Have you had your central air unit quit working on you? Have you noticed that it isn’t as cold as it should be? Something may be going on with your appliance that needs some tending to. Air conditioning units are great to have for staying cool on the warm weather days. However, like any other major appliance things can go wrong that will cause it not to work.
You can call in a repair person to diagnose the problem and get it fixed for you. But, if the repair is something minor, you might be able to handle it yourself. Thus, saving you a little money in the long run. Here are a few central air unit problems you could repair on your own, to get your unit working properly again:
- Poor Air Flow
- Unit Working Harder Than Normal
- Blowing out Warm Air Instead of Cold
Air Conditioner Repairs You Can Do Yourself
Change filter- One of the easiest repairs you can do yourself is changing the filter. Filters will get dirty over time. Leaving them that way will cause your air conditioning unit to work harder. Sometimes, it won’t blow cool air at all, because of the dust blocking the filter. Changing it out periodically will keep your unit working efficiently and extend its working life. Check your manual to see which filter you will need and how to replace it.
Clean out condenser coils- Your air conditioning unit, often, will pull in leaves, dirt and other debris. These can stick to the coils, making it work harder. To get your unit working properly again, clean out your condenser coils. Each unit is different, but most can be cleaned out simply with a garden hose. Spray water at the coils to get the debris off, or use a special cleaner that attaches to your garden hose. Be sure to check your owner’s manual to see if there are any special instructions on how to clean it.
Check breaker or thermostat- If you’re experiencing problems with your air conditioning unit, one of the first things you can check is the breaker or the thermostat. It may sound strange, but more times than not, your breaker has tripped or your thermostat isn’t properly set. Check those items first before calling in a repair person. If something trips the breaker, you can un-trip it to get it going again. If the breaker trips again, then you must contact a repair person, because something else is going on that’s electrical in nature. A professional would be the best choice in that scenario.
Repairs to an air conditioning unit don’t always have to be done by a professional. You could do the above minor tips to save yourself a call to a repair person. For major repairs, though, contact a professional to avoid getting yourself hurt or accidentally breaking your coil unit. If you have questions, call us at 408-295-2182.