Air Conditioning Troubleshooting

In South Florida, air conditioners seem to fail at the worst possible times. One certainly does not want to lose the cool comfort air conditioning provides on days that are blazing hot outside. Repairs can be costly, but there are some simple steps that can be taken before calling in a professional HVAC technician. By following a few troubleshooting tips, the home owner can save both time and money.

When an A/C unit stops working, first check the power. Electrical issues are a common problem. Make sure the breaker has not been tripped. If this is the case, simply reset the breaker and turn on the unit. If the unit begins to operate properly, the breaker could have possibly been tripped from too much power being pulled at one time. The home owner should keep an eye on the breaker. If it should trip again, a professional should be called to identify the underlying electrical problem. An air conditioning unit is like a computer, sometimes a restart can be a simple fix. First, turn off the unit at the meter box. There may also be an isolator switch on the compressor that can be switched off. Leave both in the off position for a few minutes before turning back on again.

Another way to troubleshoot air conditioning problems is to clean dirt from the unit. Drain lines are one area that can become clogged and cause the unit not to run or cool properly.Drain Cleaning is important. Dirt in the coils and pipes of refrigerant can hamper the transfer of heat. Replacing the air filter is a small maintenance task that can have a big impact on the functioning of an A/C unit. When air can no longer freely flow through the duct work and the blower, icy buildup can occur on the compressor. Hot air may come from the registers instead of cool air. This is ongoing maintenance and filters should be replaced at least once every few months.

Another area to check is the compressor. When a compressor fails, the whole system ceases to function. Check around the compressor for any signs of wear and tear. Irregular noises may be identified. In addition, ice build-up on the compressor may be the sign of a more serious problem.

Leakages or depletion of refrigerant is another common problem. Freon is the gas that acts as a cooling refrigerant in an A/C unit. Not only does this leakage present an environmental issue, but also causes a unit to run inefficiently. A unit should be shut off with power disconnected until a certified HVAC technician knowledgeable about leak detection can reload the Freon.

Following these A/C troubleshooting tips should enable the home owner to either fix the problem or be able to better inform a licensed technician of the problem.