What are the signs your commercial AC needs repair? Every commercial building in the Los Angeles area needs a reliable and effective air conditioner. Commercial AC systems are essential for maintaining business operations and protecting employees and inventories. Calling for a Los Angeles AC repair service is necessary at the first sign of any issues.
This blog post will tackle the signs that your commercial air conditioner needs repair.
6 Signs Your Commercial AC Needs Repair
Here are six signs that it’s time to repair your commercial AC.
The Air Conditioner Is Short-Cycling
Short cycling occurs when air conditioners run for only a few minutes and then quickly shut off again. These brief cooling spikes rarely affect building temperatures and are frequently signs of serious distress.
Short cycling is frequently caused by unclean HVAC air filters, clogged vents or ducts, and dirty evaporator coils from improper general maintenance. These are all maintenance-related problems. The most likely cause of your air conditioner’s poor performance is that you skipped a professional AC tune-up service for a while.
Additionally, oversize air conditioners are short-cycle. Their over-capacity prevents them from providing even and steady cooling. On the other hand, this reason starts at the outset of ownership. Your air conditioning issues are separate from the size if your business air conditioner is still on a short cycle.
Closed HVAC air vents frequently cause short air conditioner cycles in commercial buildings. It’s possible that certain employees feel cold when the air conditioner is running. Employees may decide to close HVAC air vents to improve the comfort level in their immediate places if the vents are situated directly above their desks or cubicles.
Regrettably, an excessive number of closed vents in your building or extended vent closures can cause a significant increase in static pressure in the HVAC ducting. Compromised airflow leads to overheating in the end. As a preventive measure, air conditioners will automatically shut off after a certain amount of time when they get too hot. They won’t cycle back on until their internal temperatures drop.
Your Air Conditioner Makes Strange Sounds
One of the usual signs of aging is increased noise from the air conditioner. Commercial air conditioners are anticipated to last 15 to 20 years, similar to residential models. Loud humming noises and banging, clanging, or whirring sounds made when your AC is operating could be signs that it will break if you haven’t had it serviced in a while. An older AC unit may still have some functionality left in it, but when it starts to make more noise when it operates, it’s time to plan for replacement.
Pest problems in the ducting or other HVAC system components may result from loud noises. They could be a sign of excessive debris buildup, damaged, defective, or malfunctioning components, or stress from AC failure brought on by neglect. After a prolonged period of inactivity, if your air conditioner is making too much noise, switch it back off and make an appointment for service. Early diagnosis and resolution of the underlying issue will reduce repair costs and avert system failure.
Increased Indoor Humidity Levels
Short-cycling results in an increase in humidity. Commercial air conditioners need more time to remove excessive moisture from the air when their cooling cycles are shorter than usual. When short-cycling is the root cause of dirty HVAC air filters, this problem is very obvious. High humidity levels can also be caused by dirty air filters in HVAC air ducts and buildings.
While air conditioners can continue operating even when there are visible difficulties with humidity, operating the unit without first arranging repairs may lead to overheating, internal component damage, and compressor failure. Additionally, it may pave the way for mold issues. Make an appointment for AC repair services if the AC operates, but the workspace seems stuffy, humid, or extremely hot. Significant drops in indoor air quality (IAQ) and musty, dank odors are frequently associated with changes in indoor humidity.
The Building Has Hot And Cold Spots
Buildings are meant to be consistently cooled by central air conditioning systems. Every room in the establishment that has a single thermostat controlling heating and cooling should be at a temperature that is similar to one another. Remember that because of more windows, more direct sunlight, plus the consequent solar heat gains, certain areas in the building may naturally be warmer than others.
The temperature in your server room may be slightly warmer in your office if it is close to it due to residual heat from the servers. On the other hand, the abrupt development of hot and cold areas with no changes to facilities, activities, or equipment layouts indicates AC problems. Ensure that your maintenance staff checks and changes the HVAC air filters. Should this troubleshooting step fail to address the problem promptly, assigning the job to a certified HVAC contractor is advisable.
Roof-Mounted Components Have Structural Damage
Any structural damage to external components of your roof-mounted air conditioner needs to be notified immediately. It holds even if the damage does not affect the building’s temperature or the overall functionality of the air conditioning unit. Your service technician should always visually inspect any cooling equipment on the roof following significant windstorms, hailstorms, or other extreme weather conditions.
The AC Running Costs Have Increased Significantly
The spike in your energy bills can be one less visible sign of changes in the performance of your AC. Although assigning other reasons for increased energy use in a commercial building is simple, this could increase your cooling utility bills. It’s often an excellent idea to have your cooling system serviced if the number of employees has stayed the same and you haven’t acquired any new equipment or appliances. When cooling systems get closer to the end of their lives, commercial and residential cooling systems see visible and progressive declines in efficiency. Counteract these efficiency losses by keeping up with AC filter replacements, getting your air conditioner tuned up frequently, and ensuring that all HVAC air vents remain fully or even partially open throughout the building. None of these repairs will completely prevent the need for an AC replacement.
The Capacity And Sizing Issues And How They Affect AC Performance
Additionally, commercial AC units can stop working properly in the areas designed to cool. For instance, if the following conditions are met, an AC unit operating efficiently before may find it challenging to meet the demand for cooling.
- New heat-generating appliances or equipment
- Structural modifications
- Decreased amount of trees outside
- Increased number of employees
It is imperative to consider the possible effects on cooling systems whenever significant changes are made to the setups, types of equipment, or operations at commercial facilities. Modifying the system to make space for these changes could be necessary. There are situations when additional, single-room air conditioning units are required to balance the significant heat produced by in-building technologies. Other times, the ensuing sizing issues require replacing the entire AC system.
Do you think Air Conditioning Repair Services are Needed?
Let’s discuss five helpful tips to make going through these difficult times easier and faster! Homeowners should know these important HVAC tips before hiring specialists to repair their air conditioning units.
- When was the last time you replaced the AC filter? An outdated, blocked filter may block airflow in your house and cause your air conditioner to work harder. It may be time for a change.
- Switch the AC to its fan setting if ice accumulates inside the AC handler. It should allow your unit’s ice to melt and return to normal functioning. If that doesn’t solve the issue for you, you probably have a coolant issue that needs to be diagnosed by an experienced HVAC professional in Los Angeles.
- Examine the state of the outdoor AC unit by taking a stroll outside. Does your AC unit’s exterior fin design seem broken, folded, or bent down? If so, clean and straighten the fins to ensure good operation and smooth airflow.
- Is there a lot of debris and dirt buildup around your unit, which could impede or restrict proper airflow? If so, remove any overgrown grass or garbage from a few feet around your HVAC unit.
- In extreme cases, you might even need to turn off your unit’s power entirely, remove the top cover, and thoroughly wash the unit’s fins from the inside out. Just be careful not to wet the electrical components in the core of your unit, as this could cause damage to your system.
HVAC systems are complex and need many components to operate properly. This means that many parts may require repair. On the other hand, you can identify early signs that do not worsen if you look for them and pay close attention to how your HVAC system operates.
Calling an HVAC Professional is Necessary
Ensure optimal comfort and efficiency for your space by making the smart choice today – call AirOstat, Inc., your trusted HVAC professional. When addressing uneven temperatures, cooling inefficiency, leaks, condensation issues, or anything related to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, relying on our experts is beneficial and necessary.
Our team is dedicated to delivering top-notch commercial AC repair service, ensuring your systems run seamlessly and your indoor environment remains comfortable year-round. Keep your comfort and business productivity strong. Call us today at (844) 247-6782.
