Air Conditioner Repair Can Be Simple
Most any homeowner, at some point, can perform air conditioner repair, especially when your air conditioner is having a minor performance problem or completely freezing up. If your air conditioner is not cooling, shut it down. However, if you do not shut it down, over time it will cause damage to other parts of the air conditioner unit and possibly melt the air conditioner pipes. If this happens, air conditioner repair will be required.
There are a few simple things that you can do to start preparing for the cost of your new air conditioner. First, if you are still paying for an air conditioner, consider if the cost of a new unit would be more than or equal to the cost of a few years old air conditioner. If you find that the difference in the price is significant, you may want to replace the air conditioners altogether. Also, if you have a gas air conditioner, you may want to consider installing a new heating coil on the furnace side so that you will not have to pay for an expensive replacement.
For many homeowners, the easiest way to prepare for air conditioner repair is to keep their air conditioners as clean as possible. This is especially true for those who have an automatic air conditioner. These devices often generate large amounts of dust, and in some cases, dirt can get into the air conditioner condenser and prevent it from working correctly. Instead of allowing this dirt to build up and potentially short out your new unit, you should clean your air conditioners as soon as possible.
One of the main reasons why air conditioner repair becomes necessary is because the evaporator coil may have developed a problem. The coil’s job is to keep the cool air close to the inside of the home in order to help it maintain a constant temperature. Problems develop if dirt gets into the evaporator coil, causing it to lose its ability to work properly and to produce enough cool air to keep your home comfortable. In addition to a dirty evaporator coil, another common reason for air conditioner repair is a clogged air conditioner condenser, which means there is not enough free room in the system for all of the refrigerant to be dissipated.
If you find that the air conditioner repair you are needing requires a new condenser, you can purchase one that is made specifically to work with an evaporator coil that has developed a leak. In most cases, you can tell when a condenser has developed a leak because it begins to leak from the back of the unit. When this happens, you should take the time to clean the area around the condenser and to place caulk around the leak, as this will help to seal it against leakage. In some cases, a metal screw may need to be taken out of the condenser shell to allow you to replace the existing condenser. Before taking out the screw, make sure you turn the power to the system off so that you can safely do the replacement. If you aren’t certain how to replace the condenser, you can ask a professional for assistance.
If you have a refrigerant leak, you should place bottled water under the refrigerant. The water will draw out the air conditioner repair leak and then eliminate any excess moisture in the refrigerant. You can use bottled water or other preferred receptacles to collect the leaking refrigerant. Before you reattach the refrigerant hose to the condenser, make sure you turn off the power to the system, as this will prevent a dangerous buildup of pressure when you try to reconnect the refrigerant line. Once the condenser has been reinstalled, you should replace the old refrigerant hose with the new one and then reconnect the refrigerant line to the house.