Welp, you’re in big trouble. It’s hot enough to fry an egg on the concrete outside and your air conditioner isn’t cooling your home very well. In Arizona, this is almost like a death sentence (a very slow and painful one). Most people will jump to conclusions and say, “Well, obviously you need more Freon!” But honestly, there are several reasons why this happens. To make things simple, we’ll give you a few things you can do right now that may fix this problem. If none of them work, you'll need to schedule an air conditioning technician to diagnose your problem. First things first:  Check the thermostat one more time to make sure it’s on the right settings. Obviously, if it’s accidentally set to “heat” your A/C is never going to come on. But also check the fan settings. If you have it set to “on” then the indoor blower will keep blowing air into your home even when it’s not being cooled. This gives the illusion that your air conditioner is low on refrigerant because it’s blowing cold air sometimes and warm air other times.

Set the thermostat to “auto” so your A/C only blows cold air.  If that didn’t work, then... Go to your return vent and check the air filter. Does it look like the one on the right in this picture? If so, change it (it should be changed once a month). A dirty air filter blocks return airflow to your air conditioner. This makes it harder for your air conditioner to circulate the amount of cooled air  needed back into your home. If changing the air filter didn’t work, then... When’s the last time you had the outdoor air conditioning unit cleaned? If the answer is “never”, well you may have found your problem.  We’ve already talked in detail about why you need to clean your outdoor unit at least once a year. To summarize, the outdoor unit needs to be clean and clear of obstructions (grass, bushes, tree branches, fences)  so it can cool down the refrigerant, which is then used to cool your home’s air. You can clean the outdoor unit yourself using a water sprayer and a special A/C coil cleaner.

But doing it properly requires a professional touch. And most professionals will clean it as part of an A/C maintenance visit. (Psst, we have a coupon that takes $40 off an AC tune-up visit) If you’ve cleaned the outside unit, and your A/C STILL isn’t cooling your home well, then you’ll need a professional’s help. They can check for things like low refrigerant, malfunctioning condenser fan, malfunctioning compressor, and so forth. If your air conditioner needs repairing, we have a coupon for $50 off A/C repairs. George Brazil has been keeping Phoenix-area homes safe, comfortable and energy efficient since 1955.PRODUCTS & SERVICES TOP Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Daikin leverages its experience and technology to deliver air conditioning solutions that meet the demands of any setting. Air to Water Heat Pump Systems Training & Technical Support Pioneering Fluorine Technology Providing Solutions for Life Utilizing IPM motor and inverter technology for greater energy savings

Sometimes your air conditioner can appear to be running just fine, but still isn’t doing its job to cool your home. When this happens, there can be several possible causes that prevent your air conditioner from keeping you cool. We’ve listed a few below. Sometimes your air conditioner can appear to be running just fine, but still isn’t doing its job to cool your home. reviews of portable ac units Ductwork is one of the most important components of your overall HVAC system. small plug in ac unitIt is responsible for delivering the heated or cooled air, produced by your air conditioner or furnace, throughout your home. air handling unit problemsWhen your ductwork is cracked, bent, or poorly designed, the heated or cooled air your HVAC unit works so hard to create, cannot keep you comfortable.

A thorough inspection and sealing of your ductwork may be necessary to fix the problem. If you notice your AC is running, but not always cooling, you might want to check yourthermostat settings. Most thermostats have an “auto” and “on” setting for the blower, and when set a certain way, can make your air conditioner seem like it’s not working properly. When set to “auto” the blower goes off and on according to the set room temperature. In the “on” position, the blower will run continuously regardless of the room temperature. Often, the “on” position is used for homes with air cleaners and other filtration systems installed as part of their HVAC system. Especially as your unit ages, it will leak small amounts of refrigerant every season if it is not charged on a regular basis. Sometimes, your unit can leak too much refrigerant to be effective at keeping you cool. In other instances, the refrigerant can come into contact with moisture and freeze, which causes blockages and prevent your unit from cooling properly.

