When it's hot outside, you expect your air conditioner to keep your home nice and cool. It's easy to take your AC for granted until your house gets warm and stuffy. You can sometimes prevent air conditioning problems through regular maintenance, but other times, an air conditioner can fail due to age or damage to the equipment. Here's a look at a few things that can damage your AC.
1. Storms And Lightning
Lightning can cause electrical damage to your air conditioner. If your AC goes out during a storm, you may need to call a repair service to check the wiring and electronic parts to see if they were damaged and to make repairs.
Since part of your air conditioner is outside, it's vulnerable to damage from storms. The condenser might get a direct lightning strike, or excessive rain could flood the unit. A storm could harm a condenser so badly that it needs to be replaced. However, the equipment is designed to withstand rain, so you shouldn't have to worry about your AC during a typical summer rainstorm.
2. Lack Of Maintenance
Air conditioning maintenance involves two aspects. One is annual services from a licensed AC technician, and the other is the routine maintenance you provide through the summer, such as changing the filter. A clogged filter can cause serious problems with your air conditioner. This problem could lead to expensive damage or it can cause the AC to overheat and shut down. Changing the filter is very important for preventing air conditioning problems.
Annual service from a professional is just as important. During this visit, the inside of the AC is cleaned so it's free of grime and the parts function optimally. Without annual cleaning, the blower or evaporator coils could get so dirty that your AC doesn't work very well or your air conditioner might break down completely.
3. Flying Debris
The part of your air conditioner that sits outside can be damaged by flying debris. A rock kicked up by a lawnmower could nick a copper refrigerant line, get jammed in a fan blade, or smash a coil fin. The fins on the outside of the condenser are especially vulnerable to damage. Even grass clippings can cause harm if they stick to the fins and block the airflow that's needed to keep the condenser cool and to prevent overheating.
4. Drain Clogs
Your air conditioner makes water when it cools your house because of condensation. This water drips into a pan and then drains out of your house. If the drain gets clogged, water backs up. This could lead to water damage or rust in the air handler part of your air conditioner.
Bugs or small rodents might crawl in the drain from outside and obstruct it, or the drain might fill with algae, dust, or other debris. A clogged drain can lead to equipment damage, or your AC might shut down. Either way, you'll need prompt repairs to correct the problem.
