A home's ducted or central air conditioning system may experience some problems that you might not otherwise face with a window unit or ductless air conditioner. This is because the ducted or central system runs through all the ducts and vents of a home and is usually larger and more powerful than a ductless unit, so it may suffer more early wear and tear. If your home has a ducted or central unit, note some common problems you might experience with the system and how to troubleshoot them; even if you need to call a repairperson to fix them, you can still know what to expect by way of a repair bill.
1. The air seems very dry and uncomfortable
Summertime usually means humid air, so you may immediately notice very dry and uncomfortable air when it comes through the vents every time the air conditioner kicks on. Remember that when the cool air is pushed through all the ducts and vents of the home, it picks up dust, dirt, and other debris and brings these along with it. This dust and dirt can make the air feel dry and uncomfortable and often signals that you simply need to have the home's ductwork cleaned.
2. The unit doesn't come on at all
If you've checked the most obvious and simplest solutions such as ensuring the thermostat works and that the unit has not tripped a circuit, note if your air conditioner has a condensate pump. This pumps condensation from a reservoir area to the outside of the unit. If the reservoir area is full, the unit may switch off, and this usually signals that the pump is faulty and needs replacing.
3. The air is suddenly not cool
If the unit has been working consistently and then suddenly sends in air that doesn't feel cool, it may be a problem the condenser coil. This looks like the grill to the front of a car, and sometimes the unit will get so cold that it allows ice or frost to develop. If you've been running your unit consistently, this may have caused it to get this cold and icy. When this happens, air cannot circulate across this condenser coil to get cool. In turn, the air conditioner will push air through your home, but it will simply be room temperature, not cool. Have the condenser coil checked for ice formation before you run the air conditioner again.
For more information or help with air condition problems, contact a local HVAC company like Ridge Airconditioning.
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