Image credits: Alvarez Plumbing

 

There are hundreds of potential reasons for your air conditioning system to need repair work, but there are some of these reasons that are quite common. Knowing as much as you can about these common air conditioner problems may go a long way to help you understand what the technician is talking about when he comes to fix your AC. It may even be the first step towards being able to handle simple repairs on your own and do away with a good number of service calls.

 

Here are five of the most common air conditioner problems. Familiarize them so you can determine whether you need to call a professional technician or if you can handle repairs on your own.

An air conditioning system’s refrigerant is commonly known as Freon. This is the chemical that cools the air flowing out of the AC. When your AC registers low refrigerant, there may be a leak or another problem with the refrigerant system. Needless to say, you’ll have to locate the problem and fix it accordingly.

The outside fan is an important component of your air conditioning system because it transfers heat from inside your home to the outdoor air. If the outside fan fails to run, therefore, heat transfer does not take place. This may cause the air conditioning system’s compressor to overheat and the entire system to break down. The fan’s failure to run may even cause permanent internal damage to the compressor.

You’re probably already aware that haphazard, uncertified, and improper wiring in general is very dangerous and generally considered a fire hazard. Where your air conditioning system is concerned, haphazard wiring can prevent power from reaching the system. It could also possibly trip the circuit breaker.

When the outdoor unit of your air conditioning system fails to run, it usually means there is no power getting to the unit. There are also instances when the unit breaks down due to problems in the contactor or a faulty thermostat.

A frozen coil is most often a symptom of airflow problems such as blockage in the return air ductwork or restrictions resulting from dirty air filters. There are also instances when low refrigerant causes the indoor coils to freeze.

 

Prevention is, of course, your most potent weapon against these common air conditioning system problems. This is why it’s important to schedule regular maintenance for your AC. If you’re the DIY type of person, you could carry out maintenance work on your own; otherwise, you’d have to enter into an agreement with a reliable service provider who will send a professional technician to work on your AC according to your agreed schedule.

No matter if you've fitted high performance HVAC heating and cooling system in your home or even after maintenance work is regularly performed on your air conditioning  or heating system, they may still suffer problems, you may have to call in a technician to get it repaired. Better yet, learn how to troubleshoot these problems so you can address them yourself.

 

Here’s what you can do if you ever experience any of these common AC problems:

Many people make the mistake of simply adding more Freon to their AC when they find that it is low on refrigerant. What you need to do instead is check for leaks, fix those leaks, and then check to see if there are no more leaks. That is when you can add Freon to make sure your AC has the right amount.

 

Don’t just add Freon when you find your AC low on refrigerant; rather, you should check if there are leaks and fix those leaks before adding Freon. 

 

The manual that came with your AC will have information on how much refrigerant the system needs. Make sure you use the exact amount indicated on the manual, as more AC problems are bound to arise if you use too little or too much refrigerant. If you really don’t know how to fix leaks or measure the amount of Freon in the system, then it’s best to call a professional technician to get the work done for you.

Make sure the power to the outdoor unit is on and the thermostat is set to cooling mode. If there’s power to the unit and the motor appears to start normally, but the fan still isn’t spinning, then it may be damaged or overheated. Find the motor reset button and then push it after the motor has sufficiently cooled down. If the fan still doesn’t run, it may be best to call a professional technician.

 

If the fan spins only after you push it with a stick (never push the fan with your fingers), you’ll need to install a hard start capacitor. If the fan blades spin easily when you push it as the unit is turned off, but won’t spin when you turn the power on, then its motor shaft bearing is most likely worn and needs replacement.

If your Ac wasn’t installed by a professional technician, there’s a chance its wiring is haphazard and potentially dangerous. It would be best to have a professional look at the wiring and perform the necessary repairs. Your air conditioning system’s wiring may also suffer from corrosion and general wear and tear over the years. In this case, some of the wires may have to be replaced, so it’s best to get a professional to do the work for you.

The first thing you should do when your air conditioning system’s outdoor unit fails to run is to shut the power off and then check all wires and cords. Make sure all wires are tight and all cords are plugged accordingly. If you see any loose wiring, be sure to tighten them before turning the power back on.

 

If all wires and cords are in place yet the outdoor unit is still not running, you may want to check the system’s thermostat. Make sure it is perfectly level because a thermostat that’s not installed properly likely wouldn’t work as it should. If the problem persists after you’ve performed these steps, then it’s definitely time to call a professional.

If your air conditioning system’s coil froze due to low Freon, then the above troubleshooting step should already have solved this problem as well. If the coil froze due to dirty filters, however, then you’ll have to clean or replace the system’s filters depending on whether your AC has reusable or disposable filters. Cleaning or replacing filters is easy enough. All you need to do is take out the filter and then clean them thoroughly or replace them with the exact same filter model.

 

Another possible reason for frozen coil is return air ductwork blockage. It is therefore advisable for you to check the duct work of your air conditioning system and then clean it as needed. Note that ductwork blockage also makes the air conditioning unit work harder than it should, thereby reducing its efficiency and increasing your energy bill.

 

There are many benefits you can get from learning how to troubleshoot the most common problems you’ll likely encounter with your air conditioning unit. You save time because you won’t have to wait for a technician to come to your home. You’ll also save a considerable amount of money because you won’t have to keep paying for repairs.

 

If you’re really not the DIY type, though, or if you’re really not confident of your ability to perform these minor repairs, then it would definitely be best to hire a professional technician. You just might end up causing more damage to your AC if you work on it without the right set of knowledge and skills.