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The performance of an air conditioner depends on an interplay of various components. Each part plays its role, and collectively, they contribute towards smooth operation. When one part is faulty, the consequences are reduced performance or failure to cool at all. In these scenarios, many customers just panic and call for a residential AC repair service or a commercial AC repair service immediately.
Calling an HVAC pro is a good practice, and we recommend it. But you should have at least a basic knowledge so you can figure out the primary culprit. This blog is crafted to educate both homeowners and business owners about what is restricting their AC from cooling.
Air filtration is the core process in the refrigeration cycle. For an AC to perform, the humid and warm air must pass over the evaporator. This is the stage when hot air is expelled outside to cool the room. Multiple factors disrupt this process, some of which are mentioned here.
An air filter is the most neglected component of an HVAC system. It is responsible for filtering out harmful particles, such as dust, dirt, and pollen. Over time, the filters just get clogged by particulate buildup. Now, these filters restrict the normal airflow, which leads to the AC not cooling.
The Solution: Inspect and clean your air filters regularly. Furthermore, replace the filters every 1 to 3 months, depending on the need.
When the filtration system is not effective, the dust and biological particles find their way towards the evaporator coils. On the wet surface of coils, these microbes grow and cause fouling. This biofilm resists the airflow and reduces the heat transfer. As a result, the AC fails to cool the space to your desired temperature.
The Solution: The solution relies on eliminating existing growth and preventing the next. Again, you should improve the filtration system.
Your ductwork can also be the culprit of AC failures. This often happens in the older homes across Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia. The ducts suffer from air leakage and insufficient insulation. The result is that conditioned air escapes through the leaks. On the other hand, hot and humid air is pulled from the basements and attics towards your space. This mismatch prevents your air conditioner from achieving the desired temperature range set on the thermostat.
The Solution: The solution doesn’t lie in a new residential AC installation or commercial AC installation. Rather, you have to inspect the ductwork and seal the cracks.
Refrigerant has the same role in AC as the blood in the human body. Without sufficient refrigerant levels, an air conditioner can’t perform its cycle. The same happens when refrigerant levels are sufficient, but there is some interruption in the flow.
Whenever there is a refrigerant leak, it has a direct effect on the levels of the refrigerant. In Pennsylvania, refrigerant leaks are common due to thermal fluctuations. The copper lines contract and relax continuously, which creates a pinhole for leakage.
The Solution: Compensating for the refrigerant is not a solution in this case. You should first identify and seal the area of the leak before topping it off.
Customers in Pennsylvania are now shifting towards innovative, low-GWP refrigerants. This is a good transition towards environmental friendliness and a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, it has a bit of a negative effect on the older HVAC systems. Most of the old HVAC systems in PA, especially those that are older than 10 years, are not compatible with this new refrigerant type. When used without modifications in the HVAC unit, this incompatibility leads to the AC working inefficiently or not working at all.
The Solution: Apply necessary modifications to your air conditioner before shifting to eco-friendly variants of refrigerants.
When the refrigerant loop is breached, the moisture and humidity from the air come into direct contact with the refrigerant. It can also directly come in contact with the lubricating oil used in various moving components. This contamination can produce acids that damage the copper tubes of the refrigerant. The result is a catastrophic failure of the whole unit, leaving your family or the employees left in sweltering heat.
The Solution: Flush the whole system with an approved solvent. You can also install a suction-line filter-drier to prevent such issues in the future.
Multiple times, the AC is non-functional due to an issue in any of its components. The component can be as small as a thermal expansion valve or as long as an outdoor condenser unit. Sometimes, even a slight problem in a component can stop the whole refrigeration cycle, leading to no cooling in your space.
The correct size of the system is essential to get the maximum cooling and dehumidification benefits. If you choose an oversized system, it will frequently turn on and off. This happens because a larger unit cools the home quickly and just gets turned off before it can remove humidity. As a result, the room feels humid and clumpy. Conversely, a small-sized HVAC system runs 24/7 and still can’t overcome the load. This leads to faster wear and tear of components and early aging of the system.
The Solution: Calculate the manual J load of your home or business site. Once you clearly know the cooling needs, choose the system that perfectly meets those needs to prevent issues.
Most of the internal HVAC components have a lifespan of around 15 to 20 years. The process of component damage gets faster if there is excessive workload, humidity, or just negligence in tune-ups. These aged components slowly reduce the performance and efficiency of the system. At last, a stage arrives when there is a complete system failure due to a single or multiple failing components.
The Solution: The solution relies on complete inspection of the HVAC system. Once you find a faulty component, repair or replace it, depending on the need.
Modern thermostats are just like mini computers. They have complex settings that many homeowners or small business owners just can’t set up the right way. Especially if there is a smart programmable thermostat at your place, its setting is a tricky one. Many times, a faulty air conditioner is just because of a false setting or poor calibration of the thermostat. Apart from this, the location of the thermostat also matters. If the thermostat is placed under direct sunlight or in an area where there is high temperature, it may sense a misleading temperature reading and fail to achieve the desired comfort.
The Solution: Recalibrate the thermostat setting every season. Additionally, check the physical components, such as the batteries of the thermostat, whenever there is something wrong.
You can fix your malfunctioning air conditioner when you are certain about the issue, and you are sure that there is no health or safety risk associated. Usually, it involves simple tasks such as air filter replacement, debris cleaning, resetting a tripped circuit breaker, or adjusting the setting of the thermostat.
Call a professional technician when you notice serious issues. For example, you might notice a significant health and safety hazard. Or you might suspect massive component damage by DIY. In all these cases, hiring a professional technician is highly recommended.
If you are anywhere in Pennsylvania and looking for cooling repairs, Lehigh HVAC has you covered. We have proven expertise in repairing all the makes and models of air conditioners, including mini-split systems, rooftop units, and heat pumps. Feel free to contact us at 484-961-7044 and get a free estimate.
