Air Conditioning

©Depositphotos.com/lisafx

Air conditioning units are essential to use everyday especially during summer months. However, when your air conditioner is already blowing warm air and doesn’t cool you down, you can do something to check on the problem before you call a qualified technician to service it. A few troubleshooting tips can help you determine why you’re not having a cool temperature in your room.

Learn how to determine if it’s time to service your air conditioning unit

AC units have 2 motors that utilize electrical power – the compressor that enables the refrigerant to cool the air, and the other one that runs the fan to generate air.

•    Compressor and condenser troubles – If you hear a continuous loud sound, your condenser may be damaged. If you see that the lights are dim, it’s either the compressor or condenser which is damaged.
•    Check the condenser coils – These radiator-like parts are found on the warm area of the air conditioner. Check them and if they are dirty, use your vacuum cleaner to clean them. You can also use a soft brush to take off the particles.
•    If draining of water is not efficient, it will produce ice and destroy your air conditioning unit. Thus, you should clean the drip pan, and drain regularly to keep draining of water efficient.
•    When the fan is still running, but you notice that the airflow is decreased or stopped, the coil in the ductwork may be covered with ice. In this case, the air conditioning will still run, but the room will become warmer, and there will be waste of electricity. Therefore, turn off the AC, and allow the ice to melt. Then, fix the drain before turning it on again.
•    If cooling has stopped but there is still air flowing normally, the problem is not ice. Low level of refrigerant in the AC unit may be the problem. If refrigerant leaks out, your equipment will cool poorly, and electricity will be wasted. In this case, let a professional handle the problem.

Check your AC and if you cannot do it yourself, better rely on a licensed technician to do it for you to avoid guesswork. Some companies charge certain amount for materials and labor, and others have all in, flat rate including materials and labor. These are the companies that you should look for to ease up your burden on cost, and get quality service.