Air conditioning is something that more businesses than ever are investing in, especially in light of changing climate conditions. While air-con systems are very hardy and hardworking, they do sometimes need repairing. But what are the most common problems that require air conditioning repairs?
Leaking water
Top of the list of the most common issues that require a repair visit is that the air conditioning unit is leaking water. When this happens, water will drip from the unit which is usually inside the building. The reason for this is most commonly one of two things – either the unit needs to be serviced or the condensate pump has failed.
If the pump failure is the cause of the leak, it is a serviceable part and the work required can be done on-site. It usually takes no more than about an hour to replace and many times, the engineer will have the part on their van as it is often carried with them.
Not cooling properly
The other common issue with air con is that the unit is turned on, but the air isn’t being cooled or warmed. With this, the problem is often due to a leak in the gas lines that cool the air.
The engineer’s job is to find the cause of the leak and fix this. The repairs will also involve removing moisture or air from the system and then refilling it with the required refrigerant, so it works properly. It normally takes around four hours to complete.
No power to the unit
If the air con unit appears to have no power, the first thing to do is to check the fuse box to see if this is why the power is off. Also, if there is an electrical isolator outside the building, it is worth checking to see if this is okay. If both of these are fine, then an engineer’s visit is required.
The engineer can check the unit and other parts to find out the reason for the loss of power and make repairs or order required parts as well as give a time scale for the repairs.
Noisy or bad-smelling unit
If the unit makes more noise than is normal, this might mean something like a replacement fan is required. Another possible cause could be the condensate pump which can start to fail and make a lot of noise when they do. Both of these can lead to a full shut down of the system so getting an engineer out quickly is a good idea.
Like loud noises, bad smells also mean a problem is building up. This is often due to a build-up of bacteria on the cooling coils within the system which is picked up as it recirculates the air in the room. Special chemicals are needed to remove the bacteria and with it, the bad smells.
General poor performance
Sometimes there’s not a specific problem, just a general sense that the unit isn’t working as well as it should or as effectively. This is the time to call out the engineer as things can often get worse and lead to a breakdown. By fixing the problem as it builds up, you can avoid this.