Spring is upon us, and summer will be here in just a couple of months. That means that now is the time to get your air conditioner in top operating condition. Preventive maintenance during this time of year is highly recommended, as it will help identify problems that need to be fixed. If you haven’t had the chance to schedule maintenance for your air conditioner yet, though, you should keep an eye out for any problems that may already be present. Read on for a list of air conditioning problems that you need to know about.
Short-Cycling
Short-cycling is the name for the behavior in which an air conditioner rapidly turns on and off without really completing a full cycle. This can be caused by a number of factors. A thermostat with a bad temperature sensor might have trouble deciding when to turn the air conditioner on and off. A damaged or faulty compressor can cause short-cycling as well, by throwing off the rhythm of refrigerant moving through the system. No matter what the cause, short-cycling is a very big problem that can increase the risk of breakdowns and shorten the life of the system.
Frozen Coils
Ice forming on your air conditioner is a very bad sign. Icy air conditioners are often caused by a problem with the evaporator coil, which evaporates refrigerant to siphon heat from the indoor air. If the coil gets dirty, or if the refrigerant level drops for some reason, it will lower the temperature of the surrounding air below what it should be. This freezes the condensation that forms on the coil during normal operation, creating ice. This ice can spread until it covers the coil completely, which will prevent the air conditioner from actually cooling the house. If you notice this problem with your air conditioner, call us right away.
If you are experiencing any problems with your air conditioner, call Saddleback Plumbing. We provide air conditioning services throughout Orange County, CA.