subject: Common Air Conditioning Problems [print this page] If you look after your air conditioning system and perform the maintenance tasks set out in the manufacturer's service book you can expect your air conditioning system to function pretty much problem-free for many years. You may be surprised to learn that, according to professional air conditioning maintenance companies, the most common problems is actually improper operation. They site many cases where they are called to a person's home, because the air conditioning system isn't cooling the air correctly, only to find that they have windows open all over the house. You may as well get a few hundred dollar bills and set light to them.
The second most common problem is people expect portable air conditioning units to cool their whole home. A portable unit, depending on its output is meant to cool one room. You need to isolate the room by closing interconnecting doors for the unit to function properly. If you need to cool two rooms then its best to get two air conditioning units.
As you will no doubt have expected, one of the other major reasons for air conditioning systems failing to operate correctly is simply that the owners never have the systems maintained. They just expect the system to operate without performing any maintenance procedures. Always follow the procedures in the owner's booklet. This will include regular cleaning or replacement of filters and annual cleaning of the coils and fins. If you are not confident about undertaking the maintenance yourself then don't let it go by; get in a professional maintenance company, it will be worth the cost in the long run.
Other problems that often get reported are as a result of unqualified people undertaking the maintenance tasks. There are many companies that advertise air conditioning maintenance, but there is no law that says these technicians working for these companies have to be qualified. If you find you get a particularly inexpensive quotation, then check around elsewhere to get other quotations. Using unqualified technicians will mean they don't have a good understanding of how the system works and will not have been trained. It is also likely that they will use inferior products if parts need replacing. It is highly likely they will use an inferior refrigerant will lead to a system failure.
This leads on to a regular problem; the type of refrigerant doesn't match the type the manufacturer says it needs. This isn't to say the refrigerant is inferior; it simply isn't the same one that needs to be used. It a little like putting the wrong type of oil in your car's engine. It seems to work fine, but over time your engine will not last as long.
Leaking systems are another regular problem that maintenance companies find. Once the refrigerant leaks then the systems become inefficient and will eventually cease to work. Quite simply, you can ensure you have minimal problems with your air conditioning system by ensuring that you get it maintained regularly. It will work out less expensive in the long term and means you can have confidence that your system will work correctly when you need it most.
