When the heat rises, you naturally turn on your air conditioner. Well, what if it doesn’t start up or it stops at the hottest part of the day? If this happens, you air conditioner has failed. Sometimes a system is just at the end of its life. More often, though, the cause of the failure was preventable. Below are some of the common causes that can eventually lead to AC failure.
Improper Operation
The air conditioner doesn’t need to operate in a vacuum exactly, but the system is designed to operate in an airtight home. If air is able to escape your home, the thermostat triggers the AC unit to keep working to drop the ambient air temperature to the preset level. The unit can become overworked and quit.
So, when you run your air conditioner, make sure your home is as air tight as possible. Shut all your windows and doors that lead outside. As the old adage goes, you’re not trying to cool the whole neighborhood. What’s more, make sure all your window and door seals are in good working order. Finally, keep all the room registers open.
Frozen Coil
AC units pull air inside an evaporator, which features cooling coils to remove heat and humidity from that air. The refrigerant that causes the cool down is supposed to warm up. However, sometimes it drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which causes the humid air around it to freeze onto the coils. At that point, the AC unit can no longer function.
To check if this has happened, turn off the air conditioner and access the evaporator. Inside is a set of copper coils. You should be able to see if they’re encased in ice. If they are, you need to let them defrost naturally. You may damage the coils if you try to remove the ice by hand. Check all the filters and registers, and clean them as needed because they could be the cause of the frozen coil.
Refrigerant Leak
The refrigerant inside the evaporator coils should stay constant. Normal use of the air conditioner shouldn’t deplete the supply. However, sometimes the coils develop tiny punctures, which allows the refrigerant to leak out. These punctures can be caused by corrosion, factory defects, improper installation or charging, and normal wear and tear.
If your air conditioner stops or is taking longer than usual to cool your home, you might have a refrigerant leak. The frozen evaporator coil is another sign. You can also listen for hissing sounds coming from your unit. If you think you have a refrigerant leak, call for repairs. The technicians must find and repair the leaks before they add more refrigerant.
Crowded Outdoor Unit
As noted, your AC function depends on the unit’s ability to draw air inside its evaporator. The unit itself is outside, so some homeowners forget about it. In fact, the unit needs a good clearance all around to draw in air to cool. Sometimes landscaping or other outdoor items get in the way. Sometimes the cage around the unit becomes too dirty for it to function properly.
So, if your AC unit isn’t working, an easy first step is to look at its surroundings. Cut back any encroaching landscaping and remove anything that’s in the unit’s vicinity. Likewise, make sure the cage is kept clean of debris. Experts recommend a clearance of at least two feet all around the unit and five feet clearance on top.
You should be able to keep your air conditioner running smoothly with yearly maintenance on your own. Consider augmenting that routine with a yearly inspection by licensed HVAC technicians. If you are in need of maintenance or repair for your air conditioner, call Apollo Heating & Air Conditioning.
