How do I know if something is wrong with my Aircon unit?
With the new 0% VAT incentive on residential aircon units a lot of people are now having AC installed in their homes. If you’re someone who has had their aircon unit for a long time or you are considering getting an aircon unit, it’s important you can identify if your aircon unit is faulty. A well maintained aircon system can help improve your health and quality of sleep. In fact, with many people using their aircon units to battle hay fever, it’s even more important to make sure your aircon unit is performing at its best.
It is important to ask yourself questions like, is your aircon system still going strong? Has your fan stopped working? Is there a refrigerant leak?
No matter what issues arise with your cooling system, it’s important to rectify the issues quickly and effectively.
However, while you may not be capable of troubleshooting the issues on your own, some helpful tips will facilitate you in narrowing it down. Continue reading and we will provide you with the more common aircon unit problems and their potential solutions.
Air from the aircon unit isn’t Cold Enough
If the temperature in your environment isn’t as low as you would like it, check the thermostat.
Try lowering the thermostat by 5 degrees approximately to determine if the AC activates. If your thermostat is near anything that affects its temperature reading, like a window/radiator, you will need to have it moved.
If your cooling system is blowing warm air once you have lowered the temperature, you may have a refrigerant leak that must be repaired. Contact us and we will get this issue sorted for you.
Condenser Doesn’t Turn On
The outdoor condenser unit does a lot of the work. As a result, there are some problems that may develop, the primary thing to test is if your aircon unit is receiving power or not.
Check the fuse box or breaker to determine if the outdoor unit isn’t receiving any power – the breakers may have tripped. Another way of checking the power is to see if the indoor units respond to the remote when you try to turn it on.
If the matter continues, you may have a faulty compressor or motor. Contact us and we will investigate this issue further for you.
Increasing Electric Bills
With the increase in energy prices, the last thing you want is your faulty AC to contribute to higher bills.
There are numerous reasons why you could see an increase in electrical bills. Incompetent ac installations or faulty ac systems are possible reasons your bills could be increasing.
Contact us to arrange a call out to asses your AC for refrigerant leaks, pipe/ductwork problems, insulation issues, electrical faults, AC efficiency, and anything else.
Low/Weak Airflow from the aircon unit
If your air conditioning is producing cool air, but there’s barely any airflow maybe you need a deep clean of your system. ECS can come and service your system, chemically clean any filters and coils and check the unit is working within the correct perimeters. Dirty, clogged filters can block airflow and cause major issues such as a failed compressor. This can then incur unnecessary costs for the customer.
Contact us if none of the above solutions work.
Freon and Condensate Leaks
Any moisture around your HVAC system may be a problem. Two possible linked issues are refrigerant leaks and condensate leaks.
Here are some signs that you have a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner:
- The AC takes an extended time to cool down.
- Electricity bills are rising.
- Warm air comes out of your unit.
- Frozen evaporator coils or ice on the outdoor refrigerant line.
- Hissing or bubbling noises.
Refrigerant is poisonous and may cause a serious safety hazard for pets and kids. If you think there is a refrigerant leak, contact us straight away.
Another reason for water around your aircon unit could be a problem with your condensate drain line or drain pan. When water condenses around your indoor evaporator coil it drips down into the drain pan. The condensate (which is just water) is meant to empty out of the house via the condensate drain line.
If the pan or drain line is clogged or leaking, water can appear on the ground around your indoor air handler.
Loud/Strange Noises
If you’re hearing any unusual sounds coming from your aircon unit, get in contact and have an expert engineer diagnose the issue. Faulty AC can result in extensive damage.
We recommend turning your cooling system off until you’ve had it looked at by a professional.
How can you prevent any of these issues?
A lot of Aircon issues can be solved by keeping your unit serviced. Here at ECS we offer a maintenance contract to all of our customers. You can also book a one off service – we charge £95 +vat per indoor unit. If you want to try servicing your ac unit check out our article on how you can service your Aircon unit yourself.
Prepare your AC unit for cold weather conditions by reading this article: Ensure your HVAC system runs smoothly this winter.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like to book a call out or one off service visit to deep clean your AC system.