Don't Let a Noisy A/C Get You Down

A noisy air conditioner can easily lead to a lot of sleepless nights – and quite a few irritating days, as well. Noise is a major reason why many Broken Arrow residents become dissatisfied with their A/C units, especially as the years go by. A noisy A/C can not only rob you of your own personal comfort, but it can also signal hidden problems that could easily lead to failure if not properly diagnosed and fixed soon.

What Can Cause a Noisy A/C?

There are a number of reasons why the silent partner in keeping your home cool suddenly makes itself heard. If you’ve recently heard humming noises or loud vibrations, the following may be involved:

• Dust and debris that accumulates on or around the fan blades over time

• Fan motor components that work themselves loose during operation

• Misaligned blades – even the slightest bend can cause a lot of noise

• Fan imbalance due to fan motor bearing wear

• Clogged or bent A/C coil fins

• Lack of fan motor lubrication

• Improper installation

Ways to Fix It

If you don’t want to call on the pros just yet, there are a few ways you can do yourself to help restore peace and relative quiet to your A/C:

• Remove any debris you see on or around the fan.

• Check the fan blades to make sure they’re not loose. If possible, tighten the screws holding the fan in place at the hub.

• Visually inspect the fan blades to ensure they’re not bent or broken.

• Carefully and gently clean the coil fins with a vacuum cleaner fitted with a brush attachment.

For more in-depth fixes like fan motor lubrication and straightening out coil fins, you’ll definitely want the skill and expertise of a trained professional on hand. In case you need an upgrade to an energy-efficient A/C, a professional can also help you choose the one that works best for your home comfort needs.

Put an end to your noisy A/C troubles and contact the professionals at Air Assurance. Since 1985, we’ve helped countless Broken Arrow residents resolve their heating and cooling issues.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Refrigerant Huffing: What It Is, And Why You Need To Know About It

Trends around the United States suggest that air conditioning and refrigeration units are in more danger than ever from thieves. Once targeted for the valuable metal such as copper, A/C units are increasingly being hit by drug users in search of refrigerant. Thieves inhale the refrigerant for a quick and intense high. This practice, known as refrigerant huffing, is both dangerous to the health of the user and expensive to the owner of the HVAC system.Refrigerant huffing is becoming more and more common among teenagers. Thieves extract refrigerant from air conditioning and refrigeration systems by opening the service valve where other refrigerant would normally be added during maintenance. They capture the refrigerant in a plastic bag or other container, then quickly inhale it before it can be lost. The high is very strong but does not last long, which means repeated thefts are likely.Some refrigerants are extremely dangerous substances controlled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The effects of refrigerant huffing include the high the user is seeking, but also other harmful effects such as skin burns, headaches, dizziness and nausea. In the long term, exposure to refrigerant can cause lung damage, vision loss, coronary problems and cancer. In severe cases, refrigerant huffing can kill instantly.Air conditioner owners who are victims of refrigerant theft will experience possible damage to their HVAC equipment, especially the service valve. Lowered levels of refrigerant in the air conditioner will cause reduced cooling and will make the unit work harder, placing additional wear and tear on the system.Refrigerant thefts can be reduced by installing a specially designed locking cap on the service valve. These caps, constructed of very tough metal, prevent attempts to open the valve. If someone tries to remove the cap, it simply spins in place. A specialized key is required to remove the cap.Air Assurance has served the HVAC needs of customers in the Tulsa and the Broken Arrow areas for more than 30 years. Contact us for more information on air conditioner safety and for help preventing refrigerant thefts from your cooling or refrigeration systems.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock