Which home air conditioning parts does your unit need?Summary: This article looks at the common problems of your air conditioner unit and the home air conditioning parts you will need in the event of break-down. When troubleshooting an air conditioner system, there are several common problems that you may encounter, and home air conditioning parts are available to solve many of these problems. If you are not comfortable doing repairs yourself, by all means call a qualified technician, but avid do-it-yourselfers can handle many common repairs on their own. To find out which home air conditioning parts, if any, that you need, you must first do some basic troubleshooting. Check circuit breakers and thermostats to eliminate those as the source of the problem. Cut grass and vines away from outdoor condensers, remove leaves and debris, making sure there is plenty of airflow around the unit. Clean the fins of the condenser and lubricate the motor if necessary. Also, determine whether or not the fan and compressor are both turning on together and if not, which one is not working. If the fan does not turn on, see if the blades turn freely. If the fan works but the compressor doesn’t, try shutting the unit off for at least 2 hours and then try again. One common problem with air conditioners that have been shut down all winter is the motor has difficulty starting again. If you can hear the fan running but the compressor makes a kind of “UGGG” sound, it’s trying to start but can’t. The compressor motor has a piston similar to those in a car engine, and when it sits idle for a long time, it can become stuck or even seize up completely. Sometimes the compressor must be replaced, but sometimes all it needs is a little extra power to help it start. In this case, a hard start capacitor can solve the problem by giving the compressor the extra juice that it needs. There is a hard start capacitor called Super Boost on the market that can solve the problem of hard starting, but if it doesn’t work you may need a compressor. Capacitors are home air conditioning parts that commonly fail and need replacing. They are inexpensive and easy to replace, replacing one yourself can save $200-$300 on a service call. Blown capacitors typically look swollen and misshapen. You may find that the replacement capacitor is smaller than the original, or a different shape, but that doesn’t matter as long as the voltage and capacitance ratings are the same. Fan motors may fail and need replacing. If fan blades do not turn freely, it is usually due to a faulty bearing in the fan motor. Sometimes the fan motor is part of the capacitor; such a unit is called a dual capacitor. Compressor failure may not be due to a failed motor. Check the compressor for burnt terminals. If compressor terminals are burnt, they can be replaced fairly easily. A terminal repair kit called Term-Lok is a simple and inexpensive way to replace burnt compressor terminals. Home air conditioning parts can be easily purchased online, allowing the do-it-yourselfer to fix the most common air conditioner problems. However, when it comes to recharging the refrigerant, it must be done by a certified professional. To read more about related subjects, please follow these links.
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