One Surprising Cause For Excessive Air Conditioner Repair: Birds! | San Antonio, TX
You notice that the air conditioning system isn’t cooling like it used to. It has weak airflow, and you aren’t comfortable in an air-conditioned room. In most instances, homeowners think they are due maintenance when faced with such issues. So, they think the issue will be resolved by changing the air filters or air ducts. Then the unthinkable happens. They hear chirping sounds near the window air conditioning unit. What could that be? Does the fan have an issue? Should you call a technician for air conditioning repair?
It isn’t uncommon for birds to nest in air conditioning condenser units. After all, they turn to sheltered and warm places to lay their eggs. The condenser unit or a window air conditioner provides warmth, shade, and protection from predators. Hence, they are an ideal place for the birds to roost. However, this isn’t suitable for a homeowner because it could cause different issues for the unit that will force you to have an air conditioner repair service. Unless done promptly, the temperatures at your home will start soaring.
Effects of Birds on You and the Air Conditioner
The birds make their nests using feathers, twigs, grass, and straws. These materials can cause lots of issues in your air conditioning system. Additionally, the birds carry germs that may affect your indoor air quality. Birds’ nests can also prevent the air conditioner from optimally functioning. The chirping birds outside your home also may disturb your peace when sleeping. Below are some of the ways by which birds can affect the AC unit:
Poor Air Circulation
Feathers, nesting material, and bird droppings may be sucked by the blower, making the filters clogged. As a result, your unit will have a constricted airflow culminating in higher use of electrical energy. Further, the other more detrimental effect of filthy, clogged air filters is low-quality air, which could have health ramifications for you and our family. Hence, you should have routine maintenance and timely air conditioner repairs to ensure that birds don’t nest on the unit.
Congestion in the Evaporator Coils
The air that the unit’s blower pushes across the evaporator coils is cooled by absorbing the heat from the air. Feathers, twigs, sticks, and grass used by the birds to make their nests can eventually clog the evaporator coils. Hence, the air from the blower won’t interact with the evaporator coil, and your much-needed cooling of the indoor air won’t be possible. Hence, you’ll be forced to call an air conditioner repair technician for an inspection of why the unit is using more energy but cooling your San Antonio, TX, homeless.
Poor Air Quality
In various parts of this world, birds carry mites and bugs that the window air conditioner may suck into your living space. When they come into contact with your body, they can result in skin issues and other severe diseases. You should have an air conditioner repaired for routine maintenance to clean the bird’s droppings around and on the air conditioner. This is because if the droppings dry on the window air conditioner, they can potentially cause serious health hazards. The particles in the droppings blown by the AC unit could disperse the microbes, resulting in infections.
Damage to Insulation
The air conditioning system’s refrigerant lines are insulated to ensure the refrigerant doesn’t escape before it reaches the evaporator coils. Birds might break that insulation off by pecking at it. As a result, the cooling provided by window air conditioners will be impacted by escaping refrigeration. Due to the loss of cooling, electricity use will also rise. Routine maintenance of the window air conditioner unit by an experienced air conditioner repair professional can help avert this problem. The birds nesting in your AC unit will be Chased, and protective measures on the AC will be instituted.
Blocked Condensation Lines
The junk stuffed in the condensation line’s fins results in decreased efficiency of your window air conditioning unit. Nesting material and bird droppings can also clog the condensate lines on the outer part of the window air conditioning unit. The condenser fins eject heat to the outdoor environment by the coolant flowing in the lines.
Because of the lack of sufficient contact between the fins and the air, your San Antonio, TX, home will have reduced cooling, low air quality, and inadequate airflow. You’ll have to have the unit checked and fixed by an air conditioner repair technician. However, a routine air conditioning service is the best alternative for the technician to remove the nests before they cause such damage.
Compressor Failure
The main moving part of your window Air conditioning system is the compressor. Blower and exhaust fans are connected to how the compressor operates. Nesting materials, trash, and bird droppings can clog an air conditioning unit to the point where the compressor’s operation is impeded. It will eventually lead to your compressor losing efficiency and failing if an air conditioner repair technician does not service it.
Fire Hazard
Most of the materials used by birds to build their nests are combustible. It is made of wood, which may burn, and twigs and sticks. Feathers and grass can catch fire as well. This nesting material might catch fire in your window air conditioning unit if there is a tiny spark. Other nearby and burnable items, such as curtains or windows, will eventually catch this fire, spreading it further. Hence, you must ensure that the air conditioner repair technician chases away the birds when they come for a maintenance service.
As it can be noted, birds are bad news for you and your air conditioner. Hence, you must ensure they don’t nest near or in the window AC unit, the condenser fan, or the air ducts. For Routine air conditioning maintenance in San Antonio, TX, contact us at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain + HVAC of San Antonio, your reliable air conditioner repair company.
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