Houston Auto Repair | Auto Answers

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.