AC maintenance Archives

An air conditioner not working is one of the worst things you can face. This is especially true for those living in hot and humid conditions or having an enclosed space that does not receive proper ventilation.

For offices, data centers and other commercial spaces where air conditioners are not just a luxury but an absolute necessity, malfunctioning ACs are a nightmare.

We have spoken before on how to increase the life of your HVAC unit on Thrive. Yet, even with our best efforts, things can go wrong and you are faced with emergency air conditioner repairs.

I am listing below some of the common issues that usually go wrong in air conditioners. This is not just with the intention of you taking care of your essential machine, it is so that you can quickly diagnose and get your air conditioner repaired at the earliest.

You need to keep in mind though that these are the more common issues people face with their ACs. This is by no means an exhaustive list and there are a number of other issues that can easily crop up in an air conditioning system.

Dirty or Clogged Air Filters

This is by far the most common issue people face when it comes to ACs. Overtime, the air filters in your air conditioners starts to accumulate dust and various other kinds of substances.

It is not just the air filters that get clogged due to foreign substances. Your AC pipes, ducts etc. all get clogged with regular usage.

The first thing that the AC annual maintenance contracts cover is regular cleaning of air filters and other parts. This is because, dust and other particles accumulation leads to the most number of AC malfunctions.

Hence if you feel that your air conditioner is not cooling as before or you find droplets of water leaking from the front unit, then it is most probably an air filter issue.

Dirty air filters can actually lead to your HVAC unit causing more harm in your home as well as office.

Gas Leakage

Split air conditioning units have a gas system that needs to maintain a certain pressure for the AC to cool an area effectively.

Overtime, there can be gas leakages that lead to depletion of the optimum levels needed for cooling. It could also be that the gas is simply used up if not refilled in a long time.

Hence, if your air conditioner is working properly and the issue is that it is not cooling properly, it can be a gas issue.

Unlike clogged air filters, if it is indeed a gas issue, then you will find you’re AC does not cool at all or the cooling is rapidly slowing down over a number of days of usage.

Severe gas leakage will lead to you’re AC not cooling at all.

AC Circuit Issues

The entire circuit system inside your air conditioner is essential for proper communication between the outdoor and indoor units of your AC.

It is also necessary for proper inputs from the AC remote or control system to the mechanical units of the machine.

Circuit issues can lead to malfunctions as the AC does not know how to communicate between each of its parts. It will also cause a problem for the AC to understand inputs from the user such as yourself.

Voltage Issues

While most modern day HVAC units do have voltage stabilizers, there are times when issues crop up in your air conditioner.

Voltage fluctuations in your home due to whatever reason can be a cause for your air conditioner and other machines to malfunction

Broken or Faulty Blower

Your air conditioner will have a blower or a fan in the indoor unit that is essential for cool air to blow out of the AC.

There are times when this blower stops rotating or parts of it become non-functional. In this case, even though you’re AC is actually working properly, it is because of the blower fan that your air conditioner does not cool effectively.

Broken or faulty blowers are a common issue faced in ACs and can be diagnosed quickly by any qualified technician.

Final thoughts

Even though I have mentioned it above, it is important to reiterate that the above given list of issues are not an exhaustive list. There are a number of other issues that can occur such as thermostat issues, coils and wiring problems.

If your air conditioner is not cooling effectively, you may first try to clean the air filters or get your gas levels checked. If even after that you find there are problems, it is best to get it diagnosed by qualified professionals.

Give It a Quick Assessment

First up, you need to give it a once-over to establish its general condition. Depending on where you live, you may not have touched it for several months. As a result, it is likely to be in not the best condition compared to how you usually like it to look.

Even if you are not HVAC-savvy when it comes to fixing things up, you should be able to tell from a general once-over what condition it is in. If it looks battered and old, it is going to need either some repairs or potentially even replacing fully. This first little assessment of fins, electrical components, belts, and other essential parts of the system could be key in ensuring that your AC is actually able to stand up to the job without breaking halfway through the season.

Clear It Out

Through fall and winter, dirt and debris can become lodged in an AC unit if it is not properly cared for belts, and electrics. Many areas of your AC can get clogged with dirt and grime that can impair them, so when you’re checking that your AC is workable, you should also clean it out. This is such a critical part of the maintenance and it can’t be a step that is skipped. If you feel like this is going to be beyond your skillset, make sure you enlist the help of an expert instead.

The very first thing you need to do is cut the power to the AC unit itself. Make sure that power is off to avoid any issues you may encounter while trying to clean it. You then need to clean the inside. Make sure the evaporator coils are clean, and then empty and clean the drain and drain pan. If the drain is clogged, you can use a wet/dry vacuum to try to shift the blockage.

You should also clean the outside of the unit once the power is off. There should be enough slack in the wires for you to do this without needing to disconnect the wires. You can then clean out any debris from the bottom of the unit itself. If you use a solution to clean your condenser coils, you need to make sure that it does not get on any of the inner workings or on you as it can cause burns and damage the unit itself. Finally, straighten the unit’s fans to help maintain its efficiency. Make sure you are using the right set of tools for the job when you do so. As you close up your AC unit, make sure you check that it is still level.

Check the Air Filters

Air filters are one of the most crucial parts of the AC unit and it is something that you will check fairly regularly, even if you only clean the full unit a few times a year. Air filters are such an easy change to make but they can make a real difference to the inside of your home. If you feel like things are a bit stuffy, or it seems like the air is not circulating as well as it should, that is a key indicator that your air filter needs to be changed.

Air filters come in many sizes – while you’ll likely have a common size like a 16x25x1, make sure to check the size of your current filter before stocking up. A good-quality air filter should last you at least two or three months, but you may want to change it more often depending on your household. As a result, you need to make sure that you have enough filters to last you throughout the season.

Maintain Your AC Regularly

We rely on our AC systems more than we might realize. If you think that yours needs some work as we move into the summer months, you should think about updating it as soon as you can. This is just one part of your house that should be refreshed in time for summer, but things can get unpleasant if it does break down.

Make sure you are giving yourself enough time to properly assess it and any repairs it might need. Better to get them sorted now before you have to rely on that AC keeping you cool after all! If your home needs its AC in the warmer months, you should check on it today to make sure it is ready!