In South Florida, air conditioning is serious business, even in the fall. Although temperatures start to creep down in October, it has the highest humidity average of any other month. So, it pays to understand the top causes of AC failure so you can prevent them.

The Most Common Causes of AC Failure

The following list starts with the most common to the least:

Dirty air filter

Fortunately, the top cause of AC failure is the easiest to prevent: a clogged and dirty air filter.

It decreases the flow of air through the system and makes your AC system work even harder. That doesn’t just use more electricity, it can shorten its lifespan.

Frozen condenser coils

This one is also pretty simple to prevent, and it’s also a matter of regular maintenance. Florida humidity often means frozen condenser coils if the coils (or air filter) are dirty.

If your coils freeze, you’ll need to defrost them, which can take up to a day. You can prevent this by scheduling an annual check and cleaning with a professional technician.

Thermostat issues

Consumers want HVAC products that help them reduce costs and environmental impact. This can make thermostats a bit more complicated. Programmable thermostats let you schedule so you don’t waste electricity cooling an empty home. However, they can be one of the causes of AC failure.

You may have to change the batteries. You may also want to reset your temperature preferences to compensate for humid autumn weather or the change from DST.

Clogged drains

If your cool air doesn’t feel crisp, check the flow of water at your condensate drain. Your system pulls moisture out of the air and sends it outside, usually onto a rock bed by your condensing unit. If the line clogs, it backs up into your home, raising humidity and leaking under the catch pan.

Check for obstructions at the outlet. You’ll also need to check the drip pan inside to check for algae or debris. Remove the debris from the pan and use vinegar to remove the algae.

Circuit broken

If you’re running your AC all day and night to pull moisture out of the air, you may be causing it to overload the circuit. You can reset the breaker, but you’ll need to figure out why it’s pulling such a high demand.

If the system doesn’t turn back on once you’ve reset the breaker, it may be a more serious issue, like faulty wiring. Call a technician if this is the case.

Preventing AC Failure

For the most part, the primary causes of AC failure are easy to prevent and sometimes simple enough for a homeowner to prevent. One of the best ways to prevent a non-functioning AC system is to stay on top of that annual cleaning and checkup.

Make an appointment today with the experts at One Hour Air in Miami. We can ensure your home air feels great all year round.