Why Is My AC Overheating in Hampton, VA?

When an air conditioning unit overheats, it’s likely to become faulty and shut down because it also trips the circuit breaker. The causes of an overheating AC force it to work harder than usual to maintain the proper temperatures and airflow. Here are common reasons why the AC in your Hampton, VA home overheats and what to do about it.

Dirty Air Filters

Air filters protect the AC from pollutants and dirt. A dirty air filter restricts airflow in the air ducts; thus, the air conditioner runs longer and strains to cool your home. That happens until the AC overheats and trips the circuit breaker or eventually breaks down.

You can prevent dirty air filters from forcing the AC to overheat by changing them every 60 days. You may have to change air filters more often if you have pets, smoke indoors, or there was a recent home renovation.

Grimy Condenser Coils

Condenser coils have the refrigerant, and the tubes run through the AC’s outside unit. When the coils are dirty, the air conditioning unit operates longer than usual, causing it to overheat. When dirt covers the condenser coils, the refrigerant fails to release heat quickly because the dirt acts as an insulator.

The air conditioner keeps running until it overheats since it cannot reach the thermostat temperature setting. The solution is to hire an air conditioning technician for maintenance and a professional cleaning to eliminate the dirt on the outside unit.

Refrigerant Leaks

Sufficient amounts of refrigerant are necessary for the cooling process in an AC. Refrigerant eliminates heat from the air so that it’s cool. If your air conditioning unit doesn’t have enough refrigerant, often due to a leak, the system overworks to cool the air until it overheats.

AC maintenance is an effective way to prevent overheating. During a tune-up visit, the technician catches and fixes potential issues that could lead to overheating. Call Lighthouse Mechanical Heating and Cooling to schedule an AC maintenance session with our team of certified HVAC professionals.

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