Imagine this scenario, if you will: an unbearable heat wave has visible waves wafting off of the pavement, and everyone’s miserable. You go home from a long day, and as the door opens, the cool gusts of air doesn't greet you. Instead, it’s just the hot, stuffy air that’s been sitting there, baking your house with heat. The thermostat says it's warmer inside than outside of the house, but nothing happens with the AC.
It’s a bit of a nightmare when your air conditioner is broken. We’ve covered the importance of heating and cooling maintenance in another post, so today, we’ll give you some ideas on why you're in need of some sudden AC repair:
Coolant Leak
Freon (often known as coolant or refrigerant) is something that could be considered the blood of an AC system--it’s THAT important. As it goes through the coils of your AC, going through a rapid evaporation process many times to draw the heat out of your home. If it’s taking longer to cool your house than usual or your outside unit is covered in ice, there’s a chance you might have a leak.
Clutter in the Unit
A lot of things can get into your outside unit, if it’s persistent enough. Leaves from a nearby tree might give it some problems with its sticks and leaves, a child’s toy could possibly get lodged in the system, or more commonly, dirt and sand could work its way in through a dust storm. If this happens around certain parts, it could cause them to overheat and the entire system will shut down.
Damaged PartsA lot of things can get into your outside unit, if it’s persistent enough. Leaves from a nearby tree might give it some problems with its sticks and leaves, a child’s toy could possibly get lodged in the system, or more commonly, dirt and sand could work its way in through a dust storm. If this happens around certain parts, it could cause them to overheat and the entire system will shut down.
There’s a lot of parts in an air conditioner, and if the more important ones break, there’s one common symptom: the lack of cool air flowing into your home. An initial thought might be that the air filters are needing to be changed out, but there’s more to worry about. There’s fans that can be bent, capacitors that can overload and make your unit break down, motors that can wear out, and more.
If any of these happen, don’t panic, and contact a technician to repair your AC unit immediately. They’re trained to track down the problem with the system and fix it as soon as possible. Since the warmer months of the year are rapidly approaching, it’s also a good idea to schedule a technician so that they can take preventative care for your AC unit, so you’re not stuck without air conditioning in Arizona.
