Air conditioning has become more of a necessity than luxury these
days. If your air conditioner stops delivering cool, fresh air into your home,
you will surely feel stressed and uncomfortable.
Even if you are sure that your
central air conditioner is running, as you can see and hear, it could possibly
have a problem if it doesn't cool well as expected. To be able to check what
could possibly be causing the problem, you must make sure that the supply of
air is full and air flow is not limited anywhere in the system. That said you
must see to it that the air filters are clean and the registers and compressor
are working properly.
To check for possible problems, you
should perform these:
Check the Indoor Air Handle
1. Turn your air conditioning handler
or furnace off.
2. Check the filter. Remove the door
of the air-handler cabinet and pull out the filter. If it is dirty, clean it
but if it is damaged, you must replace it.
3. Look for ice. If ice is present
near or around the coils, it is possibly because your filters are dirty or your
coils or fans are not working well. Another possible cause is low refrigerant
level. Have this checked and recharged by a qualified technician.
4. Check the condensate drain for
blockage. Air conditioners are fitted with plastic drain pipes to collect the
moisture it collects from the air. Check this pipe for blockage such as the
growth of algae. Blockage can cause your air conditioner to stop working.
Check the Outdoor Compressor
1. Before checking the compressor,
you should shut the power down and pull the plug away from the electric outlet
to make sure that it is off.
2. Clean the outdoor compressor. See
video below for detailed instructions.
3. Check to make sure that the
compressor is in good condition. Set the thermostat temperature below room
temperature to hear the compressor run and see the compressor fan turning. If
the fan is still, look for an overload switch and reset it. If this doesn't
work, spin the fan manually clockwise with a screwdriver. If the fan starts to
spin, your unit's capacitor is possibly defective and needs replacement.
4 Check the refrigerant level for
possible recharging. This should be done only by a qualified air conditioner repair professional. You should have this done only if
the previous steps didn't work.
How to Clean Air Conditioner Coils
