Air Conditioning Repair – What You Need To Know To Be Safe

Air Conditioning Repair – What You Need To Know To Be Safe

There are a great number of air conditioning repair options that are fairly straight forward and easy to do for the average handyman or handywoman, however there are also some dangerous aspects to air conditioning repair that should be well understood before starting any repair project. The first and most obvious safety issues when it comes to air conditioning repair is that this is an electrical appliance, and as such needs to be completely disconnected from the electrical outlet before starting on the repair. Simply turning the unit control into the off position is not all that is needed, rather the unit needs to be completely unplugged or the wiring disconnected to the power source. This is particularly important when working within the system or around the fan area of the air conditioning unit.

Another fairly obvious component to air conditioning repair that is a safety issues is particular to the window and wall mounted units. These units can be incredibly heavy for their small size and typically are awkward and difficult to physically handle for one person. If during the repair you have to remove the air conditioner from its mounting be sure to have at least one other person to assist with the project. This can be much more difficult with heavy window mount units that will require someone on the inside as well as someone on the outside of the house to successfully move the unit without damaging the window frame or resulting in some type of physical injury.

In some cases where the conventional or forced air cooling systems are used the installation may have been done improperly and the vent lines from the air conditioner may have been incorrectly hooked to the sewage lines or the plumbing vents. In these situations the system can build up dangerous levels of bacteria in the damp, moist conditions created in the lines plus sewer gases can also back up through the air conditioner creating serious health concerns. If any foul smell or odor is noticed in the air conditioning system or in the air when it is on, do not attempt the air conditioning repair yourself, rather call in an expert that can safely correct the problem.

Newer air conditioning units use other coolants that are safer than Freon, however even Freon itself is not harmful in small amounts unless there is an open flame present. If you believe that the air conditioner is leaking coolant or if you smell any “odd” smells in the room or air after completing some type of air conditioning repair the best option is to turn the unit off and immediately contact a trained and certified technician. Since Freon is odorless it is likely not the problem, however there may be some other issue that is causing the noticeable smell. Make sure all furnaces, stoves or any other type of flame is completely out in the house or area until the unit can be checked and repaired.