Why is my AC squeaking?

Summers in Pennsylvania can escalate to discomforting levels pretty fast. That’s when all you want is a cool, refreshing refuge to soothe your summer woes away. What better refuge than a properly air-conditioned space?

Now, assuming you have taken care of the cooling aspect of your air conditioner. You have probably even ensured your cooling is well optimized for the best indoor air quality.

Then, your mind tells you, “sit back and enjoy the cooling comfort!” But before the excitement kicks in, your air conditioner steals the show again with endless squeaking noises. What a deal breaker!

The point is that indoor air comfort is a function of many players. It is not enough to just optimize your cooling system for indoor air quality if its operation is questionably uncomfortable to your ears.

Thus, if your air conditioner has lately become a casualty of disconcerting squeaks whether at home or work, you should be concerned and seek the right diagnosis of the underlying problem.

Turning to the right AC professional in Huntingdon Valley, PA is the first noble step toward quickly and reliably resolving the noisy cooling and instantly restoring indoor comfort.

 

Why Do You Need a Professional for This?

Simply put, modern air conditioners have been equipped with variable speed motors for noise reduction and hence quieter operation. That is to say, should you notice an oddly disruptive loud noise coming from your AC, you should start betting on a moderate to a severe issue.

Unless you have a trained eye, such “unknown” issues are best left to AC repair experts.

The noise might point to an issue needing a quick repair or a careful replacement. A proven AC technician is better placed to discern the difference thanks to possessing special tools, equipment, skills, and training.

Being that serious, never be tempted to ignore any squeaking sounds from your air conditioner.

 

What Is Air Conditioner Squeaking Noise?

You have probably experienced this strange noise with your air conditioner before. To jog your memory, recall that distinct high-pitched or squealing sound your AC unit produced the minute you turned it on.

Still not following? Well, while there are several noises common with air conditioners including banging, buzzing, rattling, clicking, and hissing, among other noises, the squeaking sound is particularly distinct owing to a sharp high pitch that instantly irritates the ear.

Yes, that’s the one! The itching AC sound that you can’t stand. To get a better picture of it, it also borders closely to shrieking or screeching noises.

While all the different AC noises portend varying degrees of operational issues, a squeaking AC warrants immediate attention because if left unchecked, it might open a whole lot can of repairs leaving you with dented pockets.

Before delving into AC squeaks, here is a brief snapshot of what the rest of the AC sounds might portend:

·         Banging noises (compressor problems)

·         Humming noises (faulty contactor relay switch)

·         Buzzing sounds (loose fan blades in outdoor condenser unit)

·         Rattling noises (loose debris and particles in outdoor condenser unit)

·         Clicking sounds (failing thermostat)

·         Hissing noises (air duct leak)

·         Bubbling sounds (faulty drainage pipe causing excessive moisture)

With that in mind, let’s now shift the gears back to squeaking noises, what causes them, and how you can fix the problem.

 

What Causes My AC to Squeak and How Can I Fix It?

While most air conditioners slightly squeak during normal operation (although for a short while), if the noise gets increasingly loud to the point of keeping you awake at night, there is definitely a problem with your cooling system.

Understanding the underlying cause of the issue is your first logical step toward resolving it while avoiding escalation into expensive repairs. While you may be tempted to try and fix some of these issues yourself, it is far wiser to contact a reputable service technician to thoroughly and properly diagnose the problem and seal any loopholes for future malfunctions.

A proven air conditioning expert for both commercial and residential spaces in Huntingdon Valley, PA, you can contact [company_name] to learn what full-service preventative maintenance entails.

That said, the following are the major contributors to squeaking AC sounds:

 

Malfunctioning Fan Belt

While most contemporary air conditioners eliminate belt systems, some older versions are belt driven. Essentially, the belt links the motor to the fan. The belt functions primarily like that of a lawnmower or car.

During hot summers, humidity tends to rise in Pennsylvania. This exposes the fan belt to a destructive cycle of contraction and expansion. Over time, the belt may begin to wear out or stretch and become fragile. Thus, as temperature and humidity vary throughout the day, the squeaking sound from your AC unit becomes inevitable.

Moreover, the fan belt could have slipped out of place and become misaligned. Then, you will start hearing the squeaks coming from both the outdoor unit and indoor vents.

The fix? If you establish this is indeed the cause of squeaking, you can replace the belt or call a trained technician from [company_name] for proper troubleshooting.

 

Worn Out Condenser Fan Bearings

Modern air conditioning units come with direct-drive motors in place of belt systems. Instead of a belt, the condenser fan is attached using bearings.

