air Conditioner Repaired?

AC repair near me

The air conditioner is a very important appliance, especially in hot climate regions or in regions that get very hot summers. While the best way to ensure the long-term energy-efficient, fault-free performance of the system is through regular maintenance, even the best-kept air conditioner can break down and require repair. Here is what to expect of the repair process.

The Initial Visit

The first phase to getting your AC unit repaired is to find a licensed repair company that specializes in the brand that you have, then to contact that company. When you talk to the HVAC company of choice, you will probably be asked questions about the age, make and model of your appliance as well as about the symptoms that have made you call the company. The information that you provide during the conversation are important for giving the service technician a broad idea about what the repair will involve, but the technician will need to perform a detailed assessment of your unit to know exactly what caused the breakdown. The service company will make a schedule with you for an initial visit by the service technician during which the specialist will examine all the components of the appliance and will make measurements to identify the faulty components. If the breakdown is caused by a minor issue, such as a disconnected wire, the technician will probably fix the issue on the spot and charge a flat rate.

The Cost Estimate

If the breakdown is caused by the breakdown of a major component that needs to be repaired or replaced, the service technician will leave without performing any repair and will get back to you with a written cost estimate that includes the price of the repair or of the replacement part as well as the labor rates and the warranty conditions. Any further process will be carried out only after you accept the cost estimate.

The Repair or the Replacement

After your approval, the repair will continue in the way agreed, with the repair of the faulty part if that is an option or the ordering of the replacement part. In the next phase, you will get another visit from the service technician during which the new or repaired component will be installed and the air conditioner will be tested to ensure proper operation. This phase usually includes measurements again. Most companies offering AC repair near me charge their clients only when the repair is complete and the air conditioner system is up and running again.

Aspects Related to the Warranty

Any respectable air conditioner repair company provides warranty on the part replaced or repaired as well as on their workmanship. This means that if the unit breaks down again with the same fault during the warranty period, you will get the service visit as well as the repair for free. If your appliance breaks down again during the warranty period, but with a different fault, you can discuss it with your repair company whether the new fault can be related to the previous repair – if it is, the company might accept to repair your unit for free or for a smaller fee again.

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What Is Involved in an Annual Furnace Inspection and Why Should You Care?

If you hang around your HVAC specialists, you’ll probably hear the term “sequence of operation.” That  is a sequence that has to be followed when checking to see how (and whether) your furnace operates during an annual inspection, and depending on the type of furnace you have, it can get pretty tricky. Electric furnaces, for instance, will involve safety checks having to do with the electric system and the risk of electrocution, while a typical gas furnace will require the furnace repair Denver CO experts to check for gas leaks and making sure that, if there are any, they can be properly contained as soon as possible.

The first items on a typical gas furnace checklist, after checking the thermostat, which is standard for every type of furnace, is to locate the furnace and HVAC system, determine its energy source and method of heating, and check to see if it’s operational.

Safety is key, so a big part of the first checks that a professional furnace repair Denver CO contractor will perform will have to do with making sure there are no gas leaks and that there is nothing obstructing the furnace or no large temperature or pressure build-up that could lead to safety hazards.

furnace repair Denver CO

One of the main things you can expect from an annual furnace inspection is that the furnace repair Denver CO experts will perform a thorough visual inspection. Of course, even though almost anyone could typically do that, the trained eye of your technician can spot a lot of things most people can’t, such as minor issues with parts and areas of the main system, such as leaks, corrosion and improper ventilation – all of which can be detected just by looking in the right areas.

Additional items should also include the following:

  • Checking the integrity and operation of the induction motor;
  • Evaluating how well the pressure and limit switches are able to contain any detected problems;
  • Making sure that the hot surface ignitor – or electronic spark ignitor, depending on the system – is working properly;
  • Checking to see if the gas valve receives power and opens up properly;
  • Additional checks, which are equally important, involving the flame sensor, the exchanger, the blower motor fan, the filter and the duct system.

The method through which your HVAC circulates air throughout your home is just as essential to evaluate as the rest of the system. After all, if the filter is too old or the layout of the ducts and vents hasn’t been established properly, there is a risk that, while your HVAC is working just right, the heat doesn’t make it all the way to its destination. So, some rooms might be much warmer than others, even though your thermostat might be set pretty high.

In many cases, the process through which everything is checked for integrity problems, contamination, leakage, lack of proper construction and health hazards will be quite thorough, and it will determine whether or not any serious changes or repairs might be needed. In some instances, your technicians will inform you of certain, immediate repairs that will be needed in order for the furnace to stay in operation. If these changes are required for safety purposes, then they should be your top priority, and depending on the severity of the issue, you might not be able to even use the furnace anymore, until they are resolved.