As soon as the weather starts to warm up you’re going to be glad that you have an air conditioner in your home. Cooling the air makes the home more tolerable in the heat of summer and will certainly help you get a good night’s sleep.
However, the pleasure of cool air blowing into your home will quickly disappear when the air conditioning stops working and you end up with an expensive repair bill.
That’s why you need to know the top 5 causes of air conditioner problems and how to prevent them.
Lack Of Maintenance
Your air conditioner consists of several different components. All of these need to work efficiently and effectively to ensure the unit takes in warm air and turns it into cool air.
If one component is off-balance or something has small as a seal has failed, the entire air conditioner may not work properly.
A regular air conditioning service will ensure any issues are detected and resolved before they become a major issue. This won’t just ensure your air conditioning is working when you need it, you’ll also save yourself money by not having to pay for expensive repairs.
Low Coolant
Coolant is the liquid that goes around the air conditioning system. Hot air moves across the coolant pipes, the coolant sucks the heat and humidity out of the air and release cool air into your home.
If your system has sprung a leak your coolant level will be low. This will prevent the air conditioner from drawing all the heat out of the air, allowing warm air rather than cold into your home. Over time the coolant will disappear altogether leaving your air warm and potentially destroying your air conditioner.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
The coolant actually fills coils, known as evaporator coils. What may surprise you is that the coils actually need warm air circulating around the coils to create the right airflow and allow the coolant to do its job. If the airflow is inadequate for any reason the coils will actually freeze.
You’ll then have warm air or no air in your home.
Fan Issues
The fan is a simple electrical component that pulls warm air into the unit and pushes cold air out. It consists of the fan blades, a motor, and electrical wires. If the fan isn’t serviced regularly the lubrication can dry out and any belts can perish, leaving you without a fan and no cold air.
Initially, it will show as reduced airflow, if you don’t act then it will quickly become an expensive repair as the compressor will need to be replaced.
Clogged Drains
This may seem like an unusual issue for an air conditioning unit but it’s surprisingly common. A clogged drain means that the moisture removed from the air cannot go anywhere. If it’s not able to drain the water will back up, gradually filling your unit and potentially short-circuiting all the electrics.
If this happens you’ll end up needing a new air conditioner.
