5 Reasons You Might Experience an AC Might Breakdown
1. Dirty Air Filters
As a basic rule: dirty air filters make your AC unit work harder to pull and push air through the ventilation system. Filters also help to keep dust from building up in your ducts, or being blown into other rooms of your house. Dust buildup, especially over long periods of time, is a perfect recipe for a potential AC problem in the summer. Change the air filter whenever it looks dirty, which can be as short as 3 months for homes with pets or a lot of dust.
2. Fluid in Outdoor Units
A specific fluid that can wreck havoc for outdoor units: pet urine. Dogs and cats alike can sometimes mark their territories outside, conveniently on the filters or openings of an AC unit. Under most circumstances, one or two occurrences will not be a problem. However, long term or untreated urine, aka ammonia, can erode your outdoor AC unit’s condenser coils. Coils are responsible for cooling the air, and if they are damaged, it can result in costly repair.
3. Old Air Conditioning Unit
One potential air conditioning problem you might encounter is its age. Like any other major appliance, AC units lose their efficacy with age. Even the most well maintained air conditioners lose some cooling, conditioning, and circulation capacity with age. A simple fix: if your unit is more than 10 years old, have it inspected by a NATE certified HVAC technician to evaluate it. At the very least, you can get an estimate for when you should replace your older unit.
4. Air Conditioner Debris
The US Department of Energy says, “Clogged, dirty filters block normal airflow and reduce a system’s efficiency significantly.” Airflow is critical to the health and efficacy of your AC unit, and when dirt makes it into the inner chambers, it can cover important parts like the condenser coil or the evaporator coil. If you have never cleaned the inside of a unit before, you should hire a professional HVAC technician to inspect it to avoid costly problems.
5. Delayed Maintenance
The best time to schedule routine AC maintenance is BEFORE the heat of New Jersey summer. However, it never really is too late to schedule preventative maintenance. Call the PFO air conditioning experts to look at your coils, fins, drains, and refrigerant levels. These small, but important, preventative measures can protect your family from summer AC problems.
Broken AC? Contact Princeton Fuel Oil
If your AC unit failed in your home in Mercer County, contact Princeton Fuel Oil (PFO) to schedule a repair appointment a NATE certified HVAC technician. We have been providing superior services since 1941.