Oakland County
AC Repair in Berkley, MI
Just up Coolidge and Twelve Mile from Nine Mile.
The summer version of Berkley's defining problem is the same problem in reverse. The bungalows here were widely expanded upward into the attic, and that added floor sits directly under a roof absorbing sun all afternoon while being served by ductwork designed for a house that stopped at the ceiling below it. The result is a second storey that stays warm no matter where the thermostat is set, and a homeowner reasonably concluding that the air conditioner has failed when it has not.
What we run into in Berkley cooling systems
- Cooling the added upstairs is the single most common request in this city, and it is usually a return-air and duct-sizing problem before it is an equipment problem.
- Small lots put condensers close to bedroom windows, so sound level is a real consideration when replacing one.
- Original evaporator coils sized for the pre-dormer house are frequently mismatched to a condenser that was upgraded later.
Getting someone out
For a no-cooling emergency, ring (248) 398-4015 rather than using the form. That line runs 24 hours. Scheduled work, including anything that can wait until the morning, runs Mon–Fri 8am–5pm out of the shop at 1880 E Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220.
It helps to know what you have before anyone arrives. The age of the unit, the brand on the front, and whether it is doing nothing at all or doing something wrong will usually narrow the problem down over the phone.
This page covers what is particular about Berkley. For how the work itself goes, what tends to fail, and the repair-or-replace question, see ac repair.
AC Repair in Berkley: questions we get
The upstairs of my Berkley bungalow never cools down. Is that the AC?
Usually not the AC itself, for the same reason it runs cold in winter. The duct and return system predates the finished second storey. The equipment can be in perfect condition and that floor will still sit warm. The fix is about airflow to and from the space, so the supply and return upstairs come before the condenser outside.
Why is my AC running but not cooling?
The three usual causes are a refrigerant charge that has dropped because of a leak, an evaporator coil that has frozen over, and a compressor that is not starting. A dirty filter sits behind more of these than people expect, because restricted airflow is what freezes a coil in the first place. Checking the filter costs nothing and is worth doing before you call.
There is ice on my air conditioner. What should I do?
Switch the cooling off at the thermostat but leave the fan set to on. That moves room-temperature air across the coil and thaws it without running the compressor against ice. Then check the filter. Running a frozen system risks sending liquid refrigerant back to the compressor, which turns a modest repair into an expensive one.