An air conditioner at a commercial property is one of the key elements keeping people in your office, store, or facility comfortable as long as it is working. But an air conditioner also involves several different components, and if any of these individual pieces break, it can result in your entire system not working as well as it should.
These are some of the most common issues with air conditioners at commercial properties in Nashville.
Where AC Problems are Most Likely to Occur
Problems with an air conditioning unit often happen in one of a few main areas. The good news about these is that each problem is usually preventable with the right kind of regular maintenance:
- Motor Failure – Your HVAC system includes several different motors to operate fans, condensers, and other parts. Because of all the moving parts in motors, they can stop working due to mechanical issues. Regular maintenance to check motors, oil moving parts, and replace worn-out belts is the best way to prevent problems with the motors.
- Electrical Problems – Electrical connections that power your AC can be fragile. Frayed wires and connections, dust on fuses, or a bad capacitor keeps your entire system from being able to turn on. The best maintenance step here is inspecting wires and providing a basic cleaning to prevent electrical issues from shutting down your system.
- Leaking Water – A commercial AC pulls water from the air to dehumidify it, which helps cool a space. This water is collected as condensate and will run through the drain line and into the drain pan. When your AC is working correctly, you should not see any of this water. But a malfunctioning AC unit can begin to leak water as a result in clogs in the drain pan if the water that dripped in had debris in it or an insecure drain hose attachment that comes loose with normal vibrations. During your maintenance visit, an HVAC technician will check to be sure that the drain line is tightly fitted and the drain pan is free of clogs.
- Leaking Refrigerant – Refrigerant is the material in the coil that cools the air as it passes through. The coil and refrigerant is a closed system so, you should never lose any refrigerant. If refrigerant levels begin to drop, this is usually the result of a crack or hole that has developed somewhere due to physical damage or corrosion. Keeping the coils clean of any corrosive dust and checking regularly rusts assures that the coils never get to the point that they can crack.
- Frozen Coils – The coils are the part of your AC that refrigerant runs through to cool the air passing over. Freezing can happen for a number of different reasons, including problems with airflow, a refrigerant leak, or a malfunctioning motor, and can cause compressor failure and other significant damage when it occurs. Preventing a refrigerant leak and motor failure is the best way to avoid frozen coils.
- Thermostat Problems – A number of problems can go wrong with your thermostat, including not registering the temperature in your space correctly. A technician can make sure your thermostat is correctly calibrated.
While regular commercial AC maintenance is often effective at preventing these issues, if these problems have already occurred, you will need a fast and effective repair. Lewis Comfort Control is a commercial AC company in Nashville that provides both AC servicing and repairs. With annual HVAC maintenance, we can prevent many of the problems that occur with air conditioners, and we can fix problems that have occurred with fast and expert repairs. Call our team to get started.