4 Common Air Conditioner Issues
Having your air conditioner go on the fritz when it's hot outside can be very frustrating and uncomfortable. It's always a good idea to call an air conditioner repair company, but in the meantime you may wish to do a little troubleshooting on your own. Here are four common air conditioner issues:
Warm Air is Coming Out
Your air conditioner blowing warm instead of cool is a major problem, for obvious reasons, but it may also be easy to fix. The part of the air conditioner unit that is installed outside, called the condenser, can easily become dirty. A dirty condenser is commonly the cause of an air conditioner suddenly emitting warm air instead of cool air. You can either clean the condenser yourself by following these steps, or call a professional to do it for you.
Not Cooling Your Home Effectively
Another common air conditioner problem is when your air conditioner is technically working, but doesn't seem to actually cool your home, or at least not as well as you would like it to. Just like with an air conditioner that is blowing warm air rather than cold air, the problem may be a dirty condenser. Dirt, dust and grime inside the air conditioner unit can block the cold air and prevent it from coming out into your home as readily as it should.
If you clean the condenser and your air conditioner still doesn't seem to be cooling your home, it's a good idea to call an air conditioner repair person to come take a look. A faulty part could be preventing your AC from running as effectively as it should, or perhaps the unit is simply too small to cover the square footage of your home.
Unit Won't Turn On
You obviously won't be able to enjoy the benefits of an air conditioner if the unit won't even turn on. If your air conditioner won't turn on at all, you most likely have a problem with either the thermostat or the electrical system. The first thing you should do is check the thermostat to make sure it's set correctly to the cool position. Your air conditioner may be programmed to only come on if the thermostat is set correctly, and if this is the case it's a simple fix.
If the thermostat is not the issue, you most likely have an electrical problem on your hands. Check your fuse box to ensure you don't have a tripped or blown fuse. If you do, this is another easy thing to fix. If there isn't a problem with a fuse or the thermostat and your air conditioner will still not come on, you should probably call an expert to investigate.
Frozen Air Conditioning Unit
You may notice that your air conditioner is not running properly, and when you try to scope out the issue you see that the unit is frozen over. This issue may require a professional diagnosis as there can be several possible causes. One common reason for an air conditioner freezing over is that the filters are dirty. Checking your air conditioner for dirty filters, and then either cleaning or replacing them, is a good first step to correcting a frozen air conditioner.
If your air conditioner continues to freeze over, you should call a professional repair service. They can check for more complicated problems, such as a malfunctioning internal fan.
Whether you decide to call an air conditioner repair service like Aggressive Mechanical Contractors, or attempt to make a minor repair on your own, don't forget to schedule regular maintenance for your air conditioner going forward. Regular maintenance can help prevent these issues, or at least identify them right away and before they turn into bigger problems.