Here are 5 common central air conditioning problems we see regularly here in the Southwest Florida area.
1. Drain line- This is often caused by a lack of maintenance. The fact is, your air conditioner pulls water out of the air while cooling, to the tune of a gallon an hour if running non stop. Algae is building up over time in that drain line. Without the drain being vacuumed at least once per year, you will undoubtedly have a water back-up. Pure Air also adds algaecide, non corrosive tablets to the primate drain pan inside of your air handler, on every service.
2. Filters- Filters are the homeowner’s responsibility, primarily because they need to be changed quite often. Pure Air recommends using a 1 inch thick pleated filter, unless there is a whole house media filter installed at the air handler. Merv ratings are important, they correspond to the size of the particles they can pull out of the air as it is passing through. Filters also come in a hundred different sizes, making it impossible for the service company to carry all of the sizes on every truck. That being said, a filter that is plugged up with dust/debris will have the same effect as undersized duct-work. Your system will freeze up, and in the extreme scenario- your compressor will fail. It is very important to be familiar with your filter situation at home.
3. Sweating supply vents- Ever found the mildew spots around your vents? This is most likely caused by the closure of the damper inside of the vent or supply grille. The duct system was never intended to be shut off at the entry point to the home, slightly open the inside damper and angle the vent away from the ceiling or wall. By shutting it completely you are causing a buildup of cold air that will cause the metal vent to sweat, and therefore develop mildew.
4. Thermostat will not hold temperature- If the thermostat set temperature has not been drastically lowered recently and will not hold a reasonable set temperature, you need a service call. There could be a multitude of issues, too many to cover here. Check your filters first, see if your outside unit is running, then call Pure Air.
5. No airflow inside home- Shut the system down immediately and call us! Most likely the evaporator coil is frozen, blocking the passage of air into your home from the air handler. This can lead to flooding when the coil de-thaws. It can also lead to blower motor and compressor failure. Call the professionals before you risk a more expensive and timely repair.
-Michael Crothers, 239-597-7873
