Sometimes, the reason why an air conditioner struggles or breaks down are straightforward and simple and make perfect sense. Layers of dust caused overheating, as though the air conditioner was wearing a sweater in July. Lack of lubrication between moving parts caused friction and wear and tear. The vibration of the system caused a screw to work itself loose. Logical, right?
Sometimes, air conditioner problems have much more unusual causes. What kind of strange, surprising things can create major problems for your AC system? We’ve got some weird ones to share with you!
Moisture
All right, we all know that moisture can cause some issues to develop with all sorts of things, whether the moisture is from humidity or flooding. But we’re not talking about the expected sorts of problems. There are some really odd things that can occur when AC and moisture meet, and because air conditioners cause condensation to develop, there’s no way to avoid moisture entirely.
One really strange one is ductless air handlers simply peeling away from the wall where they were mounted! Like an old sticker that’s lost its adhesive, the air handler can become disconnected due to moisture getting between the handler and the wall. Don’t let this happen to you! Get regular maintenance, and call for repairs the moment you notice any excess moisture around an air handler.
Another issue happens outside rather than in, so it’s easier to let the problem progress because you’re less likely to spot it! This has to do with water—whether from the AC condensate drain, weather, or other sources—causing the ground to be unstable below the concrete pad the outdoor unit sits on. The slab may sink or tilt!
Movement of the slab can damage or disconnect electrical wiring or refrigerant lines. Tilting can allow oil to leak out of the compressor. These issues can cause huge problems! If you spot this, get AC repair in Lake Nona, FL to shore up or replace the concrete pad.
Animals
It might not come as a surprise that insects or rodents can do damage to your ductwork or to the wiring in your air conditioner. It might not shock you to hear that the nesting materials of pests in the outdoor unit can cause poor air circulation and thus poor AC performance. But there are some other weird ways that animals can affect your AC!
Snakes, being cold-blooded, love sources of warmth. The outdoor unit is a great source of warmth, so sometimes the thing causing poor air circulation is in fact a tangle of reptiles! Occasionally, a snake even gets into the ductwork. They may wrap around the blower fan motor, enjoying the warmth that creates, until the motor overheats and burns out.
But it’s not just wild animals that can cause issues. Dog urine can cause corrosion in pretty short order if it gets onto metal. Light posts popular with pups have even been known to topple in big cities from being rusted through! That means that if your dog patrols your yard and marks its territory on your outdoor AC unit, significant damage is being caused. Keep your pup and your AC separate!
No matter what your AC trouble or how it started, we’re always happy to help you sort it out and get back to enjoying the cool comfort of a perfectly-functioning air conditioner.
Contact Gary Munson Heating & Air Conditioning for HVAC repair in Orlando, FL. You’ll be more comfortable with the best!