How to Troubleshoot Your Air Conditioner

Even though some Air conditioner repAirs need to be handled by a professional, qualified repAirman, there are some simple maintenance repAirs air conditioner owners can do themselves after some basic trouble shooting. One of the biggest problems is the air conditioner is not cooling the area. If it runs but does not cool, it most likely needs to be cleaned. Cleaning an air conditioner should be done on a warm day and all power to the unit needs to be shut down via a disconnect panel by the outdoor compressor. All debris and leaves should be removed from the outdoor condenser. Then remove the protective grilles and use a soft-bristled brush to clean out dirt from the fins.

If the air conditioner does not go on automatically when turned on, sometimes it is a question of the thermostat. Make sure it is set at "cool" and the temperature set on the thermostat is below the current ambient temperature. If this is set, check out the main electrical panel as well as any secondary circuit panels. Look for a blown fuse or a tripped breaker. Sometimes the fuse just needs to be replaced or the breaker needs to be reset.

Sometimes the temperature may swing or it may drop too low. If the temperature in the room swings more than three degrees Fahrenheit when the air conditioner goes from off to on, it may mean that the air conditioner pump is not cycling often enough. If the temperature in the room drops down further than what the temperature is set on the thermostat, most often it means the thermostat is not properly calibrated. Either that or the thermostat does not get a good sampling of the room air from where it is installed in the room.

A common problem many people face is that a pool of water starts to form around the air conditioner. Air conditioners create a large amount of condensation and it tends to exit via a drain tube. Then, it should enter into a floor drain or get carried away with a condensate pump. However, if water is starting to pool at the base of the air conditioner, most likely it either means that something is blocking the flow of water or the pump is not properly looking. First see if a tube is leaking, if so then it just needs to be replaced. To test the pump, pour water into the pan. If the pump does not start, there are two possibilities - it either it is broken or it is not receiving any power. Sometimes, especially if the air conditioner is running for a long period of time, there can be ice forming that blocks water from getting into the tube. If this is what is happening, first check if the Filter is dirty. If the Filter is not dirty, it most likely means a low Supply of refrigerant. In this scenario, it is best to phone an HVAC professional.

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