When AC season hits the Inland Northwest, our techs start seeing the same handful of problems over and over. Air conditioners tend to fail in surprisingly predictable ways, especially when they’ve been running hard for years or skipping regular maintenance. Here’s a look behind the curtain at what actually goes wrong, and what it means for your comfort.
1. Failed Capacitors
The capacitor is the “spark plug” of your AC, giving the compressor and fan motors the jolt they need to start. When it fails, your system either won’t turn on or sits there clicking and humming. A tech tests it with a meter, and a bad one is often visibly swollen. Age and Spokane’s summer heat are the usual causes. It’s a quick, affordable fix, but a high-voltage one best left to a pro.
2. Dirty Coils
Your indoor and outdoor coils have to be clean to move heat. Dust, dirt, and cottonwood fluff build up and choke airflow, so your AC runs longer, cools less, and costs more. A cleaning restores efficiency, and regular maintenance prevents it in the first place.
3. Low Refrigerant and Leaks
If your AC runs but barely cools, low refrigerant from a leak is a common cause. Simply topping it off without fixing the leak is a waste. The real repair is finding and sealing the leak, then recharging the system.
4. Frozen Coils
Ironically, an AC can freeze up in summer, usually from restricted airflow due to a dirty filter or from low refrigerant. You’ll notice weak airflow, warm air, and sometimes ice on the lines.
5. Worn Fan Motors and Bad Thermostats
A failing fan motor or a miscalibrated thermostat can make an otherwise healthy AC seem broken. Both are common and straightforward for a tech to diagnose.
Most of These Are Preventable
The pattern in nearly every one of these: they start small and get ignored. A yearly tune-up catches dirty coils, weak capacitors, and low refrigerant before they leave you sweating on the hottest day. When yours does act up, Bearcat finds the real problem fast and fixes it right. See our AC repair services, or call (509) 891-5110.
