air conditioning maintenance

Why is My A/C Blowing Out Warm Air?

May 21, 2022 by Jim Calago

Most of us depend on our air conditioning systems to get through those blistering summer months — there’s no better feeling than escaping the heat and being greeted by bursts of fresh, cool air. That’s why it’s incredibly frustrating when your AC starts blowing out warm air instead.

At Morrison Plumbing, located in Granite City, IL, we offer high-quality AC installation, AC maintenance, and AC repair services to help ensure that you stay cool during the summer. Here’s a closer look at why your air conditioning system might be malfunctioning and how our services can help you.

You Have Dirty Air Filters

If your AC is suddenly blowing out hot air, there’s a good chance that your air filters are the culprit. If your air filters are dirty or clogged, they can prevent the flow of air through the system, resulting in warm air. In these cases, swapping the dirty filter for a new, clean one is usually enough to resolve the issue.

You Have A Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is a chemical compound that’s used in most AC systems. As the name suggests, refrigerant helps make sure that your air conditioner is producing cold air — it also contributes to the overall function of the system. Thus, if you have a refrigerant leak, your AC is susceptible to a wide range of problems, including blowing out warm air.

Your Evaporator Coils Are Frozen

A standard AC system features evaporator coils, which are responsible for cooling your home by taking heat from the air. Sometimes, moisture can start to accumulate on the evaporator coils, causing them to freeze and produce hot air instead. To determine if this is the issue, you’ll have to open up your system and look at them directly. If you notice ice or frost on the coils, leave the air conditioning system off for 24 hours and let it thaw.

Unfortunately, frozen evaporator coils are usually the result of a larger issue, such as:

Refrigerant leak
Bad airflow
Old or damaged system

To fully resolve the problem, you’ll need to contact our professionals at Morrison Plumbing to address the source.

Contact Our Granite City, IL, HVAC Company Today!

Sometimes, you can fix an air conditioning issue by simply changing the air filters or turning the system off for some time. Other cases, however, may require the assistance of a professional. At Morrison Plumbing, we help residents of Granite City, IL, and the surrounding areas by providing the following services:

Drain cleaning
Air conditioning repair
Air conditioning maintenance
Air conditioning installation

Whether you have a minor repair need or are looking to install a whole new system, you can trust our team of plumbers, technicians, and heating and air experts to help. Not only can we assess the state of your current system, but we can also execute the repairs and maintenance necessary to prolong its lifespan. Contact us today at (618) 703-5700 to learn more!

3 Signs Your Air Conditioner Needs to be Repaired

May 15, 2022 by Jim Calago

If you’re like most residents of O’Fallon, IL, you take your AC unit for granted until and unless something happens that makes it malfunction. Unfortunately, the majority of AC repair calls happen during heatwaves — often during the first major heatwave of the season after the unit has been out of operation for a period of months. This often results in customers having to wait because AC repair companies are dealing with backlogs of clients needing assistance.

One of the best ways to circumvent a scenario where you’ll be left to swelter during a heatwave while waiting for service is to learn to recognize common signs that your HVAC system needs attention. This will allow you to schedule an appointment with an air conditioning repair service before the unit completely breaks down. Here’s what you need to know:

Your System is Producing Warm Air

Failure to produce cool air has several possible causes. It could be that the thermostat needs to be reset or replaced, which is a relatively simple fix. On the other hand, it could signify something as serious as a refrigerant leak or an issue with the unit’s electrical system. No matter what the cause, the last thing anyone in O’Fallon, IL needs is an AC unit that blows warm air on warm, humid summer days. If the problem persists even after resetting the thermostat or making certain it hasn’t accidentally been put on the furnace setting, it’s time to call our professionals at Morrison Plumbing.

Your System Produces an Unfamiliar Odor When Turned On

Unfamiliar odors are another red flag that indicates that something is wrong with your AC unit. If the smell is musty, it could be that mold colonies have become established in the inside of the system. Although the presence of mold doesn’t necessarily mean that a mechanical issue is part of the picture, your system nonetheless should be inspected by a professional, like ours at Morrison Plumbing so the mold infestation can be properly removed.

If the odd smell is electrical, though, it could very well indicate a mechanical problem with your system. You should never run a unit that’s producing an electrical odor — doing so may result in a fire.

Your System is Making Loud Noises

Unexplained loud noises of any type should be investigated immediately. The good news is that this doesn’t necessarily mean that the unit has experienced major damage requiring costly repairs. Most of the time, loud noises are caused by something as simple as a belt or a bolt that’s come loose.

Regular AC maintenance is an essential component of preventing major issues. AC systems generally age out at around 10 years and need to be replaced, so don’t hesitate to contact us for your AC installation needs. Besides air installation, our professional plumbers at Morrison Plumbing provide residents of O’Fallon, IL, with plumbing and drain cleaning services. Give us a call today at (618) 703-5700.

