Central air conditioners can be your best friend during the hot, humid, sticky and downright uncomfortable summer months. It is such a joy to come home to your nice air conditioned house after running your errands under the hot sun all day. It can also be very disappointing to say the least if you come home and find your air conditioning system not working. Here are 5 typical central air conditioner problems:
1. Inadequate maintenance
This is by far the number one cause of air conditioner problems. Air filters need to be periodically cleaned or replaced, debris needs to be cleaned off and kept away from the outside unit and steps must be taken to prevent corrosion and wear of the exposed parts also. If this is something you do not have time to take care of yourself on a routine basis, it is probably a good idea for you to schedule a professional to come to your home and do it for you; spending a little money now could save you a very expensive repair in the future.
2. Leaks
Leaks can occur in several ways on your air conditioning unit. They can result from corrosion on the sensitive metal tubing or loose connections on a drain line that drips water into an area that it should not go. No matter what the cause, all leaks should be fixed right away. If you happen to develop a leak in the refrigerant line you will lose all the refrigerant gas in the system; that can only be replaced by a licensed HVAC technician in order to get your unit working again.
3. Sensor Problems
Another common central air conditioner problem is the malfunctioning of the control system. Maybe you have the unit turned to the lowest setting but your air conditioner will not turn on or it is constantly running even when the house is very cool already. These could be the result of such things as a faulty thermostat or a malfunctioning printed circuit control board. These types of problems are best left to professionals to resolve in most cases.
4. Drainage Problems
There can be other AC problems besides leaky pipes when it comes to drainage; these are especially common problems in window type units. If you have a window mounted air conditioner then you must make sure that the condensation water drips harmlessly out the back of the unit and not onto wood or metals that will rot or corrode.
5. Condenser Unit Turning on and off Frequently
This is another of the common air conditioner problems that can probably be resolved with routine maintenance. If dirt and debris collect around the condenser or the sensitive electronics that gauge such things as the temperature, it can cause the system to get false readings which would make the unit repeatedly come on and off. If cleaning does not resolve the problem then it is best to call a professional to come take care of these types of air conditioner problems.