Air conditioner overheating is one of the common problems faced by homeowners in the US. There can be a number of reasons behind air conditioner overheating, and if you don’t act quickly, air conditioner overheating can lead to whole system breakdown. Keep reading to know about the ways to solve the air conditioner overheating problem.
Top 5 Ways to Solve Air Conditioner Overheating Problem
1. Change Your Air Conditioner Filter
The air filter works as a safety net in your air conditioner. It prevents all the small particles and dust from entering your air conditioner. A dirty or clogged air conditioner air filter blocks the airflow of your air conditioner. When the airflow of your air conditioner gets blocked, it needs to work longer to produce the same cooling. As a result, your air conditioner will start overheating, and you’ll start noticing frequent tripping of the circuit breaker.
If you don’t want this to happen, you’ll have to change your air conditioner air filter regularly. As air filter blocks all the dust and small particles, it gets dirty very quickly. It’s recommended that you should change your air conditioner air filter every 60 to 90 days. However, if you live in a polluted area, you may have to change the air conditioner air filter more often. You can contact an HVAC professional to know about the exact time of changing your air conditioner air filter.
2. Check the Refrigerant Level & Repair the Leakage (If Any)
Low refrigerant levels can cause air conditioner overheating. When the refrigerant level is low, your air conditioner will have to run longer to produce the desired cooling and your air conditioner will overheat. In the worst-case scenario, your whole air conditioner will break down.
Refrigerant is contained in a copper coil inside an air conditioner, and its main function is to absorb heat from indoor air and release the heat outside. Refrigerant is a key component in an air conditioner, and when the refrigerant level goes down, your air conditioner will start to underperform. If you notice these things then your air conditioner has a low refrigerant level –
- Your air conditioner will run longer to provide you the desired cooling.
- Your air conditioner will have a difficult time cooling your space, especially in summer days.
If you find these signs in your air conditioner then you should contact an HVAC professional to refill the refrigerant. Also, check for any leakage in the air conditioner. Most of the time refrigerant level drops down due to air conditioner leakage. If you find any leakage in your air conditioner, you should repair it as soon as possible.
3. Clean the Condenser Coil of Your Air Conditioner
As I mentioned earlier, the refrigerant absorbs the heat from your home and release it to the outside unit or condenser coil of your air conditioner. Condenser coil absorbs the heat from the refrigerant and release the heat to the environment. But when your air conditioner condenser coil is dirty, it cannot absorb any heat. As a result, heat gets trapped in the refrigerant of your air conditioner.
When this happens, your air conditioner refrigerant won’t be able to absorb any heat from indoor, and your air conditioner will have to run longer to cool your home. Eventually, this will lead to air conditioner overheating.
To clean the outside condenser coil, you can use coil cleaning spray or call an HVAC professional to clean the dust from your outside condenser unit.
4. Create a Shade for Your Air Conditioner
If your outside air conditioner unit gets direct sunlight, your air conditioner can have an overheating problem. You can plant trees or bushes to shade your outside condenser unit. But make sure that you plant the tree at least 2 feet away from your outside condenser unit. Otherwise, your air conditioner will have an airflow problem.
5. Regular HVAC Maintenance Checkup
The best way to keep your air conditioner from overheating is to do regular HVAC maintenance checkups. When you do regular HVAC maintenance checkup, an HVAC professional will check all the parts of the air conditioner, including air filter, condenser coil, refrigerant level, etc. If the HVAC professional finds any problem in the air conditioner, he or she will repair it. As a result, your air conditioner will run smoothly throughout the year.
Regular HVAC maintenance checkup is the ultimate solution to all of the air conditioner problems, including air conditioner overheating problem. Contact an HVAC professional to schedule an HVAC maintenance checkup.
See the summary of this content here – 5 Ways to Keep AC from Overheating [Infographic]
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