Like other appliances, machines, or anything with working parts, an air conditioning unit will need repairs and consistent maintenance to deliver optimum performance. It’s the AC units that are neglected beyond repair that fail to provide enough comfort during hot weather.
Where to Start When the A/C Won’t
When there is a lack of air conditioning maintenance and your AC breaks down, the amount of time waiting for a professional to repair your AC can be long and frustrating — more so when your family is experiencing extreme discomfort during the hot, humid days of summer. What could’ve been a preventable scenario now forces you to wait for repairs.
Luckily, there are preventive measures available that you can learn, which are not limited to professionals. Troubleshooting a broken AC and fixing it on your own is possible under some scenarios. Knowing how to troubleshoot allows you to prevent total AC breakdown, spot potential problems before it materializes, and fix it accordingly. Here are common problems of AC units that you can troubleshoot on your own:
The AC Won’t Turn On
Perhaps the most common problem encountered, this problem can be easily traced to a lack of power going to your AC unit. This could mean that you have a tripped circuit breaker. In such instances, you’ll only need to reset it. Other issues such as short-circuited wires and loose wirings can be easily fixed by replacing it with a new one. Finding that wire may be a little tricky, but a maintenance manual for your unit may help.
When The House Isn’t Getting Cool
Though this may seem like a problem for the experts, its root cause can be traced back to excessive refrigerant leaks. There are other root causes of this problem that you can troubleshoot on your own, such as checking whether the air ducts and vents are clear and air flow isn’t impeded. Clogged vents can affect the working efficiency and overall cooling process of the AC unit. Moreover, you can also replace the air filters as modern AC units are sensitive to dirty air filters and will not work efficiently.
Thermostat Won’t Work
Usually, a non-working thermostat is a result of dead batteries. So before you conclude that your AC unit is broken, first check the batteries in the thermostat.
Dirty Condenser Coils
Condenser coils play an essential part in the cooling process of the AC unit. It’s responsible for discharging the heat removed inside the house by releasing it outdoors. However, all condenser coils are susceptible to dirt build-up, pollutants, and other foreign materials due to its outdoor location. If the coils are dirty, it can interfere with the discharge of heat — making the units work inefficiently.
When To Call The Professionals?
Low Refrigerant Levels
If you noticed that your home is not cooling as it used to be and is quite humid, a low refrigerant level is likely the cause. Without appropriate refrigerant levels in the system, the AC unit can’t remove heat and humidity efficiently from the air — blowing up your energy expenses and causing unwanted discomfort. Call on HVAC experts to sort things out.
Strange Noises Coming From The AC Unit
Aside from the usual operating noise of the unit, strange noises such as clanging, grinding, or banging is likely a sign of a severe problem. Troubleshooting such problems requires expert hands and is something you can’t do on your own. An HVAC expert can easily find out the cause of the strange sound and fix it without issues.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
A frozen evaporator coil is due to a lack of sufficient system airflow, which can be quickly sorted out by anyone by cleaning air ducts or replacing air filters. However, there are other more technical causes of a frozen evaporator coil, such as low refrigerant levels and system inefficiency — which is why an expert HVAC technician is needed to sort this kind of problem.
If you have exhausted your troubleshooting skills on a malfunctioning AC unit or need air conditioning maintenance, contact Good Deals Heating and Cooling at 215-947-1166.