Springtime is a good time of the year to do preventative maintenance on your air conditioning system. Taking care of small problems before it gets too warm may keep the equipment operating trouble free during the hot weather.
While you are performing these checks make sure the power has been disconnected.
Remove the cover over the unit electrical compartment and take a look at the wiring for any overheated or loose connections. All connections should be tight and the wiring should show no signs of discoloration. If the wiring is discolored that section of wiring should be replaced. Examine the contactor points looking for discoloration or pitting. Discoloration can indicate a bad connection when the points are energized. Also take a look at the capacitor for any signs of oil leakage. If the capacitor top is dome shaped or there is any sign of oil the capacitor should be replaced.
Check the condenser fan motor and make sure the blade turns freely. Also check the shaft for any side to side movement. If there is any side to side play in the motor the blade will turn free but the motor has worn bearings and does need to be replaced. The shaft will move in and out but it should not move side to side. Also look closely ate the fan blade. The individual blades are installed with rivets. The blades are usually aluminum and can stress crack around the rivets. If the blade is not changed it can tear and get caught in the coil. This can cause a tear in the copper tube and a loss of charge. If the blade does crack and break it will lead to a very expensive repair.
If you see any signs of an oil leak around any of the copper lines it indicates a refrigerant leak and we recommend getting this checked by a technician.
While you are looking at the motor is a good time to take a garden hose and wash out the outdoor coil. We do not recommend using chemicals to clean the coil as it can cause deterioration of the aluminum fins. Water should be sufficient for cleaning. Allow the unit to dry out for a few hours before restoring power.