Air Conditioning Repairs that You May Have Never Heard Of

By the late 1960s, the cost of central air conditioning made it affordable enough to be added to most residential construction projects, and today, two-thirds of the homes in the U.S. have central AC. With more than sixty years of air conditioner history and more than 94 million systems in use, enough data is available to generalize Air Conditioning Repair problems. Here are the top six categories of Air Conditioning Repair problems.

1. Faulty Parts. During any manufacturing process, there is a potential for a faulty part to pass inspection and be installed in a new system. The fault may show up immediately or it may take a short period to be unveiled. To compensate for this possibility, manufacturers offer a parts warranty for the first few years.
   Solution: don’t hesitate to call the installation technician if the system does not seem right. Don’t risk passing the warranty period.
2. Ignoring Maintenance. Manufacturers understand their system will need regular maintenance—an annual clean and check ensures small problems are caught before they grow. Homeowners are often ignorant of these guidelines or avoid regular maintenance to save a little money. However, regular maintenance saves money by prolonging the useful life of an air conditioner by several years.
   Solution: change the air filter every three months and schedule annual maintenance to prolong AC function.
3. Refrigerant Leak/Compressor Failure. These are listed together since they pertain to the same system. Air conditioning function is accomplished by compressing a refrigerant gas and releasing the pressure at the appropriate time and place. For the system to function properly, the gas pressure must be regulated closely. If gas leaks from the system, not only does the cooling function decrease but the system compressor usually overheats and fails.
   Solutions: if a gas begins to leak, make sure the leak is fixed before adding more refrigerant to prevent damage to the compressor.
4. Electrical Components. Central air conditioners are rather complex and use several electric sensors, switches, and controllers. Wear and tear on these components are normal and expected, but this wear is increased when the system is put under stress. The major source of system stress is ignoring regular maintenance.
   Solution: schedule regular maintenance and catch problems with electrical components early.
5. Water Leaks. In addition to cooling, air conditioners remove humidity from indoor air. The moisture evaporates and is collected in a drain pan. A drain line sends the water into the home wastewater system. However, this evaporation and collection is completed in the cold and dark, a perfect place for the growth of algae. Often, algae clog the drain line, pushing the water onto the floor. This can cause significant water damage.
   Solution: add a cup of vinegar to the evaporator drain pan annually to prevent algae growth.
6. Thermostat Problems. The thermostat serves as an on/off switch that calls for cooling as needed. Thermostat technology is developing rapidly, making existing models obsolete and inefficient. New thermostats are programmable and often have a cell phone app to adjust the program on the fly.
   Solution: new thermostats require fresh batteries, so change them annually.

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