The dos and don’ts of air conditioner troubleshooting.
Let’s set the scene. It’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk outside, you’re escaping from the heat inside your home, and you have the air conditioner blasting. All of a sudden, warm air (or no air) starts coming through your vents. Oh no!
This can be a worst nightmare for homeowners. Air conditioners are a big investment, and they do many things that improve your quality of life. So, when your system is not working, it can be very tempting to want to a) avoid spending more money fixing your system, but b) find the quickest solution possible.
This can lead to a dangerous situation where you attempt to fix your air conditioner yourself. This is NEVER recommended. When you attempt DIY air conditioner maintenance and only have a degree from “The University of the Internet” you can wind up paying more in replacement costs and putting yourself in danger.
However, there are a couple of things you can do to either find a temporary solution or make sure that the problem isn’t as serious as it seems. Again, DIY maintenance or repair is never encouraged. But, you can check for more simple things before you hit the panic button.
Start at the power supply. Your air conditioner or your air distribution system may not be receiving power. This could be from an outlet being turned off, a tripped circuit breaker, or a host of other scenarios. Make sure that your unit is receiving power before panicking.
Move onto the thermostat. It’s very possible that your thermostat could be out of batteries or malfunctioning. Someone may have fiddled with the settings so that your air conditioner isn’t turning on at the correct temperature, or it has been switched from cooling mode to heating mode.
Go outside and check your condenser. This would not be a quick fix, but you can quickly identify whether there is a problem or not by looking at your condenser. If there are visible signs of damage, make sure to call your local contractor.
If there are no visible sings…pick up the phone and call your local HVAC contractor. There could be a ductwork issue or there could be another internal problem. But, you will never figure out exactly what the problem is without getting someone with knowledge and experience out to your home.
I agree that you should watch your thermostat. Having it set to a temperature all the time really helps with the utility bill. I think that it is important to watch your utility bill.
Great tips to help the average homeowner troubleshoot a/c problems! On one hand, if it’s an easy fix, like dead batteries in the thermostat, I’d rather not pay to have someone come out. But if it’s more complex, I’d rather hire a licensed pro to do the repairs. That way, I don’t risk hurting myself or breaking something else!