Thus, tending to be busy blowing air across the condenser coils outdoors, the fan bearings may start wearing out over time and produce a squeaking noise. The noise is typically heard coming from the outdoor unit when your AC is running.

If unresolved, the shot bearings can potentially damage the AC motor and warrant a complete motor overhaul. In other words, ignoring worn-out fan bearings will end up costing you both cold air and more money for repairs.

To avoid more serious damage to your outdoor unit, we strongly recommend calling an AC expert you can trust instead of attempting to fix the problem yourself.

 

Overworked AC Unit

Another possible reason for your AC squeaking sounds is overworking the unit. This is a common scenario during hot summers when you are striving so hard to get rid of excessive humidity indoors.

However, instead of overworking your precious unit, you can contact the AC experts at [company_name] to learn how to keep indoor humidity low. What’s more, we also offer top-notch dehumidifiers to help you keep humidity levels in check while significantly boosting your air conditioner’s lifespan.

As temporary relief to the noise, you can apply spray lubricant or motor lubricant on the motor shaft. Just make sure to call a reliable AC repair expert for a permanent fix.

 

Trust an Expert to Eliminate the Noise!

Looking for a trustworthy team to help you eliminate the itching squeaks in your air conditioner? Look no further than [company_name]. We pride ourselves on special tools, equipment, skills, and training to afford the residents and commercial property owners in and around Huntingdon Valley, PA a superior air conditioning experience.

What’s more, we also provide top-rated heating solutions second to none in Pennsylvania. Our industry-leading experience also allows us to offer a full line of air quality products such as air filtration systems, air cleaners, UV lights, and humidifiers (as well as dehumidifiers) to work in conjunction with your central HVAC system for maximum indoor air quality.

More on our service list includes the provision of backup home generators from reputable brands you can trust, hot water tank repair and installation, as well as preventative maintenance plans to keep your space efficient and livable. Contact us today to get started.

Exterior Residential Painting

Is the exterior of your house slowly becoming an eyesore? Are you staring at a diminishing curb appeal?

Well, what you are missing is some fresh inspiration to update your exterior ambiance to incredible heights. Good news? The journey to get there is pretty hassle-free backed by the right exterior painter.

Look no further than us. From the sound of our name, you can already tell we only strive for excellent results.

Whether you are looking to create a better living ambiance for yourself, sell your house, or just rent it out, our five-star exterior house painting services will get you there faster with the right color scheme.

Having been in the industry for many years, we understand the right paints and colors to make your house real estate-ready.

 

What our exterior painting service entails

Beyond just the exterior of your house, the painting experts we work with will go above and beyond to update your entire home exterior with the right colors.

That means among other home areas, we also cover your:

·         Garage exterior

·         Shed

·         Deck

·         Trim

·         Shutters

·         Playhouse or treehouse

No matter your goals, we can give your home exterior a fresh new look with our professional paint jobs!

Simply reach out to us to schedule an estimate or book an online appointment.

 

Get a flawless home makeover!

All the painters we contract with are proven professionals in their craft and that’s how we guarantee flawless results. Equipped with rich industry knowledge, our expert partners know the right paints to use and the proper painting standards to apply to turn your home into the talk of the neighborhood.

Our aim as your go-to exterior house painting experts is to arouse a great sense of pride within you each time you look at your newly painted home. That way, you can always count on our flawless paint jobs.

 

Time to elevate that curb appeal like a pro!

Did you know a great curb appeal improves your desire to be at home? And that it greatly adds to your sense of enjoyment when at home?

Well, now you know. Start working on that curb appeal by working closely with the right exterior painting service.

In addition to curb appeal, working with us guarantees your home exterior protection from the elements, rot, and pests thanks to our professional-grade paints.

If that’s what you have been looking for in your home exterior, give us a call today for estimate scheduling.

 

 

 

Electrical Supplies Pioneer Hardware

Building your house or commercial premises is never complete without a connection to electricity. When it comes to that, electrical supplies and materials are responsible for bridging the gap between your final structural output and electricity to power the full functionality of your project.

That said, when it comes to shopping for electrical products, safety is a critical consideration. In other words, working with electricity is a safety-critical endeavor, and even the slightest quality mistake when purchasing electrical products for your building project could quickly translate into a catastrophe.

Thus, for your upcoming building construction project, make sure you only obtain quality electrical products. Quality electrical supplies are thoughtfully designed to serve you efficiently and for a long time. Ultimately, they afford you the best value for your money.

So, where does your journey for quality electrical supplies begin? Well, from a reliable electrical supplies retailer, of course!

Look no further than Pioneer Hardware. We are a recognized supplier of top-notch building materials in and around Ruaka, Kiambu, and Nairobi, and quality electrical supplies come with the whole package.

