Your Virtual AC Repairman
The information presented will not make you a professional HVAC technician. Still, it will help you in understanding some of the basics of air conditioning, and help you make sense of what your air conditioner repairman is telling you. This will make you feel more confident that you’re not being taken advantage of by your Air Conditioner Repairman
Regular Maintenance
Providing maintenance to your HVAC system should be a top priority. Especially when dealing with your air conditioning system, maintaining it is very important. More than not, calls to service an air conditioning system is related to a lack of proper maintenance. But good news, much of this can be handled by yourself.
Air conditioners can be very temperamental. You can get dirt build up on the filters, outdoor units, and evaporator coils located at the top of the furnace, which is very problematic to your system. The reason for this is because A/C systems operate almost entirely on pressure and temperature relationships.
Airflow passing through and over the evaporator coil, condenser coils, and furnace fan has a significant part in this kind of relationship. If dirt builds up in those areas, then airflow is restricted, which causes higher temperatures and results in higher pressures. This can result in the refrigerant running through the system in “states” that are not intended for the system.
There is a lot of science and technical work involved in the process of refrigerant. You are converting gases to liquids and all that to provide the correct dehumidification for your house. I won’t try to overwhelm you with all that information, understand that regular cleaning of your system is essential to keep everything in good shape. It will extend the operation-life of your parts and increase the efficiency of operation, saving you discomfort and money to repair simple malfunctions that could be easily avoided with regular cleaning.
Common system charging mistakes
Frequently, we are told that air conditioning systems require charging. This may sometimes be true in some instances, but is often a misdiagnosis or a leak that is not repaired.
Understanding that air conditioner systems are sealed systems that are to be checked for leaks extensively upon its installation. Once the order has been properly inspected, it should not have any leaking issues unless something has made an impact on the unit. A broken part or a cracked steal, or even substantial damages caused by storms or outside collisions, events such as those.
The idea that an AC unit needs to be recharged is a gross fabrication.
Although it might be a good idea to check the charge of the air conditioning system, especially if you performed the air conditioner installation it yourself, do not this regularly. If the system is low, ask for a leak to be located and repaired. If you don’t do this, you’ll be looking at an annual bill to have someone recharge the system, which isn’t doing the environment any favors. Either inside your home, our outside, depending on where the leak is located.
Once the unit is confirmed to be free of leaks, do not have the pressure checked unless there’s a problem with the system again. Every time gauges are attached to your air conditioning system, and it is inevitable that refrigerant will be stolen from it. Over time, it will pile up, and you will need a charge sooner than later.
The pressure and temperature relations of an air conditioner can be very finicky. Even the slightest changes to either of these factors can end in problems with your system.
Troubleshoot Your Central Air Conditioner
If your air conditioner is humming, but the outdoor fan is not spinning, it might just be the capacitor. Without having to get into the service panel, you can try to give the fan a push with a stick or a broom handle to keep your fingers away from the spinning blades. If the fan starts spinning with the help of this boost, then it is almost guaranteed to be the fault of a bad capacitor. The silver lining is that replacing a capacitor is very simple.
Often than not it is an electrical problem
Repairs for air conditioning are often electrical. Three common issues are tripped breakers at the main panel, blown fuses in the service panel near the condensing unit, and blown capacitors. Inspecting these three items first could save you having to call an Air Conditioning Repairman or at least give you confidence that you know what the service might be.
Take a listen to the outdoor unit. Is it humming at all? If it is not, then it is likely that you are not getting power to your group, which could be the result of a tripped breaker or a blown-out fuse.
Can you hear a humming, but the system isn’t running? It might be the capacitor. A capacitor is a small silver part located in the service panel; they are usually round or oval and have dozens of prongs on the top. Do not attempt to tinker with the part, but you should be able to see if the top has “mushroomed” visually. This is a common sign that the capacitor has blown, so you at least know when your air conditioning repairman arrives and what they should be repairing.
Air Conditioner Electrical Problems
If there is a problem, then it will let you know.
Aside from emergency shutdowns, air conditioners will alert you if something is wrong before shutting down if the issue is not electricity-related. Make it routine to check the copper lines in your AC system for ice and frost build-up. If you spot this, your air conditioner is trying to tell you that something isn’t right, and you may be able to perform service before it shuts down or the issue becomes worse.
Air conditioners are a simple system that uses complex science to function. But this necessary know-how is what is most vital for you as a homeowner and can defend you from making certain mistakes in the future.
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