Auto Air Conditioning Repair in Houston
A rush hour traffic jam is not the best place to discover a problem with your
vehicle's air conditioning, especially in the midst of a
Houston TX summer.
Unfortunately, this type of slow speed driving is the time that an inefficient
air conditioning system is most likely to show its true colors. Traveling at
highway speeds is light duty for the system, as the strong airflow generated by
the momentum of your vehicle's travel gives it an assist. However, at idle, or
moving along at that slow traffic jam crawl, the air conditioning system is on
its own, working hard to keep the air inside the passenger compartment cool and
comfortable. Not only does the sun beating down on the vehicle generate a lot of
heat at slow speeds, but that pavement under your wheels radiates a great deal
of it also, not to mention the intense heat of the engine, building up under the
hood as you creep along in bumper to bumper traffic.
When living in Houston TX, your automobile air conditioning system must be in good
repair to perform well against these odds. To keep the passenger area free of
the heat and humidity, a refrigerant must be circulated through the air
conditioning system. This is done by the compressor, which pumps the refrigerant
through the system in a constant flow, first through the evaporator, located
behind the dash area of the vehicle, where it collects the heat inside the
cabin, then through the system to the condenser. The condenser is located at the
front of the engine compartment, behind the grille, where the air flow generated
by a cooling fan dissipates the heat carried by the refrigerant into the air as
it travels thorough its network of cooling fins. Once the refrigerant has been
through the condenser and cooled, it travels back to the evaporator to absorb
more heat from the cabin and begin the cycle over again.
Often, when the air conditioning system begins to become noticeably less
efficient, blowing tepid air rather than icy cold, a leak in the system is the
culprit. Even a tiny breach in this closed system can allow the refrigerant to
escape as it moves through this pressurized cycle, dramatically reducing its
ability to beat the heat, especially under tough, slow speed driving conditions.
A thorough examination of the system every year before the Houston TX, summer
season begins is wise. The belt that keeps the compressor performing its task
should be examined for signs of wear, a pressure test performed to check for
leaks, and refrigerant levels measured and enhanced as necessary. This simple
preventative maintenance can be the key to finding a problem with your air
conditioning system early, before it finds you on a miserably hot and humid
summer day.
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