The air conditioning system in your home is complex. While there are often many things that you can do to support your A/C and even make minor repairs, there are some issues that you need to leave in the hands of professionals. One issue that real HVAC professionals need to address is the alignment of the sides of a split-system A/C.
Most homes are built with split-system air conditioners. One part of the system is located inside, and contains the evaporator coil and air handler, while the second part is located outside and contains the compressor and condenser. The interior piece cools air and the exterior machine expels hot air into the atmosphere, but both pass refrigerant between them during the cooling process. For two key reasons, both sides of split A/C systems need to match.
Changing SEER
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is used to guide the manufacture of more efficient HVAC systems. However, air conditioners that were built prior to the current federally mandated minimum SEER of 13 weren’t manufactured to meet current standards. When you order work done on your A/C, you should make sure that the repair technicians evaluate the interior and the exterior parts of your system before making changes, as parts that were designed for a higher SEER won’t work with a less efficient A/C.
Refrigerant
Systems that require a part replacement and that use R-22 refrigerant, which is now being phased out, must have parts that use the same type of refrigerant. Most newer A/Cs are designed to use R-410A refrigerant. Non-professional installers who attempt to mix these older systems with parts that have differing refrigerant requirements could end up costing you, in terms of poor performance or system failure. You may need to look into replacing the entire unit.
Watch out for unprofessional and unlicensed contractors who are trying to make money off your repair needs. For more information about properly maintaining and repairing the sides of split A/C systems, please contact us at Bryans United Air Conditioning. We have been meeting the A/C needs of the metro New Orleans area since 1982.
