Friday 15 August 2014

HVAC Troubleshooting Tips for Homeowners

Not all HVAC problems need professional technicians to fix them. You can actually save a lot of money with some basic DIYs. All you need is to be willing to be ready to grease your hands a bit and keep your eyes and ears open. If you have potted around with the screw driver and wires before, you may just as well enjoy these little troubleshooting tips.

Here are three common problems that you may encounter and their suggested solutions.

The Air Conditioner does not Turn On

If your air conditioner does not start, the first thing you need to check is whether there is power supply to the unit. Many technicians have rushed on calls just to find that the power supply to the unit was turned off. If you find the switch off, you need to just put it on to start your system.
If your central air conditioning unit stops working on a hot day, there are chances that there has been a trip in the high-pressure limit switch. Resetting the tripped switch with a simple push of the button in the compressor's access panel can solve the problem.

Lastly, check the thermostat settings. They may be off and you may not know it!

The System does not Cool Enough

If you find that your air conditioner is losing its cooling capacity, it could mean that the system is undercharged. It would do a great deal of good to remember that your system’s efficiency and performance is greatest when the charge in the refrigerant matches with the manufacturer's specification. This means that the system will not be overcharged or under charged. Just pick up the manual that accompanied your system. The manufacturer’s instructions will explain how to keep the refrigerant properly charged.

If your system is taking longer to cool the indoors than before, it could mean that there is dirt built up on your air filter, evaporator coil , condenser coil, or in any other place within the unit.

First, you need to check the air filter to see if it is dirty. Simply cleaning the filter, or changing it, does the trick. This problem will not occur if you are in the habit of cleaning the filter every month. If this is not the case and if you have not had your system cleaned for a year, you need to call a professional to clean up your system.

The air conditioner often Turns Off and On

The first to check is if there is dirt build-up which is causing the unit to perform inefficiently. For this, a thorough cleaning by a professional is required.

However, another possibility would be a blockage in the air that flows to the condenser unit outside. Ensure that no shrubs or plants are large enough to hinder this flow. If they are, trim them out to avoid such problems in the future. If any of these tips don’t work, there may be a bigger problem. Now you will need to call the technician to fix it.

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