As your one-stop electrical supplier, we are committed to providing you with superior quality and long-lasting electrical solutions to keep your residential or commercial building in its best working order always. From quality wires, cables, circuit breakers, panel boards, and lightning arrestors, to conduit pipes, we are your go-to supplier of the highest quality electrical products.

Ready to shop with us and see what comes up? Simply contact us today to speak to one of our professional, friendly, and knowledgeable attendants. We look forward to hooking you up with the most flawless flow of electricity in your building.

Thanks to our trained attendants and in-house technicians, when you turn to us you can expect nothing short of timely customer support, consistent quality, competitive pricing, availability, exemplary service, and continuous innovation in all our products.

Put simply, working with Pioneer Hardware for your electrical solutions comes with surpassed expectations!

 

We partner with proven electrical distributors

To rule out quality compromises in our service delivery, we only stock electrical supplies from reputable local and regional distributors.

Whether you are looking for the highest-quality electrical cables, earthing accessories, ventilation solutions, electrical wiring accessories, motors, or power protection supplies, our distributors are carefully handpicked to guarantee consistent quality.

Having said that, below is a list of the best distributors of electrical products we work closely with regionally:

·         Thames Electricals Ltd.: Best international brands of electrical accessories, fittings, and equipment such as Panasonic, ABB, Omron, 3M, Windsor, IMAK, and TLAC, among others.

·         Electric link Pan Africa Limited: Boasts a wide array of RR electrical products including fire safety equipment, electrical cables, earthing accessories, and electrical wiring accessories, just to name a few.

·         Tronic Ltd: Leading distributor of LED lighting, cable management systems, isolators, voltage stabilizers, fans, bells, electrical switchgear, as well as outdoor electrical accessories.

·         Powermax General Electrical Merchants Ltd.: Major dealer in solar lighting including streetlights, floodlights, wall lights, garden lights, and indoor lights. Other items in their stock are surge extensions, quality cables, sockets, switches, as well as inverters.

·         Power Controls Ltd.: Specializes in industrial electrical products and equipment such as meter boards, battery cabinets, transformers, inverters, UPSs, cables, and voltage equipment.

·         Metsec Cables Ltd.: A company with a multifaceted approach to the production of cables for both the telecom and energy industries. In addition to cables, they also deal in metering products, contactors, capacitors, switchboards, insulators, wiring devices, and surge protection devices.

 

What are the different types of electrical supplies in our store?

Electrical materials or supplies play an integral role in a building construction project to connect your building to an electrical power source. Electrical parts may vary from tiny residential circuit breakers to large industrial switches.

No matter the size of your project, at Pioneer Hardware, we promise you a large inventory of electrical building products and supplies to suit your unique project goals without any hassles.

In a nutshell, extension cords and power strips connect to equipment way beyond the vicinity of a power outlet to supply them with power. Receptacles and wall switches serve as fixed access points for connecting to and controlling electrical power.

Connectors and plugs build and ensure consistency of electrical connections. Lastly, wire management products simply organize, protect, and support cables and wires.

Now that you have painted a vivid picture of what electrical supplies accomplish in a building, let us delve a bit more into the categories of products you can expect to find at Pioneer Hardware for your project in and around Ruaka, Kiambu, or Nairobi.

Among other electrical supplies, we provide:

 

·         Electrical wires

Electrical wires run as individual conductors of electricity. It could be a copper or aluminum wire that transports electricity through an electric circuit. The wire may run openly, through a pipe (conduit), overhead, or even underground depending on the application.

Depending on the load connected, wires for house wiring can range from 1 sqm S/C, 1.5 sqm S/C, 2 sqm S/C, and 2.5 sqm S/C to 4 sqm S/C, and so on. Using different wires helps prevent short-circuiting.

 

·         Electrical cables

Unlike individual wire conductors, electrical cables represent a group of wires bundled up in a single sheathing to transport electric current. Common applications of cables are in electrical appliances like refrigerators, computers, TVs, and the like, as well as in data transmission by telecom companies.

Typically, cables are labeled differently according to the number of wires, insulation type, and the wire gauge. For home wiring, most cables are generally labeled as 14-2G, 14-3G, 600V, and 12-2 w/G, among other labels.

However, in terms of insulation, the wires may be labeled as THHN, THWN, THW, or XHHN. The T stands for thermoplastic material for fire resistance, H for heat resistance, HH for high heat resistance, W for application in damp and wet locations, X for flame-retardant material, and N for nylon coating for better oil resistance.

 

·         Electrical conduits

An electrical conduit refers to a tube carriage that houses electrical cables either for energy or data transmission. The conduit may be crafted from rigid steel, lighter steel, aluminum, or PVC.

