Air Conditioner Repairs can range from very simple to very complex. This website is designed to help you save money by providing you with as much information as possible before you have to call a service professional.
Most Air Conditioner Repairs are typically easy for a professional to diagnose and fix.
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Air Conditioner Repairs
Table of Contents
After 5 & Weekends, A/C & Heating
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Here is a list of the 10 most common air conditioner repairs we find wrong in Slidell, LA.
#1 Clogged Drain Line
Common issue #1 is the evaporator coil pan and the primary drain line gets clogged. This isn’t considered an air conditioner repair but, falls under what’s considered routine maintenance.
The evaporator coil has an internal pan that needs routine maintenance to prevent algae build-up.
If your system hasn’t been serviced in the last year it may be possible that you have algae in the internal evaporator coil pan and in the primary drain line.
When your drain line and coil pan are full of slimy algae it doesn’t allow the water condensation to flow through. When the water can’t go through the drain line it will often back up. Having your drain line fully clogged is the type of air conditioner repair that’s often misdiagnosed.
If your system has an emergency shut-off switch it will shut the system off.
#2 Capacitor
Most split A/C and Heating systems in Slidell have capacitors on the inside and outside equipment. This type of air conditioner repair is considered fairly common.
Many of the air conditioner repairs that we get calls for here in Slidell aren’t as simple as the replacement of a capacitor.
I have found that some technicians are testing capacitors when they aren’t under load. Sometimes a capacitor that’s checked while the system is off and has no load requirement will give a reading as if it’s within the allowable range.
The system may still be starting occasionally, but perhaps not every time the thermostat calls for heating or cooling.
A trained professional that has the appropriate safety equipment can test the capacitor while the condenser is pulling a load and this will determine if the capacitor is still within the specifications to handle the load of the condenser.
If you have a capacitor that’s bad on the indoor air handler or the outdoor condenser then the system will not operate correctly.
#3 Low Refrigerant
One of the most common air conditioner repairs we have customers in Slidell call us about is [low-refrigerant]. When we arrive we will use a series of tests to determine if the system is really low on refrigerant or if there are other issues causing the air conditioner to not work.
If we determine the system is low on refrigerant we will check the system for leaks before adding refrigerant to the system.
Some Technicians will immediately jump to the conclusion the system is low on refrigerant. Many times after connecting gauges the readings will have you thinking the refrigerant is low. This is common was air conditioner repairs are misdiagnosed.
Many other aspects of the system should be checked before you just start adding refrigerant.
However, if it’s low and no leaks can be found then it can be added and get the system back on.
#4 Contactor
Some systems have contactors on the inside and the outside system. If the contractor isn’t transferring power then the system won’t come on.
Contactors are one of those parts of a system that gets worked a lot. The contractor has a significant amount of wear and tear due to the workload.
There are several things that can happen to a contractor that will prevent them from working properly.
If you have a contractor on your system that’s not working properly then we have several various types on our service trucks and can replace yours with the exact one you need and get you back up and running.
#5 Thermostat
If you have a bad thermostat then the system will not function at all or it may only partially function.
Some systems need a very specific thermostat to operate the exact system it’s designed for. Other systems can use a universal-style thermostat and get you back up and running.
#6 Condenser Fan Motor
The condenser is the unit that’s outside your home and, if the fan outside isn’t running it may be a bad motor. Before going through all the work of removing it I would verify it’s actually bad.
Far too often the capacitor is bad and the motor is still good. If you have a bad condenser fan motor we have the tools and the specific type of motor your system needs.
We usually can have it replaced the same day and get you back up and running.
#7 Transformer
Some A/C & Heating systems in Slidell, LA that need air conditioner repairs have a transformer that converts power going to the control board.
If the transformer is bad power will not be transferred to the control board and the system won’t operate.
