Cleaning Out Refrigerant

If your air conditioning system suffered major damage, it may be leaking refrigerant, or worse, have foreign particles which can destroy the whole system. Even when replacing refrigerant, it is important to completely evacuate all the old freon. This is because the system is designed to work with only one element inside. Water is a non-condensible gas so when it gets in the system it reduces efficiency until the compressor overheats or some other HVAC part fails.

When installing a new air conditioner or heat pump, the system is always tested for leaks after soldering. The soldering must be tested with pressurized nitrogen. As un-condensible gas gets forced into the condenser by the compressor, it will occupy space used for heat exchange. Even when filling the system or soldering joints, some air comes in. So the system must be evacuated to ensure proper use. You can be sure that any good Denver HVAC contractor will perform this service. It only takes a few hours. Over time a air conditioner with uncompress-able gases in it will fail after operating at high temperatures.

Not only gases, but any moisture will eventually mix with the oil lubricant in the system. As the oil migrates through the system, it becomes and acid sludge. A compressor will not last long in these kinds of conditions. The acid degrades the seals. Instead of just lubricating the interior, it will seep into the electric components of the compressor motor and short it out.

This is one of the most common causes of compressor failing. Unscrupulous HVAC contractors may try and replace the whole system instead of just flushing it, checking for leaks and replacing the compressor. Moisture not only causes electrical components to fail, it also interferes with the operation of the metering device. It can freeze inside the meter and stop it from cooling. As pressure builds up in the system, this is another reason to use refrigerant.

Of course it is not like air conditioners will last forever even with proper maintenance. This is the reasoning behind HVAC warranties. However the big manufacturers want the installer of your Denver air conditioner to be properly trained because proper installation is so important for the total life of the system.

Fixing Common Thermostat Problems

Most homeowners have little HVAC knowledge beyond using the thermostat. If your thermostat fails, many people end up calling a Denver HVAC company thinking there is something wrong with their air conditioning equipment when in reality, there is something wrong with the thermostat. When the AC refuses to turn on, it can be hard for someone who is not an HVAC expert to determine if the problem is in the equipment or in the thermostat.

However, before you call a Denver HVAC company, try and follow this troubleshooting guide to see if you can get to the root of the problem. Even more advanced digital and zone-control thermostats really just function as thermometers that switch the HVAC system on and off depending on the temperature. As an electronic switch, the thermostat needs to be hooked up to power in order for it to work and communicate with the heating and air conditioning equipment.

Usually the power for the thermostat comes from the air conditioning unit itself. So any break along this line could cause the thermostat to turn off. You can check the circuit breaker in the air handler or heating split system to see if it has flipped off. Sometimes the handling unit also has a power switch outside the unit that looks like a light switch. Some digital thermostats have two different power sources: battery and wired from the external unit. The batteries power the display, so if the batteries go out, the display stops working but the ac unit does not stop cooling. You can save yourself a lot on calling a Denver air conditioning repair company by simply replacing the batteries. The batteries are there to maintain your programmed thermostat settings in case the power goes out.

If the problem with the thermostat is not the power, it could be the location the thermostat is installed. Except in very advanced models with multiple temperature sensors over the building, most thermostats have the thermometer built in. That means if the thermostat was built into an area that does not represent the air temperature in your home then it will give false readings.

Thermostats with mercury bulbs need to be level to give accurate temperature readings. Heating anticipatory can also get out of whack when not properly calibrated. The anticipatory needs an amp meter in mechanical thermostats to adjust to make sure it properly keeps the blower running past the burner time to get excess hot air out of the ducts.

Air Conditioner Condensing Unit

The air conditioner condensing unit is one half of the cooling cycle with the evaporator coil. The condensing unit's job is to diffuse and reject heat, while the evaporator coil absorbs heat. All HVAC technicians learn this as the first step in their cooling education. The condenser is located in the big boxy exterior unit at most buildings. Heat pumps also use condensers, but most people North of Denver do not use heat pumps because the efficiency of heat pumps decreases as the temperature drops.

The condenser along with the compressor is the main transferor of heat between the outside air and the air blowing through your house. To do this, the compressor must be sealed inside the cooling cycle, and that is why compressor replacements are so common. It is very hard to try and repair something that is sealed within the system. On the other hand, there are many things you can do to try and maintain the life of your condensing unit. If not properly maintained, the condenser and most other air conditioning parts will go into a downward spiral before they self destruct. As the parts become worn and less efficient, the compressor and blower motor will start working harder to try and keep cooling despite reduced ability. Eventually parts overheat and fail.

One thing you can do to maintain your Denver HVAC system to to check the outside cooling unit before summer starts and it is in heavy use. I recommend calling a Denver air conditioner company to perform the check, but if you feel handy and know how to operate around electricity, then go ahead. The first step before doing any work on a condensing unit is to shut of the breaker supplying electricity to the unit. Spin the fan and see if it turns. Then turn on the power and switch on the thermostat and make sure the fan starts blowing upward a good deal. A common problem with these condenser motors is bearing failure, which will stop the fan from spinning properly.

The main reason you want to check the condenser fan motor before you operate the system is because it is connected to the compressor. A failure at the fan can overload the compressor, and the compressor is a much more expensive part than the condenser motor.

Just like evaporator coils, condenser coils can build up dirt and gunk which will decrease efficiency. Just like everything else in central air, as efficiency goes down, the system tries to work harder to compensate until it fails. The solution is to call an air conditioning services Denver company to clean the condenser coils. You can also do it yourself, but you will need to turn the thermostat and breaker off and pull the plug on the condenser electrical box. You will need to spray the condenser with enough pressure to remove dirt without bending the fins. A little soap can help too. The key to maintaining performance with these units is maximizing airflow. So the condenser should be clean and the exterior unit should have clear airflow.