Total HVAC Repair Inc.

Air Conditioning

Elgin AC Services

Providing Cooling Repair in the Streamwood Area

Summers the Elgin area can be brutal. That’s why a home with reliable air conditioning is on the top of many buyer’s shopping lists. When your AC unit stops working, life can quickly become a sweaty mess. Instead of suffering through the heat, give Total HVAC Repair Inc. a call instead. Whether you end up needing a simple repair or a full AC replacement, we’re here for you.

A Non-Technical Explanation of How Air Conditioning Works

An AC unit is basically a fridge without an insulated box. But, instead of dumping the cold air inside your home, it dumps it outside. To understand how the system works, we’ll start where the “freon” gas enters the compressor on the outside unit:

 
  1. As the heated freon enters the compressor, it squeezes the gas. This causes the temperature and pressure of the freon to soar.
  2. Fans in the outside coil lower the temperature of the gas. This causes the freon to condense from liquid-like steam into liquid H20.
  3. This cooled liquid is then propelled through a tiny hole leading to your indoor coil. When the liquid finally passes into this low-pressure area, the difference in pressure returns it to a gaseous state.
  4. The freon then expands spreading its heat over a much larger area, chilling it and the surrounding coil. As air passes through this coil, it drops in temperature. Your blower then pushes this cool air throughout your home.

How to Tell When It’s Time to Call an AC Expert

Sometimes—for various reasons—this process stops or sputters. Unfortunately, unless it’s a full-on breakdown, most homeowners don’t know when it’s time to call a Elgin-area HVAC contractor. Here’s a shortlist of circumstances where you should:

  • The unit hums but refuses to turn on
  • You can’t trigger the AC on from the thermostat
  • You hear strange noises or feel vibrations
  • You see water pooling around your air conditioner
  • The fan runs but the heat coming out is still hot
  • The unit abruptly ceases operation

If you do notice any of the above problems, don’t panic. We can help! Contact us at (847) 766-9459 to schedule an appointment for AC service.

The Most Common Causes of AC Failure

You might be wondering why your air conditioner failed. Maybe it’s only a few years old. Or, perhaps you just had a tune-up done on it a couple of weeks ago. After of HVAC experience, we’ve found the following are the most common reasons for failure:

  • Faulty Electrical Components
  • Refrigerant Leaks
  • Frozen Coils
  • Damaged Fan Blades
  • Bad Compressors
  • Faulty Thermostats
  • Skipped Maintenance Visits

Our List of Elgin-Area AC Services

AC Repair

Keeping your home cool over the summer months is important. A home that’s hot and humid can make life uncomfortable. Put a stop to the discomfort and let a licensed HVAC contractor handle your AC repair in the Bartlett area. Our dedication to customer happiness and satisfaction makes working with us an easy decision.

AC Installation

On top of AC repair and maintenance, we also offer air conditioner installation services. After conducting analysis on your home’s HVAC needs, we’ll present options that suit your home’s size and cooling demands. Then, you can pick the energy-efficient air conditioning unit that’s right for you and your budget. If you need electrical ran, we can help make recommendations.

AC Replacement

Homes can last for centuries if properly maintained. The same cannot be said of air conditioners. After about 15 or 20 years of service, yours will likely start to break down. While you can repair it at first, there’ll come a time when it’s no longer economical to do so.When that happens, the HVAC professionals at Total HVAC Repair Inc. are here to help you find a suitable, more energy-efficient replacement.

AC Maintenance

A lack of maintenance is the number one cause of early HVAC equipment failure. To learn more about what we do during a maintenance visit, check out our associated service page. If you don’t need any more convincing, give us a call to schedule your AC tune-up in Elgin and help your equipment go the distance.

Air Conditioning FAQs

  • How Much Will My AC Service Cost? The cost of your air conditioner repair or installation depends wholly on the layout of your home and the circumstances involved. For that reason, we cannot provide quotes over the phone.
  • How Long Does the Typical AC Unit Last? While the lifespan of a new AC unit varies depending on make and model, most will last between 10 and 15 years. Some systems can make it well over 20 years if properly maintained. A lot of this, however, depends on how much you use your system.
  • Is there Anything I should Check before Calling You? Before giving us a call at (847) 766-9459, go through the basics. Make sure you don’t have a dead thermostat or a tripped breaker. Then, put in a new air filter and make sure you have the system set to Cool. If none of these things are to blame, reach out to us for an AC diagnosis check.
  • What Are BTUs and EERs? You might hear our HVAC technician use these acronyms and not know what they mean. A BTU—a British Thermal Unit—is a measurement of heat. An Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS), meanwhile, is a guideline used to represent the energy efficiency of a system.
  • My AC Bills Are High. Is There Anything I Can Do? Aside from replacing your system with a more efficient one, you can try buying blackout curtains, replacing old insulation, and sealing windows. Installing a whole-house or ceiling fan can also help reduce sticker shock.
  • Should I Cover My Unit in the Winter? If you want to avoid leaves and debris inside your AC unit, you can purchase a cover through your brand’s dealer. This is not necessary if you have a heat pump, however.
  • Why Won’t You Just Refill My Freon? Though your AC unit might work if we just refilled your coolant, that’s a band-aid fix for a much larger problem. Because air conditioners are closed systems, any loss in refrigerant means you have a leak. With many older systems using environmentally hazardous substances like R-410—which is now banned in new units and only available via reclamation—getting these refills can end up being more expensive than buying a new air conditioner that uses safer, lower-cost refrigerants.

Trust Us to Fix Any AC Problem in the Elgin Area

When you need AC service in Elgin, Bartlett, or Streamwood. Total HVAC Repair Inc. is the company to trust. We service all models and makes of air conditioning equipment including Trane, Carrier, and Goodman. We also promise to treat every customer with the respect and autonomy they deserve. Please reach out to us by phone or form to schedule your AC repair or installation today!

Poorly-charged air conditioning system. If an A/C system is not properly charged with refrigerant, it is unable to efficiently remove heat and cool your home or an apartment. The outside unit is not working. The condenser fan located outside your home removes heat from the compressor and keeps refrigerant cool. The condenser fan can stop working due to a faulty capacitor, a bad motor bearing can cause it to overheat, or there may not be power to the system. Insufficiently cooled rooms in the house, office or apartment. This can be due to poor duct design, kinked or damaged air ducts, or an air duct leak. The A/C unit is not blowing cold air. This can be can be a result of various issues, including the following: Lack of power to the system; not functioning correctly thermostat batteries; A low system charge; Dirty air filters (Note: Dirty air filters can cause many system malfunctions. Air filters should be changed every month.)We also offer air filter replacement services.

Always free estimates and we are available 24/7.

Scroll to Top