Spring Cleaning: Keeping Your A/C Maintained All Spring

April 21, 2022 by Jim Calago

Spring is a season of transition, as we try to put the cold winter behind us and look forward to a warm and sunny summer. This transition often motivates us to do a little “spring cleaning” around the house and yard. This article serves as a reminder that your spring cleaning ritual should always include a quick cleaning of your air conditioning HVAC system.

In this article, we will describe some of the quick and easy things a homeowner can do to get their HVAC system ready for the summer work ahead. Folks in the Glen Carbon, IL area are also welcome to call the expert plumbers at Morrison Plumbing for all of their AC maintenance needs.

Clean Your Coil

You will want to take these steps when it is at least 60 degrees outside; otherwise, it will be difficult to prove your air conditioning is correctly blowing cool air. The first goal of spring-cleaning air-conditioning maintenance is to make sure your outside condenser is clear of dirt and debris. Turn the condenser’s power off. There is often a large on/off switch or fuse near the condenser.

If you can’t find a condenser switch, then turn off the power at your electric fuse box. From the outside of the condenser, vacuum away any dirt and debris that you see resting on your coil. Clear the leaves and weeds within a few feet of the unit. The last step is to hose off the coil with your garden hose. Spray the water into your coil in a back-and-forth motion using medium-high pressure. You can now turn the power back on to the unit.

Turn on the System for a Test

Head inside to your thermostat, set it to cool, and lower the temperature setting to force the air conditioning to turn on. Let it run for 10 minutes.

Go back outside to the back of the condenser unit and find the copper tubes that come out of the unit and route them into your house. There will be one insulated and one uninsulated tube. Feel these tubes with your hands. The insulated tube should feel cold to the touch and the uninsulated tube should feel warm.

If your system does not seem to be producing cool air, then it is time to contact an expert for a professional AC repair, such as Morrison Plumbing in Glen Carbon, IL.

Replace the Indoor Filter

The last step in the spring cleaning regiment is to replace the filter inside your indoor air handler. Hopefully, you have been replacing this every few months so you know exactly how to do it already.

Do a visual check around the indoor air handler to look for any major damage or debris. Look at the evaporator pan sitting under the handler for any signs of water leaking. If you see anything concerning, call for an expert air conditioning repair.

For a More Thorough Cleaning, Call a Pro

The above provides basic information on how a homeowner can do a quick DIY HVAC spring cleaning. However, there are some more cleaning steps that a trained professional can take such as cleaning the insides of the condenser and handler, cleaning the drain tubes, measuring the freon levels, and more.

For the last 30 years, Morrison Plumbing has been the number one option for plumbing, AC, and heating services in the Glen Carbon, IL area. Visit our website today for more information about our professional plumbing, heating, and air conditioning Rejuvenation Services, or give us a call today at 618-703-5700.

Top 4 Issues & Repairs with Your Air Conditioning System

June 15, 2021 by cmpdigital

A working air conditioning unit is essential to the comfort and functioning of your home, especially in the brutal summer heat of the Midwest. Air conditioning repair and maintenance is crucial to ensuring your unit is running smoothly. More often than not, homeowners find that a lack of maintenance to their air conditioning unit in the fall and spring months leads to common issues and sometimes, expensive repairs. If you are noticing that your A/C isn’t functioning the way it used to, here are 4 possible issues and repairs that may be the answer to your problem.

Dirty Air Filters

We are all guilty of not cleaning our air filters as often as we should. They’re easy to forget about, especially in an appliance that you don’t use every day of the year. However, dirty air filters can be more than just a nuisance. An abundance of dust and grime that builds up on these air filters eventually will have nowhere to go, clogging the internal system of your A/C unit and preventing cool air from flowing into your home. Eventually, a dirty air filter can cost you hundreds of dollars in cleaning and vent repairs that could have been prevented with routine maintenance. For expert air filter replacement, call Morrison Plumbing in Belleville, IL!

Water Leaking from Your Unit

Man in a long-sleeve button-down shirt holding his face up to a fan due to a broken air conditioning unit in Belleville, Illinois

If you notice water leaking from outside of your A/C unit, this could mean that your cooling system has a clogged drain line from dirt, dust, mold, or other debris. When your drain line is clogged, water is not able to escape naturally, forcing condensation from your A/C to leak from any openings in the bottom of your unit. If you notice that your air conditioning unit has been leaking an excessive amount of water from the base of the system, give our experts at Morrison Plumbing a call. We serve Belleville, IL, and the surrounding areas with quality and affordable air conditioning repair and maintenance services. Get a free estimate today!

