Always watch for these top 5 air conditioning problems

If your HVAC unit is not working properly, there’s a good chance it has one of these top 5 air conditioning problems:

Refrigerant leak

There are 2 reasons for low refrigerant. Either it was charged improperly when your unit was installed, or you have a leak. You might think that you can temporarily fix a leak by just adding more refrigerant, just as you might add oil to your car’s engine, but it doesn’t work that way with air conditioners. The level of refrigerant needs to match the manufacturer’s specifications precisely. Adding too much can be just as inefficient as having too little. So, give a call to your favorite HVAC repair company (hopefully that’s us!) to have your levels checked and any leaks fixed.

Dirty filters

Let’s be honest. When was the last time you changed your home or business’ air filters? Do you even know where they are? If not, there’s no shame from us. But it is crucial to keep those filters clean. And if your AC unit isn’t cooling well, this is one of the first places you should look. You’ll be amazed at what a difference some new filters can make! If you’re prone to forgetting to change them, we have two suggestions… either set yourself a reminder on your phone or set up regular maintenance service with us and we’ll take care of it for you.

Moisture issues

Here in Florida, moisture is a big issue for air conditioners. If the air is humid (when is it not?) the condensate drain can clog and not drain properly. Like this video shows, you can try to clear the clog yourself with a wet/dry vac. Or give us a call and we’ll get it taken care of.

Frozen coils

Floridians might be surprised to find out that anything can freeze during the summer, but it’s true. If your AC unit isn’t cooling properly, there’s a good chance that your evaporator coil is frozen. This happens when the unit doesn’t receive enough airflow. What restricts the airflow? Remember those dirty air filters we mentioned? Also, debris can accumulate on the evaporator coil itself. This keeps warm air from reaching the refrigerant and eventually, the moisture on the coil freezes. This can be a bit of a tricky fix, which may require you to turn your unit off for a day or so to thaw out. Your best bet is to call a professional, so we can diagnose the root cause and fix the issue.

Faulty thermostat

You may be relieved to find out that many HVAC problems are due to faulty thermostats. There can be several issues, such as:

• Incorrect programming
• Dead batteries (that’s a nice and easy solution!)
• Too much sunlight, causing it to read the temperature incorrectly
• Dust accumulation that affects the mechanics
• Loose parts
• Incorrect calibration

If you’ve looked it over and can’t find an obvious issue, let us have a look. Hopefully it’s a quick and easy fix!

HVAC units are one of the most complex systems in your home and there are many things that can go wrong. The best way to keep it working efficiently is to schedule routine maintenance to prevent major issues. Find out more about scheduling a service or maintenance appointment here. We look forward to helping you keep your home or business as comfortable as possible.