Summer is slowly creeping in and we all know how exhausting it gets on those hot days. Well, your air conditioner feels the same way. Just like you, your air conditioner needs to use more energy in the summer to keep the house cool. If you work hard to produce more energy, your AC power can go out at times.
To make sure this doesn't happen, you need to understand the heat, airflow, equipment and make sure you are doing proper maintenance.
Common problems with air conditioners in summer
It is better to know what problems your air conditioner might face in summer. This way, you can be prepared to properly care for the equipment. The most common problems are:
- Gears can fail if they run for a long time.
- If the humidity inside and outside the house is different, there may be differences in the room temperature.
- An increase in the monthly electricity bill.
- An increased amount of dust in the air.
The worst is when the air conditioning system fails or certain parts such as the engine or compressor are damaged. Either way, be sure to get the professionals to take a look. However, if you want to know more or want to repair the compressors yourself, you can visit this link: https://serviceemperor.com/blog/how-does-an-air-conditioning-compressor-work/
How does heat affect the air conditioning system?
Now that we know what problems your AC power could be suffering from, let's take a look at how exactly heat affects it.
1. Heat affects your air conditioner
Most modern air conditioners have two heat exchangers and capture the heat in the house and then transfer it outside. It works with a heat transfer system. Your air conditioning system consumes enormous amounts of energy to capture the heat inside and release it to the outside. Most of the energy is consumed when the heat is released outside. In summer the weather outside is extremely hot and humid. This makes the work of the air conditioning system more difficult, as it now has to use more energy to transfer the heat it has absorbed outside. In summer the air in our houses is also hot. Even if you don't have leaky doors or windows, the rooms can get hot from the strong sunlight. This interferes with the ability of the air conditioner to transmit the temperature so that the air conditioner has to be left on for a long time.
2. The airflow affects your air conditioner
The heat transfer system depends heavily on airflow and air circulation. If the airflow is interrupted or blocked for any reason, the AC power will work harder and it will take much longer to cool. One of the most common causes of blocked airflow is bushes or overgrown plants. These plants grow and block the air condenser. Before summer, make sure there are no overgrown plants blocking the condenser. Clear at least 30 cm of the area around the condenser. Another reason for a blocked airflow is that you may have kept your air conditioner in a condensed location. For example, if you place it in a sealed area or below deck, the air conditioner will run hotter than usual because the refrigerant pressure increases as heat is transferred.
Due to excessive heat, the alternating current of lubricating oil sometimes breaks down and disrupts the flow of air. It even damages the inside of the air conditioner. In contrast to car oil, the oil in air conditioning systems must not be changed. The oil is designed for a service life of 15 years or more. If the air conditioner is properly maintained, the oil should last as long as the air conditioner. If the blower motor fan is not working properly, it will not be able to circulate the air in your home and it will even interfere with the air conditioner airflow. You can easily check if something is blocking the outside airflow. Take a digital cooking thermometer and turn on the air conditioner. Make sure it's not windy outside. Place the thermometer an inch or two from the inlet of your air conditioner. Then measure it from 20 feet away. Both temperatures should be the same. If not, there is a circulation problem.
3. Humidity affects your air conditioner
In addition to the heat, the humidity also increases in summer. You will physically feel this moisture on hot days. When the humidity is high, there is a high level of humidity and moist air in the house. The air conditioner takes much longer to remove the moisture. When your air conditioner is old and has functional problems, you will find it difficult to avoid sweat, frizzy hair, and damp skin.
4. If the air conditioner is already in a bad condition, it will deteriorate
Air conditions are built to withstand the summer heat, but even then it sometimes doesn't work properly. If you don't perform proper maintenance, your air conditioner may already be damaged and the hot weather will only make the situation worse. For example, if you have a dirty condenser, your air conditioner will have several problems in the summer. A dirty condenser will interfere with normal operation and the temperature and pressure will be higher than usual. If it continues to work like this for a long time, it will overheat. This causes the oil inside to burn and turn sour. In addition, the compressor no longer works. To make sure this doesn't happen, it's a good idea to clean the coil. You can watch some tutorial videos on YouTube to learn more about it. For cleaning, you will need a coil cleaner and a water sprayer like a garden hose.
How to prepare the air conditioner for summer
To make sure your air conditioner can withstand the heat, make sure of the following:
- Clean the condenser coils and allow them to dry completely
- Inspect the insulation coolant line and see if the exterior is damaged. Replace it if the foam over the air conditioner is damaged
- If you have an oven humidifier, turn it off
- Check the fan and see if it works without any strange noises
- Replace any dirty air filters
Final thoughts
Air conditioners are designed to cool the house temperature in summer. However, you need to ensure proper maintenance to make it last longer.
