Home Air Conditioner Troubleshooting - what to do and where to look if your unit breaks downSummary: When an air conditioner stops working, the first thing many people do is call a professional, but before you reach for the phone there are a few home air conditioner troubleshooting steps you can take. Firstly, check circuit breakers. If an air conditioner has been idle for a while, a tripped breaker may go unnoticed, especially if the unit is on its own circuit, as larger units should be. Even if the breaker looks like it is on, turn it off and back on again. In double pole breakers, which are standard with most air conditioning units, sometimes one leg holds the other back, preventing it from flipping to the OFF position, making it appear that it is on when in fact it is not. Check the thermostat setting and make sure it is turned down to a low enough temperature to allow the air conditioner to come on. People often forget about the thermostat and call someone to repair their home air conditioner. Troubleshooting can be as simple as double-checking things like the thermostat settings. Try resetting the thermostat by turning it all the way off and then turning it to ‘cold’. In outdoor units, sometimes cleaning is all that is needed. First, shut off power to the unit. Clean all leaves from around the condenser and remove the protective grill that covers the fins of the condenser. Gently clean the fins using a soft brush, taking care not to damage them. If you can hear your outdoor unit running but it isn’t cooling, check to see if you can hear if just the fan is running or if the compressor is running as well. The fan and compressor should start together. If the fan does not start, the compressor will overheat and also stop running. If the fan is running but the compressor makes a sort of ‘UGGG’ sound, it may mean the compressor motor is locked up, preventing it from starting. Try shutting the unit off for at least 5 minutes to allow it to cycle down, and then try again. Never turn an air conditioner off and then immediately back on – that puts extra strain on the compressor and can burn it out. The system could be low on refrigerant. Check the lines to see if one of them is cold. If both are warm, the system may need to be recharged by a qualified technician. Allowing the system to run when low on refrigerant can ruin the compressor, a costly part to replace. Inspect wiring for burnt connections and check the terminals on the compressor to see if they are burnt. Replace burnt connections or call a qualified professional to do it for you. Before performing home air conditioner troubleshooting or cleaning, always make sure that the power is completely turned off to the unit. Do this by flipping the breaker to the OFF position or by unplugging the disconnect connection. Central air units run on very high voltage, so a careless mistake like forgetting to cut the power could cause you a serious accident. To read more about related subjects, please follow these links:
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