Air conditioners are a must-have in your home, and life may become problematic if it suddenly goes out. Ac repairs are expensive, so it’s good to maintain your unit properly. Here are some of the frequent problems or Air Conditioner Issues that may dog your unit:
Table of Contents
Refrigerant Leaks- Air Conditioner Issues
A refrigerant is a chemical that cools the AC system down by transferring heat. The most commonly used refrigerants are Puron and Freon. When the chemical levels are low, the system struggles to operate optimally, and it may end up freezing. If it freezes, its cooling efficiency goes down. The frequent cause of low refrigerant is a slow leak.
The first sign of leakage is your air conditioner running harder and longer to achieve the set temperature. You can solve this by adding more refrigerant, but you have to identify the cause of the low gas and resolve it.
If the issue persists, it is advisable to seek professional help to diagnose the cause of the leak. Usually, the problem emanates from the main parts of the machine like the compressor, evaporator, and condenser, which can be a hassle for you to detect.
Polluted Filters- Air Conditioner Issues
Clogged and dirty filters can derail the functions of an air conditioner. If you live in a dusty area, regular maintenance of the machine is a must-do practice. Clogging causes airflow complications because of the pollution of the filters and freezing of coils. Cottonwood, dirt, dust, and mold start accumulating in the condensing coil leading to a gradual decrease in cooling efficiency and capacity.
If left unattended, the build-up will ice the whole unit, leading to a collection of ice on the copper lines in the interior and the exterior of the system. As a result, the air conditioner will have a hard time trying to suck air into the machine using the coil. Ensure that there is no build-up of debris in the coil to ease air drawing. Consider annual maintenance of your air conditioning machine to steer clear of this problem as it is not easily detectable due to the slow build-up of particles.
Circuit Fuse- Air Conditioner Issues
It is the most on-the-spot cause of air conditioning failure. When a circuit fuse breaks, it leads to an electrical short circuit. In essence, the electricity that passes through the right path speeds up the process of the expansion of the electrical current levels to heights that overpower the wires. The excess current stream makes the wires hot resulting in fire.
A circuit breaker will alert you of the impending damage by tripping; it serves as a precursor to the brewing storm. Once you get this alert, contact an AC repair contractor immediately to do AC repairs before a fire breaks out. If you do not have professional experience, it is strongly advisable to avoid self-changing the fuse, leading to dire consequences. But if you are a bit seasoned, let the fuse cool for a quarter of an hour before replacing the breaker.
Damaged Blower Motor
The blower motor works by transporting air from the interior of the ductwork. Blowers need regular lubrication of their bearings and staying dirt-free to carry out their functions. Additionally, when they get older, they may need help from capacitors to start because of wear and tear that results in extra stress on the motor.
A common sign of a failing blower motor is a smell of electrical burning that originates from the ductwork. Another sign is a grinding sound from the blower. It is not easy to fix a blower motor unless you have experience. Shut down the conditioner to avert fire and any more damage.
Clogging Condensate Drain Line
The conditioner cools not only your house but also dehumidifiers it. The two-process processes work in tandem, cooling the air while leading to moisture removal. It would help if you trapped a drained the moisture on the exterior of your home. A PVC drain line is installed to connect your system with the exterior to achieve this. Over time molds, algae, and other mold build up on the line to the point of poor drainage.
Clogging leads to a build-up in the drain, which ultimately fills up the other drain pan instead of running to the floor or soaking through the ceiling. The second pan has a safety switch that shuts off the equipment when it fills up. The triggering of the safety switch leads to a host of happenings depending on the wiring of the equipment. Regularly, the thermostat goes off as the safety switch cuts in the unit’s power. On the other hand, the thermostat and blower may remain intact while the condensing team goes off.
With experience, you can probe your evaporator and check the state of drainage by seeking water in the pan. Additionally, you can lift the safety switch. If you locate water in the pan, you have identified the problem. You can go at it or hire experts to fix the drain line.
Bad Compressor or Fan Motor
These two parts are on the outside of your system. You can diagnose problems with the parts if they do not run, grind or screech or a tripped breaker. There are three causes of motor failure, namely:
- Open winding is due to the breaking down of the winding, which prevents the regular flow of power through the motor. It does not trip a breaker, leaving the inoperable motor condition.
- Bad valves or bearings- bearings enhance the smooth running of the motor. When the bearings go wrong, they make grinding and screeching noises. Inability to hold pressure causes the valves to go wrong. A whining or hissing sound can indicate a leak that you should seal.
- It was shorting to the ground. It happens when a winding makes contact with the ground or case. It results in the breakage of the trip.
In case of any of these issues, only professional help will help you out.
Thermostat Problems
Conditioners with old dial thermostats may suffer from incorrect calibrations, which leads to the control systems giving the conditioner wrong instructions. You can quickly fix the problem by recalibrating or replacing the thermostats. The modern programmable thermostats may be hard to program, and you may set them wrongly. Consult the manual to ensure you get the settings right.
Leaking Ducts
Ducts run through the ceilings and walls, carrying cool air from the conditioner all through the house. If the ducts have and break, it may slow down the cooling process. In this case, the conditioner puts up more work in a bid to make up for the gaps in the ducts, increasing your power bills substantially.
Conclusions
All these issues affect your unit, and they need prompt air conditioning repairs to stoop further bleeding losses. You can minimize air conditioning repairs by adequately maintaining your team and replacing worn-out parts quickly. Also, replace obsolete technology like the dial thermostats with programmable ones and clear any debris and brush surrounding the outside unit.
