The Most Common HVAC Repairs
There are certain kinds of repairs that we deal with every day in the summer. Because they’re so common, these A/C issues usually only require a quick and simple fix when caught early! Unfortunately, if left unnoticed they can also cause some expensive problems. Below are the most common A/C issues we see, and what goes wrong when they are ignored.
1. Duct Leaks
Perhaps the most common of all A/C ailments, duct leaks are a dime a dozen. When the air is being run through the ducts in your home for any length of time, the ducts will undergo some amount of wear. This wear is generally concentrated at the joints of the ducts, which is the area we most often find separation.
Air leaks through damaged ducts mean less heated or cooled air is flowing into your home, and in some cases, most of it is flowing outside! While the most damage from this will come in the form of lost efficiency (and higher energy bills), if not repaired the leak can get larger and require full on replacement.
2. Compressor Failure
The compressor of your A/C unit is often referred to as the “heart” of the unit, because it pumps to keep the entire system running! When the condenser coils are dirty and worn, they can trap buildup, break, or cause the unit to overheat. The result is a system that has to work much harder to keep up, will cost you a small fortune in energy bills, and in the worst case scenarios can result in unit failure completely. This is one replacement you could certainly have avoided with regular maintenance checkups.
3. Low Refrigerant
Low Refrigerant is often a side effect of other problems your A/C is compensating for, as a unit overworking itself will also result in over-using refrigerant. Not only will this cause the air in your home to come out warm regardless of the temperature on the thermostat, it also means your unit is unable to regulate its own temperature. Overheated units are prone to all kinds of other damage and even failure, meaning low refrigerant can go from a small inconvenience to a huge problem in very little time.
4. Clogged or Damaged Drip Line
Did you know your A/C unit does more than cool the air? It also removes excess moisture, which brings us to the Drip Line. The Drip Line is the little spout where moisture removed from the air in your home collects and then drips into a drain pan. Just like a filter, this drain line can become clogged with any number of things like dust and lint, which disrupts the flow of water. When water doesn’t go where it’s supposed to, it will leak, and the amount of damage done will depend on where it goes. Depending on how the line leaks, you could potentially never know about the damage until your unit stops working completely!
The most important takeaway from this guide to common A/C repairs is that all of them typically take very little time to address when they are diagnosed early. As a homeowner, the simplest way to give yourself peace of mind is to make sure your unit is professionally checked and cleaned regularly. At Middleton Heat & Air, we make this even easier for our customers by offering our biannual Maintenance Agreement. For more information about how you can join our maintenance plan, or to schedule your spring maintenance, visit us online or give us a call at 1-800-404-0371 to speak with a comfort specialist today!