When you have a mini split system for your heating and cooling needs, Grove Heating & Cooling is ready to help you with any maintenance or repairs. These are excellent and reliable systems to keep you comfortable throughout the year, but there are times when your system will need to be repaired. When the time comes for ductless mini split repair in Columbia, MD, you can trust our team to do the job well.
If you aren’t sure what is going on with your ductless mini split system, or if it’s time for maintenance before the heating or cooling season begins, contact the professional HVAC technicians at Grove in Columbia, MD, to get your system ready.
Before scheduling ductless mini split repair in Columbia, MD, it’s helpful to know how these systems work. Unlike central air conditioning, ductless air conditioners circulate conditioned air directly into the space. Ductless heat pumps can also provide heating as well as cooling.
Ductless air conditioners operate on the basis of heat transfer. When they are in cooling mode, they move heat from inside the home to the outdoors. When they are in heating mode, they move heat from outside the home inside. They consist of two primary components, an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, which use coolant to heat and cool the home.
The indoor air handler contains a fan and the evaporator coils, which have coolant flowing through them. These two parts will circulate the conditioned air and absorb heat from the indoor air. In the summer, it will pull that heat from the home and send it outdoors, and in the winter, it will pull heat from the outdoor unit and transfer it into the indoor air. The indoor unit is sometimes called the air handler.
The outdoor unit releases heat outdoors and has a condenser that presurizes the refrigerant. It’s connected to the indoor unit via refrigerant lines. During the cooling season, these lines allow the air to be cooled as it moves to the compressor. Once cooled, the air returns to the indoor unit to enter the home. In heating mode, the process is reversed so the coolant absorbs heat from the outdoors and releases it into the interior space. The outdoor unit is sometimes called the compressor or condenser.
The coolant is a key component of this process. As it flows from the condenser to the evaporator coil and back, it changes from a liquid to a gas. This allows it to absorb and release heat as it goes through this change.
A ductless system is called ductless because it does not require ductwork to operate. Rather than sending air through the air ducts into the home, a ductless unit does its job without ducts. Instead, the indoor unit gets mounted through a small hole in the wall of the room it will be heating or cooling. This provides many homeowners with a way to heat and cool a space while saving money and avoiding the cost of adding ductwork.
The unit can service specific rooms, such as room additions or rooms that have problems with hot and cold spots, or with proper sizing and multiple indoor units installed in different rooms throughout the house, a ductless mini split system can heat and cool the entire house.
Ductless mini split installation provides a cost-effective, energy efficient option to heat and cool a house, but like all home comfort systems, they can run into problems. Mini split air conditioners often require professional help to repair, but there are times when these ductless heating and cooling systems can be fixed with simple DIY fixes. You can take some time to look over your ductless mini split wall units and outdoor unit to see if there are any obvious problems with the ductless system that you can fix on your own.
For example, you can change out your clogged air filter and check the refrigerant levels of your system. If you aren’t sure what to do to maintain your mini split system, have a professional come to check out the units and provide the cleaning needed to keep your system running well. While you might be able to tell that the system needs to be cleaned, you may not have the tools you need to clean the system correctly.
There are some common signs that indicate your mini split needs to be repaired. A mini split that isn’t blowing cold air, has poor airflow, or won’t turn on at all may have a number of issues going on.
Take the time to learn more about your system. You may be able to learn how to clean your system and take care of dirty air filters to solve some common problems. If you think there is a refrigerant leak, then it’s time to contact Grove Heating & Cooling to deal with the problem for you.
When a mini split starts to leak water into your home, this can make a big mess quickly. If your filter is dirty, this can lead to the coil freezing. Once the ice melts, water will leak out of your unit.
The drain line can get blocked in your mini split, making it impossible for water to leave the unit through the drain. If this occurs, water will eventually leak into your home from the interior of the unit. Water gets into your unit as the mini split pulls humidity out of the air, turning it into condensation. Always make sure the drain line is clear, or the drain pan is in place if you have water coming into your home from the mini split.
Short cycling occurs when your system turns on to cool off your home, but turns off again before reaching the set temperature. Low refrigerant, electrical problems, or overheating can cause short cycling. Get help from a professional HVAC company if your system is turning on and off without cooling down your home.
If you notice a strange odor coming from your mini split, you may need to have the system thoroughly cleaned to determine what is going on. Don’t ignore a moldy odor, as this can lead to respiratory issues. Whenever you notice a problem with how your mini split is functioning, it’s time to get the repairs needed to keep it running well.
It is best to have your mini split air conditioning system serviced before you need to rely on it every day to keep your home cool. If you turn on your system and you have any issues with staying comfortable, it’s time to call for a mini split repair. When your system gets properly maintained, a technician will be able to uncover any potential issues with your system before they cause problems. If your system is leaking, or you don’t have cool enough air, our certified technicians will be able to determine what is going on and repair the problem.
Grove Heating & Cooling offers mini split repair services in Columbia, MD, and the surrounding areas. If you haven’t had your system serviced this season, or you are noticing problems with how the system is running, it’s time to give Grove Heating & Cooling a call. A member of our team will take care of your mini split, and offer you an estimate if your system needs to be repaired.
When you have a problem with your ductless mini split system, you may wonder if it’s worth spending the money on repair because of how affordable these systems are. If the repair is minor or the system is new, you absolutely should consider repair. If the cost to repair is high, replacement may be a great alternative to give you even more life out of your system.
While every underlying issue requiring repair is different, we will provide an upfront quote for the cost before beginning any work.
Many homeowners expect strong air to blow out of a mini split, but because these are heat pumps, they may not blow air as strongly as a central air conditioner or heating system. Rather than looking at air flow power, look at the desired temperature. If the system isn’t keeping the room properly heated or cooled, then you may need repair.
Because mini splits work by transferring heat, sometimes they will develop some frost on the outdoor unit. However, actual ice can indicate a problem with the system that needs to be repaired. Some problems that cause ice include low refrigerant levels or a faulty defrost cycle.
The most common issue that can cause a mini split to stay stuck in one mode is a problem with the reversing valve. If this valve isn’t opening and closing, the system can’t switch modes.
While most homeowners will schedule mini split maintenance to tackle this task, it is one you can do on your own. Access the coils by removing the cabinet, then clean them with a dry cloth or a specialized cleaner for coils.
When making the decision between repairing and replacing a ductless system, one question to ask is whether or not the system is past its expected lifespan. These systems, with proper maintenance, should last between 10 and 15 years. If yours is nearing the end of that lifespan, then consider replacement.
2142 Priest Bridge Ct. Suite 6, Crofton, MD 21114
