In just a few short weeks, summer will officially end. That’s just what the calendar says, anyway. Given how warm our summer was this year, it’s safe to assume that we may be in for some heat waves still in the coming weeks or even months. That said, it’s vital that you make sure your air conditioner can handle whatever comes its way.
This means you should never ignore any AC repair needs for your system, no matter what time of the year it is. Having problems addressed right away with a call to your trusted HVAC contractor is a sure way to see that the problem doesn’t worsen and that your air conditioner will enjoy a long service life. The last thing you need is to deal with a busted air conditioner when you go to turn it on next spring, anyway!
Common Late-Season AC Repair Needs
After a long, draining summer of keeping the heat out of your living space, your cooling system might run into issues due to all of the strain put on it. Below are some of the more common repair needs our staff gets called for.
Failed Capacitors
You might have heard of a capacitor before. It’s a small electrical component that goes inside any machine that needs a motor to run. Your air conditioner has two types–the start capacitor and the run capacitor. The former signals the fan and blower motors to start up, while the latter keeps them running.
Ironically, high heat for a consecutive number of days can lead these capacitors to fail. That said, failing capacitors is a natural part of wear and tear. But if you want your air conditioner to work reliably, it’s a problem that still needs addressing, and quickly before it starts to impact other components of the cooling system.
A Malfunctioning or Dying Motor
Have you noticed an acrid, burning smell coming from your air conditioner or from the room vents? You might be detecting the AC motors burning out. This can happen if too much time goes by without the motor bearings being lubricated. You can usually catch this problem before it reaches critical mass, by listening for a squealing or screeching sound. These sounds sometimes occur as the lubrication is wearing down and it’s creating friction on the motor bearings.
A Frozen or Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil of your air conditioner is responsible for moving refrigerant and evaporating it as it absorbs heat in order to expel heat from your home and ultimately return chilled air to your living space. When the evaporator coil freezes over, or if it’s too dirty, it cannot effectively absorb heat, which means your cooling system cannot do its job.
How do you know if your evaporator coil has a problem? Well, if it’s not adequately absorbing heat, it will not feel as cool as it should inside your home, for starters. Also, if you see ice developing on your air conditioner, know that this is not normal and could very well be the sign of a problem with the evaporator coil. Please don’t hesitate to call our team if this is the case!
Contact Sound Heating for air conditioning repair in Bellevue, WA today!