4 Common Commercial AC Repairs

Common Commercial AC Repairs for Business Owners

Often HVAC firms emphasize keeping your air filter changed and your system serviced. These are very good tips since these tasks improve system function, keep the air cleaner, save money, and increase the longevity of your furnace and air conditioner.

However, even with regular maintenance and quarterly air filter changes a Commercial AC system will occasionally experience problems that lead to repairs. The good news is these repairs fall into common categories and we are fully prepared to make the necessary repairs. The most common Commercial AC repairs are:

Problems Arising from Coolant Leaks

Whenever you add ice to tap water it sure feels like the ice cools the water. The science behind this phenomenon is the ice absorbs the heat in the tap water which melts the ice; with less heat, the tap water is cooler.

A similar process happens in your air conditioner. A refrigerant gas is compressed, and then released in a closed tube. The release of pressure makes the gas cold, and the cold gas absorbs the heat inside the home. Putting this gas under pressure obviously puts pressure on every pipe joint, and should the gas leak out, it would cause serious problems. Evidence of a gas leak includes:

• The loss of cooling function. No gas, no cold refrigerant to absorb the heat.
• While the gas is leaking the volume of gas is reduced. When a reduced amount of gas is compressed, the temperature change is significant. Normally, humidity in the air condenses on the coil and drips away. However, when the gas temperature is so low the humidity freezes solid. When this ice begins to melt it will leak into the surrounding space.
• With less gas the temperatures are extreme on the compressor end as well. The gas can get so hot that it overheats the compressor motor. This will lead to immediate or eventual catastrophic failure of the condenser unit—this is not good.
• If the gas pressure is low, it indicates a leak. The leak needs to be found and repaired or the gas will continue to leak. Specialized equipment and a little time allow our technicians to find the source of the leak. After a repair is made, the network is vacuumed, and the gas is replaced.

Problems Arising from Wear

Heating and air conditioning require large amounts of electricity. The system is either OFF or ON. Every time a heating or cooling cycle is called for, a flood of electrons comes rushing through the connections and the wires. It is not unlike opening and closing the spillway of a dam on a much smaller scale. This extremely small violence happens as often as 35,000 times per year. Wow!

• Regular maintenance includes testing the electrical system and further investigation for common problem connections.
• Certain controllers and capacitors are particularly vulnerable to electrical wear and tear.
• Whenever one electronic connection begins to weaken, it puts stress on subsequent electrical connections; the effect can be a cascade of failures.

Large Component Commercial AC Repairs Problems

The small problems addressed above eventually cause larger problems, such as those mentioned concerning compressor motors. These problems typically come toward the end of useful life for your system; the blower motor may fail, a combustion assembly may corrode, or a heat exchanger weaken and leak.

These repairs may be expensive, forcing a decision whether to repair or replace a system. But, good news. We are prepared to help with either repair or replacement.

Don’t Neglect Your Commercial AC Repairs!

Northwind Air Conditioning and Heat can help you with your Commercial AC Repairs and HVAC repair needs. Contact us and get the help you need. Neglecting these repairs can lead to more costly repairs later.