Higher utility bills suggest an overworked compressor, a dirty filter or leaking ducts. A professional Houston air conditioning repair service like Blue Star HVAC can evaluate the problem and suggest ways to lower your utility bills. Repairs may solve the problem, but a new unit can save between 20 and 50 percent on energy use, depending on the system you choose.

Frequent or costly repairs are a telltale sign that a system may be at the end of its serviceable life. Having regular tune-ups by an HVAC repair service and keeping air filters clean helps keep systems running smoothly, improves energy efficiency, and reduces the occurrence of breakdowns. But even a well-maintained system eventually wears out.

Uneven heating and cooling in a room may be due to leaks around doors and windows, inadequate insulation, leaking ducts, or poor equipment performance. Hot and cold spots are often a sign of an improperly sized air conditioner. A licensed Houston Heater Repair company can perform an energy audit to identify leaks in the building envelope and calculate a load of your building to determine whether the existing unit is the right size.

High indoor humidity is a sign that the air conditioner is not performing properly. New advances in HVAC technology such as variable-speed compressors are more energy efficient because they operate in response to heating and cooling demand. Most of the time, a variable-speed compressor runs at lower speeds. When temperatures rise and more cooling is needed, the compressor runs at higher speeds, delivering consistent temperatures and lower humidity with less energy usage.