What Are The Most Common Issues with Air Conditioners in Florida?
Air conditioning is a necessity in Florida, especially as we enter into the warmest months of the year. As a homeowner, having a dependable AC unit is essential for staying comfortable year-round and avoiding AC problems when it’s hot. If you have an older AC unit, the reality is that things may go wrong with your system.
Below are some of the most common AC problems in Florida you could face and what you can do to troubleshoot and fix them:
Plugged Condensate Drain
This is usually an easy problem to fix at home. The symptoms of a plugged condensate drain are that everything is running fine inside the house, but when you go and look at your air handler, there is a big puddle of water under it. Usually, it is because the drain line or the fitting is plugged. Once you clean out and clear the clog, the water should stop dripping.
Bad Capacitor
How do you know if a bad capacitor is to blame? Typically, the air indoors will be running and blowing warm air, and the unit outside will not be running at all. If you go and check on the outdoor unit, you may hear a buzzing sound every minute or so, like it is trying to kick on, but does not. Reaching out to a trusted professional is the best option for fixing a bad capacitor.
Bad Control Board
If a bad control board is the problem, usually the air conditioner will do some strange things with the power to the fan and the unit, and/or the fan monitor runs all the time. To troubleshoot the control board, you will need a meter to do this.
Low Refrigerant
This problem is more of a challenge to deal with, and more than likely, you’ll need to call out an HVAC technician. You can usually tell if you’re low on refrigerant when everything is running inside and outside, yet the house is not cooling off. Or it is cooling off, but doesn’t get to the temperature you set it to. You could try to wash down the condenser unit outside to see if perhaps it is dirty and that is the cause.
Bad Condenser Fan Motor
If the fan inside is running, the compressor is running (until it overheats), but the condenser fan motor on top of the unit is not running; a bad condenser fan motor could be to blame. Typically, you may even see some steam or smoke coming from the top of the unit. If you believe the AC fan motor is bad, you should contact an expert HVAC technician to repair or replace parts.
The fastest and most cost-efficient way to fix any AC repair problems is to call Mason Air Conditioning & Heating today at (727) 616-0062 or schedule your service online.
Our trained HVAC technicians will evaluate your AC unit and provide you with professional recommendations for any AC issues you may be facing.