When it’s hot in Kansas and Missouri, you need to have air conditioning. But if your unit isn’t regularly inspected and properly maintained, it can break down or waste energy. Even if you are giving your A/C the care it needs, it may still have troubles. That’s why it’s important to be able to recognize common A/C problems, so that if you need to call your trusted HVAC technician, you know what to tell them, and they can fix the problem more quickly.

•  Water Leaking. Your A/C takes the humidity out of the air, creating a lot of condensation inside the unit. If the condensation isn’t able to drain properly, your drain pan will overflow, potentially causing water damage and mold. If there’s water on the floor around your air conditioner, you may have a clog. If there’s water inside the air conditioner, then you have bigger problems. Cut the power to the unit immediately and call an HVAC technician.
• Refrigerant leaking. Water isn’t the only thing that can leak out of your A/C. It might be leaking its refrigerant. If so, then your refrigerant charge (the amount of coolant in your unit) will be too low, and your A/C will end up overworking itself to compensate for its reduced cooling capacity. This leads to higher energy bills, and since the refrigerant assist the compressor fom overheating, a lack of refrigerant can also damage the unit. Have an HVAC technician check for leaks and test your refrigerant charge to make sure it’s at the correct level.
• Maintenance issues. Most A/C problems are caused by neglect. If you don’t replace your A/C filter regularly, it will get clogged with dust and debris, impeding airflow through your system. This will make your system work harder than it should have to, leading to reduced cooling and eventual breakdowns. Air quality will also suffer. Similarly, the fans, coils and other components should be regularly cleaned to eliminate dirt and plant matter, which can wear out the system and cause it to break down. With the outside condensing unit, make sure there’s plenty of clear space around the equipment, and that leaves or other materials haven’t settled on top of it.

For more advice on A/C problems and what to do about them, contact our experts at Overland Park Heating & Cooling, Inc. We’ve been the greater Kansas City area’s headquarters for HVAC solutions since 1983.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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