We have officially entered “swampy” season. If you live in northeast Indiana, you know this season well. It’s when the days become more and more humid and temperatures soar, making it almost unbearable to spend time outside. Thank goodness for air conditioning, right? It has been working hard to keep you cool and comfortable all season long. Now however, it kicks into overtime to not only keep you cool, but to drive out increased levels of moisture as well.
Here in northeast Indiana, swampy season coincides with cottonwood season. You’ve likely seen those magical wispy cottonwood seeds floating through the air. They are lovely, but they can wreak havoc on your air conditioning unit by clogging the coils on your outdoor unit.
Mashing swampy season and cottonwood season together can spell disaster for your air conditioning unit, so we thought we’d outline some troubleshooting guidelines for you, as well as provide tips to keeping yours running in top shape.
If your A/C unit stops functioning properly, follow these steps:
- Check the outside unit. Are the coils clogged and dirty? In addition to cottonwoods, other environmental debris and dust can cause your unit to get clogged. You may be able to clear some of the debris yourself, but if it has gotten inside around the coils, you may want to call us to have them professionally cleaned.
- Check your air filters. One of the most common A/C unit problems is a dirty filter. Dirty filters reduce air flow and can cause parts of the unit to stop functioning properly. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding changing the filter regularly.
- Check the fans. There are several fans within an A/C unit and they function to move air through the system. A faulty motor, wear and tear, and dirt can all lead to reduced air flow and potentially, compressor failure. One fan is located on the outdoor unit. On most units, you can see it by looking down from the top. When your unit is on, this fan should be spinning. If it’s not, there is definitely an issue.
- Check the refrigerant level. If your air conditioning unit starts to blow warm or hot air, and your thermostat appears to be working, it’s likely an indication that the refrigerant level is low.
If you’ve made it this far and haven’t been able to pinpoint the issue, it’s time to call for help. That’s where the trusted service technicians from A. Hattersley come in. We will walk you through some troubleshooting steps over the phone to get a feel for the issue and then send someone to your home to get your unit back up and running efficiently. During the service call, we will check the above-mentioned items, as well as the thermostat, compressor, capacitor, refrigerant lines, refrigerant levels, pressure gauges and temperatures, and air flow.
There are many moving parts on an A/C unit, that’s why is crucial to perform regular preventative maintenance. Without regular service from a trained HVAC technician, a residential unit becomes less efficient each year and more prone to malfunctions. Our service technicians can service any brand, no matter who originally installed it.
To find out more about our preventative maintenance services, give us a call today at 260-483-6473 or send us a message.
