Air conditioners that are installed wrong, serviced poorly, or not maintained properly are going to fail, according to the federal Department of Energy. You may be able to fix some things yourself but some take a highly trained professional to come out and perform maintenance on your air conditioning system. Here are the five most common problems with air conditioners – take a moment to see if yours is in danger of failing due to one or more of these issues.
Leaks. Ideally, the refrigerant charge needs to exactly matches the manufacturer’s specifications, and is neither undercharged or overcharged, says the DOE. Leaks cause your air conditioner system to struggle, not to mention being harmful to the environment. If your air conditioner leaks, you absolutely need a trained technician to fix the leak, test the repair and then charge the system with the correct amount of refrigerant.
Dirt. Dirty filters and air conditioning coils can overtax your air conditioning unit and cause the compressor or fans to fail. You can replace the air filters on your own and clean the coils gently or you can join the Service Club where a trained technician does it for you as part of your yearly system maintenance.
Electric controls. An air conditioner that cycles on and off frequently causes the compressor and fan controls to wear out. This is common when a system is oversized. Corroded wires and terminals can also be a problem in many systems. For this you need a trained professional to check the electrical connections and contacts as well as make sure that your unit is the correct size for your house.
Sensor. If your air conditioner is cycling on and off too often, it could be that the sensor is knocked out of position. The sensor should be near the coil but not touching it. You can try to adjust the position yourself or get a professional technician out to do it..
Drainage. Make sure that you window air conditioner is draining properly and that it is level. Check for clogs and other drainage problems that could be causing improper drainage.
If you need it American Air has a $129 precision air conditioning tune-up and professional cleaning available. Let one of our experienced technicians come out and make sure your air conditioner won’t fail during these critical summer months.
This article was provided by American AC Heat Plumbing. Since 1981, American Air has been providing professional air conditioning and heating service and repair. Check out their $129 tune-up special – good for your air conditioner or furnace!