It sure gets hot in Litchfield Park, Arizona, with temperatures often reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit during July. All that heat makes you wonder: can AC units overheat?
Mountainside Air provides trustworthy AC services in Litchfield Park, AZ. Our crew dives into this important air conditioner safety question below and outlines how you can protect your cooling equipment. Find out about overheating cooling systems and how to curb the risks.
Your Air Conditioner Unit Can Overheat Without Proper Maintenance
If you worry about your AC unit overheating in Arizona, your concerns are valid. Local air conditioning equipment can overheat under the right circumstances. For one thing, the hot, dry weather in Litchfield Park creates a conducive environment for machines to overheat.
Can you prevent this problem by regularly maintaining your HVAC system? Yes, adopting a well-rounded maintenance approach includes consistent tune-ups. Still, it pays to understand why AC units overheat in the first place.
Why Do AC Units Overheat?
How can AC units overheat? An air conditioning unit might overheat for numerous reasons. Usually, it begins with an internal problem that goes unresolved for long periods, but outdoor elements, like heat and sun exposure, can also exacerbate the issue.
Obstructed Airflow
One of the more common and solvable overheating issues is restricted airflow. Obstructions within the cooling system force it to work harder to circulate air throughout your home or business. Key components like the blower motor can overheat from all that extra effort.
Airflow blockages can manifest as:
- Filthy air filters: Replace your air filter every quarter to keep the return register clear.
- Dust buildup in the ductwork: Schedule ductwork cleanings every three to five years.
- Large items in front of the vents: Laundry piles, furniture, or boxes prevent cool air from filling the room, which hampers each cooling cycle.
Why do AC units overheat? Another common issue involves stored belongings crowding the indoor or outdoor equipment. A lack of free space surrounding the equipment can contribute to overheating, so be sure to give each unit at least two feet of clearance on all sides.
Poor Refrigerant Levels
The refrigerant soaks up heat from your building’s interior, travels through the system, and releases it outdoors. Low refrigerant levels hinder this cooling process, which places undue stress on components like the coils and the compressor.
It also takes longer to cool your home or business with too little refrigerant, which strains the whole system. Without sufficient refrigerant, overheating and compressor failure may follow, not to mention skyrocketing energy bills. Luckily, the solution is simple: let an HVAC technician in Litchfield Park, Arizona, repair the lines and top off your refrigerant supply!
Dirty Components
The more you run your cooling system, the more dust and other particulates circulate through and land on its components. Without regular cleaning, those tiny grains can cause big problems.
How can AC units overheat? Dirty condenser coils cause overheating concerns, and friction increases as dirt becomes wedged inside moving mechanical parts. Excessive friction can generate extra heat and contribute to the whole system becoming too hot.
High Temperatures in Litchfield Park, Arizona
Could external factors cause your air conditioner to overheat? Hot temperatures aren’t the main culprit; overuse is the problem.
Quality HVAC systems manufactured by reputable brands are built to withstand most weather extremes. However, using even good-quality cooling equipment intensively when temperatures rise can cause damage.
In Litchfield Park, Arizona, our local temperatures rise well into the triple digits. Your use habits to combat that heat might speed up issues because the strain on your electric network may trigger electrical issues. Your system will also circulate more dirt, causing the components and ductwork to develop a filthy coating faster.
One solution is frequent filter changes. Cleaning or replacing filters should counteract the nearly constant pull of air as you stay cool.
How Can You Protect Your Cooling Equipment?
You can’t control the weather, but you can proactively protect your cooling system through quarterly air conditioner maintenance that includes:
- Wiping down vent grates.
- Vacuuming accessible ductwork.
- Replacing their air filters more frequently.
- Providing shady, stilted coverings for outdoor units.
- Keeping stored items at least two feet away from indoor and outdoor equipment.
Then, your HVAC technician can handle the rest during your spring air conditioning tune-up in Litchfield Park, Arizona.
