How Long Do Freon Refrigerants Last In AC?

You want your AC to be your long-term pal. But, the Freon refrigerant in your air conditioning unit might prevent it. Freon is a colourless gas that has been linked to ozone depletion. Freon is being gradually phased out of use to protect the ozone layer. 

 You must be wondering whether you will have to search for air conditioning replacement in Dallas, TX, right away. To answer this, let’s first understand How long do Freon Refrigerants Last in AC? Then, you can ultimately decide whether you should hurry out to buy an AC right away.

Average Lasting Time of Freon 

In an AC unit, the refrigerant system is designed to be a permanently closed system. In case of no external damage to the system, or design flaws, the Freon should last forever.

In a well-functioning AC, the refrigerant is recycled within a closed system to cool your house. But, as years pass by, the AC tubing starts to wear out with age resulting in leaks in the system. This causes the Freon level to drop. 

 

How to know if your refrigerant is low? 

You should regularly check whether you are low on Freon to fix a refrigerant leak. Here are few ways to know if your refrigerant is low. 

  • If your AC is working harder than normally required, the electricity bill will shoot up. Thus, higher electric bills are a good time to call Serveway Heating and Air Conditioning for Emergency AC Repair Dallas.
  • Frost buildup on the indoor AC coil. 
  • The refrigerant lines unusually emanate hissing or bubbling noises.
  • A good time to call Serveway Heating and Air Conditioning for ac service in Dallas is when your AC blows out hot air instead of cold. 
  • There is heavy condensation on the system.

 

What to do if there is a leak? 

If your AC is malfunctioning, you can do the following things at home: 

  • Clean the air filter.
  • Clean the coils and fins.
  • Remove debris or vegetation clogging the outside AC unit. 
  • Change the air filter. 

If the problem persists, it’s time to look up AC service in Dallas to call for professional help. 

The professional check involves examining the filter, thermostat, indoor and outdoor units. The AC manifold gauge is used to measure the Freon level. This helps in establishing that the cause of the malfunctioning is the refrigerant leak. 

The professional then spot the correct location of the leak by using a bubbling agent, special electronic equipment, or UV dye.

To repair or To replace – that is the question 

You are at a crossroads now. Should you call air conditioning replacement or ac service in Dallas, TX? 

Before deciding on whether you should repair or replace your AC, keep these pointers in mind. 

  1. Age: The service life of an AC is roughly 10-15 years. If the AC is nearing its last years, leak repair may not be feasible. 
  2. Scarcity of R-22: The use of new Freon is banned. Only recycled Freon is allowed. This scarce entity will then become expensive.
  3. Energy efficiency: This is one of the most important factors to consider before deciding to replace or repair. If your AC isn’t energy-efficient and the electricity bills shoot up, you will end up spending more in the long run. 
  4. Frequency and cost of repairs: Regular, expensive repairs end up costing more than buying a new AC.

Our professionals at Serveway Heating and Air Conditioning make the top half of the AC service in Dallas search list because we only hire top-tier talent to get the job done. You can schedule a service to get top-quality air conditioning services in Dallas and surrounding areas simply by visiting our website.

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Happy National HVAC Tech Day!

With the days heating up, June 22nd is a perfect day for National HVAC Tech Day!

Why should we show appreciation for our HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) Technicians?

Though a variety of home heating and cooling techniques have existed since ancient times, central heating and air as we know it was born in the early 1900s. New inventions like the residential air conditioner and advances in older technologies, such as the thermostat and blower-equipped furnaces, gave Americans greater control over their indoor comfort than ever before.

This newfound power was more than a luxury; it shaped the growth of the country. Sun Belt cities with triple-digit summer temperatures became much more attractive places to live and vacation, once AC was more widely adopted in the 1960s.

Today, many of us take indoor comfort for granted. But it’s the technicians who keep our HVAC systems running, day and night. If that’s not reason enough to show them a little love, here are a few more:

Extreme conditions are just another day at the office for an HVAC hero.

A few hours without AC or heat may be uncomfortable for us, but imagine working in those conditions every day of the week! HVAC technicians tirelessly brave the sweltering heat and numbing cold to restore our comfort, often at the hottest and coldest times of the year.

They go everywhere you’d hate to be!

Crawl spaces, attics and all points in between—that’s where you’ll find an HVAC pro. Depending on the age and condition of the building, they may run into anything from dust, debris and cobwebs to pests, mildew and claustrophobically close quarters.

HVAC technicians can save you some green…

Want your next HVAC system to maximize your energy savings? An HVAC expert can help you choose the right equipment for your home’s needs and your family’s heating and cooling habits. He or she can even recommend different thermostat options that range from set-it-and-forget-it simplicity to real-time smartphone controls with power usage tracking.

The savings don’t stop there! Regular maintenance, provided by your trusted HVAC technician, helps keep your system running at peak efficiency. That prevents energy waste and minimizes wear and tear that can shorten the life of your HVAC investment.

…and they help you live greener!

Don’t forget that saving energy means saving the earth’s valuable resources. When an HVAC professional helps you select and maintain efficient heating and cooling systems, he’s also helping you reduce your carbon footprint.

Need Air Conditioner Repair Dallas TX? Call Serveway Heating and Cooling for a free estimate today!

Call 469-231-9379 for an estimate today.

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Spring Cleaning

It’s Spring! And as a homeowner there is so much to do around the house to get ready for the sunny days ahead.

But don’t worry! To help you save a few bucks, since you now have lawn care, window cleaning and pet grooming $$$ all on your spring cleaning to-do list, Serveway offers pre-season maintenance specials every year!

