A heating and air conditioning unit helps to keep your house comfortable by warming or cooling the air within it. To cool your house when it’s hot outside, an air conditioning unit draws air from the house, passes it over evaporator coils filled with refrigerant to cool it, and then pumps the cooled air back into your home. Understandably, this process can take a fair amount of energy, which is why homeowners are encouraged to only use their air conditioning when absolutely necessary. 

There are a number of problems that can occur with an air conditioning unit—some are minor annoyances and others can mean costly repairs or even a unit replacement. Being able to identify factors that cause your system to run less efficiently will help you to make the necessary changes, so you can begin to save on energy and costs. 

What Can Go Wrong with an Air Conditioning Unit and Why?

Air conditioning units are designed to handle a certain load capacity on a house, meaning there are limits to how much the unit can be used before problems begin to occur. They also only have so much refrigerant they can utilize to keep a home cool, as well as a certain level of airflow over the coils. A/Cs function optimally when the humidity is neither too low nor too high. If any of these conditions are not met, the unit will begin to have problems, which can lead to costly service calls if they are not addressed promptly.

Top Factors that Impact How Your Air Conditioning Functions

Like most large electronics in your home, air conditioning units do not simply decide to die out of the blue. There is often a slow decline, which can be caused by inattention to issues, including:

• Dirty air conditioning filters: Filters keep particles away from the evaporator coils; this allows the coils to function optimally, but the buildup on the filters reduces airflow.
• Refrigerant that is leaking or has run out
• Dirt and debris that have built up around the unit
• Dust and debris inside of your home’s ducts
• Increased load on the unit: this can be caused by using too many other appliances at the same time, by inefficient roofing and windows, by letting in too much heat, or by higher humidity.

Keeping Your Air Conditioning Unit in Good Working Order

Our team of heating and air conditioning experts is here to help you keep your system running optimally and maximizing energy efficiency year round. We will identify any problems that might be preventing you’re A/C from doing its job and perform the necessary repairs to make your system as energy efficient as possible. Contact us today to ask your questions and get the solutions you need.

Back