Air conditioners are intended to keep your home cool, but they can have a dangerous effect if not well maintained. Between 2005 and 2009, air conditioning equipment caused an annual average of 2,346 home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Electrical and mechanical failures are the foremost cause of air conditioner related fires. Routine inspections and Durham AC repairs are the best safeguards against electrical mishaps. If your air conditioner is making loud noises, or not cooling as effectively as you would expect, it may be time for a repair. Boer Brothers Heating and Cooling will perform a complete system diagnosis and perform any repairs that will keep your AC unit safe. Along with Durham air conditioning repairs, it is also necessary to maintain your system, which will reduce the risk of fire while also improving its efficiency.
Your Durham Air Conditioner May Need a Repair to Keep Your Family Safe
Dirty air conditioner parts and filters can become fire hazards, as they can cause the fan motor to become overheated. A family fire safety plan is helpful, but there are other measures that should be on your fire prevention list to ensure your home is safe. In an article about preventing house fires, having regular AC maintenance and repairs is sited as an important step to preventing house fires, on www.wikihow.com:
“Clean, or have your interior AC coils cleaned, and replace your return air filters regularly. This will prevent the fan motor from being overworked, and also save money on your energy bill. For window air conditioners, never use extension cords!
Lubricate belt drive pulleys (where applicable), boss bearings on drive motors, and other equipment as needed.
Have the resistance coils or furnace burners cleaned and serviced at the beginning of the heating season, since debris may accumulate there while the system is off during the summer.”
Also at the top of the air conditioning maintenance checklist is to have a trained technician inspect the amperage pull on the unit’s high amperage circuit to the heating coils. This determines if the amperage pull is in standard operating range. A higher than normal amperage draw on the circuit can create a large amount of resistance, and with electrical circuits, that resistance can result in a higher amount of generated heat that can lead to fires.
A Durham AC Repair Will Fix the Odd Noises and Prevent Fires
When your Durham air conditioner is operating, do you hear unusual noises? If so, there may be a malfunction that could lead to a house fire. Strange rumbling sounds, loud clattering noises, and other tapping sounds may indicate that there are loose parts in your air conditioning system. Contact a certified technician at Boer Brothers Heating and Cooling right away to repair your AC unit, before a larger problem or fire may occur.
A complete review of your home’s electrical system, appliances and heating and cooling systems will help you to know if a fire hazard exists. If your home’s systems are working efficiently, and repairs are not needed, you can protect your family from a house fire by keeping those systems maintained regularly. Check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to see if batteries need to be replaced, and always call a professional HVAC company if your heating and cooling systems are not working correctly. With air conditioners, be sure to use a regular electrical cord, and not an extension cord, as they can also overheat and cause a potential fire. Keep your family comfortable and safe with Durham AC repairs by calling Boer Brothers Heating and Cooling at (919) 813-2556.
(Source: How to Prevent a House Fire,wikihow.com, 2015)