When the hot summer season rolls back around, you’re likely to rely on your home’s air conditioning system to stay comfortable. While you might not want to think about it, you may experience an issue with your air conditioning system from time to time. In fact, we’re going to go over some of the most commonly experienced issues below so you can prepare for what may happen.
Low Refrigerant Level
One of the most frustrating issues you may experience with your air conditioning system is that it’s blowing hot air. This signals that all the components of your system are functioning. However, it’s highly likely that your refrigerant level is low. Since refrigerant is responsible for absorbing heat from your indoor air, it won’t be able to do so when it’s too low. An HVAC technician will need to recharge the refrigerant in your air conditioning system to get it back to cooling your home.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
Your thermostat is the brains of your entire air conditioning system. If it isn’t displaying anything on that screen, it could be a couple of different things. The batteries may be dead inside the thermostat. The breaker for your thermostat may have tripped. The wiring to your thermostat may have become loose. Or, your thermostat may simply have reached the end of its lifespan and need to undergo replacement service.
Faulty Capacitor
Your home’s air conditioning system relies heavily on its compressor unit. This unit is responsible for circulating refrigerant from your indoor air handler to your outdoor condenser unit so that it can disperse unnecessary heat outdoors. In order for your compressor to start up, it uses a capacitor. This capacitor sends a high voltage of electricity to get the motor running for your compressor. When it fails, you’ll hear a clicking noise of the capacitor trying to start but failing to do so.
Pooling Water
One particularly alarming issue you may experience is that water pools underneath your indoor air handler unit. This is typically the result of a clogged drain line. As your air conditioning system naturally functions, it will remove excess humidity from the air. This moisture will drop off the evaporator coils and down to the drain pan. A line will run from the drain pan to the outdoors or to a drain inside your home. If that line becomes clogged full of debris, it can lead to a backup of water. Once the water fills up the drain pan, it will spill over and start pooling on the floor underneath your unit.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
Another very common issue you may experience with your air conditioning system is frozen evaporator coils. At first, you’ll notice that your air conditioning system is not cooling effectively. When you look at your indoor air handler unit, you’ll notice that the evaporator coils have ice on them.
This can be due to a number of different issues. One of the most common is dirty evaporator coils. When the refrigerant inside the evaporator coil is unable to absorb heat because there’s too much dirt on top of the coil, the refrigerant will get extremely cold. This will cause ice to form on the coil. It’s important to not only thaw out the coil but also to understand what caused it to freeze in the first place. This is so that you can address the root issue to prevent it from happening again.
Faulty Compressor
If you start to notice that warm air is coming out of your vents, it could be due to a faulty compressor. Since your compressor is responsible for moving your refrigerant, when it doesn’t do its job, the refrigerant is unable to disperse heat to the outdoors.
Electrical Issues
Another issue you may face with your air conditioning system is an electrical-related one. All the different components of your system are going to have contactors that are responsible for starting up your unit’s motors and compressors. Over time, these contactors can get corroded and start to malfunction. In some cases, you may even get a whiff of a burning electrical odor.
Reputable AC Repair Service
IBBOTSON Heating & Air Conditioning Co. offers reputable air conditioning services to Arlington Heights, IL and the surrounding communities. Our technicians can also help with all your heating, ductless mini-split, cooling, and indoor air quality needs. Simply call us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced HVAC technicians.
