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9 Most Common Emergency AC Repair Issues (With Cost Estimates)
In Arizona, the desert heat gets intense. This is especially true in the summer when the heat becomes draining and, sometimes, even dangerous.
As hard as it is for you to function in the summer, it’s even worse for your AC unit.
Your AC system is a mechanical system that utilizes several different components. Arizona’s heat can damage several of those components, leading your unit to malfunction.
Furthermore, several problems occur within your AC system that results from a lack of maintenance.
If these problems go unchecked, it can lead to you needing an emergency ac repair.
To help prevent this, we want to alert you to the 9 most common emergency AC repair issues and, when possible, how you can fix them.
1. The Most Common Emergency AC Repair Issue: Air Filter
Your air filter traps contaminants in your airflow, ensuring that your air conditioner blows clean air.
When your filter gets too clogged and dirty, it causes indoor air pollution and damage to your AC unit.
You can prevent this damage by cleaning or replacing your air filters regularly.
Depending on your filter, you should do this either monthly or every three months.
2. Monitor Your Thermostat
When you’re facing extreme heat, check to make sure your thermostat is on its correct setting, turned on, and level.
To help keep your thermostat level, you can cover your windows to prevent sunlight from increasing your home temperature.
Also, make sure the inside of the thermostat is clean; if it’s dirty, the thermostat may freeze.
A frozen AC unit will result in you needing to call an emergency air conditioning service company.
3. Watch for Refrigerant Leaks
A significant problem for air conditioners, especially in the heat, is when refrigerant and coolant leak.
When this happens, your system won’t function properly. Its most common symptom is temperature fluctuation.
Unfortunately, these leaks can originate in several places within your unit.
It’s difficult to isolate the exact source in most cases, so if you suspect this is happening, call our emergency ac repair service!
4. Compressor Problems
The compressor propels refrigerant through to the coils, leading to heat exchange.
Two primary problems are likely to arise with compressors and coolants.
The first problem originates in a lack of coolant. If there’s not enough coolant, the compressor will heat up and seize up.
However, if there’s too much coolant, it will return to the compressor and freeze it.
Both problems produce the same effect.
If your compressor doesn’t run, the coolant won’t reach the coils. Therefore, your AC system won’t heat your home.
5. Clogged Drain Lines
Similar to an air filter, your drainage line can collect dust, dirt, and other blocks.
When this happens, your drain pan fills up, which makes water leak out of the line.
Water leaks in your AC system pose a significant threat to your system.
Once again, if you suspect a leak is affecting your drain line, it’s best to call a professional HVAC emergency service.
6. Capacitor Issues
Capacitors serve a vital role in your air conditioning system.
There are two capacitors in your system. First, there is the start capacitor, which jolts the motor to start it running.
Second, there’s the run capacitor, which continues to shock the motor to keep it running.
Once your motor is running at peak speed, your capacitors stop their jolting.
However, in an Arizona summer, your capacitors run for a significant portion of the day.
Eventually, they just run out of energy and burn out.
For an experienced emergency air conditioner repair technician, replacing either capacitor is a straightforward job.
However, replacing capacitors can quickly become an electrical hazard for a layman.
7. Evaporator Coils
Evaporator coils serve the role of absorbing heat from the air and pushing it through your home’s air ducts as cold air.
However, because they deal with air moisture, these coils corrode over time.
However, so long as your evaporator coils are inside your home, you only need maintenance on them every three years.
If you have a maintenance contract with an HVAC service, you shouldn’t have to worry much about corrosion going unnoticed.
8. Condenser Coils
Condenser coils are inside the compressor, and because of this location, they get dirty or corroded through the compressor elements. In Arizona, however, other problems arise.
Arizona’s frequent dust storms cause dust to absorb into your air conditioning unit, particularly your evaporator coils and condenser coils.
This dust also affects the fins outside of the condenser coil, causing them to become clogged.
This causes your system to run inefficiently at best or to stop running at all.
The good news, however, is that you can usually clean fins by yourself.
If you get a fin comb, you can thin and straighten these metal blades without much struggle.
9. Breakers and Fuses
Breakers and fuses protect your unit’s essential components, like the motor or compressor, from becoming overheated.
If your motor dies, there’s a good possibility it is caused by a fault in your breaker.
Tips for Coping With Broken AC Units Until Repairs
If the worst has happened and you need to deal with one of these emergency AC repair issues, here are some tips to make life bearable until they arrive.
First, cover all your windows. If sunlight is streaming in, it raises your home temperature.
Another tip is to take a cold shower. You’ve probably experienced the joy of jumping into a cold swimming pool on a hot summer day; cold showers often produce the same effect.
Lastly, don’t cook while your unit is down.
Running your oven spreads heat in the house, so instead, go out and enjoy a nice restaurant’s AC.
Call the Phoenix Area’s Best Air Conditioning Repair Company
As you can see, many issues can plague your air conditioning unit.
Some of these are easy to detect or prevent. Other problems, though, sneak up on you before you can do anything about it.
Sometimes they’re beyond your control and will require emergency air conditioner repairs.
If you want to avoid those repairs, then sign up for our maintenance program!
We help ensure that your system is running smoothly without any problematic conditions.
Dealing with air conditioning problems? Contact your experienced, affordable HVAC experts at Mark Daniels Air Conditioning & Heating, Serving the Valley Since 1996. Call (480) 571-7219 or request service online today!
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