The AC system in your home should be serviced — or maintained — at least twice a year. And as the summer heat begins to intensify, the last thing any homeowner wants is a breakdown that most likely could have been prevented. Bloomington Heating & Air provides high-quality HVAC maintenance that may prevent these four common repairs. To schedule AC maintenance, call us today!
1. Frozen Evaporator Coil
Also called the evaporator core, this coil is made from aluminum, copper, or steel due to the heat conductivity of these metals. Evaporator coils don’t have the circular form of a true coil but instead bend in U-shapes inside of or near the air handler.
The refrigerant inside the coil then pulls heat from the air and allows the fan to expel cooled air. Generally, the air filter is in front of the blower or return air duct and when it becomes clogged with dirt and dust, the air flow is impeded. Without adequate air flow, the refrigerant freezes, causing the entire coil to ice over and the system to stop producing cooled air. This is a frequent cause for ac repairs in the systems our technicians service.
2. Leaking Refrigerant
Another cause behind a frozen evaporator coil is leaking refrigerant. Once an air conditioner is charged — or filled — with the appropriate amount of refrigerant, it never needs to be recharged unless it’s leaking. Then, recharging is secondary to finding and repairing the source of the leak. Most leaks start very small, such as the size of a pinhole, and may be caused by punctures, poor installation, factory defects, and/or metal corrosion.
How Can You Spot Air Conditioning Leaks?
Generally, you’ll see tiny bubbles on the surface of the evaporator coil when there’s a leak. The bubbles form over the location of the hole or puncture most of the time but a technician with our HVAC company in Bloomington, MN will check the entire coil to make sure all current and potential leaks are repaired.
Is Leaking Freon Dangerous?
Yes. It’s a toxic substance which means you shouldn’t attempt this type of air conditioning repair yourself. Our technicians receive continual training which includes best practices for handling all types of refrigerants.
3. Dirty Condenser Coils
These coils are found in the large outdoor part of the air conditioner. Called the condenser unit, it includes the compressor, condenser fins and tubes, copper tubing, fan, switches, and valves. The condenser coils work in an opposite fashion of the evaporator coil, instead of handling the refrigerant in its heated gaseous state before it’s pressurized and returned to the liquid state. Because of their outdoor location, there’s a high propensity for dirt, dust, pollen, yard debris and more to accumulate on the coils. Unless you take time each week to clean the condenser, any significant build-up should be left to professionals during an air conditioning maintenance appointment.
4. Worn Down Compressor
Perhaps the most vital component aside from the motor is the compressor. It’s responsible for pushing the refrigerant through the system. Any issue or failure can slow the unit’s ability to produce enough cool air or bring everything to a halt. Plus, if the unit suffers a complete compressor failure, the entire outdoor unit will likely need to be replaced. That’s why scheduling semi-annual maintenance is important — find and repair potential issues before they become a larger, costlier problem or repair!