You don’t want to start your summer with an air conditioner breakdown. If you’ve failed to keep up with A/C maintenance, however, that’s exactly what might happen. Without proper maintenance, your air conditioner is more vulnerable to problems than one that’s cared for regularly. But even well-maintained A/Cs are prone to problems, especially as they age. Here are some troubleshooting tips for common air conditioner problems, but leave the repairs to the pros, as you don’t want to risk damaging the system and face a costly replacement or repair.
Refrigerant problems
If your system is leaking refrigerant, it may be hard to tell, as refrigerant is employed in the unit as either a gas or vapor. You can suspect refrigerant leaks if your cooling costs are suddenly and unexplainably high. Even a slight loss of refrigerant can cause a ripple effect throughout the system, stressing the coils, compressor and more, and ramping up the system’s energy consumption. You may also notice a change in comfort, as too little refrigerant reduces the system’s cooling output, as well.
Coil issues
Dirty coils significantly affect the air conditioner’s normal operations. The coils are responsible for absorbing and release large amounts of heat. The presence of dirt interferes with normal heat transference, which ultimately drives up energy use.
Water problems
The A/C’s drainage system may also cause problems. During evaporation, the air conditioner generates a lot of moisture, which should safely drain through the condensate lines. Blockages can clog up the condensate drain and eventually result in water and mold damage. A faulty drainage system can allow water to leak out, and damage your home. Contact an HVAC contractor immediately upon signs of the drain not working properly or the air conditioner leaking water.
Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing has served homeowners in the Indianapolis area since 1970. We’re happy to help our neighbors with air conditioner problems and maintenance services. Give us call today or visit our website for more information.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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