To avoid this, it’s a good idea to have your AC serviced on an annual basis. Sometimes a stalled condenser coil can cause your unit to not blow cool air. The condenser coil is the part of the unit responsible for producing the cold air. A blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker can cause it to quit working while the fan will continue to run, providing the facade your AC is operating, as it should. A professional inspection if your AC will help to determine if this is the problem. When your AC isn’t keeping you comfortable, it’s best to contact a professional who can help you properly diagnose and repair the problem. At Cool Today, our technicians are trained to fix your problem fast while saving your money. If you’re still having trouble, schedule service with us online today, or contact one of our experts to learn more about your air conditioning problems.Edit ArticleHow to Diagnose a Non Working Air Conditioning in a Car Three Methods:Collecting Initial InformationDiagnosing Airflow ProblemsDiagnosing Air Temperature ProblemsCommunity Q&A

Driving around on a hot day in a car without a working air conditioner can be uncomfortable and even dangerous in extreme heat. Diagnosing the reason that your air conditioning isn’t working will help you determine whether the problem is one that you can fix yourself or if you need to take it to a repair shop. You are also less likely to be taken advantage of at a repair shop if you already know why your AC is not working. Turn the air conditioning on while the car is running. The air conditioner won’t run properly unless your engine is running. The best setting for diagnosis is “fresh air” (not recirculated) with the air blowing out of the center vents in the dash and the AC turned on. Start with the fan speed turned to its highest setting. If your car has a “Max AC” setting, select that option. Listen for unusual noises coming from the AC. Feel the air coming out of the vents. Notice the air pressure. Smell the air coming from the vents.

If there are unusual smells, you could have a leak. You may also need to change your cabin air filter. Inspect your car’s fuses. Check all of the vents. Be sure that air pressure is coming out of the vents that you have selected. Move the vent selector to see if the air moves to the proper vents. If changing the selected vent does not alter the flow of air, you likely have a blend door problem, which will require replacing the doors inside the dash that determine the direction of the air flow. Blend doors change position when the temperature selection is changed, blocking the flow or permitting the flow of either hot or cold air. Sometimes an AC system with a mode door problem could be working fine, but the air flow is being directed somewhere else, like back out to the engine, instead of into the car. Look at your cabin air filter. Especially if the air coming from your vents smells funny or if you think you have had a slow decrease in pressure for some time, check the air filter.

You will be able to see if it has a buildup of dirt or debris on it. It is possible that your cabin air filter is so blocked that it is interfering with your air pressure, and replacing it will be a relatively easy an inexpensive fix to your problem. Your car manual may have instructions on replacing the cabin filter. If it doesn’t, try searching online for “replace cabin air filter” followed by the year, make, and model of your car (for example, you might search for “replace cabin air filter for 2006 Toyota Camry”). Check for a blower motor problem. The easiest way to do this is to try turning on your heat. If you have weak air flow when the heat is on as well, your blower motor may have gone out. A blower motor may have a resistor problem if your air only blows on the high setting but will not blow on a lower setting. Unfortunately, mice and other rodents sometimes build homes in car HVAC hoses and can get caught in the blower motor when the car is started.

A loud noise (or bad smell) coming when the heat or air are running could be a sign of this problem. Find the front of your AC condenser. It is normally located in front of your radiator. If there are leaves or other dirt or buildup blocking it, remove them and clean the area. Look under the hood at the AC compressor clutch. If your air pressure is normal but the air is hot, you may have a compressor problem. Checking to see if the compressor clutch is engaging is a simple visual inspection. The compressor is usually located towards the front of your engine, just inside the grill of your car. Your car should be running with the AC on to check the compressor clutch. The compressor looks like a small motor with a large wheel on the end. The wheel (which is the compressor clutch) should be spinning. If it is not spinning, you have a problem with your compressor. Check the tension on the belt of the compressor. It should be tight. If it is loose, you need a new compressor belt.

Find any coolant system leaks. One of the most common AC temperature problems is low refrigerant. The AC system is closed, so refrigerant should not be lost unless there is a leak. Look for oily residue on or around hoses that attach AC components together. Oily spots may indicate a refrigerant leak. You may consider using an electronic leak detector, which can detect much smaller quantities of refrigerant. There are also some testers that use dye, UV light, and protective glasses to find leaks. If you do find a leak, you will likely need to hire a professional to repair the leak. You will probably need new parts too, as many of the components cannot be repaired or patched.If your AC blows cold initially but then stops being cold after some use, it could be freezing. Excess air and moisture in the system may lead components to freeze (literally). Freezing can also be caused by an oversaturated receiver/drier or accumulator. Turning the system off for a while and letting it thaw will temporarily solve the problem.