Keep cool and troubleshoot when your air conditioner acts up. On a hot summer night, it's always good to hear the comforting sound of your air conditioner clicking on, followed by the cool air blowing through the vents. But when air conditioning fails to work properly, it can mean several hot, sleepless nights waiting for a service call. While the cool air will be a welcome relief, the repair bill probably won't. Troubleshooting your air conditioner while you're waiting or before you even make the call might get the cold air blowing again. Even if you need to call a technician, it will be good to have an understanding of what might be wrong with your air conditioner. Check the Power If your air conditioner isn't turning on, you might simply have a tripped circuit or a blown fuse. Locate your electrical panel and look to see if any of the switches have moved to the center position. If you see one that's been tripped, turn it off and on again. That might solve the problem. If none have been tripped, locate the switch that operates your air conditioner.

If you have a central air unit, it might be marked "furnace" since often the furnace's blower is used to distribute cold air throughout the house. Turn the switch off and on. That might be enough to reset the connection and get it to work. Your furnace may have a fuse that's necessary to operate the blower. Locate and check that as well. You'll be able to tell it's burned out by a dark spot in the glass portion of the fuse. Turn on the Fan One way to determine whether or not your central air system is getting power is to turn on the fan. how much copper in a ac unitYou'll find it right next to the "auto" switch. how to dispose of ac window unitIf you switch the fan to "on" and the fan starts, you know the blower is getting power. used portable ac units for sale

You may still have a thermostat problem or a more serious problem with the air conditioner itself. If the fan doesn't go on, you might have a blower problem. Thermostat Troubleshooting Central air conditioners run off of your home's thermostat. Check the settings to make sure someone didn't inadvertently move it off "cool" or "auto." Also, check the temperature to make sure it didn't get changed inadvertently. Modern, programmable thermostats run off of battery power. If it has been more than a couple of months since you changed the batteries, put in fresh ones. Often that's enough to get everything working again. There's a chance that the thermostat itself has gone bad, whether it's a new model or an older version. Either way, installing a new thermostat is something you can do yourself, should you determine that to be the underlying problem. Other Troubleshooting Tips On both central and room air conditioner units, make sure the condensation drain is working properly. If it's clogged, it might cause your air conditioner to malfunction.

Try finding and removing the panel covering the condenser coils. If the coils are dirty or blocked, then a central or room air conditioner won't work efficiently. If a room air conditioner is dripping water, make sure the pan that directs the condensation through a drain tube and out the back of the unit is seated properly. Room air conditioners have a thermostat sensor behind the control panel. Make sure the sensor hasn't been knocked out of position or damaged. On central air units, if the air filter is clogged, the cooling capacity of the air conditioner is reduced. The air filter will be located near your furnace. How do you troubleshoot problems with your air conditioner? In order to troubleshoot a standard air conditioning system, the control unit should be inspected, as well as the breaker, outside fan, compressor and other main components. The refrigerant lines that run into the house should also be inspected to ensure there are no leaks in the system. What parts make up an HVAC unit?

The most basic causes of air conditioning failure are due to user error, such as poor maintenance, and can be easily reminded. Use the following instructions to properly troubleshoot a household air conditioning system.Check the thermostatFirst inspect the thermostat and compare the temperature inside of the house. If the air conditioner is set to 72 degrees and the house is 72 degrees, it will stop blowing cold. If there is no power check the breakerThe A/C system has a breaker that protects it from power surges. If the breaker flipped, the unit will turn off and be reset. Inspect the A/C blowerInspect the fan outside and listen for the blower, if neither are running then check the outside wire harness for frayed or burnt wires.Inspect the compressorSee if the units compressor turns on with the fan. If it does not, the compressor should be replaced.Check the refrigerant levelAir is cooled from the refrigerant in the system. Use a gauge to check the Freon in the system, also be sure to inspect the A/C lines for any leaks.

To troubleshoot a Tempstar air conditioner, inspect and clean the ventilation grill, clean out the compressor and lubricate the fan. Be sure to slide the s... Is air a mixture? How do roof vents on houses work? Why does a Dearborn heater fail to light? What are some common types of knee problems? What is a leather conditioner for cars? What are the best solutions for the most common household cleaning problems?How much does an air conditioner fan motor cost? As of 2015, air conditioner fan motors vary greatly in cost from $90 to $500, according to Grainger. Prices vary by brand, materials, design and capability. Which retailers sell AC fan motors? What are attic fan motors? How should you troubleshoot LG air conditioner problems? An air conditioner fan motor can be specific to a certain air conditioner, so use discretion when selecting the one that is right for your machine. Grainger and Home Depot both provide complete product descriptions that include specifications for the air conditioner fan motor or condenser fan motor.