Most homeowners will eventually encounter a situation where their AC system is no longer effectively cooling the interior of the house. When one of these problems starts to arise, the homeowner may be operating under some faulty assumptions about the types of issues that their AC unit is experiencing.

Myth: It Is Normal For An AC Unit To Need New Refrigerant Added To It Periodically

There is a common assumption that it is normal for an AC system to regularly need to have additional refrigerant added to it. However, the AC system is designed to be a closed system, and this will result in the unit's refrigerant levels remaining stable over the years. If your system's refrigerant levels are starting to drop or need to be replenished, this likely indicates that there is a leak somewhere in the system that will have to be repaired.

Myth: An AC Unit That Is Blowing Hot Air Is Always Low On Refrigerant

An AC system that is blowing hot air into the interior of the home can be one of the more noticeable problems with this system. Unfortunately, homeowners may assume that this will always mean that the system is needing to have additional refrigerant added to it. In reality, there are many potential reasons for this problem to be occurring. One of the more serious can be a faulty compressor unit. When the AC system's compressor fails, it will lose the ability to circulate the refrigerant so that the heat it is absorbing can be dispelled. If you are noticing that the AC system can produce cool air for only a limited period of time before blowing hot air, this most likely indicates that the compressor is overheating and shutting off.

Myth: It Is Not Necessary To Clean The AC Unit

Failing to clean the AC unit is one of the more common contributing factors to the system malfunctioning. As the AC unit becomes dirty, it can start to experience a number of issues that could impact its performance and increase the strain that it is experiencing. An example of this could be dirty vents impacting the unit's ability to release the heat the refrigerant is absorbing, and this may cause the unit to rapidly burn itself out. Every few weeks, the exterior unit should have its vents cleaned to remove dirt that may otherwise create obstructions. Professional services should also be retained to periodically clean the interior of the unit to remove dust and dirt that could gather inside it.

Contact an AC service near you to learn more.