Common Air Conditioning Repair Problems

The Most Common AC Repair Issues

ac repair or new ac unit installation frederick mdAC season isn’t over yet here in Frederick, MD, and if you never had that strange sound looked at from the end of last summer, or if you’re concerned that it needs professional attention, now is the time to get in touch with your local AC professional. When problems are neglected, they tend only to worsen. In this post, we’d like to examine a few common air conditioning repair problems, so that you can recognize the need for pro assistance when you see them. Call Larry & Sons today!

  • Not enough cooling: This is a common symptom that has numerous possible causes. There’s no quite telling what the root cause of it is without professional inspection. One common cause is an airflow issue, often caused by a clogged air filter. Remember to make sure your air filter is clean of debris about once a month during the cooling season. While it is intended to prevent the accumulation of dust and debris on your system components, when it gets clogged or becomes dirty, it can actually impede airflow and block the cool air that you need to stay comfortable.
  • Dirty coils: When your condenser coils get dirty, which can happen frequently because they are housed in the outdoor unit, it won’t be able to dissipate heat into the outside air. If this process is disrupted, the cycle will not be as efficient, and it may result in warmer air coming out of your ducts. A technician can ensure that all aspects of your AC are clean so that you can avoid any further disruptions.
  • Low refrigerant: When it was installed, your AC was “charged” with a set amount of refrigerant. Over time, however, you may have developed a leak in one of the coils, or the lineset that has resulted in low levels of refrigerant circulating through your system. This causes a wide variety of problems, including inadequate cooling and a lack of dehumidification.

Make sure you’re ready to go the rest of this season, and next summer. Call Larry & Sons for comprehensive air conditioning repair services in Frederick, MD if you’re concerned about your AC!

Fan Problems with Your Air Conditioning

While your air conditioning system uses a couple of fans to assist with the cooling process, fans alone cannot cool a home. Instead, fans make you feel cooler because they make it easier for sweat to evaporate from your body. In this guide, we’ll look at how fans help cool your home and why you should call for air conditioning repair as soon as you encounter fan problems.

Air conditioners cool your home using a refrigerant cycle that absorbs heat from your home and releases it into the air. Refrigerant changes from a liquid to a gas at the indoor evaporator coil as it absorbs heat. Then, it changes from a gas to a liquid at the outdoor condenser coil as heat releases into the air.

Fans play an important role in this process. A condenser fan sucks in the outdoor air to help with the condensation process. It then helps the heat to disperse from the refrigerant and into the air. The indoor fan sucks in warm indoor air and cools it over the evaporator coil. The same fan then distributes cool air through the ducts. Here are some of the problems these fans may run into over time.

  • Debris in the Fan Motor: The fans are controlled by a motor that may be affected by debris. If your fan motor makes a grinding noise, there may be dirt in the motor or it may simply need lubrication.
  • Bent or Damaged Fan Blade: A bent or damaged fan blade may interfere with airflow, leading to a frozen evaporator coil and/or limited cooling. If this is the case, you may hear a rattling sound in your ducts or from the outside unit.
  • Overheated Motor: Like all mechanical parts, a motor may eventually fail. If a motor stops working, it most likely needs replacement. You should choose an experienced technician to replace a motor to ensure that it is the proper size for the system.

AC fan problems may reduce the efficiency of your air conditioner, limit the system’s cooling power, or cause you to feel no cool air at all. If you need Frederick MD AC repair, call Larry & Sons, Inc. today!

Air Conditioning Repair in Shippensburg, PA: What Ice on Your System Means

It seems a little ironic: ice on your air conditioning being a bad thing? Don’t you want your air conditioning to be cold? Of course you do, but not always in the way you might think. A common air conditioning repair in Shippensburg, PA deals with ice on the system. If you discover that any component of your air conditioning system has iced over, contact the air conditioning repair technicians at Larry & Sons.

Ice typically results from an issue with air flow or refrigerants, which affects the overall performance of your air conditioning system. When filters get dirty or clogged, they keep air from passing through the evaporator coil. When the air can’t flow along the coil, it creates frost or ice along the surface and further impedes airflow. Low refrigerant charges can also cause freezing around the evaporator coil, as can leaks or loose fittings.

What kind of problems does that cause? Ice prevents your AC from properly cooling the air. The coolants pull heat from the surrounding air, which essentially makes your air conditioning work. If your evaporator coil is covered in ice, it can’t absorb the heat from the air inside your home, leading to inadequate cooling.

If you spot ice on your air conditioning or you suspect ice may be forming on the system, call the experts at Larry & Sons. With almost 50 years of experience in air conditioning repair in Shippensburg, PA, our family-owned business emphasizes the small-town touch while providing stellar professional service. We’ll keep a small problem from becoming a larger one and ensure that your system stays clear of ice.

What Can Cause My Air Conditioning to Leak?

Have you noticed water leaking from your air conditioning system? While this is a serious issue that requires AC repair in Frederick, MD, it is actually a very common problem.  Here is a quick summary of why this happens and how to fix it.

In order to cool your home, your AC uses a fan to push the warm air from your home over a series of very cold coils called evaporator coils. If you’ve ever taken a cold glass of water outside on a hot day, then you’ve seen condensation form on the outside of the glass. This same phenomenon occurs on the evaporator coils as the warm air from your house releases its moisture.

When it’s operating normally, this condensation will drip from the coils into a condensate pan and drain away. But over time, the pan and the drain can get clogged with dust, dirt and other debris. This will cause the condensate pan to fill up and the over flow.

When you notice that your air conditioning system is leaking water, you should call for repairs. This type of leak happens very slowly and because it is almost unnoticeable, it can cause water damage over time.

How to Prevent Water Leaks

Probably the best way to keep your air conditioning system from leaking water is to get it regularly inspected by a professional. During regular maintenance visits, your technicians will specifically check your evaporator coils, and the condensate pan and drain for any clogs that might be forming. They will clean these components to make sure that those issues don’t happen.

When you need any services for your air conditioning in Frederick, MD, make sure that you call the experts at Larry & Sons.