A broken air conditioner can seriously dampen the mood of an otherwise hot summer day. Here are some AC Repairs tips so you can enjoy your home, and peace of mind knowing that you won’t be stuck in a super-steamy house. A common reason why an AC is unable to function properly or even shut off completely is that the system has a blockage in the drainage.
The drain trap is designed to hold water from evaporating or cooling the air as it moves through the unit. If this trap becomes clogged with debris, dirt, some types of insects, and even mold, then your AC may have trouble simply draining water out of its cabinet. As a result, you may find a buildup of water around your AC – a prime condition for mosquitos and other bugs to breed in.
Tips To Repair Your Broken Air Conditioner
What’s the solution? You can try using a garden hose from the exterior vent to drain into a floor drain or dump it out on grass if you have that luxury. What you should avoid doing is dumping it onto existing concrete walkways or driveways, as the moisture may cause discoloration of the concrete’s finish.
If your AC is really old and you don’t know how it drains water out then there are a few possibilities for how it does so. You can look underneath the unit to see if there is an opening that runs into the ground, perhaps near a wall or a corner of the house. If you find a drain pan, one side should have a little trap door with a handle so it can be easily removed and cleaned. The other possibility is that there is simply an opening on the outside of your home where water drains out; if this isn’t obvious then you might want to look around for a little bit and see if water is building up in your yard.
The second problem that can cause AC failure is a clogged air filter. This is usually pretty easy to spot; the air filter will be covered with dust and debris and feel coarse or bulky to the touch. The solution? Replace it! You might want to consider upgrading to a higher-quality air filter to see what kind of difference it makes. The more expensive ones are designed with better filtration technology so they can block out more particles, which ultimately means you will have cleaner air inside your home. The installation process is pretty straightforward; just have an extra set of hands to help you out. It should be noted that the air filter may be behind a panel, so you might have to remove some screws or take off a door (depending on your specific AC model) before you can pull it out and slip in the new one.
The last problem that could cause an AC to stop working is low refrigerant levels. This can be fixed by adding more, but you may want to call a professional if the system has been running low for an extended period of time.
Hiring An Air Conditioning Repair Expert
When the summer heat is in full swing, it’s time to turn on the air conditioning and let your home or business cool down. Unfortunately, if there is a problem with your HVAC system, you’ll need to schedule an AC repair service. If you’re wondering why this is necessary and what types of services are included in an AC repair service, the following information should help.
AC repair services are important for two reasons. The first is safety reasons. If your air conditioning unit breaks down during the middle of a hot summer day you need to be able to get it back up and running as quickly as possible. The second reason that AC repairs are necessary is that having your system inspected could keep you from having to make expensive AC repairs later on.
Most air conditioning service companies will include a full inspection of your air conditioner in their service quote. If you need an AC repair, they can tell you if it is something simple like adding refrigerant or replacing the capacitor, or if it’s something more complex that will require them to replace the compressor or other parts.
Knowing what type of services is included in an AC repair can help you to budget for your service cost. If you have a yearly service contract with the company, they may even be able to take care of your AC repairs without increasing your monthly service fee. Their technicians also have access to special tools that will allow them to quickly and accurately diagnose any problem.