Most Australian homes take advantage of an air conditioning unit, whether it’s to keep us warm in the winter or cool down the hot summer days. With the unpredictable nature of Melbourne’s weather, your air conditioner must be working correctly at all times. With the proper care and consistent maintenance, your aircon will always be prepared to make your home comfortable. It is, however, essential to know what common air conditioning issues may affect your unit and how to avoid them.
Dirty Condenser Coils and Filters
On those days you spend cleaning your home top to bottom, be sure not to neglect cleaning your air conditioners, condenser coils and filters. The air filters in your split system air conditioner can clog up with dust if not cleaned regularly. Dirty air filters may also cause the condenser coils to freeze and reduce general airflow.
These condenser coils work to reduce moisture inside your home and lead the heat outside. They won’t do their job correctly if not taken care of. The condenser coils can also become grimey over time, which further reduces how well they work. The best way to avoid this issue is to ensure you thoroughly clean your air conditioner’s air filters and condenser coils. If you think either of these parts is beyond cleaning, speak with your air conditioner repair team, and they can order in and install the correct replacement parts for your specific unit.
Low Refrigerant Levels or Leaks
During an Australian summer, a working air conditioner is crucial to fight against the holiday season heat. A common issue that you may encounter is where your air conditioning system has low refrigerant levels. Refrigerant is the main component needed to cool down your home. Low refrigerant may occur when there is a leak or if your refrigerant levels weren’t charged correctly upon installation.
To avoid low refrigerant in your aircon, ensure it is installed by a professional air conditioning service provider, like the expert team at John’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. If you believe you have a refrigerant leak, do not attempt to refill the refrigerant yourself, as this isn’t a solution to this issue. Instead, contact a trained technician to repair your leak and ensure that your air conditioning unit has the appropriate refrigerant levels.
Thermostat Problems
Whether you have an older thermostat or a modern programmable one, ensuring your thermostat is up to date or correctly calibrated is important for your air conditioner to function as intended. If incorrectly set up, your thermostat may be the reason why your aircon isn’t doing what it should.
There are simple solutions to ensure that your thermostat is correctly connected to your air conditioner. If you still have the manual for your AC unit, you should be able to find the best troubleshooting steps for your specific unit. You could begin by simply resetting or properly calibrating your thermostat, or if you have a more modern thermostat, ensuring it has the latest updates installed. You could also check the thermostat sensor connected to your room air conditioner and make sure it is appropriately positioned.
If you are having trouble troubleshooting a thermostat issue, be sure to bring it up on your next air conditioner service call, where trained technicians can help solve the problem for you.
Clogged Drains
To keep your air conditioner working throughout the year, it is essential to ensure that your aircon’s drain is never clogged. After collecting the moisture in your home while in use, most AC units will expunge the moisture through a drainage system. If these drains were to be compromised, however, you run the risk of not only damaging your air conditioner but also risk causing permanent water damage to the surrounding walls and ceilings.
Drains may clog over time from a build-up of gunk and debris. It is recommended that you clear these drains at least once a year or contact a professional technician to conduct a full air conditioning service to unclog these drains and assess any other issues you may have.
Regular Maintenance
The best way to identify common air conditioning issues is to maintain your air conditioning systems regularly. No matter if it’s a home split system, office AC or even a portable air conditioner, most common issues can be prevented before they need attention just by scheduling a service. Whether it be clearing a blocked drain, updating your thermostat, cleaning or replacing your air filter and condenser coils, or identifying and repairing a refrigerant leak, an air conditioner service will keep your aircon running perfectly all year round.
The professional, skilled, and experienced technicians at John’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning will be able to provide you with a thorough and affordable service. They will also assist you with any repairs or further maintenance that may be identified during the service and ensure excellent air conditioning installation for new units. The best way to fix an air conditioner issue is to prevent them from occurring. Contact us to schedule an air conditioner service today.