Problems with your central air conditioner may make it impossible to work at home or sleep at night. In addition, issues with the wiring or compressor in your system may cause the total cost of your utility bills to increase. Prior to calling a licensed HVAC technician to receive assistance with a repair or tune-up, it’s important to become familiar with ordinary air conditioner problems.
This will help you discuss your problem in a detailed manner with your contractor. To help you save money during the summer season, we have compiled a list of 6 air conditioner problems and how to fix them.
Air Conditioner Issues
Refrigerant Leaks
If the central air conditioner is activated and your household feels hot or humid, this is a an indicator of a problem with the refrigerant lines. Once the refrigerant supply becomes too low, the air conditioning system will be unable to extract heat from the air. Although a leak is able to be easily fixed by refilling the refrigerant, this is only a temporary fix. The only way to fix a refrigerant leak is to hire a licensed plumber to find and fix the crack in your refrigerant lines.
To ensure you are able to detect issues with your air conditioning system, it’s important to be familiar with ordinary signs of a refrigerant leak. If you have a crack or hole in your refrigerant lines, you may notice condensation or ice on your evaporator coils. Once the amount of refrigerant in the evaporator coils becomes too low, the coils will not be able to effectively extract heat energy from the air in your home. This air conditioner problem may cause the evaporator coils to become frozen.
Water Leaks
Your central air conditioner is engineered to remove heat and moisture from the air in your house. Once the moisture is collected by your system, it is flushed through a drain pipe to prevent mold growth and water damage in your household. If you notice wet flooring or walls in your home, this is a sign of a blockage in your condensation drain. To fix this type of air conditioner problem, attach a wet or dry vacuum to the end of the drain pipe. This will help loosen and eliminate the blockage in your central air conditioner.
Tips & Insights: Why Is My Central Air Conditioning System Leaking Water?
Faulty Wiring
Central air conditioning systems are designed to operate in 15 to 20 minute cycles three times per hour. If your air conditioner is deactivating too quickly, this is an indicator of a tripped circuit breaker. To fix this air conditioner problem, navigate to the electrical panel in your household. Next, flip the switch to the off position and then to the on position. Although it may be normal for the circuit breaker to trip a couple of times throughout the summer months, this issue should not happen on a monthly basis.
If your circuit breaker shuts down once or twice a month, this issue may be caused by faulty wiring or malfunctioning electrical components. For example, an electrical short will cause your breaker to deactivate when your central air conditioner is turned on. To prevent damage to your compressor or a house fire, we recommend calling a certified plumber to fix the wiring in your air conditioning system.
Broken Capacitors
Are you unable to activate the fan in your central air conditioner? An ordinary cause of this problem is broken capacitors. The capacitors in an air conditioning system are engineered to provide the electricity necessary to activate the motor. If you notice a clicking noise at the beginning of the cooling cycle, this is a signal of a malfunctioning capacitor. To avoid costly motor problems, we recommend hiring a plumber to replace or repair the capacitors on your air conditioning system.
Damaged Compressor
The compressor in a central air conditioner is designed to distribute the refrigerant to the condenser and evaporator coils. In addition, this component is required to regulate the pressure in your air conditioning system. As your air conditioner reaches the middle of its life cycle, Issues such as refrigerant leaks, contaminated evaporator coils, and faulty capacitors can easily cause damage to the compressor. If your air conditioner is distributing warm air in your house, this is a sign of a damaged compressor. To fix this problem, you will need specialized tools, equipment, and training. To avoid injury or damage, you should consider hiring a licensed technician to repair or replace your compressor.
Tips & Insights: Ways to Detect An Air Conditioner (AC) Refrigerant Leak
Corrosion
Corrosion may start to form in your central air conditioner due to improper drainage. If this problem is not resolved, the coils in your system will become damaged. In addition, a buildup of rust or debris can cause a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant leaks are often hard to detect at first, but they will lead to compressor damage and the development of ice along the coils. If you notice signs of corrosion, call a licensed HVAC technician to receive assistance with this air conditioner problem.
If you need help with an HVAC issue, give our team a call by phone at (484) 206-8594. The team of certified HVAC technicians at WM Henderson have the tools and skills to resolve problems such as damaged wiring, broken compressors, moisture leaks, and corrosion. The staff at WM Henderson offers HVAC repair and replacement services for central air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, and ductless mini-split systems. In addition, our team of technicians provides reliable plumbing services to homes in your area.
Is your water heater not working? Our licensed plumbers provide convenient water heater repair and replacement services to homeowners. We offer plumbing, heating and cooling solutions to homeowners in areas of Pennsylvania such as Coatesville, West Chester, Broomall, and Conshohocken. We have been serving the local community since 1977.