During the service life of HVAC equipment, certain parts may require replacing. Identifying these problems and having the repairs completed will ensure your unit will continue to operate properly and efficiently. During a scheduled preventative maintenance inspection, our trained service technicians will identify which of these parts are about to fail or are underperforming. Below are the most common parts that will require replacement during spring/summer in HVAC equipment:
Capacitors: Provide additional torque for starting and running motors. If it fails, it will cause the electric motor it serves to fail, causing a no cooling situation. Weak capacitors will cause increased hydro consumption and extra strain on motors which will reduce life expectancy of the A/C unit.
Contactors: Control electricity flow to electric motors. When a contactor fails, fan motors or compressors may not start or never shut off. Common signs that a contactor should be replaced are chattering, humming noise, pitted contacts, welded contacts, visual signs of overheating contacts. Welded contacts will cause a motor to run continuously.
Fan motors: Drive the condenser or evaporator fans. Condenser fan motor failure will cause the unit to cycle on/off consistently which may result in compressor failure due to overheating. Evaporator fan motor failure result in no air flow causing coil freeze up which may result in compressor failure.
Pulleys and belts: Pulleys and belts transfer energy from an electric motor to a fan. When one fails, the fan won’t operate and could cause a no cooling call. Before they fail, there might be visibly signs of deterioration in the belt and/or pulley, belt squealing is a sign that one or both of these require replacing.
Economizer board/actuators/sensor: Economizers provide “free cooling” during cooler outdoor temperatures. During these times economizers will allow outdoor air to cool the space instead of mechanical cooling which reduces operational costs. They also assist your space to meet minimum ventilation air specifications. When they fail, the unit is no longer able to provide free cooling or minimum ventilation rates. Even though economizer boards may not show signs of degradation, corrosion on control boards and sensors will cause improper operation and could result in failure. Economizer actuators typically have a grinding or crunching metal sound before they fail. Dampers and linkage require regular inspection to ensure free movement.