A cool room is an excellent environment to have a good night rest. That is why some people opt to have an air conditioner (aircon) in their room. Although it rarely happens, an aircon can experience problems if you do not maintain it properly. Worry not, check tips to solve common aircon problems from Aircon Servicing Singapore here.
Your aircon does not turn on
You press the power button on your aircon’s remote control, yet nothing happens.
That is possible due to a lack of power because of:
- Blown fuse
- Broken or loose wiring
- Thermostat or remote control issues
- Tripped circuit breaker
The solutions for those problems are:
- Check the battery life of your remote control or thermostat
- Check your circuit breaker, switch it on again if it’s tripped
- Call your electrician for a blown fuse, broken or loose wiring, so they can help to fix the problems
Inadequate cooling
You turn on the aircon, but it is not cooling your room as expected. The culprits can be:
- A dirty air filter restricts airflow in the system
- Incorrect setting on the remote control
Here are some things you can try to solve or prevent them in the future:
- Check your remote control whether it is programmed to cool mode
- Access the air filter inside the indoor unit of your aircon, clean it afterwards by shaking off the dirt and dust and soak it in water, then attach them back once they dry
- Prevent inadequate cooling by cleaning your aircon regularly with your trusted HVAC professional
Forming ice in the unit
Ice can form on the coils in your aircon.
And, what is the most common reason? It is the lack of necessary airflow due to a buildup of dirt or dust. As a result, the unit does not receive the air needed in a refrigeration cycle.
Suppose there is ice forming in your indoor unit; you have to turn off the aircon so it can melt. Lay and place a dry cloth or towel on the floor and wall to catch the falling water from making a mess in your room.
Once the ice melts, start cleaning your aircon’s air filter since it should solve the problem most of the time. On the other hand, reach your HVAC professional if ice keeps forming in your system so they can run a series of tests to identify what is wrong in your system.
Air conditioning gas leak
Air conditioning gas, or refrigerant, plays an essential role in the refrigeration cycle of your aircon. They can leak due to uncommon reasons. Some common signs of a refrigerant leak are:
- Only warm air coming out of the indoor unit
- Ice buildup within the system
- A very long cooling time
- Noise, hissing sound from the indoor unit
- Unexplained increase in electricity bill
How should nonexperts solve this problem?
A refrigerant leak can be dangerous, and it is best to stop using your aircon until you are sure there is no leak. Then, call your HVAC professional so they can check your system first and fix any detected problems.
There is water dripping out of your aircon
Water can leak out of your indoor unit because of melting ice and clogged drain lines.
Eliminate these problems by regularly cleaning your unit. For clogged drain lines, you can detach the drain lines, vacuum and flush the inside of the drain lines if they are easily accessible.
Keep in mind that most manufacturers advise users to clean the air filter regularly every 30 days or 14 days if users frequently use that aircon. Also, perform periodic maintenance with your HVAC professional.
Weird odour after turning on your aircon
Do you notice an unpleasant odour after pressing the power button on your aircon? That comes from dust, mould, and sticky debris within your system and usually occurs in the old units.
Besides regular cleaning, it is also a good idea to perform aircon chemical cleaning. Ask your HVAC professional to do chemical cleaning for your system. It is a deep cleaning service and requires them to disassemble your aircon completely. As a result, they can clean it with a high-pressure washer and certain chemical solutions.
The bottom line
The best thing you can do is to maintain the cleanliness of your aircon. Cleaning the air filter is easy, and nonexperts can do it most of the time. Maintaining cleanliness can prevent many common aircon problems.
Also, give professional servicing and cleaning for your aircon. It is not costly since manufacturers recommend you can do it just every three months. It is much cheaper than repairing or replacing an aircon that is no longer able to perform efficiently.