The transformer listed below is the type that’s needed for the vast majority of residential air conditioners in Slidell, LA
#8 Control Board
If your system isn’t running at all or is only operating in certain modes then you may have a bad control board. We visit many homes in Slidell that have bad control boards.
Some neighborhoods in Slidell get an excessive amount of electrical surges. We’ve had success in preventing control boards from getting fried by installing a whole-home surge protector.
If your control board is bad we can get one installed fast and get your system back up and running.
#9 Emergency pan
If something isn’t operating correctly on your system and water fills up the emergency pan it will most likely engage the safety shut off switch.
The emergency pan has a safety shut off switch that shuts the system off so water won’t overflow and damage the ceiling of your home.
If your emergency pan is full then you should give us a call because something else is going on with the system. We will have to do some troubleshooting to determine what’s causing the emergency pan to overflow.
#10 Compressor
The compressor is the main motor in the outdoor condenser. Quite often someone in Slidell will call us and say they think they have a bad compressor.
However, when we arrive we find the compressor isn’t 100% bad it’s just not working because the thermal overload is preventing it from coming on.
If this is the case we can perform the appropriate test to check and determine if the compressor is bad or if it is just out on thermal overload.
Either way, we have the material and equipment required to get your system back up and running fast.
A/C repairs that are less common
Here is one of the air conditioner repairs that I would classify as less common.
The name of the part that fails or isn’t operating correctly is called a thermal expansion valve.
Your air conditioning system relies on a lot of different parts in order to maintain proper operation and efficiency without having a breakdown.
Most homeowners recognize the names of common parts such as compressor and fan motor or capacitor. But very few are aware of the TXV or thermal expansion valve.
The TXV has and plays an important role in the A/C system.
Having a basic understanding of what this part does and the symptoms that it will cause if not functioning correctly will help you know if your system isn’t running properly.
Air Conditioner TXV overview
The expansion valve reduces the temperature of the refrigerant to where it needs to be in order for the refrigerant to absorb the heat passing over it from the home.
The refrigerant or what people commonly call FREON is what is absorbing the heat and carrying it to the outdoor condenser.
Copper tubing that the refrigerant flows through is used as a vehicle to transport the heat from inside your home to outside.
This refrigerant flows in a closed loop from the condenser unit to the evaporator coil inside.
The various parts in your system adjust the refrigerant temperature and pressure allowing it to absorb heat over and over in the cycle.
Expansion Valve Problems & repair
Expansion valves are one of the components in your ac system that are tough.
Unlike some of the control board parts or electrical components, the TXV is pound for pound one tough part.
After dealing with numerous air conditioner repairs in Slidell, LA I’ve come to the conclusion that many of the Thermal Expansion Valves that require replacement became damaged and failed because of improper installation from the very beginning.
Many air conditioner repairs are the direct result of the original installers skipping important steps during the installation.
If you believe the TXV or thermal expansion valve does need to be replaced. Give us a call at 985-882-1082.
we are located here in Slidell, La, and provide service to all of Slidell.
Air Conditioner repairs in Slidell, LA
Most of the homes in Slidell have one location that all the air flows in order to get conditioned by the system.
This location is typically called the return air.
The return air will be where you have the main air filter for your system. Some locations around the country have a return air vent in almost every room in the house. But in most homes in Slidell, LA you will only have one return air.
The reason I’m bringing this up as an air conditioner repairs for Slidell is that most of the homes I service in Slidell have undersized return air vents.
Having undersized return air will cause the system to underperform and stress the blower motor and cause the system to use more electricity than it should.
DISCLAIMER!
* WARNING! This post and information on this website are for trained and certified technicians only. It is for educational purposes only. Under no circumstances should anyone who is not qualified or have the required permits or licensing attempt to use any information in this post to try and repair an HVAC or electrical system on their own. The opinions and methods I use are my opinions and I give no guarantee of any type of outcome. In other words, if you are not a trained and certified technician you should not attempt any repairs on your own. You should hire a licensed professional to do the work.
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