Running Continuously

If your air conditioning unit is producing a fair amount of cool air but even on auto, never seems to shut off, there could be several issues that cause the high energy bills. Everything from a dirty or frozen evaporator coil to a low refrigerant charge or broken thermostat can cause your A/C to run constantly, even when the air in your home is at the right temperature. When it may seem like a constantly running A/C unit is not an immediate threat to the life of your air conditioning unit, if not taken care of soon, it can lead to much more serious and expensive repairs. For help with your A/C, trust Morrison Plumbing in Belleville, IL today.

Loud Noises

Woman hearing a loud noise from her air conditioning unit and covering her ears with a pillow in Belleville, Illinois

While you may often hear a low humming noise coming from your air conditioning unit, it should never make a loud banging or hissing noise. Anything from a refrigerant leak to an issue with your blower or motor could cause an odd noise to show up overnight. While many factors could lead to the cause of the noise, only licensed heating and air professionals will be able to tell you the exact cause of the problem. Call Morrison Plumbing in Belleville, IL at [hls_phone_number] for a quality inspection and potential air conditioning repair service.

A/C maintenance to do before summer in Maryville, IL

April 18, 2018 by cmpdigital

With summer approaching quickly in Maryville, IL, homeowners are looking for ways to save on utility bills this season. Get ahead of the game by scheduling a/c maintenance before the hot weather settles in for the season. In addition, you can use these seasonal air conditioning maintenance tips to keep your air conditioner working well all summer.

Clean or Replace Filters

Cleaning or replacing filters is one of the most straightforward air conditioning maintenance tasks, but also one of the most important. You should frequently inspect your air conditioning filter. Whether your have disposable or permanent filters, ensure excess dust doesn’t block your system. This helps to ensure that air can flow freely through the air conditioner, and may also improve air quality in your home.

Clean the Condenser Coils

Inside your air conditioner’s condenser unit are some large coils that cool air before the fan blows it around your home. These coils work most effectively when they are clean. However, as most air conditioner condenser units are located outside, it is common for leaves, grass clippings, trash, dust and other sources of debris to blow into the unit and prevent it from working properly. Schedule an air conditioning tune-up with a professional to take care of this task.

Check the Coolant Lines

The coolant lines running to the condenser unit should be intact and covered with foam insulation. If the insulation is frayed, torn, or missing, be sure to replace it so your air conditioner can work efficiently to keep your home cool.

Test Your AC System

Don’t wait until the sun is beating down to find out your AC system is malfunctioning. Before the weather heats up, test your unit using the cool setting on your thermostat. If during the test you find out that your home isn’t being cooled properly, call an a/c maintenance professional in Maryville, IL.

Tips for a clean air conditioning unit in O’Fallon, IL

March 26, 2018 by cmpdigital

Dirt is one of your air conditioning unit’s most formidable enemies; it reduces its lifespan, takes a toll on its energy efficiency, and creates the need for repairs. Keeping you’re a/c unit clean means it runs at peak performance, even through O’Fallon, Illinois’ hottest summer days. When the temp continues to rise this summer, you’ll be glad your system is well-maintained and ready to handle the excess heat. Ensure your home has a clean air conditioning unit with these simple steps.

Changing the air conditioning unit filter

Fortunately, the most important maintenance task for keeping your air conditioning unit clean is also the simplest. Unfortunately, too many homeowners fail to recognize the importance of such maintenance, and they completely neglect it.

That task, of course, is to regularly change the filter. Clogged, dirty filters prohibit normal airflow, causing your unit to work harder and wear out more quickly. Additionally, when normal airflow is obstructed, it can cause dirt to find its way directly into the evaporator coil. This will prevent the coil from absorbing heat the way that it should. Simply replacing the filter can reduce your air conditioner’s energy consumption by as much as 15 percent.

Turn the unit off when mowing

As your mow, dirt and grass clippings fly through the air. These clippings can be sucked into the exterior coil of your outside a/c unit. This will take a toll on your unit’s efficiency or even cause it to cut off altogether. When you’re mowing, be sure to angle the mower away from your outdoor unit and turn your thermostat to the “off” setting until you have completed the job.

Keep drain channels cleared

Clogged drain channels can keep your a/c unit from removing moisture from the air, resulting in high humidity levels inside your home. To prevent this, occasionally clear the drain channels by passing a stiff wire through them, but remember to turn the unit off before attempting any DIY maintenance.

Schedule regular air conditioning tune-ups

Annual a/c tune-ups are essential for keeping your air conditioner clean and in top-notch condition. Professional HVAC contractors, such as Morrison Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, can ensure that your unit is in good working order and ready for the hot summer months.

To learn more about air conditioner maintenance or to schedule your tune-up, give Morrison Plumbing, Heating & Cooling a call or use our online booking tool to set up your appointment.