We all know what summers are like in Lubbock, TX, hot, humid, and seemingly never-ending. It’s why residential air conditioning repair is such a huge part of our lives, more so than many other areas of the country. Armstrong Plumbing, Air & Electric is constantly reminded of this when the phone rings off the hook from folks whose A/C has stopped working during a triple-digit heat wave.

Armstrong wants to work with you

We’re always happy to send a technician to your home whenever residential air conditioning repairs are needed, but if we work together maybe we can prevent those costly breakdowns. Here are a few things the homeowner can do to help:

Think clean & clutter free

The outdoor condenser requires good airflow in order to cool your home efficiently. Do not let vegetation, leaves, or lawn debris limit air circulation. This means cutting all landscaping back at least three feet. Periodically clean the condenser itself by rinsing off the cooling fins with a garden hose. Don’t use any high pressure nozzles as they can damage the fins. 

Clean the indoor vents & registers

Dust and dirt inside the house will always accumulate on HVAC vents and registers. Regular cleaning prevents the dirt from getting into the air handler and causing wear and tear. Cleaning also improves indoor air quality.

Change your filters

Yes, Armstrong mentions this repeatedly but there is a good reason why: Dirty or clogged filters are the single biggest cause of HVAC failures. Homeowners should Inspect the filters regularly to see how dirty they look. Depending on the type of filter and the environment they should be changed every 30 to 90 days If you live on a dusty road or have multiple pets your filters need to be changed more often.

Regular maintenance

Even when you take all the previous steps, your air conditioner still needs professional attention at least once a year. Call Armstrong to schedule a tune-up before the start of every cooling season.

When things go wrong

Unless you are the luckiest person on earth, chances are you will need an air conditioner repair at some point. Here are some of the most common repairs our technicians deal with.

Refrigerant leaks

Your air conditioner won’t cool properly if it doesn’t have the correct amount of refrigerant. This can happen if the A/C was charged correctly when installed or if there is a leak. Only a trained HVAC technician is qualified to add or remove refrigerant. Any refrigerant leaks should be fixed to prevent further damage to your system and the environment.

Condensate problems

Your A/C not only removes heat from your home, but also humidity. The water removed from the air has to go somewhere. In most cases it’s either drained or pumped to an area outside the house through a condensate line. If the line gets blocked the water backs up and can damage the air conditioner. Left long enough the water will overflow and flood the area around the indoor air handler.

Frozen condenser coils

Oh, if only Armstrong had the proverbial nickel for every time we get a call on this. This usually happens because of reduced airflow caused by, you guessed it, dirty or clogged filters. A low refrigerant level can also cause an ice-up. When this happens, our advice is to shut the A/C off so the ice can start melting. The technician can’t work on your air conditioner until it’s thawed out.

Worst case scenario

You know what we’re getting at. Air conditioner breakdowns seem to happen at the worst times. The day before you are scheduled to host a big company gathering for the boss or on the hottest day of the year. Just know Armstrong is available 24/7 for AC emergencies, including nights, weekends, and holidays.