by Joe Brooks

Created on: June 20, 2010

Hot summer is no time to find out your air conditioner is not working properly. But if you do find your AC is not working at all, or if you suspect that your air-conditioning unit is not performing up to par, there are some quick checks and fixes you may try before calling in the professionals for a rescue visit.

First think about it a little. You may be able to recall something you did or did not do, or some symptom that may help you in your troubleshooting of the temperature problem. Have you replaced or cleaned the filter recently? Did you remember to set the thermostat properly? What about other air flow problems? Have you made sure that all is clean and clear around the important parts of your AC?

Air conditioning specialists report that one of the most common causes of failure, and the first thing they check on an AC troubleshooting visit, is the filter or filters. Many people overlook this simple task, and a dirty filter can reduce air flow to the point that you air conditioner cannot perform properly. Before you panic and call the HVAC people, check and replace the filters. It is inexpensive, easy, and safe for a homeowner to perform.

What about the thermostat? If you have an electronic thermostat, and most modern units do, you may need to replace the batteries. High-quality thermostats will have a low battery warning that gives you perhaps a couple of months to do this, before finding out that your thermostat has ceased to function. Replacing the batteries will put you back in business if that is the problem. The thermostat should obviously be properly set as well. Make sure the setting is on cool, and low enough to cause the AC to kick in.

In addition to the filter, which can inhibit air flow indoors, debris and other obstructions may cut down air flow to the outside unit, to the point of inhibiting its function. You can sweep or rake, as required, around the outer unit, and clean accessible ventilation fins and such. Also check to be sure you have not piled a bunch of leaf-filled bags or old lawn chairs around it last fall and forgotten all about your plans to clean up next spring.

In addition to your cleaning, filter replacing, and thermostat checking, there are a number of more electrically intimate tests you may perform. As the air conditioner unit combines high voltage with moisture, a very dangerous combination, please be careful. Make sure you know what you are doing, check manuals and diagrams, and most definitely have the power shut off, if you are going to remove covers and poke about in the internal parts of your AC system. There are good articles available online, with the needed pictures and diagrams. If you feel qualified and equipped to do so, by all means give that a try.

As a last step, after you have cleaned, replaced, checked, and reset, to the limit of your ability, one important troubleshooting trick is a brief wait, say fifteen or twenty minutes. Many parts have a reset delay, and computer chips have a memory period. A little pause, followed by another try, may result in a gently background hum and the flow of cool air.

If your home troubleshooting has not rewarded you with restored cooling function, then it is time to call on your local qualified air-conditioning maintenance professional. You may be confident they will know how to test safely, and then provide the fix to get you cool and comfortable again. An expert works quickly, and the price will be worth it in comfort. Once cooled off, you can clean your attic or garage and sell your finds on eBay, gaining a fortune far larger than your AC repair. However you go about it, AC maintenance and troubleshooting is worth the time and cost, as it pays off in cool comfort.

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