In addition to providing housing, conduits also play a protective role to the wires and cables inside them. They are common in residential and commercial buildings where the wiring is surface mounted or exposed or installed outdoors.

Thus, when selecting the right conduit size, material, or fittings, it is important to base that decision on the type of wiring housed and the kind of environment the wiring will be installed. Generally, conduits for electrical applications vary in size from 3/8 inches to about 6 inches.

 

·         Electrical switches

Electrical switches are a vital building component as they help regulate the power supply by turning it on or off. For house wiring especially, toggle switches are commonly used. Furthermore, they come in different sizes and styles according to your décor goals. The most popular styles are three-way, single-pole, four-way, and dimmer switches.

 

·         Electrical sockets

The primary role of electrical sockets is to ensure a continuous supply of electricity for all your electrical equipment. That means all your equipment or appliances are first linked to the sockets before drawing power from the main power supply line. Further, the “on” and “off” operation of switches complements the functionality of sockets.

 

·         Circuit breakers

At the core, circuit breakers help to keep your electrical appliances and equipment from damage. They automatically disrupt the flow of electric current to prevent an overload or short that would be disastrous to your entire electrical system. Whether you prefer a single circuit breaker or a double circuit breaker, you will find them all at Pioneer Hardware.

 

What may cause a circuit overload?

An overloaded circuit will definitely cause your circuit breakers to trip. A circuit overload simply means the electrical load or current flowing through your circuit exceeds the recommended parameters. Thus, the circuit breaks or stops functioning as a protective mechanism. That said, sometimes the overload is due to loose connections on the power outlets.

Working on your building construction with this basic understanding is imperative because excessive circuit overload can ultimately result in fires!

 

What may cause a short circuit?

Another common reason for your circuit breakers to trip is a short. A short circuit is triggered when two hot wires (black) touch each other or when a hot wire touches a neutral wire (white) and can be more severe than an overload. It can also occur if any of the wires in the circuit experiences a break.

 

·         Lighting fixtures

Also known as light fittings or luminaires, lighting fixtures are electrical devices that host electric lamps to provide illumination. That means a lighting fixture comes with a fixture body and one or several lamps. The lamps may be attached to sockets to simplify replacement or hard-wired in place, especially in the case of LED fixtures.

Broadly speaking, some of the popular types of lighting fixtures include wall sconces, pendants, chandeliers, track lights, and ceiling lights, among others.

 

·         Electrical measuring devices

Whether for your residential or commercial premises, an electrical technician will need electrical measurement tools to assess the electrical activity of your building. Simply put, these devices help you detect the presence of current or voltage in your building’s electrical system.

Typically, the instruments rely on DC or AC power sources to measure different electrical parameters such as frequency, voltage, resistance, and power factor. Some of the electrical measuring devices we stock at Pioneer Hardware include ammeters, voltmeters, ohmmeters, multimeters, and wattmeters, among others.

 

·         Wire connectors

Wire connectors help you terminate your wires in style rather than merely leaving them bare or hanging. What’s more, you can even splice multiple wires together using our wire connectors for a more decent building wiring. From transparent connectors, winged connectors, non-winged connectors, and twist-on connectors, to push-in connectors, we have got all the wiring accessories you are looking for to afford your building that irresistible professional look and feel.

 

·         Cord covers

If the cords, cables, or wires in your building are running across a surface frequented by heavy foot or vehicle traffic, you might want to think about the safety of those cords and the traffic running over them. A cord cover is a great solution. Quite simply, our cord covers prevent damage to your cables while protecting the surrounding foot traffic from trip hazards.

Moreover, our cord covers are ideal for versatile applications in your home, office, construction site, or warehouse, be it indoors or outdoors. We can also help you find custom-colored covers to match your décor accordingly.

 

Find exactly what you need with a specialist!

When purchasing electrical supplies, it is extremely paramount to go for safe and quality products from a reputable supplier of electrical products.

Now that you are acquainted with the commonly used electrical supplies in building construction projects, make your way to Pioneer Hardware in Ruaka for a fruitful shopping experience.

When you visit us, we will listen to you intently and help you select the electrical supplies best suited to your unique project requirements. Whether you are looking for electrical materials tailored to your residential, commercial, or industrial tasks, our industry-wide expertise and a huge inventory of top-quality products allow us to afford you the best customized solutions.

What’s more, our electrical products have not only been tested for safety but are also super affordable to ensure your building project doesn’t stall at any stage.

So, want to keep building uninterrupted? Partner with a reliable supplier for building materials including the best-in-class electrical supplies. Contact us today to get started with free consultations and responsive customer support.