Air conditioners are like furnaces in that they never fail until you need them most. With summer upon us, you need to have your air conditioner running well. The most mentioned problem we hear from our customers is that their air conditioner isn’t blowing cold air. This can be caused by a number of issues that include a couple you should check for before contacting an HVAC contractor. The other reasons will require a professional.
Check for These Issues First
Let’s start with the things you can do easily without needing an AC repair person.
Clean the Filter
A lot of air goes through the filters of your air conditioner, and they can become quickly covered with dust and other debris. If you have disposable filters, it may be time to replace them with a fresh filter. If your filter is permanent, take it out and clean it thoroughly. While you are at it, take a few minutes to clean the external coils.
Electrical Supply
Your air conditioner needs to have its own outlet because of the amount of power. If your unit is sharing an outlet, try plugging it into its own outlet and see if that works. Also, inspect the power cord for any fraying. If you see anything wrong with the power supply cord, unplug your unit and contact a repair person.
Settings
Check to see that your temperature is set to a lower temperature than it is in your home. This may seem obvious, but the thermostat setting can be accidentally changed, especially if you have little ones in the house. Next, instead of “auto” make sure you have this button set to “cool.” When the auto setting is being used, your air conditioner will cycle on and off whether it is cooling or not. The “cool” setting will only produce cold air if the thermostat is running well.
If you have checked all these things and your air conditioning unit is still refusing to blow cold air, the cause is most likely something that will require professional maintenance.
5 Issues Requiring a Professional HVAC Contractor
1. Internal Dirt
The inside of your unit has an additional set of cooling coils that can gather dirt and debris. This requires taking your unit apart and cleaning it. This is best done by a professional because it can be too easy to accidentally damage internal parts and ruin the air conditioner completely.
2. Electrical Issues
There are many wires inside an air conditioner. At any given time there is a chance that one or more will become loose or completely disconnected. This is especially true if you have moved the air conditioning unit. Wires also get old and worn and need to be replaced over time. You should never attempt to work on electrical components yourself unless you have a license to do so.
3. Low Coolant
Without coolant, your air conditioner can’t do the job it is meant to do. Over time, the hoses that circulate the coolant may end up with minute holes that allow the coolant to either leak or evaporate. It is against the law to replace the coolant yourself because of the danger. Checking the level of coolant in your system will let the repairman know if he needs to search for and fix any holes. He can then replace the lost coolant.
4. Mechanical Problems
Things wear out. That is a simple fact where any kind of mechanical unit is concerned. Your air conditioning unit has a motor, fan, and belts that are all subject to wear and tear. Over time, the efficiency of these things becomes less or they stop working altogether and need to be replaced.
5. Outdated Unit
This is one thing that not even a professional will be able to fix. Just like a car, there comes a time when there is no life left in your air conditioning unit, and it needs to be replaced entirely. A reliable AC repair specialist such as those here at Howard Air will tell you if the unit is beyond repair.
Call Howard Air for All of Your A/C Needs
If you need to find out just why your air conditioner is leaving you hot and uncomfortable, contact one of our trained experts to take a look at your unit and help get it back in working conditioning. At Howard Air, your health and comfort are our top priorities, and a faulty air conditioning unit puts both at risk. Call us as soon as there is a problem, and we will have things up and running quickly.
