We are in the cooling season. This means that you are using your air conditioner more regularly. Just like any other appliance that is in regular use, it’s common for the air conditioner to develop problems now and then. According to AC contractors, there are some minor problems that you can easily fix on your own, and there are others that require the expertise of an experienced professional.
Typical AC problems and their solutions
Some of the most common problems include:
Water spilling from the inside unit: Water will spill out of the inside unit when the drain line is clogged. A clogged drain line results from the buildup of algae inside the drain line. If you have the skills, you can fix this problem on your own but if you are inexperienced, hire a professional to help you out. If the algae build up is minor, buy chemical disinfectants from your local stores. The disinfectant will get rid of the algae thus leaving your drain line in perfect shape.
Failure of the unit to run: In almost all situations, your air conditioner will fail to run if it isn’t receiving any power. To prevent damage, all ACs are protected by a circuit breaker that can trip anytime. If you have put your unit on and it isn’t running, the problem might be with the circuit breaker. Take a look at it and raise it if it has dropped. If the air conditioner is receiving power, but it isn’t working, hire an HVAC technician to give it a look.
Steam from the outdoor unit: This is common at the beginning of the cooling season. Since you haven’t been using the unit during winter, the outdoor coils tend to ice-up. When you put the air conditioner on, the coils start defrosting thus the steam. When you see the steam, you shouldn’t panic as it will fade after some time.
How to prevent the problems from happening
To avoid fixing the problems, you should keep them from happening in the first place. The easiest way of doing it is undertaking AC inspection before you begin the cooling season. Hire an AC tune-up contractor who will inspect all areas of the unit and fix any faulty parts that might cause problems in the future. You also need to maintain the unit properly during the cooling season. You should replace the air filters, clean the outdoor coils among many other things.
