Your ducted air conditioning is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your home. It is there at the flick of a switch, helping you to maintain the correct temperature in both summer and winter. Sometimes we forget how much we rely on air conditioning in the home and office, only to realise exactly what it means should it break down. Neglecting your ducted air conditioning may not cause it to break down straight away, but it will increase the cost of running it and will reduce its overall longevity.
What could go wrong with your ducted air conditioner?
Here are four of the more common problems experienced with ducted air conditioners:
Air leakage
Poorly sealed pipes and ducts mean cold/ hot air leaks before reaching where it should. It is estimated that leaking pipes and ducts can cause air conditioning units to work up to 40% harder to maintain the temperature you want: and that directly impacts on the cost of your air conditioned environment.
Plastic Fittings
Plastic fittings can warp, crack, break, and melt. All of these cause air leakages and inconsistent performance of air conditioning, leading to extra running expense.
Poor air balance
Sometimes the air flow balance falls out of synch, causing room temperatures to do likewise. This isn’t just a drain on cash, but a drain on you as you constantly try to manually maintain control, turning air conditioning on and off room by room. This could be caused by too much back pressure, which will put strain on pipes and fittings, decreasing the life of your air conditioning system.
Filter clogging
Filters become clogged with debris and cease to work properly. Not only does this mean your unit has to work harder, but also that the air pumped into your home is not as fresh as it should be.
What you can do
Routine maintenance such as filter cleaning and changing can be done by most owners, and you should certainly brush out dirt and other obstructions from units at regular intervals.
The more adept of owners may be able to check for duct leakage and make seals good. But replacing parts and undertaking a full service should only ever be undertaken by a qualified air conditioning technician.
If your system is producing less cold air than it should, then there may be a problem with refrigerant or airflow. That would be time to call a technician to conduct emergency repairs.
The best way to ensure your ducted air conditioner is working at peak performance – and least cost – is to ensure it is serviced at regular intervals. Experience shows that the best time to conduct such services is when the requirement for your air conditioning changes: that will be at the end of the summer and the end of the winter.