Air Conditioning Repair Services in Salt Lake City
There are two major parts to a central air conditioner: The evaporator and the condenser. The evaporator has a coil which is mounted on the main duct (or “plenum”) right above the furnace. The condenser is often located outside the building and on a concrete slab. The majority of central A/C systems are built into a property’s forced air distribution system. This means many of the same pieces, such as the motor, are used for both heating and cooling.
For safety, condensers and evaporators are both sealed—this means a professional contractor is required for any repairs, maintenance or anything else beyond basic cleaning. Central A/C units are ideally inspected each spring right before the “cooling season” begins. There are also other popular types of air conditioning systems, such as standalone window units and swamp or evaporative coolers.
No matter what type of AC a person has, TLC doesn’t end with annual maintenance. There are also things property owners can do to minimize the odds of future repairs.
Common Problems
Air Conditioning systems can be very complex and any part may need to be replaced. However, there are some common problems that may plague an air conditioner:
- Wiring gone bad: Wiring can simply wear out from years of use, or it may have been installed incorrectly. Either way, bad wiring is a serious hazard.
- Refrigerant running low: This is a chemical which cools the air and is present in many systems. When refrigerant is running low, you might need to do more than just “topping it off.” It can be the sign of a leak, which requires immediate repairs.
- Outside fan issues: It’s the job of the outside fan to move heat out of a building—and heat transfer doesn’t take place when the fan isn’t working.
- Outside unit issues: Contactor issues might come into play or a faulty thermostat might be the culprit. If the outside unit isn’t working, you’ll know right away as you’ll have zero power, but the root cause might be many things.
- Frozen coils: Sometimes AC systems work too well. If there’s a frozen coil, that’s a sign of an airflow problem.