An air conditioner can break for many reasons. How to deal with a breakdown, where to go for duct repair in Sacramento, and even better, prevent it? To do this, you need to know what malfunctions occur with air-conditioning equipment, and what they can be caused by.

Why do air conditioners break down? 

Climate technology requires careful and timely care, in principle, like any technology. If the split system is not used correctly for more than three years, it will fail and will require repair instead of standard maintenance.

Any air conditioner breaks. The only difference is that the more expensive ones are usually equipped with several levels of protection against improper use. In order to understand why split systems fail, you need to understand the principle of operation in order to know where to look for a malfunction. 

During installation, the blocks will be connected by special copper pipes. Freon and liquids pass through them after turning on the air conditioner under a pressure of 15 atmospheres. At the same time, the fans that are built into both units (external and internal) blow the radiators and contribute to the systematic distribution of cooled air throughout the space.

The most common breakdowns of air conditioners

The air conditioner turns off too quickly

The rapid shutdown of cooling equipment can occur for a number of reasons:

• The settings are set incorrectly (the heating temperature is too high). Settings - both the first and the following - should be performed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• Compressor overheating. Overheating occurs due to ventilation problems and general contamination of the system. Check if the radiator or fan of the outdoor unit is clogged with debris. If so, rinse with water under pressure.

• Excess refrigerant. In such conditions, the compressor works with overload. Measure the pressure in the air conditioner using a manometer. If the permissible rate specified by the manufacturer is exceeded, drain the excess refrigerant.

• Drying mode. In this mode, the device does not work for a long time, so frequent shutdowns are the norm.

• The air conditioner control panel can also give incorrect commands. Try changing the batteries and setting up again. If the result is the same, contact the service center.

If the air conditioner turns off immediately after switching on, the problem can be serious and affect complex equipment systems. Most likely, the electronic system of the air conditioner is damaged. Such repairs cannot be performed independently, in most cases you need to call professionals like Alpha Mechanicals.

Problems with the temperature sensor

If the sensor constantly displays inappropriate values or mistakenly chooses the operating time in the active mode of the air conditioner, it is possible that the room is too cold or hot. Such a malfunction can lead to the final breakdown of the air conditioner, so it must be eliminated immediately. 

In most cases, this problem is complex and can lead to duct repairment or something else. So turn it off and call a technician in your city, for example, in Sacramento – repairs require special skills and tools.

Refrigerant shortage

Frosting of the valve at the outdoor unit's entry is a blatant indication that there is not enough refrigerant in the system. As a result, the air conditioner degrades, and the room doesn't get enough cooling. Additionally, air conditioning equipment's total output declines. A systemic leak of refrigerant might be the root of this issue.

Whether your air conditioner model has a scale of filling, you may tell whether it's present by the foul smell coming from where the unit is installed. The manufacturer chooses the type and quantity of refrigerant, and it must match the model's passport. 

Common causes of most breakdowns of air conditioning systems

In addition to the above-mentioned breakdowns of air conditioning systems, it is worth noting that many others occur. But as practice shows, and every company, such as Alpha Mechanicals, will tell you about it, there are common causes for most breakdowns.

The main cause of failure is poor installation

In fact, there are dozens of reasons why an air conditioner can fail. But the most common is unprofessional installation. Most often, in pursuit of an imaginary benefit, people try to install the air conditioner on their own, without having any skills. As a result, the device breaks. That's why you should use the services of professionals like Alpha Mechanicals, then you will not only extend the life of the device, but also sleep peacefully.

Insufficient power of the air conditioner

People meet this reason no less often than the previous one. A person, again, is driven by a thirst for savings, he buys a low-power, cheap air conditioner for a large room. As a result, the device has to work to the limit of its capabilities, so it physically cannot cool a huge volume of air in a certain time and is forced to turn on again and again. Having "saved" in this way once, you risk regularly paying for repairs, or you will have to buy a new air conditioner to replace a broken one.

Clogged filters of the indoor unit

Clogged filters are another nuisance that has already killed millions of air conditioners. If cleaning is not carried out in time, the filters will become more and more clogged, and maybe, you will also need a duct repair services, in your city, for example, in Sacramento. In another way, the air conditioner will gradually "fade out", losing precious power.

Filters look like a fine mesh and are placed under the front panel of the device, through which air is sucked. Filters are a kind of shield that protects not only the radiator of the indoor unit, but also the occupants of the room from dust.

Operation of the air conditioner in winter

At an air temperature below 5 degrees, only those air conditioners that are equipped with a special device can work. If your split system cannot boast of having one, then it is better not to include it in winter.