Air Conditioner Troubleshooting and AC Maintenance

If you have a central air conditioner problem, you may be able to fix it without having to call someone to service it. Air conditioner troubleshooting is important to do before calling a professional. The most common broken air conditioner issue seems to be the air conditioner filter. If you have this problem, you need to understand the importance of air conditioner maintenance to prevent future problems and improving the air you breathe.

Since becoming a homeowner, I have taken on more do-it-yourself projects than ever before. Fixing a broken air conditioner can be difficult but maintenance and troubleshooting is like a walk in the park. The most important thing to remember when dealing with anything electrical is to ensure the power to the unit is off on your electrical panel.

Air Conditioner Troubleshooting

In order to troubleshoot a central air conditioner you need to first understand the basics. The condenser and the evaporator are important components to understand before trying to troubleshoot an air conditioner problem. Most likely, your central AC is connected to your forced air distribution system. The evaporator coil and drain lines are located at the distribution center. The condenser unit is the large unit that sits on a concrete slab outside your home. Follow these steps to troubleshoot air conditioner problem.

1. Before jumping to the conclusion that you have a broken air conditioner make sure you have set the temperature lower than your homes current temperature. Make sure the power to the unit is on.

2. A very important maintenance step and often the end of your troubleshooting steps is the air conditioner filter located at the distribution center. A clogged filter will restrict air flow. (See Air Conditioner Maintenance below.)

3. If your AC is coming on but does not cool, your air conditioner is not broken and the problem is most likely in your distribution system. Unfortunately, if this is the problem, you will most likely need to have a professional fix it.

4. Another culprit of poor air flow could be the cooling air ducts. Check to make sure all connections are secure and free of bends.

5. Hopefully, if your air conditioner is broken it is not the compressor since this is a costly repair. If your unit makes odd noises or is 'hard-starting' that is most likely the problem with your air conditioner.

Air Conditioner Maintenance

1. As mentioned above, your air conditioner filter is essential to maintaining your unit.

2. Cover your air conditioner compressor in winter.

3. Replace your air conditioner filter at least twice per year to prevent operating problems like ice-covered cooling coils.

4. If you have dehumidification issues, you may want to reevaluate your philosophy that bigger is always better. An over-sized unit is probably the air conditioner problem in this case.

5. Make sure your air ducts are well insulated and sealed.

These are some of the basic air conditioner problem and troubleshoot steps to determine whether you have a broken air conditioner. However, there is a plethora of more in depth reasons for your unit's failure.

Proper air conditioner maintenance will help ensure your unit works to its full potential for years to come. Those mentioned above are simple steps to preventing the need to troubleshoot air conditioner problems.

Source:

How to Diagnose & Repair Loss of Air Conditioner Cooling Capacity or an Air Conditioner that is not Working, InspectAPedia

Home & Garden | Cool runnings | Simple Ways to keep your A/C in shape and slash your utility bill, ConsumerReports.org