Stay Frosty and Prevent These Common Air Conditioner Problems
As summer comes to a close, homeowners will start to turn off their air conditioners. Most homeowners were probably lucky to make it through that summer with no significant problems. Others may have had problems and not even realized it. Air conditioner problems can come in a variety of forms ranging from the subtle to the obvious. Some issues are more easily prevented than others. As the cooling season comes to a close, take a look back and see if any of these common air conditioner problems were experienced at any point in the year.
With advice from these local air conditioning maintenance specialists, homeowners can more easily recognize air conditioner problems that may have been plaguing them all along and prevent them with good air conditioner maintenance.
Insufficient Airflow
Poor airflow is one of the more obvious signs of AC troubles. Poor airflow can come in an insufficient volume of cool air or a total lack of airflow. Some of the causes of poor airflow coming from the AC unit are:
- Clogged filter that hasn’t been changed
- Damaged blower
- Ductwork that is leaking
- Low refrigerant charge leading to frozen coils
Often a major symptom of low airflow is high humidity. When air can’t freely move around the coils in an air conditioner, it won’t remove any humidity. One can handle most of the causes of low airflow during a preseason maintenance visit from a professional HVAC technician. During a preseason check, an AC maintenance professional will thoroughly check the system so that insufficient airflow will never happen.
Refrigerant Leaks in Lines and Coils
Refrigerant leaks usually occur out of the eyesight of a homeowner, so they are difficult to find unless a professional seeks them out. Refrigerant leaks occur when refrigerant escapes from an air conditioner through tiny holes caused by vibrations or corrosion of the copper coils.
Refrigerant leaks can lead to a loss of cooling power in an air conditioner, prompting the need for repairs and refrigerant recharge. Refrigerant leaks are best prevented by keeping filters clean and periodically allowing a professional to clean the coils.
Lack of Power To Unit or Thermostat
This is the most obvious problem on the list. Few things are worse than walking into a hot and humid house only to not have a working air conditioner. This is usually caused by breakers that have tripped that power the air conditioner. Resetting the breaker may allow the unit to come on again, but it doesn’t fix the underlying problem. When breakers trip to an air conditioner, hiring a professional to check the system out is always a good idea.
Occasionally, power will go out to the thermostat, rendering the whole system unusable. When this happens, check the batteries first. Some thermostats are hardwired in, while some still run off of batteries. Homeowners can change the batteries if present and save a visit from an HVAC contractor. Otherwise, calling for help can quickly fix the problem.
About G.F. Bowman, Inc.
G.F. Bowman, Inc. has been a family-owned business for 5 decades. Their trusted staff and friendly service are ready to help solve air conditioner problems. Call today for quick air conditioner service in Cleona/Lebanon, PA.
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