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7 Things That Can Damage Your Air Conditioner

7 things that can damage your air conditioner

A blissfully cooled home is one of the essential comforts of life which our air conditioners provide us with, especially in the hot and humid days of summer. When you find that your air conditioner unit is not working properly, your frustration will be apparent. But, wait, your AC is not even that old. How did it give up on you so soon?

There are a number of factors that can cause your air conditioner to stop working. Fortunately, not all of them are expensive fixes, like a clogged air filter.

If the compressor of your air conditioning unit fails, it can cause your unit to break down, and you will have to get an emergency air conditioning service in Chattanooga, TN to fix that problem. The factors that can stop your air conditioning unit from working include:

1. Low refrigerant

Your air conditioner uses the refrigerant to expel the heat and moisture from the indoor air. If your air conditioner develops a leak in the refrigerant lines, the system would lose the refrigerant. Unfortunately, fixing this issue is more than just replacing the refrigerant, because the holes would have to be located and repaired, which can oftentimes require a tedious and costly air conditioning service in Chattanooga, TN, particularly when there are several leakages.

2. Frozen evaporator coils

The evaporator coil in the air conditioner is filled with refrigerant and is in charge of absorbing heat from the environment. It might sound strange, but these coils actually require warm air flowing around them to work appropriately. If something goes wrong with the airflow and the evaporator coils become cold, an ice layer can develop on the outside. At that point, you will be getting only warm air or none at all. You would require expert air conditioning service to fix this problem.

3. Dirty condenser coils

Condenser coils of your air conditioner are responsible for disposing of the hot air outside the building. If these condenser coils get covered with a layer of grime and dirt, they will not be able to function. This issue is very common in Chattanooga, TN. If this happens, the heat exchange gets blocked, and your unit will have to work harder to perform its function, leading to even more wear and tear of the parts and even system failure.

4. Fan problems

There is a fan in your air conditioner that blows indoor air over the evaporator coil to cool the air, and another fan that blows air over the condenser to expel the absorbed heat outside the building. In case these fans stop working properly, you will wind up with poor airflow, and air conditioning problems. If this issue is neglected, it can prompt failure of the compressor, which is sometimes the cause of death of an air conditioner. Thus, timely air conditioning repair is highly essential if you have a fan problem.

Reason:

Fan problems can arise due to faulty motor, worn belts, lack of lubrication, or too much dirt in the unit.

5. Leaking duct

The ductwork of the central air conditioning system that goes through your walls carries cooled air all through your space. In case if there are any leaks or gaps in the channels of the ductwork, that costly cooled air ends up inside your walls where it is just getting wasted instead of benefiting anyone. Furthermore, this situation makes your air conditioner work harder and your energy bills reach sky high.

Reason:

Leaking ducts can be caused by rodents or sometimes poor installation. If you are feeling that your unit is not working as it should, timely air conditioning repair in Chattanooga, TN can make sure that if the problem is with your ductwork, it gets fixed in time.

6. Thermostat problems

If you still have the older dial-type thermostat units, they might get calibrated incorrectly, meaning your air conditioner will not get the right instructions in the first place. This issue is simply fixed by recalibrating the thermostat or switching to newer and better versions. New programmable thermostats are less prone to human errors, but they can still get set incorrectly by mistake. If you have the manual of your thermostat, make sure to check the instructions to ensure that the thermostat’s settings are set correctly.

by mistake. If you have the manual of your thermostat, make sure to check the instructions to ensure that the thermostat’s settings are set correctly.

7. Clogged drains

The moisture that your air conditioner absorbs from the air around has to be expelled somewhere. A drain line is the part of your air conditioner from which excess moisture is transferred outside. If this drain line gets clogged, you can end up with water leakages that can damage your walls and furnishings. If this issue remains unaddressed, you will eventually end up having mold growth. Thus periodic air conditioning service in Chattanooga, TN can help you save your AC unit and your home’s interior as well.

Easy steps to prevent air conditioner problems:

1. Replace dirty filters periodically:

Airflow problems that arise from freezing coils are oftentimes caused due to clogged air filters. Therefore it is important to replace air filters on a timely basis.

2. Get your ductworks inspected and holes repaired:

If you observe that there is not enough air coming out from your air conditioner or if your energy bills are coming high, get an air conditioning service in Chattanooga, TN to inspect the condition of your ductwork.

3. Install a programmable thermostat:

Eliminate the hassle of older control systems by installing newer thermostats that are more precise and help you save energy. You can also get thermostats that are controllable remotely from your Smartphone or tablet.

4. Clear dirt and debris from the outdoor unit:

If the condenser and outdoor unit of the air conditioner become clogged with leaves, dirt, and trash the unit becomes ineffective to expel the heat.

5. Never neglect regular maintenance:

Almost all of the common problems of air conditioners are easily preventable with regular maintenance. By getting yourself an air conditioning service in Chattanooga, TN that will inspect and tune up your air conditioner, you will be able to save yourself from costly air conditioner repairs. Maintenance is relatively much inexpensive than an air conditioning repair. By periodic maintenance from air conditioning service in Chattanooga, TN, you can save your air conditioner from breaking down during the hottest months of the year.

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