Air Conditioner: How To's
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The air conditioner contains several components that work in tandem to create an extremely comfortable and healthy environment inside your home. The key components in the AC unit include the motor, coils, compressor, two fans, the filters, louvers, thermostat controls, power coils, and switch. Damage to any of these parts will affect the air conditioners’ performance. Over a period of time, dirt and dust accumulate in the AC and affect its cooling power. This hampers the efficiency of the filters, the blower fan, and the evaporator coil and eventually blocks the drain ports if not cleaned regularly. Besides providing inefficient cooling and causing extreme discomfort, these factors will also shoot up your electricity bills. Thus maintaining and servicing the AC unit is mandatory for its longevity and continuous performance. Regular check-ups will also help to prevent larger maintenance issues and high expenditure on service and repairs.
With regular use, minor problems may arise in your AC unit, which if attended to promptly will keep your appliance working efficiently. While, only a qualified & professional AC services agency can do the right job – it is helpful to understand the nature of the problem before placing the call. Sealed components like the compressor, motor and the coils should essentially be dealt with by an expert technician.
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Do-it-yourself quick fix:
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- Problem: Dirty or clogged filters obstruct the air flow. Your AC has to work twice as much to provide the desired cooling. Dirt and debris buildup can also lead to low air quality, can cause major problems or can cause your unit to breakdown.
- Solution: Clean the filters at least once a month to prevent dirt build-up. Some air conditioners feature a washable filter while some units feature the throwaway type. Clean washable filters with a mild detergent solution. Throwaway filters must be replaced.
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Call professional help for these fixes:
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- Evaporator, Condenser Coils and Condensing unit: These coils need to be cleaned regularly or at least once in every month using a vacuum cleaner. If your home is in a dusty area, then the coils need to be cleaned frequently. Straighten the bent coil fins with the help of a fin comb that is easily available in the electric and hardware stores. Keep the area around the condensing unit free of debris, lint, dry leaves to prevent clogging.
- Water leakage and musty smelling air in the room: Water or condensate collects at the bottom of the ac unit as part of the condensation process. The fan slinger in the condensation unit regularly clears this condensate water which then evaporates. However, collection of dirt and debris in the bottom pan hampers this process. This can lead to leakage in the room being that is being cooled and can also release a musty smell in the air.
- The ac does not turn on: A faulty selector switch will prevent the unit from turning on. However, if the ac unit is receiving power, but fails to work on any setting, chances are that the switch is at fault. But, if there are no issues with the switch, then the fault may lay elsewhere, which only a professional will be able to detect.
- The unit is completely dead: Unplug the ac from its outlet and plug another device in its place and switch it on. If it turns on, then power supply is not an issue here. The problem may lie with the wiring, the compressor, the thermostat, the selector switch, or the control board. Overload or relay may also be a cause.
- No cold air, despite the fan running continuously: Check if the compressor motor is working. Listen for a continuous humming sound coming from the compressor. If the compressor is working but still not cooling then the problem may lay with the condenser, the compressor, or the evaporator.
- There is sufficient power supply but the compressor is not functioning: The problem may lay with the compressor, the capacitor, the wiring may have burnt, the selector switch may have gone bad, or there may be Overload and/or relay.
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Bottom-line:
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Before you start any troubleshooting activity, ensure that your air conditioner is unplugged, and the capacitor is completely discharged, to prevent an electrical shock. It is also important to read the instruction manual before opening up the unit. This will tell you where every component is located.
For all practical purposes it is advisable to get the right professional AC services agency to do the job. |
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