Preparing For The Repair Of A Room Air Conditioner

by | Jul 13, 2015 | Air Conditioning

Search

Latest Articles

Categories

Archives

There is nothing unusual about a room air conditioner, they are a very common site in most homes; either hanging through an opening which has been specially prepared in a wall or simply mounted in an existing window casing. All air conditioners function the same, there is no difference in the technology employed between a simple window mounted unit or a larger central unit. Window units are only smaller but when looking at the cost based on cooling per dollar the window unit is usually more expensive to operate.

A typical room air conditioner is little more than a fabricated metal or plastic frame which carries two coils. The coil located closest to the interior of the space is the evaporator while the coil that is located outside is the condenser. Between these two coils is located the motor, fans and the thermostatic controls. The big problem that technicians who do air conditioning repair in Morton Grove observe is dirt, it is this accumulation of dirt and debris that has a severe negative effect on the overall efficiency of the evaporator coil as well as seriously reducing the air flow. Dirt also clogs the filter and enough of it can even block the drain port located in the bottom of the casing.

A room air conditioner uses one or two capacitors in every unit. A capacitor stores electricity and are active even when the power to the unit is turned off. Before attempting any cleaning or routine maintenance, make sure the unit is unplugged, leave enough time for the capacitors to discharge, otherwise you risk getting a nasty shock.

The compressor and motor used in a room air conditioner are sealed units, in the event either of these fail then a specialist in air conditioning repair in Morton Grove will have to be called in, in a case like this the homeowners hands are tied. There are however simple repairs and maintenance that a reasonably skilled homeowner can do. The tasks that the homeowner can do are not so much as repairs but should be considered as more like regular and routine maintenance. There is one great benefit to a room air conditioner, if the problem appears serious it is reasonably easy to remove the unit from the casing and take it to a service center in the car.

All air conditioners are subjected to the elements. A room air conditioner should be covered during the harsh winter months, may homeowners remove them completely and cover the hole to eliminate any chance of drafts. Of the two, covering the unit is by far the easiest and special covers are available for this purpose.