An air conditioning failure can be a huge issue, especially during periods of extreme temperature. Knowing the top causes of air conditioning failure can help make the diagnosis and repair process much smoother, limiting costs and cutting down on the total time of the repair process. It can also help homeowners keep an eye on the common pain points and fix an issue before it even occurs. If your air conditioning unit does fail, be sure to employ the help of a professional HVAC contractor who can quickly and knowledgeably solve any HVAC issues!

Refrigerant Leak: Refrigerant is an essential part of your air conditioning unit —but it is also a toxic substance that needs to be handled with extreme care. If your air conditioning failure is caused by leaking refrigerant, do not attempt to handle this issue on your own. Instead, request the assistance of a trained professional who is certified to safely repair these issues.

Frozen Evaporator Coil: When examining the condition of your air conditioning unit, be sure to watch for signs of frost and ice around the machine. Frost and ice are easy signs that show that your evaporator coil is frozen. To prevent this issue from occurring and resulting in the failure of your unit, be sure to regularly replace your air filter and clean your ductwork. Air flow is essential to maintaining the condition of your evaporator coil.

Bad Circuit Breaker: A damaged circuit breaker or fuse can easily cause an air conditioning failure to occur. In order to fix this issue, the circuit breaker or fuse needs to be completely changed so that the energy can safely return to power the unit. Some homeowners may feel comfortable replacing circuit breakers on their own —if you are one, please ensure that your electricity is off before proceeding, take extreme caution, and follow instructions closely.  If you are not confident replacing a circuit breaker or fuse on your own then seek the help of a professional technician instead.

Improper Maintenance: Completely routine maintenance is arguably the most essential step in prolonging the life of your air conditioning unit. Failure to regularly take care of your machine can visibly add up over time, resulting in costly breakdowns and repairs. It may seem bothersome to continuously ensure that your HVAC unit is properly maintained and in great condition, but by completing maintenance, you can ensure that larger, costlier issues have less of a chance of happening.

There are a variety of different causes for an air conditioning failure. Air conditioning repair can be costly, so it’s important to make sure and keep up with the maintenance. In the event of an air conditioning failure, don’t attempt to fix the issue on your own and risk making the problem worse. Instead, trust the help of a qualified HVAC technician who can quickly diagnose and repair the air conditioning failure and its underlying causes.