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Sunset Air Blog

Be Careful of These Common AC Problems

air-conditioner-repairSummer is here, and the higher the daily temperatures climb over the next couple of months the more you’re going to use your air conditioner. More demand means more stress, which means more chances for problems of various kinds to develop with the system. You may or may not have already scheduled preventive maintenance to ensure that your air conditioner is in top condition before summer gets into full swing. If not, you should.

Even if you have, however, you still need to keep an eye out for signs that your air conditioner is in trouble so you can call for repairs. Have a look at the following signs that your air conditioner is in need of repairs.

Leaking Fluids

If you see fluid leaking from your air conditioner, it could be one of two things. It could be condensate, which is problematic but not all that serious. It could also be refrigerant, which is a big threat to the health of the air conditioner overall. Air conditioners recycle their refrigerant supplies throughout their lifetimes, and should never need a refill unless the system springs a leak. The lower the refrigerant level in the air conditioner drops, the more output capacity the system will lose. If the refrigerant level in the air conditioner is allowed to drop low enough, the air conditioner can break down entirely. This is why it’s so important to call for repairs as soon as you notice fluid leaking from your air conditioner.

Evaporator Coil Ice

If your air conditioner looks like it’s icing over, even if it’s hot outside, then you have a problem. This can be caused by a number of issues, like the coil becoming dirty from too many years spent without a maintenance appointment. A more common cause is the air filter becoming clogged. If the air filter is not changed out every few months while the air conditioner is being used on a regular basis, it will become clogged and block most of the air in the ducts from making it into the system. The lack of warm air flowing over the evaporator coil will cause the temperature around it to drop low enough to freeze the condensate along it. Once the coil is frozen over, it will be unable to siphon any heat from the air in the home. This is a relatively easy issue to fix, but it should be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent other consequences.

Short Cycling

Short cycling is when your air conditioner turns itself on and off every couple of minutes instead of completing its entire cooling cycle. This accelerates the wear and tear on the system, making it more likely to develop problems the longer it continues to short cycle. It also prevents the air conditioner from cooling as well as it should. Make sure that you call for repairs if you hear your air conditioner short cycling.

Sunset Air provides full AC repair services in Tacoma, WA. If you need your air conditioner repaired, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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