One thing you really want to avoid is your air conditioner not cooling well – or not working at all – on a hot and humid summer day in Southwest Ohio. Your system may seem to be running non-stop, but your skin is still sticking to the furniture. When your air conditioner seems to be struggling to keep up with the outside heat, you’ll want to consider some common air conditioner problems that might be the culprit.
Some common air conditioner problems are from a lack of regular maintenance, either by you or an HVAC professional. Just like the car in the driveway, we have to keep the A/C properly maintained in order to keep it working optimally and safely. To keep your air conditioner running efficiently and effectively requires regular maintenance. This means inspecting the air filter every month and changing it when it looks dirty. A clogged air filter reduces airflow in the cooling season, which means your air conditioner has to work harder to cool your home and may not succeed when the weather is especially hot outside. It also means keeping the area around the outside condensing unit clear of dirt and debris that can impeded airflow into the unit.
Hiring a qualified HVAC technician to inspect your cooling system can go a long way toward preventing common air conditioner problems. The U.S. Department of Energy lists the following services that should be performed by a qualified technician during a preseason maintenance tuneup for your A/C:
Refrigerant – If your A/C doesn’t have the correct amount of refrigerant, it can’t operate efficiently, and may eventually fail. A qualified HVAC technician will check the refrigerant level and, if it’s low, will search for a leak and repair it. Then he’ll fill the refrigerant according to the manufacturer’s recommended specifications.
Electronic System Controls – A qualified technician will inspect and tighten all electrical connections. The technician should also check the fan and compressor to ensure that they are operating correctly.
Coils and Condensate Drains – Sometimes condensate drains can become clogged. The technician will check for this and unplug any blockages. The technician should also inspect and clean the indoor and outside coils. Heavy dirt and dust buildup prevents the coils from working properly in order to keep your home cool.
If you are experiencing problems with your air conditioning system, please contact Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. Our professional HVAC specialists have been serving the Dayton area for 35 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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