Inspecting your condensing unit in Dallas is critical in ensuring your home is compliant with all the necessary codes and regulations. You also want to inspect it regularly to make sure it’s working at its maximum capacity. Today, Brian from Keller Services is telling us how to inspect your condensing unit and what to notice.
Coil Restrictions
One of the things to do during inspections is to evaluate the unit and look for any coil restrictions. If there is dirt, grass, leaves, or cottonwood from trees gathered on the unit, we wash it. We also check the fan motor and see if the bearings are going bad or the seals are leaking. Some motors need to be oiled, although most today are sealed and don’t need it. The capacitor will go out a lot if the coil is restricted and the motor isn’t operating efficiently. If the motor is getting weak, we recommend changing it because if you don’t, the motor runs harder. If it goes out completely, it can take out your compressor as well. So if you’re a property owner and your manager or HVAC tech suggests that the motor should be changed, don’t wait for it to break – change it. Otherwise, you’re looking at a more expensive repair down the road.
Inspect the Contactor
Another thing we check is the contactor. It’s nothing more than a switch which pulls in a set of contacts that sends high voltage through your system. A lot of times, there can be holes. Then, these contacts get craters in them and it heats up. When it heats up, it can melt and the unit will never shut off. So when tenants say the air conditioning is running all the time but not working, it’s because of this.
Refrigerant Charge
If the unit is low on refrigerant, it’s like your car getting low on air in one tire. Everything will wear out faster. Keep the refrigerant levels high and make sure there are refrigerant caps. If there are no caps, there could be leaks. Part of our inspection is also making sure all the electrical connections are tight. Leaning, Damaged, and Chewed Units. Occasionally, dogs or other animals will chew on the lines in a condenser. If you have your HVAC system inspected regularly, your technician will notice this and replace the wires. We also look for leaning condenser units because that can be a problem. The oil from the compressor travels with the refrigerant. So if you get a leak, you’ll be leaking oil too. When the unit is at an angle, it’s not working properly. Hail storms ding the system and restrict your coils. You don’t want to restrict those because it results in lower capacity. That’s going to cost you more on your electric bill. A dirty or dinged up unit will run higher head pressure, which leads to higher electric bills. If you have any questions about your condensing unit, please contact us at McCaw Property Management, and we’d be happy to get it inspected for you.