Know When It’s Time for Air Conditioning Repair & Service

Few systems within your Kingston or Brockville house are as important as your heating and cooling setup.  Your HVAC system protects you from the elements, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It’s vital for keeping yourself and your family safe, happy, and healthy.  

Of course, air conditioners and other HVAC systems are complex machines, and they can become damaged, broken, or run poorly.  Inefficient HVACs don’t merely fail at keeping you comfortable, they also waste energy, and can lead to needlessly high repair bills.  It’s always a good idea to call for Kingston or Brockville air conditioner repair sooner, rather than later, to protect your investment.

There are a lot of different ways an HVAC system might fail, and warning signs that you may soon have problems. Here are some of the most important to keep in mind.

7 Signs That You Need Air Conditioner Repair or Maintenance

1. Plugged condensate drain

Most modern A/C systems run by passing hot air over a chilled evaporator coil, rapidly cooling the air.  This inevitably creates condensation, as moisture in the air is pulled out and forms droplets on the coil.  HVAC units are built for this, and the condensation typically runs off of the coil, through a line, and into a pan.  Generally, this pan never needs to be emptied because the water evaporates before it ever fills.

However, the line draining the condensation away from the evaporator coil can easily become clogged by dirt, debris, or even intruders such as mold or fungus.  If the condensation cannot drain away properly, it can easily damage the system – or at least lead to unsightly puddles around your A/C unit.

2. Broken condensate pump

Some A/C units don’t rely entirely on gravity to remove unwanted condensation – sometimes they rely on a small electric pump to keep the water flowing.  If that pump ceases to work, condensation can build up, or harm critical components within your HVAC system.

If you’re having problems with the pump, first check to make sure that it’s properly receiving power.  Don’t forget to check the breaker box! If power isn’t the problem, then you’ll want to call an HVAC expert to look into the matter.

3. Broken or dirty evaporator coil

Since the evaporator coil is critical to the entire cooling process, any problems with it can affect the climate control in your house.  Minor breaks in the evaporator coil can disrupt the flow of air, or cause water to splash off of it rather than running properly down into the condensate drain.  In worst-case scenarios, a broken evaporator coil could cause your A/C to fail entirely.

This isn’t a problem you can fix yourself.  You will need professional help to take care of problems with the evaporator coil.

4. Frosted over evaporator coil

The other common problem with evaporator coils is that they become too cold and start to frost over.  This most often happens if there is reduced airflow through the A/C unit, causing cold air to get trapped within the system.  If you see that your evaporator coil is becoming frosted over, immediately turn off the A/C until it has a chance to defrost.  Otherwise, you could burn out the air compressor.  

Sometimes this “just happens,” and everything will be fine after the coil thaws.  However, if the evaporator coil continues to ice over after restarting the system, you should have someone take a look at it.

5. Poor airflow from vents

Once you’ve lived in a house for a while, you should have a feel for how quickly air should be blowing out of the ducts and vents in your home.  So, if it ever seems like the air coming out of your vents is too slow, or weak, that can indicate problems with your A/C!

There are a few potential causes here.  The A/C unit itself may be struggling to provide enough airflow, possibly due to some of the problems listed above.  Or, you could have clogs in your vents which are inhibiting airflow.  If the reason for the slowdown isn’t obvious, you’ll want HVAC experts to look into the problem.

6. Frequent rapid cycles of heating or cooling

Over the course of a year, it’s expected that your HVAC system will work hardest in summer and winter.  However, even at peak usage, the process should be one of having the HVAC running for a prolonged period, followed by a long period without much airflow once the desired temperature is achieved.

If you see your A/C constantly going through quick cycles of turning on and off, on and off, rather than providing sustained airflow, there’s likely something wrong.  At the very least, it’s not running nearly as efficiently as it should, and it’s possible there are issues with the compressor or other internal elements.

7. Summer is coming soon

Few things will put more of a strain on your HVAC system than the onset of a new season, and rapid changeover from heating to cooling.  Since the cooling system may have gone unused for months, it’s easy for problems to have come up during the offseason.  Those problems could easily turn into major trouble, particularly if the A/C is then called on to run for long hours as the days and nights get warmer.

Even if everything seems to be working normally, it’s a good idea to call in HVAC experts for standard maintenance and a check-up before a new season hits. For your heating system, that also goes for the lead up to fall and winter. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to fix any issues before you’re relying on your heater.

When You Need Air Conditioner Repair in Kingston & Brockville, Contact Toshack!

Toshack has proudly served the greater Brockville and Kingston area for ninety years, and that’s given us plenty of time to establish our reputation as trusted HVAC experts in the area. If your air conditioner is giving you problems, you don’t want to ignore the issue. That will just lead to more problems and more repair bills down the road.

Instead, contact Toshack to receive a free estimate from our team and get the problem fixed promptly.