Whenever historians of technology get together, one of their favorite debates is about which technology changed history the most. There are many candidates; the wheel, the art of writing, gunpowder, sailing vessels, electricity, the internet and so on. One key invention that’s near the top; refrigeration. It’s the technology that made it possible for us to store food and ship it great distances. It made settling the tropics more practical, allowed for large factories and office buildings, allows the transport of medicines and vaccines and so on. Today, air conditioning is ubiquitous; we barely notice it until disaster strikes – it stops working, making us overheated and uncomfortable.
Here are some common descriptions of improper operation of air conditioning systems:
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Nothing happens
You set the thermostat for cooling, but the compressor doesn’t come on and neither does the fan. Typically, this is due to a relatively small, easily fixed problem. The breaker is off, or a fuse has blown, or a contactor has failed. Check your fuses and breakers and make sure they’re in place and in good working order. Even if it’s a relay, those usually don’t cost too much to replace.
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The thermostat is dead
The screen is blank and won’t come to life. Again, this is usually minor. If your thermostat relies on batteries, replace them. Or perhaps the thermostat itself has gone bad and needs replacing. If your thermostat draws power from the system, it could be the same kind of problems as #1 above; a bad fuse, breaker or contactor.
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The system comes on, but air flow is poor
This one can be easy to fix if it’s your filter. As filters stay in use, they load up with dust and dirt and begin to block air flow. Replace the filter and you should be good. Or this can be hard to fix. If your system is low on charge, ice can form on the coil and grow to cover its surface, again halting air flow. Defrosting the coil takes time. Replacing the charge isn’t hard, but refrigerant is expensive and if it’s an older system with a banned refrigerant like R12 or R22, you may be facing an equipment replacement.
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The fan runs, but the outdoor unit won’t come on
This can be an electrical problem like in #1 above, or it could be a more serious problem like a grounded compressor. If you lose the compressor, the unit will almost certainly need to be replaced.
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The fan runs, but the air isn’t cold
This could be caused by #4 above or it could be caused by a system flat on refrigerant. Likely there’s a leak that needs repairing before the system can be recharged. Leaks are hard to find, so hope this isn’t your problem, as fixing leaks plus recharging can get expensive.
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Water is dripping onto my ceiling or closet/basement floor
This is the sign of a condensate drain problem. Simple blockages can be cleared with high-pressure nitrogen. Broken drain lines take more work, while broken drain pans are even more of a challenge – and expense.
Regardless of the problems you’re seeing, Air-Tro is here to give you solutions. Call us at (626) 357-3535 when your cooling isn’t keeping you in the comfort zone.
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