When summer rolls around in Las Vegas, your homes' air conditioning system is vital to your comfort. Unfortunately, it is also under more strain than at any other time in the year. Unexpected breakdowns are far more likely, and much more inconvenient, at this time of year. That's why it is important for you, as a homeowner, to know what the most common causes of avoidable air conditioning breakdowns are in Las Vegas.
5 Causes of Avoidable AC Breakdowns In Las Vegas
There are some things that cannot be avoided. If your system is nearing the end of its lifespan, for example, then there is little you can do to avoid breakdowns and lowered performance. However, assuming you have a relatively new HVAC system, or your system is within lifespan and in good condition, there are 5 main things which are likely to cause a sudden breakdown.
Dirty Condenser and Evaporator Coils
Your systems condenser and evaporator coils transfer hot and cold air and supply them to your fans to be blown into or removed from your home. If these coils become overly dirty or grimy, this air can become trapped causing the unit to either overheat or form ice. In either case, your AC will have to work harder than usual and will be at greater risk of breaking down.
Faulty or Pitted Control Relay Connections
If the electrical connections within your control relay are pitted or faulty, you may find that your compressor begins to fail. This is because of the role that the control relay plays in powering the compressor clutch. When these relays are damaged, your AC functioning can become inconsistent, or cease altogether.
Dirty Filters
Dirty filters obviously affect the effectiveness of your AC system, but extremely clogged filters can cause dirt to build up on coils, fans, and other sensitive components, hindering their function. Over time this kind of build-up can cause major inconvenient breakdowns.
Incorrect Duct Sizing
The sizing of ducts in a home is a rarely considered factor, but over or undersized ducts are actually one of the most common causes of preventable breakdowns. Undersized ducts are more noticeable because they dramatically increase the noise of your AC system, but both issues make breakdown more likely by making your system work far harder than it needs to.
Incorrect Freon Levels
Freon, or refrigerant, levels are important to the functioning of your AC system for obvious reasons. When freon levels are too low, your AC system will encounter loss of charge and become less efficient. This can also cause ice to form on evaporator coils and trigger a preventable breakdown. Excessively high refrigerant levels are also dangerous because this can cause, often irreparable, damage to your compressor and, of course, breakdown.
Regular Maintenance is Your Best Friend
The good news is that all of these issues can be recognized and dealt with if you schedule regular maintenance with an HVAC professional, like Rebel Refrigeration. If you catch these problems before they snowball, you should not need any major AC repair this summer under the Las Vegas heat. To schedule your maintenance, contact us by calling (702) 734-7750 or send us a message.