5 Incredibly Useful AIR CONDITIONER Tips For Small Businesses

One of the very most frustrating problems with a window air conditioner is if it starts to ice up. For the owner of the air conditioner is could be perplexing.

When this problem occurs a lot of people immediately think it is the fault of the refrigerant gas. grandeairsolutions.com is the result of other difficulties.

It is most often the result of poor airflow.

Any time the airflow through an air conditioner is fixed the coolant system becomes affected. If taken up to extremes the critical pressure-temperature balance of the cooling coil can be changed. If they drop too low the cooling coils surface temperature can drop below the dew point temperature of the room. When this happens the cooling coil will begin to operate as a refrigerator rather than an air conditioner. Instead of simply cooling the air it’ll collect and hold moisture. The moisture will freeze onto the cooling coil where it will appear as ice.

The principal job of an air conditioning equipment is to de-humidify, not refrigerate, the area air. By removing the moisture from the area air it gives us a sense of comfort. To get this done though the temperature of the cooling coil must always be higher than the room’s dew point. If it’s allowed to drop below the dew point the air conditioning equipment will start to produce ice.

With this information at heart the following are a few problems that can result in your air conditioner icing up:

1. Dirty filter.
To avoid this replace or clean your filter every couple of weeks of the cooling season. In case a smoker do it every week. To clean filter remove from air conditioning equipment, wet thoroughly, and lay in bottom of a sink. Sprinkle detergent (laundry detergent is effective) onto filter surface. Allow to sit for a few minutes. Add tepid to warm water to sink so that filter is completely covered. Soak for a quarter-hour. Remove from water and rinse. Allow to air dry.

2. Dirty or blocked cooling coil.
An air conditioning equipment requires regular maintenance. Usually every two or three years. Every year will be best, but this is often costly unless you do-it-yourself. During cleaning the cooling coil should be degreased and washed to eliminate accumulated dirt and debris. Degreasing is essential to remove any coatings on the coil. If not done greasy residue can trap and hold air borne particles. They will build-up on the coil and affect heat transfer. If left too much time this can result in the cooling coil becoming partially blocked. This will produce a lower airflow.

3. Dirty or blocked condenser coil.
The condenser coil may be the one at the rear of the air conditioner. Its job would be to dissipate the heat that’s being removed from the area. Just like the cooling coil it too should be cleaned every few years. Because the condenser is externally of the house it becomes exposed to a great deal of dirt, pollen, and smog. Since airflow direction is from inside to outside it’s the inside surface of the condenser that becomes dirty. Therefore to completely clean this part the air conditioner must be completely disassembled. If not cleaned regularly an airflow blockage here may also burn out the compressor. Before this happens although lowering of airflow will affect the overall operation. This can result in the compressor efficiency dropping, the internal pressure-temperature relationships being affected, and the resultant production of ice on the cooling coil.

4. Inefficient compressor.
As describe above an inefficient compressor could cause icing up. If the compressor struggles to pump the refrigerant properly the cooing coil might not get cold enough to shut off the cold control. It could hover just above the take off point. At these times the cooling coil will begin to refrigerate. Ice on the cooling coil will result. If the compressor itself reaches fault the air conditioner should be replaced. But remember that many icing problems are misdiagnosed as bad compressors when they were actually among the other faults discussed in the following paragraphs.

5. Not enough refrigerant. Too much refrigerant.
Both scenarios can result in and icing condition. If your air conditioner was repaired recently suspect too much refrigerant. Mixed with an airflow problem this is often difficult to diagnose. If not repaired recently then suspect airflow problems before considering a refrigerant imbalance.

6. Outdoor temperature too low.
Icing can occur if the outside temperature falls below 60 Degrees Fahrenheit. If the exterior temperature is too low the air conditioner pressure-temperatures can be affected. When the outside temperature falls the cooling coil temperature will also fall. So much that the coil will refrigerate the room air. This will result in the cooling coil beginning to produce ice. This problem is more frequent in the fall. If it is hot during the day but cold during the night suspect this problem as the reason behind icing up. If this problem is suspected try running the air conditioner in the fan only position. Leave the re-circulating vent open. This will circulate the area air without cooling it, while bringing in a small amount of outside air during the night.