Bearing in mind that most homeowners spend between $3,702 and $7,132 in AC installations and a huge percentage of their utility bills in running ACs, there is every reason to be conscious and sensitive of the proper functioning of this important domestic asset.
ACs work extra hard particularly in hotter climates and seasons of the year. This makes them extremely vulnerable to breakdowns and gradual wearing of the internal components. There are lots of problems your AC may develop depending on the prevailing circumstances in the area of operation. It is possible for your AC and that of your neighbor to develop different problems despite their exposure to the same environment.
Instead of always being in the dark when it comes to AC problems, below is a compilation of some of the common AC problems and the underlying causes.
Freezing Up of the Evaporator Coil
You may find at one time that ice is slowly building up on your evaporator coil or your air flow is simply not circulating. Contrary to what some people suggest, ACs can freeze up even if temperatures are in the 90s.
Before calling the technicians to check out the AC, you should start your own troubleshooting steps one of which is turning off the AC and switching the fan to on position. This may thaw the unit and turn the AC back on. Among the problems that cause AC freezing are faulty thermostat, low refrigerant levels, dusty blowers, dirty air filters, and clogged coils.
Humming Sound from Your AC
This is another common problem with AC units and it is often caused by failing electrical components. Because of the delicate nature of AC units, a small anomaly with the condenser fan motor or electrical components can put your home at a risk of fire.
Due to these sensitivity, it is highly advisable you leave the job to professional HVAC experts. Humming of ACs is usually associated with insufficient or improper servicing and maintenance.
Your AC Turning On and Off
Also, called short cycling, ACs may develop this problem where they turn off and on constantly. This can be very frustrating to you because ACs that behave this way never reach the desired temperature. Short cycling ACs exert more energy and they do not cool appropriately.
A malfunctioning compressor has often been cited as one of the root causes of this problem. When this component overheats, your unit may start short cycling. Another reason is low refrigerant levels and clogged filters. Alerting HVAC professionals before the problem balloons can save you lots of money and inconvenience.
Unusual Noises
Most modern AC units operate silently. However, there are some that produce some low noise which is not distractive at all. Whenever you notice your AC producing unconventional noises such as bubbling, hissing, or rattling, there could be a problem in one of its internal components. For instance, bubbling or hissing is usually associated with refrigerant leaks while rattling noises may point to faulty fans.
The AC is Not Cooling
Mechanical glitches are often behind this AC problem. Imagine it is summer, the heat is blazing through into your home and the AC doesn’t cool as expected. This can be frustrating and uncomfortable for the entire family.
Among the principal causes of this problem are overloaded circuit breakers and fuses, improperly set thermostats, damaged fan blower or belt and frozen coils. Cleaning or replacing filters and fixing refrigerant leaks can help plug this problem for good.
Other problems you may experience but which can be solved by expert HVAC servicemen include tripped AC breaker, foul smelling AC and mold infestation on HVAC systems. When any of this happens, the best advice is to have an AC technician check the system so that it can be fixed where necessary.