Face it, eventually everything breaks down, but what do you do when your AC stops working. When should you know to make a change in air conditioning unit and when to make the phone call to a professional? There are a few common problems that you might have with your air conditioner that you can diagnose before making a phone call. When you try and diagnose your AC troubles yourself, you’ll be saving yourself a ton of money and time, which is something everyone wants to do.
Your AC Isn’t Running
The most common problem with an air conditioner is that it isn’t running when it should. The first thing you want to check, which essentially goes for all appliance problems, is if the air conditioner is getting power. You can check this by looking to see if it is plugged in. If it isn’t, then plug it in and see if it starts working. If it still doesn’t start working, then you’ll need to check if the fuse has blown on the unit or if you tripped a circuit breaker in your home.
If neither of those work the next best thing that you can do is to check if your thermostat level is too high. Try to set the thermostat lower by a few degrees and see if the air conditioner turns on now. If none of that works, then it is best that you attempt to call a professional rather than trying to fix the problem yourself.
It Is Still Too Hot
Another common problem that people have found, is that their home is still too hot. This can be for a number of reasons. If your air conditioner is running, then you know that it isn’t exactly completely broken. Another thing to check is how hot it is outside, sometimes your air conditioner will not seem to be working because it is just too hot for you to notice that your device is working.
If it’s over 100 degrees outside your home might not be ice cold, but it should be cooler than it is outside. Another thing you can check is how many BTU’s your unit is. If you have a small AC and a large room you might need to purchase a larger unit.
It’s Running but It Isn’t Cooling
If your unit is blowing out hot air, there could be a problem like a dirty or blocked condenser. Dirt and grime can often cause an air conditioner to not run effectively or efficiently. But there are times when it could be a faulty part or other problem that requires professional help. So if you have cleaned your air conditioner and it still isn’t running correctly then you’ll need to contact a professional air conditioner repair person.
It Shuts Off and On Constantly
This is another problem that can occur when you have a dirty or blocked unit. So, it is important that as part of your regularly scheduled home maintenance and cleaning you clean out your air conditioner. However, you find that you don’t feel comfortable cleaning out your unit it is always advisable to call a professional.
When to Call for Help
If after you’ve checked all the steps outlined above you find yourself still without a properly functioning unit, the best thing that you can do is contact a professional like the ones at Bob Heinmiller. These experts can help you to check the coolant levels, clean out your air conditioner, and fix any broken parts. You’ll know that you’ve found a quality service person if they offer same day and emergency 24-hour service.
Lautaro Martinez is a family man and freelance writer who contirbutes home improvement aricles. If you wish to learn more about Lautaro, you can check out his Google+ profile.
