Did Your AC Condenser Unit Stop Working Properly?

Posted on: 28 July 2020

The condenser unit outside the house is the heart of your cooling system. The condenser coil processes and expels heat out of your HVAC system. If the condenser unit stops working properly, it may break down. Here's what you should know about the condenser unit below.

What Should You Know About the Condenser Unit?

During the summer, your home can build up with humidity, or moist and warm air. Your HVAC system should absorb and remove large quantities of the humid air from your home. However, if the home contains too much moist air, it can cause problems for the condenser unit.

As mentioned above, the condenser unit expels heat out of the cooling system. In order for the unit to do so, it must cool down the refrigerant in your cooling system. If the coolant contains more heat than the condenser unit can handle, the heat eventually backs up into the unit. 

There could be a number of other things wrong with the condenser unit you don't know about. An air conditioning services contractor can look at the condenser unit and tell you whether or not it needs repairs soon.

What Can You Do About the Condenser Unit?

Before a contractor can tell you if the condenser unit needs repairs, they'll need to inspect it. One of the things a contractor may do is test the coolant in the unit. If the coolant harbors too much heat, the parts inside the unit may not be working properly. In this case, an air conditioning contractor may need to open up the unit and:

  • test the compressor for electrical issues
  • check the condenser coil for clogs and buildup
  • analyze the coolant lines for leaks, kinks, and rust

If one or more of the things above are responsible for the condenser unit's problems, a technician will:

  • repair the compressor
  • clean the condenser coil
  • straighten, seal, and recharge the coolant lines

If none of the issues above caused problems the unit, a contractor will need to check the evaporator coil inside your house. The evaporator coil will cause heat to back up in the system if it stays dirty throughout the year. The coil won't absorb enough moisture from the home to send to the condenser unit. 

There could be a number of other possible things a technician can look for during the inspection. If a contractor does encounter other issues in the system, they'll discuss them with you.

If your AC condenser unit isn't behaving properly, call a contractor for help today.

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