3 Air Conditioning Repairs That Could Improve The Energy Efficiency Of Your AC

If your electric bills keep getting higher over the summer once you turn your AC on, there might be something wrong with your air conditioner that's causing it to run inefficiently. If your AC has to run longer to keep your house cool, it uses more power and your bill will be higher. Here's a look at three repairs your AC may need to improve its efficiency.

Repair A Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant lines can develop small pinhole leaks that allow refrigerant to slowly escape. If your AC doesn't have the right amount of refrigerant under the right pressure, your AC has to work harder to cool your house. You may notice that your AC runs for much longer periods of time trying to cool your house down.

An air conditioning repair technician can fix this problem by finding the leak and repairing it so the AC will hold a full charge of refrigerant. With optimal refrigerant to pull heat out of your home, your AC can keep your home cooler without having to work so hard.

Clean The Coils

Dirty coils can make your AC operate inefficiently. Your air conditioner has coils in the air handler and outside in the condenser. If either set of coils gets coated in dirt or dust, the refrigerant that flows through the coils can't pull as much heat from the air, and your air conditioner will run longer. This problem can also cause the coils to ice over. The repair technician can clean the coils and then test the system to see if your AC runs normally again.

Repair The Blower Or Motor

Short cycling is a condition where your AC shuts off before it reaches the target range on the thermostat. It can do that because of a malfunction or as a safety mechanism if another part is overheating or not working properly. Although the air conditioner shuts down, it will start back up since the thermostat triggers it to start. This causes your AC to turn on and off many times a day and that drives up your power bill. Your AC may even shut itself off permanently until the problem is fixed.

The repair technician has to troubleshoot your AC to figure out the cause of the problem. A possible culprit is the blower motor or fan. If the fan is clogged with dust and difficult to spin, it may overheat and trigger the AC to shut down. A bad motor can cause the same problem. The repair technician may remove the motor and fan to service them by cleaning the parts and replacing worn parts if needed.

If none of the above are the cause of your air conditioner's inefficiency, the repair technician will need to troubleshoot the air handler and condenser to figure out the problem. Malfunctioning parts, leaky ducts, thermostat trouble, and even a dirty filter could contribute to poor efficiency. The technician may give your unit a thorough cleaning and ensure there is optimal airflow through the system once repairs are done to ensure your AC operates as efficiently as possible. 


Share