August 3, 2022
When your home’s air conditioner breaks down, you want to get the situation taken care of at the earliest opportunity. Unfortunately, there can be hundreds of reasons why your air conditioner isn’t functioning properly. How do you know which one is affecting you? There are a number of problems that are more common, and identifying what they are is handy when your Midland Air Service Experts Expert is discussing options for solving the problem with air conditioning repair in North America.
ere are the top six common air conditioner problems that can cause your air conditioning to stop working.
1. Thermostat Problems
Your thermostat tells your air conditioner when to start and for how long to run. If the settings are wrong, your air conditioning might not function like it should. And if the batteries ran out in a programmable thermostat, you won’t be able to use it at all. Follow this short checklist to ensure your thermostat is receiving power and working properly:
- Swap out batteries if the screen is blank (programmable models)
- Make sure your thermostat has power (smart models)
- Verify that it’s currently on cooling mode
- Ensure your preferred temperature is below the current room temperature
2. Dirty Air Filter
Old or inefficient air filters are notorious for turning a perfectly functional and efficient air conditioner into a slow and inefficient one. In addition, dirty filters could cause a number of problems, including weaker airflow, poorer indoor air quality and higher power use. They can also make an AC unit work harder and stop working if the coil freezes up.
You can easily reduce the risk of AC problems by consistently cleaning or replacing the air filter. How do you know if you should change the filters? If you can’t recall the last time you changed them, it’s almost definitely time to. But for a standard recommendation, make sure you try to change flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.
3. Frozen Condenser Coils
Your air conditioner’s coils are essential components because they discharge heat from your home into the outdoor air. But even during the summer, ice can build up on the coils. Frozen coils won’t be able to regulate the cooling process as precisely, and in some cases sufficient ice can keep the AC from running at all.
Freezing can be connected to several issues, such as:
- Dirty coils caused by insufficient annual maintenance
- Dirty air filters, which obstruct airflow
- Clogged drain line, which can result in moisture buildup
- Refrigerant leaks, which reduce cooling power
If your air conditioner is frozen, turn it off and let the ice melt. This will sometimes take up to 24 hours, but you can accelerate the process by switching settings to “fan only.” This blows warm air on the coils without beginning a refrigeration cycle.
It’s recommended to examine the air filter first. If you can’t see light through it, change it. The other challenges, like dirty coils, a clogged drain line or refrigerant leaks, will need professional help.
4. Refrigerant Leak
Your cooling needs refrigerant to relocate heat. When it doesn’t have enough refrigerant, you might notice you’re getting a lot of hot air. Here are a few signs you’re dealing with a leak:
- Inadequate cold air
- Home seems humid
- Excessively long cooling cycles
- Ice forming on the evaporator coils
- Bubbling or hissing air conditioner sounds
- Sweet smell nearby the air conditioner
If your cooling was installed prior to 2011, it likely uses Freon® or R-22. This coolant is no longer being produced as a consequence of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. Only recycled quantities are obtainable, which makes refrigerant leaks more costly to fix.
If your R-22 AC unit has a refrigerant leak, we advocate for air conditioning installation due to age and the refrigerant being obsolete. Newer air conditioners use Puron or R-410A, which is superior for the environment.
We understand that replacing your air conditioner can be an emergency that you aren’t prepared for. Ask us about our Advantage Program™, which gives you a new air conditioner for just one reasonable monthly fee. Repairs and maintenance are included, and you’ll get to keep any valuable manufacturer’s rebates.
5. Water Leak
Your AC unit utilizes a condensate drain line to flush water it removes from the air. If you’ve skipped air conditioning maintenance, this drain can become plugged up with mold and cause water to stay in the drain line. If this happens, you’ll notice water leaking.
Shut off your air conditioner to minimize damage and contact us at 866-397-3787 for assistance.
6. Tripped Circuit Breaker
There can be a number of reasons why your air conditioner keeps tripping its circuit breaker. Here are several of the most common ones:
- Dirty air filter is significantly restricting airflow.
- Your air conditioning system is running too hot due to inadequate refrigerant.
- Condenser coils are dirty and restraining airflow.
- Condenser fan motor has stopped working and coils are overheating.
- Electrical connections are worn or loose.
- Blower motor is defective.
- Compressor is drawing excess power or wiring is malfunctioning.
- Capacitor responsible for starting the compressor has failed.
Like we mentioned earlier, examine your air filter first, as that is most likely to be the culprit. Any other problems should be addressed by an HVAC professional like Midland Air Service Experts.
7. Short Cycling
An insufficient cooling cycle can also be part of the problem. Short cycling is an irritating error when the unit shuts down before the set temperature has covered the entire house. If you think your AC unit is short cycling, listen to how long the air is on before it turns off. Your ordinary air conditioner generally runs for 15 to 20 minutes and stays off for about a similar period of time. But when it’s short cycling, your air conditioning is running on and off in quick bursts.
This puts heavy strain on moving parts and vital components like the blower motor. Short cycling or any kind of irregular cooling cycles are routinely a result of overheating. The internal chamber gets too hot before safety components shut the AC off. This happens over and over, especially if the source of the overheating isn’t resolved.
Trust the Experts for Your Air Conditioning Repair and Maintenance Needs
The number one way for you to minimize air conditioning problems is to sign up for a preventive maintenance program. At Midland Air Service Experts, we offer several HVAC memberships to fit your needs and budget. Bad wiring, low refrigerant and dirty coils can be discovered and fixed with routine service.
Occasionally repairs are unavoidable, but as a maintenance member, you’ll benefit from special discounts on service, 24/7/365 priority service, no trip or overtime charges and more. Ready to enroll in a membership program or to arrange your repair appointment? Get in touch with us at 803-399-7208 today!