Common Air Conditioning Problems and Solutions
Your furnace and air conditioner are key components to your home comfort and work to bring you the best air conditioning it can. Since it is one of the most frequently used component of your home, maintaining the health of your air conditioning system becomes vitally important.
Fifty percent of costly repairs can be avoided with regular AC maintenance. In between the stages of a high-performing air conditioner and one that needs to be replaced altogether, there are several problems common to air conditioners lacking attention.
If you have any questions regarding your air conditioning system, we are always here for you.
Why is my Air Conditioner Leaking Water?
If you find water collecting inside of your air conditioner, it is generally not a reason for concern. Because the air conditioning process relies on a system based on heating and cooling, condensation naturally takes place and is also the source for water collection. To help remove too much water from collecting, a drip pan connected to a condensate coil should be in place.
Drip pans need to be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. Having an HVAC technician review the condition of your AC drain pipes and drip pan is beneficial because old or improper drain pipes and drip pans can contribute to larger problems. As seen in the image above, the drip pan had not been service regularly as a result, microbiological growth has started to show.
Proper AC Installation Prevent Issues
Installations comes in either an up-flow or down-flow application. These installations fix the air conditioner in an upright fashion and the condensate water drips downward, collecting onto the drip pan as show in the image to the left. The water is collected are removed from your air conditioner system though the pipe connected to the drip pan.
Some AC installations call for the furnace and air conditioner to be kept in the attic with the system lying on its side as seen in the image below.
In the image below you see the inside of an evaporator coil.
You can see where water is collected and where it will run out to. Proper flow / removal of water will prevent any microbiological growth.
We have come across some poor installations. As seen in the image below, there is no proper water flow to be collected in the drip pan. Poor installations like these can lead to flooding on the roof, seeping into the ceiling and attic room.
For this reason, we recommend you work with a HVAC contractor that can secure proper installations of your air conditioning system.
Unattended Water Can Cause Microbiological Growth
The central air system is housed in a small alcove or furnace closet where there is no source for light. When too much water is present and not cleaned coupled with the darkness inside of the closet and air system, it becomes an environment perfect for microbiological growth.
Poor maintenance encourage microbiological growth which can later enter into the air ducts that distribute conditioned air throughout the home.
The most basic way of fixing this problem is with a Professional Cleaning and Maintenance during which your air conditioner is scrubbed clean, disinfected and screened for any possible issues.
With upgrades in HVAC technology, more choices are available in addition to a Professional Cleaning and Maintenance. We also recommend a UV light system that attaches inside of the air conditioner. The UV rays emitted from the light system destroy microbiological growth, rendering it harmless. There are several types of UV lights and lamps to choose from. Visit our indoor air quality page to learn what options we have available for you.
Why is My Air Conditioner Freezing?
Since the central air system inside of the home is constantly cooling and heating, there are several temperature-related symptoms it can experience. When it comes to your AC system freezing, there are several reasons as to why.
To cool air, the refrigerant process is absolutely necessary. When your technician refills the level of refrigerant into your central air system, it must be a perfect amount. Too little or too much yields problems.
Reason 1: Low Refrigerant Levels
Refrigerant travels through copper pipes from the outside unit known as the compressor to the evaporator coils found above the furnace. When the refrigerant levels are low, it will cause low pressure of refrigerant to travel through the evaporator coil. Low levels of refrigerant will cause the copper pipes to get really cold and produce frost around the pipes. As you run your air conditioning system, the ambient air traveling through the evaporator coils were the pipes with frost are located, will create condensation. This condensation will ultimately freeze and can turn your evaporator coil into an ice block.
At this point, there will be little to no air passing through to your ducts. Your AC system will not produce any cold air and as a result you will be wasting energy, money. Most modern equipment has a fail safe installed that will shut down your AC system when low pressure is detected to prevent the above from occurring.
Reason 2: Restriction
Let’s say that you have the right amount of refrigerant in your air conditioning system, but one of your copper pipes in the refrigeration process is pinched due to an accident. The pinched pipe will cause high pressure of refrigerant on one side and low pressure on the other. The same outcome as listed above due to low pressure with occur in your AC system.
Reason 3: Low Air Flow
Room temperature indoor air travels through the furnace and evaporator coils to be cooled. Once cooled, the air moves into a separate set of ducts which dispense the conditioned air back into the home.
When there is not enough air inside the furnace to be conditioned, the evaporator coils ice up. This is because though the evaporator coils are cold enough to treat the air passing over it, reduced air flow brings too little air to treat, causing an unbalanced exchange of heat between the air and the evaporator coils. As a result, your evaporator coils will freeze if there is little to no air passing through.
This is common when the filter in your furnace is dirty which restricts to flow of air. Low airflow is also common when your blower motor in your furnace is not functioning correctly. A simple maintenance call can repair this problem.
In order for air to be consistently and accurately conditioned, the amount of air flow through the system should be equally consistent and regulated.
If your air conditioner is freezing, give us a call to schedule a tune-up or repair.
Why is my Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air?
When your air conditioner simply isn’t producing the cool air you need and instead is blowing hot air, the problem may reside simply in faulty electricity. To jumpstart the entire process of air conditioner, the compressor needs to be functioning but it depends on electricity. If the electrical wirings have malfunctioned, the compressor won’t turn on, halting the air conditioning process altogether. The result is untreated air circulating throughout the central air system.
Otherwise, low levels of refrigerant may be to blame. Too much refrigerant will ice the system, but too little leads to no cooling at all. Both cases of hot air are fixable with an air conditioning repair service call from Service Champions.
Service Champions’ Way to Perfect Maintenance
With experience servicing thousands of homes all over Southern California, Service Champions technicians bring reliable services and solutions for all your central air problems. We have developed an extensive 26-Point “Precision Tune-Up and Professional Cleaning” for your air conditioner.
This service covers 26 requirements necessary for a clean, healthy and safe air conditioner. We also offer an incredible club membership which allows for special privileges. Our tune-ups give you a Peace of Mind Guarantee which means you never have to worry.
Added Benefits for our club members.
As a club member:
- You receive priority service
- We are available for you day or night
- Discounts on repairs and replacements
- Lifetime parts and labor warranties
As the only Diamond Certified heating and air conditioning provider for Orange and Los Angeles counties, we are dedicated to providing the absolute best in air quality for you and your family.
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