When the weather is hot, we rely on our air conditioners to keep us cold and comfortable. Unfortunately, AC units don’t always work like they’re supposed to. If your AirCon is not cold, you’ll want to get to the bottom of the problem. These are a few potential problems you might be dealing with.
1. You May Need To Change Your Air Filter
In many cases, air conditioner problems are caused by dirty filters. Filters are supposed to be changed every few months, but a lot of people wind up forgetting about them entirely.
If you haven’t replaced your air filter in a while, now is the prime time for a replacement. Find out what kinds of filters your AC unit uses. Put in a new filter and see if your air conditioner starts blowing cold air again.
2. You Could Be Dealing With A Frozen Or Blocked Condenser
A faulty condenser can cause a number of problems. Your condenser could be blocked. Give your unit a good cleaning and get rid of dust and debris. When debris builds up inside of an AirCon, it’s difficult for the unit to function.
A condenser can also freeze if your unit hits a certain temperature. In most cases, regular maintenance is enough to prevent this from happening. If your condenser is already frozen, you may want to have a professional look at your air conditioner.
3. Your Thermostat Might Be Broken
Some AC units are connected to thermostats. While this sort of functionality can make it easier to control the temperature in your home, it can also cause some issues. If your thermostat is malfunctioning, your AirCon will also experience problems.
Check your thermostat and see if the temperature there is correct. If the thermostat is displaying the wrong temperature, it’s safe to assume that this is the cause of your AirCon problems.
4. You Could Have A Dirty Evaporator
Air conditioners have a number of parts. If one part isn’t functioning, it can influence the performance of the entire system. An evaporator is one of the parts that could cause problems. A dirty evaporator can make it difficult for an AC unit to blow cold air.
If you haven’t cleaned your air conditioner in a long time, you should open it up and try cleaning some of the parts. If you notice a dirt build-up around one of the parts, you’ll want to address that. If you’re not comfortable cleaning your unit yourself, have a professional give it a good cleaning.
5. You Might Have A Low Refrigerant Charge Or A Refrigerant Leak
As AC units age, they become more to problems like refrigerant leaks. If your unit leaks a large amount of refrigerant, it will no longer be able to produce cool air. A low refrigerant charge can also keep your unit from properly cooling your home.
Regular servicing can resolve refrigerant issues. If you want to keep an eye on your unit, you can test for leaks with a leak detector.
6. You Could Be Dealing With A Bad Compressor
The failure of a single part can cause an entire AC unit to stop functioning. Faulty compressors are very common; it’s not unusual to find a bad compressor in an AC unit. Thankfully, this is a part that can easily be replaced.
7. You Might Need To Look At Your Ductwork
If your home is cooled by an HVAC system, you should look at the ductwork around that system. Your ductwork is what sends cold air into your home. If you have a clog or cracked or bent ductwork, that cool air may not be able to reach your home. If your AC unit seems fine, you should check out the ductwork and see if there are problems there.
8. You Should Check Out Your Breakers
Sometimes, major problems have very simple solutions. Check your breakers and see if you can spot a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. You could be able to get your AirCon running again in a matter of minutes.
9. Give Your Air Conditioner Some Time
AirCons don’t work instantly. If you’ve allowed your home to get very hot, it could take a long time to bring temperatures back down. If your home isn’t cool yet, don’t assume that your unit is failing. Wait a little while and see if the temperatures in your home start to drop.
10. You Might Need A Larger Air Conditioner
If you’re cooling your home with a window box unit, the size of the unit might be the problem. A lot of smaller units can only provide a limited amount of cool air. If you’re trying to cool a large apartment with a small unit, it might feel like your AC unit isn’t producing cold air at all.
Stand directly next to your AirCon and see if you feel cool. If your home feels warm, but you can feel cool air coming from your unit, you may need to use a larger unit. You can also try purchasing additional units. Use fans so that the cool air from the air conditioners is able to circulate throughout your home.
11. Your Air Conditioner May Have To Be Replaced
Nothing lasts forever — not even air conditioners. If your AirCon won’t run at all, and you can’t find the cause of the problem, it may be time for you to replace your unit.
Having to replace your air conditioner isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although a new unit can be expensive, many newer units are more energy efficient than older models. After you replace your unit, you could see your utility bills drop.
Take a good look at your AirCon and see if you can get to the bottom of the problem. Whether you fix your air conditioner yourself or call a professional, you should be able to get your AC unit to start blowing cool air. Make sure you’re getting everything you need from your AirCon. Go over these troubleshooting tips and see if you can figure out what’s wrong.