Home air conditioning systems are essential to our everyday comfort during those hot summer months. When there is an issue with your aircon, your mind likely races on how expensive it’s going to be to fix the problem. To help ease your mind, we’re going to share with you eight of our best tips for home aircon repairs.
Check Your Air Filter
One of the biggest problems that people experience with their home air conditioning system is that it starts to slowly not produce cold air. You’ll likely discover this problem when you notice that you’re constantly turning down the temperature on your thermostat. If everything else in your system seems to be working properly, then check your air filter. Sometimes, the air filter can become overly clogged with excess debris. This blocks the cold air from freely flowing throughout your home.
Check The Vents
Another simple fix that can solve a somewhat perplexing problem is blocked air vents. Just like an overly clogged filter will slow down your airflow, so will block air vents. You need to check your vents and registers to see if there is any debris clogged up in the ductwork. Many times, it can be easy to place an item over or against a vent, such as a couch. This can completely block airflow and not allow your aircon to properly do its job.
Be Mindful Of Your Thermostat Placement
In most aircon systems, the thermostat is the location that ultimately keeps track of the room’s temperature. If it reads a temperature that is above what is pre-set on the thermostat, the air conditioning system will kick on. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful of the placement of your thermostat. Mini-split systems are very common for having this problem.
Homeowners place the remote right next to the aircon unit. This leads to the built-in thermostat noting a cooler temperature near the machine and shutting off. This can leave the rest of the room feeling warmer than the temperature that is programmed into the thermostat.
Clean The Outdoor Condenser Unit
Many homeowners don’t give any attention to their outdoor condenser units. They know that it’s out there, but that’s about the extent of it. When your air conditioner doesn’t blow cold air, it could be due to blocked grates on the outdoor unit. Turn the entire system off and head outside. Check the grates to see if they are blocked by loose debris like leaves. This is one of the most common air conditioning repairs that homeowners can perform for free.
Check The Drain Plug
If you’ve noticed that your air conditioning system is leaking water inside of your home, it may prompt you to immediately call in the professionals. However, you should try a quick fix on your own first. Turn off the air conditioning system and locate the drain pan. This will be just below the evaporator coil as it collects excess moisture from the coil. All too often, the drain can get clogged by hard water sediment. Taking a few moments to clear out the drain hole can remedy the leak.
Always Try The Master Reset
It’s important to remember that your aircon consists of many electrical components. When they undergo spikes or power loss, say due to a quick overnight power outage, they can develop a glitch. Similar to your computer, you just need to restart. To perform this reset, turn off the thermostat. Then, proceed to turn off your home circuit breaker for the unit. Give it a minute and turn the breaker back on.
Replace Your Thermostat Batteries
A simple fix that can be easy to overlook is low batteries on your thermostat. If you notice that the thermostat simply turns off, you may head down to the panel box thinking that it’s a problem with the circuit breaker. The truth is that low batteries tend to kill out thermostats every few months. It’s a good idea to start by changing out the batteries first.
Check The Thermostat Setting
Depending on the type of thermostat that you use, you may have to manually set it from heating to cooling. Many times, homeowners don’t realize that they must manually change this function. They will continue to turn the thermostat temperature down to no avail. Fortunately, switching through to the right function will usually solve this problem.
By: Jim Pullman
About the Author:
Jim Pulman has extensive knowledge and experience in Home Building, Construction, and Design. He writes articles in his free time and partners with content creators to share his expertise with the online community.
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