How to Spot & Repair Issues in Your AC Before It Is Too Late
Maintaining regular AC maintenance can help to stave off future AC repair needs, but if your system has been experiencing frequent breakdowns it might be worth replacing it with something more efficient and reliable.
No matter whether it is repair or replacement of an AC system, here are a few troubleshooting steps you can take immediately to address potential problems with it.
1. Refrigerant Leaks
Refrigerator refrigerant is essential to allowing your AC system to absorb heat and produce cool, refreshing air. If it leaks into the atmosphere, however, the issue must be identified and remedied quickly before further damage ensues.
Leak in an AC refrigerant system is usually caused by improper installation or natural wear and tear on components over time but can also result from age-related degradation or poor shipping and storage practices. Whatever its source may be, once an AC refrigerant leaks its effectiveness will decrease over time and cost you money more in repairs, but this article claims that it could also possibly be hazardous to your health.
One of the clearest indicators that your system has a refrigerant leak is hearing hissing noises while it runs. These sounds indicate your compressor is under pressure and leaking refrigerant through cracks or holes; should this occur, please call a technician immediately so that they can diagnose and address it before it worsens further.
2. Frozen Evaporator Coil
Your AC’s evaporator coil is designed to extract heat energy from indoor air. However, in certain instances it may experience issues and become frozen up, an issue which affects all makes and models of AC systems.
As soon as your evaporator coil begins failing, its first sign may be an inability to effectively cool your home and the thermostat’s display does not reflect actual temperatures within your home. Ice buildup around your evaporator coil could also indicate potential trouble; should this occur, call an AC repair technician as soon as possible for advice and to prevent further damage to your unit.
If the evaporator coil in your air conditioning system has frozen over, the first step should be to deactivate it by switching off its circuit breaker in your home’s electrical panel. Once this step has been taken, locate your system’s evaporator coil which should either be located in the furnace or air handler based on how your system was configured.
3. Dirty Air Filter
Change your air filter regularly to keep your AC running optimally and ensure it provides maximum cooling in your home. Unfortunately, many people only realize this is necessary after experiencing inadequate cooling in their homes or an unexpected rise in their power bills.
Dirty filters hinder airflow through your HVAC system, forcing the fan motor to work harder into circulate the same amount of air that would typically circulate throughout your house. This issue is one of the most common AC repairs technicians get calls about. This creates additional strain on your AC unit as it increases wearandtear on its components.
Filtered air conditioning units may freeze up when dirty filters restrict the flow of chilly air over the evaporator coil, leading condensation that would normally dissipate over it to instead build up and cause frost on fans or coils. Decreased flow over the coil reduces your AC’s ability to remove humidity from your home environment.
4. Faulty Thermostat
A thermostat is an integral component of your AC system. It plays an integral part in maintaining an ideal climate in your home, so its proper functioning is of vital importance to keeping temperatures comfortable in every room of the house.
A malfunctioning thermostat could wreak havoc with your cooling system’s performance or even stop functioning altogether – therefore knowing how to spot one and watch out for its warning signs is key for the efficient functioning of any AC system (https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/what-to-do-when-your-thermostat-is-wrong/).
Initial indicators that your thermostat may be malfunctioning include it not responding to commands, needing replacement batteries, or being reset – both can help. If this issue still exists, professional assistance should be sought ASAP to accurately assess what may be causing it.
5. Broken Fan
No matter the air conditioning unit in your car or home, fans help circulate hot and chilly air through your system. If any of these fans stop functioning properly, this could negatively impact how efficiently your AC works as well as impair indoor air quality.
To determine whether your air conditioning’s fan or compressor is at fault, first perform an audit using both listening and looking techniques. A working air conditioner should produce a humming sound; if this noise can be heard but fan blades do not spin at the same rate, this indicates a motor problem and repair.
Ratty noises are another telltale sign of a broken fan. If your air conditioning unit makes these audible rattles, it is likely time to replace its fan motor or capacitor and/or examine outside units for signs such as rust or debris on fan blades that indicate something may be amiss.
