Top 8 causes of air conditioning failure
If you have ever spent a hot summer in a house or company with a broken air conditioner, this is definitely the worst experience of your life. Don't let your summer lack comfort with a broken air conditioner! Learn now about the most common causes of air conditioner problems and easy steps you can take to prevent repair problems!
1. Refrigerant drill leak
Refrigerant is what your air conditioner uses to remove heat and moisture from the hot air in your home or business. If your system detects a leak, unfortunately, fixing this air conditioning problem is a lot more complicated than replacing the refrigerant. Repair technicians need to find leaks and fix holes in the path, which can sometimes be a time-consuming and expensive process, especially when there are many leaks.
2. The evaporator coil is frozen
Your air conditioner evaporator coil is filled with refrigerant, and this part is also responsible for absorbing heat from the air like a sponge. It sounds counter-scientific, but those coils need warm air circulating around to function properly. When something goes wrong with the airflow and the evaporator coil gets too cold, a layer of ice can build up on the outside. When that happens, what you get will be the air conditioner is not working effectively, even though it is turned on 16 degrees, the space in the room is not cooler than it is outdoors.
3. Dirty condenser coil
The condenser coil is part of the outdoor unit, which removes heat from the air by expelling hot air to the outside of the building. The condenser coil will not work well when it is covered with a layer of dirt. When it's dirty, heat transfer is impeded, and the refrigeration system has to work harder to do its job, leading to increased wear on components and even system failure.
4. Fan problem
One fan blows indoor air through the evaporator coil to cool the air, and another fan blows air through the outdoor unit's condenser to remove heat from the outside of the building. If one of those fans does not work properly due to a faulty motor, lack of lubrication, then the performance of the air conditioner will be greatly affected.
5. Leaky pipes
Ducts that run through your walls and ceiling carry cool air from the air conditioner. However, if there are holes or breaks in the ductwork (perhaps caused by rodents or careless workers), that expensive cold air will blow inside your walls. And, of course, this scenario makes your air conditioner work harder and spikes your electricity bill.
6. Heat problem
Especially if you still have your old dial-in thermostats, they may be incorrectly calibrated, which means your air conditioner is not receiving the correct instructions from the control system. This problem is pretty easy to fix by replacing or recalibrating your thermostat. If you still have the manual, check the manual to make sure your thermostat settings are correct.
7. Drainage is off
All the moisture your air conditioner removes from the air has to go somewhere. It was supposed to be taken out of space through a pipe. If pipes or drains are clogged or pans are full, water can back up and damage your system.
8. Strap is worn out
If the strap is worn or too much dirt and debris, you will have problems with airflow and poor air conditioning. If you ignore the problem, it can lead to compressor failure, often a death sentence for your air conditioner.
