6 Air Conditioner Problems You Can Fix Yourself
When the A/C is on the fritz, it’s tempting to rush out and call the technician to repair it. But wait. Do you really need to spend the money? Here are several DIY fixes you can do yourself, and also some advice on when you really do need a professional.
When The Fan Isn’t Running
When the fan isn’t running, check the thermostat first to make sure there’s power running to it. Most of the newer digital thermos will show a blank screen when there’s no power. Some thermostats require batteries, not a hardwiring to the main electrical system in the home, so be aware of that.
If your unit is an older coil unit, then it might be hardwired in which case, you can flip the A/C on and off and you should see a small spark inside of the thermostat indicating power to the unit.
As a last-ditch effort before you call the repairman, check the fuse box to make sure a circuit isn’t blown.
Indoor Unit Leak
When there’s a leak inside, check the drain pan under the cooling coil. If this is full of water, then the overflow switch might have cut power to the entire unit to prevent a short or other damage to the house.
You’ll have to unplug the emergency drain line, which is usually a white plastic pipe that runs outside of your home.
If your unit doesn’t have an overflow switch, then unplug the furnace from the wall socket and plug in a lamp to see if there’s electricity to the outlet. If you have a fan coil, you’ll probably need a technician’s help or be experienced using a volt meter. But, be aware – the high voltage outlets are 230 volts. This is very dangerous to work on yourself. You should really call a professional.
No Air From Supply Air Registers
When there’s no air supply coming to the registers, but the fan seems to running normally, you probably have a clogged filter. Take the filter out and inspect it for debris. It’s it’s dirty, then you’ll have to replace it and then restart your A/C system.
If you restart the system and the A/C still doesn’t come on, then you may have an iced up coil and you’ll need to let the ice melt before you restart it. This can take several hours before it’s ready.
You can try running just the fan to speed up the melting process.
Air Flow, But No Cold
When there’s airflow, but it’s not cold, your problem is probably the compressor or condenser fan. Check to make sure that you can hear the compressor running. If it’s not, then you will likely need to call a technician, like Dan Wright Corp, to have the unit repaired.
Condensing Unit Runs For a Few Minutes Then Stops Before House Gets Cool
If you’ve checked over everything, and it’s still not running, you might be locked out on a high pressure limit. This is especially true when you notice the unit runs for a few minutes, then stops before your home has been sufficiently cooled. Time to call the technician.