The heat and humidity are a serious concern, so it’s vital to make sure your air conditioning unit is running efficiently. To avoid a possible air conditioning breakdown, there are a few things to pay attention to that can help you avoid costly damage.

  • Replace Air Filters

Air filters are the easiest and often the cheapest way to keep your air conditioner running at peak efficiency. If an air filter is clogged, it causes the AC unit to work harder to circulate air through your home. We recommend you change your air filter every month, especially in the summer when you are spending more time indoors with the AC unit running.

  • Clear the Drain Line

Other than cooling the air, AC units also work by removing humidity from the air. The air conditioning unit collects the water and moves it through a drain, taking it safely out of the home. Over time, however, the drain has the potential to become blocked and overflow, causing serious damage to your home. You can clean the drain line yourself by pouring one cup of drain cleaner down the drain, followed by one gallon of water.

  • Remove Debris

People often forget that keeping the outside AC unit clean and free of debris can make a big difference in its efficiency. Leaves, twigs, pollen, and dirt can all impede the performance of your air conditioner.

  • Clean Air Ducts

Professional air duct cleaning is a great way to improve indoor air quality, but it also improves the efficiency of your air conditioning system. Over time, the air ducts in your home collect dust and other air pollutants. When that debris is cleaned and removed, your air conditioning system will run more efficiently.

Even if you follow the tips listed above to keep your air conditioner running efficiently, there are still things that only a professional HVAC technician can see and fix. As a part of our maintenance service, we will also check for reliability and safety which can save you money. We recommend HVAC maintenance is performed at least every six months and we will work with you to catch any problems before they arise so that your air conditioning unit is running at its best! Schedule the Air Conditioner Repair Dallas TX and the surrounding areas.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

6 Rules to Save Money on Air Conditioning This Summer

6 Rules to Save Money on Air Conditioning This Summer

Don’t let your AC blow your money away. Use these tips and pay less to cool your house this summer.

Running the air conditioning can make an electricity bill skyrocket, but the alternative isn’t very pretty, either. Luckily, there are a few ways that you can help your air conditioner run better and save you money as the summer months progress.

  1. Quit cooling the neighborhood

If your home isn’t brand new, the cold air inside it is probably seeping out into the neighborhood through worn door and window seals, a poorly insulated attic and other sneaky cracks.

To see how well your home is holding in the cold, sign up for a home energy audit with your utility provider or a local contractor. A certified home energy rater or auditor will check your home for leaks and recommend the best way to make your home more energy efficient.

Don’t want to spring for an audit? Do a mini-audit yourself. Stand outside your home and run your hand along windows and doors. Can you feel the cold air escaping? If you do, caulk around leaky windows and add insulation around doors.

  1. Make sure your thermostat is on the right wall

Thermostat placement can play a big part in how well your air conditioner works. If you put it on a wall right next to a hot window, for instance, your air conditioner will kick on much more often than it needs to because it will think the room is hotter than it actually is. Here’s how to pick the perfect wall for your thermostat.

  1. Close the blinds

A window letting in the hot sun won’t just heat up your thermostat, it’ll heat you up too. During the warmest part of the day, close your window blinds. Closing the blinds keeps out the sun. It can also help insulate your windows, which stops the cold air from escaping.

  1. Use a fan

Sometimes you don’t need to amp up the thermostat to feel cooler. According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), using a ceiling fan can make a room feel 10 degrees cooler and uses 10 percent of the energy of a central air conditioner.

If you want to get high-tech, you can install smart ceiling fans that connect to an app. You can schedule the times when these fans turn on and off, and you can control their speed without standing on your tiptoes.

  1. Up the temperature

Many people think that leaving the air conditioner at the same temperature when you leave the house saves money because the AC won’t need to work as hard to re-cool the home. This is a myth. NRDC senior energy policy advocate Lauren Urbanek says that the most inexpensive way to use your air conditioner is to turn the thermostat up when you leave the house.

Air conditioning systems operate most efficiently at full speed during longer periods of time. So kicking it on a lower temperature when you get home will save you more money than the AC cycling on and off while you’re away.

A programmable thermostat can make it super easy to keep your AC at the right temperature. You can program the unit to work at higher temperatures while you’re at work and cool down right before you get home.

  1. Setting low is a no-go

Always set your thermostat to the highest temperature you can stand to save the most money. Even a little change in the temperature can save you big bucks.

You can save 10 percent a year on your cooling bills by setting your thermostat just 10 to 15 degrees higher for eight hours each day, according to the Nebraska Energy Office. The US Department of Energy recommends aiming for an indoor temperature of 78 degrees F when you’re at home.

Want to make sure your cooling system is in tip-top shape? Call Serveway Heating and Cooling and schedule Emergency AC Repair Dallas for an estimate today!

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Dirty Air Ducts Can Cause House Fires

Duct cleaning is more than about clean air. Let’s talk about the fire hazards.

The best and only reliable way to cut down the risk of a fire from dust is to remove or significantly reduce the amount of dust. Cleaning your air ducts is the easiest way to remove accumulated dust built up over time.

This is because all dust is full of dry and flammable material which can easily ignite under the right conditions. Any large collection of dust can be ignited either by contact with a spark or if the surface it is settled on becomes extremely hot. The danger of a dust-ignited fire is especially high in the summer when ducts can grow hot.

Keep these Texas summers in mind, folks.

Be sure a certified heating and cooling company ensures the best solution to the problem of dust-born fire hazards. This this isn’t a time to “DIY“ it.

Improperly cleaned air ducts may cause loose dust to circulate ultimately damaging your home’s air quality and creating a threatening hazard.

Has it been a while since you’ve had your air ducts cleaned? Interested in air duct cleaning? Give us a call today! Schedule Emergency AC Repair Dallas and the surrounding areas.