HVAC professionals know that every summer they will encounter certain AC issues when they make visits to residential settings. Many of these issues could be avoided if homeowners would schedule regular maintenance and exercise a bit of diligence by heading off problems.
Here’s a list of common AC issues to watch out for:
- Dirty air filter. Your HVAC filter needs to be changed periodically, especially during the height of cooling and heating seasons when the unit runs more. The air filter keeps dirt out of the unit, which can cause friction between working parts and cause a malfunction. Furthermore, a dirty air filter slows down airflow so that the AC doesn’t do a good job cooling or heating. Always check the filter and change it as needed. The HVAC tech will show you how.
- Low refrigerant level. Your refrigerant level will generally be the same every year unless you have a leak. If you have a leak, the refrigerant should be topped off by a licensed HVAC tech, as nonlicensed persons shouldn’t be handling refrigerant. Furthermore, that leak should be fixed. If you have older equipment that still uses Freon — which is no longer manufactured — you may need to replace your equipment so you can use the newer refrigerant.
- Inadequate cooling. This could be for a number of reasons. If your equipment is old, it may need to be replaced. Otherwise, you might need to have the evaporator coils cleaned, or perhaps the ductwork is leaking air.
- Short cycling. This is one of the most common AC issues, and it’s when the unit turns on and off before it reaches its temperature set points. It may be that the unit is too big for the home, or it could be an electrical problem or low refrigerant.
- The unit won’t turn on. This could be from several causes. Check to see if the breaker has flipped and turned off power. Try resetting the thermostat. If neither remedy works, then it may be other electrical issues, so call your HVAC tech.
For more on AC issues, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, serving greater Indianapolis.
