There’s nothing worse than running into your house to escape the heat, only to find that your AC is not working properly. Aside from the fatigue and exhaustion that high temperatures cause, there’s a heavy financial burden that comes with an AC breaking down. You may be forced to call a technical repair service, buy spare parts, or worse, replace your unit altogether. To avoid falling into this mess, you’ll need to keep up with your unit’s regular maintenance and repair schedule. It’s also worthwhile to be aware of some of the common AC issues so you know when you can repair them on your own and when you’ll need a professional.
On that note, here are some of the most common air conditioner issues that you should look out for.
AC Not Working
There are so many reasons why your AC might fail to work, and all of them depend on the model of your unit. For starters, AC units operating on a thermostat may fail to start because the thermostat batteries have run out of charge. You should have received a flashing warning from the thermostat signaling low battery level, but in case you missed it, you might go around in circles, wondering if your unit has broken down. Another common issue comes from short circuits, which often shuts down your circuit breaker. If your AC fails to start after a short circuit, check your circuit breaker board and open the closed switches.
AC Blows Warm Air
The condenser unit is responsible for cooling down the air, so you can suspect an issue with the condenser unit if your AC starts blowing warm air. The first and most common reason for this issue is failing to clean your air filter regularly, leaving them to accumulate dust and block the condenser’s airflow. On the other hand, the issue may be with the evaporator coils, which absorb the heat from the surrounding air to circulate it around the coils. Once again, any blocking of the airflow can result in frozen evaporator coils, resulting in warm air.
Refrigerant Leaks
The evaporator coils hold the refrigerant inside them, and that is the substance that the AC uses to absorb and remove heat and humidity from your air. Ultimately, it produces the cool air you’re waiting for. Any leakage or drainage of this refrigerant then will also result in your AC blowing warm air. While you may think that simply refilling the refrigerant may solve the issue, that’s not the case. Unless you call an experienced technician to inspect the issue and identify the leakage point, the issue’s root won’t be solved.
Dirty Condenser Coils
Condenser coils are placed on the outside of the AC unit. These coils eliminate the filtered air and humidity once your AC unit efficiently isolates the heat from the purified air. In countries like Singapore, where dirt, dust, and soot can easily accumulate, it’s common to find your unit clogging and fail to filter or cool the air properly. The best way to fix this issue is to hire a reputable air conditioner service company in Singapore for an outdoor unit washing. Chemical overhauling and washing are the most effective ways to clean grime, soot, and stubborn dirt that accumulates over time.
Duct Leaks
Once the AC cools down the air, this air travels across ducts and through the openings to cool down your rooms. Normally, these ducts are well-insulated to prevent any leakage of the cooled air. In case the ducts suffer any damage, such as being broken or chewed upon by rodents, the ducts will start leaking the air. The result will be a decreased efficiency in the air reaching your rooms, which will force the unit to work overtime to compensate for the loss. Over time, this will wear down your unit faster. Similarly, failing to insulate your home properly will exhaust your unit with the overcompensation it’s trying to do.
Fan Problems
There are two fans in your AC unit, one in your indoor unit blowing air to cool down the evaporator coils, and another in your outdoor unit that expels the heat outside. If one or both of these fans face malfunction, you’ll end up with both poor airflow and decreased efficiency. Over time, fan problems can damage your unit altogether.
Many reasons may cause your AC to start acting up. Since prevention is always better than cure, make sure to maintain your AC regularly by following its annual repair and maintenance schedule. Unfortunately, regular maintenance may not completely prevent all issues. This is why knowing the most common AC issues and how to fix them is important to extend the life of your unit and avoid serious financial repercussions down the line.
