Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Common AC Problems in the Spring


If your Air Conditioner is having trouble, or just not working outright, then your system may be experiencing one of these common problems:

A Tripped Breaker.
If your system isn't cooling your home, it could very well be a tripped breaker. Try resetting the breaker before calling in the professionals. If this doesn't solve the problem it's possible that the unit has a faulty breaker, loose wire, or a bad capacitor. It's a pretty easy fix for a technician; however, even a problem as simple as this can lead to expensive repairs as time goes on. Get it taken care of asap.

Clogged Drain Line.
An AC unit pulls moisture out of humid air while lowering the temperature. The moisture is typically drained out of your home through the plumbing. A drain pan should be present as a backup with a secondary condensate drain. Algae can grow in these lines and can clog them up, which can lead to serious water damage in your home. This is checked and cleaned during a spring tune-up.

Dirty Condenser Coil.
The condenser coil is located outside, and it pulls hot refrigerant gas from the evaporator and pumps it through the outdoor coil where it is then condensed into a liquid as the condensing unit fan pulls air across the coil. A dirty coil is inefficient, which increases electricity usage and reduces the system cooling capacity. Hire a technician to wash, clean, and maybe even comb the condenser coil during a spring tune-up.

Dirty Evaporator Coil.
The evaporator coil absorbs heat from air that passes over it, treats it, and eventually puts the air into your home to cool it. If your coil is dirty or faulty the cooling power of your entire system is diminished. The most obvious sign of a dirty evaporator coil is a drop in system pressure. Dirty coils increase operation costs and reduce your overall home comfort. The most difficult part of cleaning the evaporator coil is actually getting to it; unlike the condenser coil, the evaporator coil is indoors near the air handler furnace.

Give us a call today and schedule your spring tune-up!