New units & installation Whether you’re replacing the unit you have or upgrading your home with a new feature, we can help. If your air conditioner seems to be losing its cooling ability, the problem may be as simple as frozen or clogged air conditioning coils. Other causes of reduced cooling include restricted air flow and low refrigerant. Even though you may not be experienced in AC service, you can fix all three of these probable causes in several easy steps. Step 1 - Thaw Frozen Condenser Coils Find your electrical breaker box and turn off the switch that controls power to your air conditioner, and allow the coils to thaw. Depending on the ambient air temperature around your condenser unit, it could take up to 24 hours for the coils to melt any ice that is plugging them. Step 2 - Dry the Air Conditioner Coils Once your condenser has had time to thaw completely, remove any pooled or standing water and use a towel to dry any remaining moisture that may remain on the machinery.

Step 3 - Turn the Air Conditioner's Fan On After turning the breaker switch on again to restore electricity to your AC, find the thermostat that controls your unit. Set the thermostat control so that only the air conditioner's blower, or fan, is operating. base for ac unitThe fan will help melt any ice or frost clogging the coils by circulating air through them.3 ton ac unit for mobile home Step 4 - Heat the Condenser's Coilsac central unit parts You can speed up the thawing process by using a hand-held hair dryer. Be sure when you use this method of heating that you switch the dryer setting to low heat. A heat setting that is too high can crack the condenser's coils. Step 5 - Check Vent Filters Vent filters, when clogged with dirt and dust, are likely to reduce air flow and conditioner's ability to cool your house.

To maximize cooling efficiency, you will need to check your vent filters. If they are dirty or clogged, replace them with new ones. If you don't have extra filters on hand, you'll find them at most hardware or home improvement stores. Step 6 - Add Coolant Another condition that often reduces cooling efficiency is low coolant in your AC unit. The best way to check for low coolant, and add it when necessary, is to buy a coolant installation kit which you can usually find at a nearby home improvement store. Most of these kits will include directions for adding the coolant. Step 7 - Test the Cooling Capacity Once you have completed the rest of these steps, test your air conditioner's ability to cool. Turn the thermostat setting to "cool," wait a few minutes, and then test the air coming from the vents. If the air blowing through the vent is as cool as you would like it to be, you can rest assured your repairs were successful. How to Clean Air Conditioner Coils You are here » Common Air Conditioner Problems

Why is My AC Unit Making a Squealing Noise? When transitioning from winter to spring weather, it could mean any number of things when your air conditioning unit needs some routine maintenance. With our last post, we walked you through necessary steps to take in preparing your outdoor AC unit for the more regular usage that the weather shift requires. Cleaning and maintaining is one thing, but what if after all that there is still a high-pitched squealing noise? It’s highly more likely that you’ll experience this in the spring, as your compressor/capacitor has been exposed to the winter elements for months at a time (including ice). What could this sound mean and is there an easy way to fix it? If you’re experiencing this issue, it is likely one of three things: the bearings on your condenser fan’s motor, the belt connecting the motor to the blower has slipped, or it’s actually not a problem at all. Here are a few tips to help diagnose the problem and a pointer on how to fix your noisy AC unit.

If it’s not a problem – Many units emit a slight squeal under normal operation. This is especially the case when, at this point in the year, it has been sitting for several months and just needs to work out its kinks. A good indication that this is in fact the case is the brevity of the noise. If it’s nothing to worry about then the noise will be slight and only last for a few minutes. If it’s any longer than a few moments and any louder than ‘slight,’ then you should investigate other causes (see below). If it’s the belt connecting the motor to the blower – Most newer units do away with the belt system. If you have an older unit and happen to know that it is belt driven, then the issue is more than likely that the belts have been worn over the years and have slipped. You’ll hear this noise both outside and coming through the vents inside your home. If this is indeed the cause, your next step would be to replace the belt or call us. If it’s the bearings attached to your unit’s condenser fan – All newer units have direct-drive motors (meaning no belts).

These sorts of units use a fan to draw air across the condenser coils located inside of your compressor. If you have a direct-drive motor then you will hear the squealing or grinding coming from your outside unit. This means that the bearings on the fan motor are shot and the motor will need to be replaced. We strongly urge you not to fix this on your own as it could increase the amount of damage to your compressor, resulting in a more costly fix. As you gear up for cold weather, do you experience a potent smell when you turn on your heater? Visit this blog post for simple DIY ways to identify and fix the odor(s) before the Winter hits! Using a motor lubricant or spray lubricant on the motor shaft to temporarily relieve the noise is a temporary fix. This, however, is NOT a permanent fix and the problem should be tended to by a professional as soon as possible. Your HVAC (AC) unit could be overworked! There are several reasons that this could be the case. Most commonly it is working too hard to decrease the humidity level inside of your home.