Air Conditioning & Heating Blog | Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing

How Can You Know You Have Hidden Leaks When They’re … Hidden?

September 19th, 2022

The hidden plumbing leak can create a Catch-22: you have to know to look for hidden leaks, but how can you know to look for them if they’re hidden? The secret is vigilance combined with occasional preventive plumbing service in Frederick, MD.

The sad truth is that many homes in the US suffer from hidden leaks that waste a combined billions of gallons of water each year. The older your home, the more likely you have plumbing leaks disguised somewhere in the walls, slowly letting water escape, raising your bills and causing gradual water damage. We recommend you pay close attention to any of these signs of hidden leaks as well as schedule routine leak detection with professionals every few years.

Breaking Down AC Warning Noises

September 5th, 2022

Air conditioning systems become quieter as technology advances. Today’s ACs can work almost unnoticed in a home—just the gentle blowing of air from the vents connected to the central cooling system, with most of the noise coming from the outdoor condenser cabinet, and even that is quieter than it used to be thanks to advances like scroll compressors.

This general quiet makes it easier to notice an AC that’s making strange sounds. You don’t want these sounds interrupting your pleasant summer days, but they do have a useful side: they warn that you may need air conditioning service in Gaithersburg, MD to fix it!

Today, we’re going to break down some of the more common warning noises your AC can make and what they may mean…

Signs of an AC Compressor in Peril

August 22nd, 2022

When it comes to AC repair in Frederick, MD, the part you most want to keep in good shape is the compressor. This component is the workhorse of the air conditioning system: it consumes the most electricity to run (35,000–41,000 watts per hour) and it’s necessary to cause refrigerant to circulate through the AC and move heat from indoors to outdoors. Because the compressor is such an expensive part to replace, people often opt to replace their entire air conditioning system when the compressor fails.

In other words, if you can possibly catch a compressor that’s in danger of failing, you want to. If technicians can perform repairs that will rescue the compressor, you’ll have prevented a much more expensive service.

So … how can you tell that your compressor may need our technicians’ attention?

What Can Happen If You Leave a Dirty Air Filter in Place

August 8th, 2022

Changing your air filter is one of the most important parts of maintaining your air conditioning system, but many homeowners forget to do it. Without giving your AC a new air filter every 1 to 3 months, you run the risk of short-cycling, low airflow, and even system damage.

The air filter is one of the simplest but most critical components of your HVAC system. It prevents dirt, dust, and debris from building up in your AC. It also defends your system against larger hazards that could break the entire AC or even start a fire.

If you ever find yourself in need of air conditioning repair in Bethesda, MD, your air filter may be the reason why.

Why Does My AC Smell Like Unwashed Socks?

July 25th, 2022

No, nobody has secretly been stuffing unwashed socks into your ventilation system (unless you know something we don’t). This unpleasant odor coming from the vents when the air conditioner turns on is a common problem known, appropriately, as “dirty sock syndrome.” You want to have it fixed, not just to eliminate the sour odor from wafting around your house, but because it indicates a problem with the air conditioning system that will impair its performance and cost you more to run it.

Are Coffee Grounds Okay to Go Down the Sink or Disposal?

July 11th, 2022

It feels as if there’s a constant war of information about what can and cannot go down a kitchen drain or kitchen garbage disposal. You may have heard that you should pour cold water down the disposal when you run it—or you should run hot water. (We’re on the cold water side, as it solidifies fats, oils, and grease so they’ll wash down the drain easier.) And you’ve probably heard conflicting information about coffee grounds going down the sink or disposal:

Coffee grounds can help clean the drain and make it smell pleasant.
Coffee ground will clog the drain and damage the disposal.

Which is it? As professional plumbers, we can give you an expert opinion, which is…

How Dirty Coils Create AC Problems

June 27th, 2022

Your air conditioning system has two sets of coils that are responsible for it to do its basic job of cooling your house. An AC works through a process called heat exchange, which is the movement of heat from one place to another. The job of the refrigerant coils in heat exchange is to directly interact with the air. The indoor coil (known as the evaporator coil) removes heat from the air blown over it, and the outdoor coil (known as the condenser coil) releases this heat into the air outdoors.

An AC’s coils can run into several problems that will require air conditioning repair in Rockville, MD to prevent the air conditioning system from turning inefficient, losing cooling power, overheating, or developing ice along the coils. The most common problem for the coils is when they get dirty.

How You Can Help Save Water This Summer

June 13th, 2022

Water use increases in summer. It’s hard to avoid. But there are ways you can cut down on your household water consumption during the summer and not only lower your utility bills but also benefit the environment.

Below, we’ve listed several of the best tips for summer water conservation. Some of these are tips you can put into practice yourself. Others require professional plumbing service in Frederick, MD. You can depend on our expert plumbers to help you out so you can get those water bills under control.

May Is a Fine Month for AC Maintenance

May 16th, 2022

May in general is a fine month, the best month of spring. Although cold snaps may still strike, we mostly enjoy the ideal warm weather without extreme heat. May is superb for many outdoor activities. It’s also a great time to schedule regular air conditioning maintenance.

We know that doesn’t sound like a fun May activity, but when you go with air conditioning service in Frederick, MD with the team at Tuckers, you’ll find it’s easy to have maintenance done and enjoy the benefits for the rest of spring and summer. It’s also a job you never want to miss out on—few AC services have as many advantages and pay off so well in the future, both in savings and comfort!

A Reminder: Don’t Allow Any Heating Repairs to Linger at the End of the Season

May 2nd, 2022

You’re probably quite to shut down your heating system for the season and transition to warmer weather. As we move into the second half of spring, you’ll start to focus on getting your air conditioning system ready for the summer. (Make sure you don’t forget to schedule a regular maintenance tune-up and inspection for your AC with our team!)

We recommend you still give some thought to your heating system as the season winds down. For example, has your heater shown recent signs it has a malfunction that needs to be fixed? This might be something seemingly small, like odd noises or the heater shutting off earlier than normal. You might notice that you have to fiddle with the thermostat to get the proper comfort levels, or that the heater seems to have to stay on longer to reach the temperature you want.

Please don’t brush these warning signs aside just because warm weather will soon settle in. Scheduling heating repair in North Potomac, MD is something you should arrange for promptly, no matter the time of the year.

Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog