Air conditioners use gas coolant to cool the air in your home. Central air conditioners are designed to continually cool the home to the desired temperature of the homeowner. The coolants they use are supposed to last the lifetime of an air conditioner, but accidental damage, wear and tear, contaminants and other issues can spring up. In these cases, the air conditioner may need a charge of coolant after the issues are fixed. Determining the issue in advance, however, can help you avoid adding coolant to the unit if it actually doesn’t need it. The Thermostat The thermostat is the first place to look if you suspect that the air conditioner may have lost its charge of coolant. In addition, sometimes units merely need a reset to trigger the electronic elements of the system. To start, set the thermostat to around 85 degrees and wait half an hour or so, then adjust it to around 60 degrees and wait for the unit to kick on. If the house begins to cool, it was simply a reset. You can also reset the unit directly at the source or flip the breaker to the AC unit.

Additionally, inspect the thermostat unit itself by removing the plate cover to see if any of the components within are sticking due to humidity buildup or dust. The Vents If the vents are blowing room-temperature air, or warm air, rather than cold after you clean the thermostat and reset the unit, this is a sign that your coolant might be out of charge in the air conditioner. You check this by holding your hand in front of the vents and feeling for warm air. Give the machine at least 15 minutes to see if maybe it was just residual air coming out of the vent system as it makes its way throughout your home. If the air still isn’t cold, it is a sign that you could need to call a technician for a coolant charge. Frost Buildup The coolant used in air conditioner units is in gaseous form that can freeze elements it comes into contact with. Leaks are easily spotted because there will be frost buildup around connectors, such as where the coolant tank connects to the air conditioner. The buildup can also be on the surrounding hoses, tubes, fan motors and beyond.

If you have already reset the unit, checked the thermostat and verified that it’s still blowing warm air, it could that you have a leak and there is no more coolant in the system. Frozen components are proof that there is a leak and the coolant is escaping the system rather than cooling the air. Inspection Air conditioning units should be cleaned regularly to keep dirt and debris from building up within the machine. All units have filters, but the filters can become clogged over time. Additionally, outdoor units can have the covering panels come loose from wind during a storm, which will blow debris into the unit. This can cause the fans to stop working, thus resulting in no air being pushed through the vents, or it can clog the air filter and reduce the air flow, which will lower the cooling effect the unit has on your home. Before you automatically blame the coolant system, check your system for dirt and debris and give everything a good cleaning. If the unit still doesn’t push cold air after that, call a technician to recharge the system.

Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionWhen something technical or mechanical breaks, you’re at the mercy of the expert’s advice to figure out what’s wrong and what you need to do to fix it. ac wall unit priceWho hasn’t had that feeling with a car mechanic when your car breaks down?hvac unit not turning on But we’re betting you feel the same way if your air conditioner stopped blowing cold air and a contractor told you that it needs a refrigerant charge.house ac unit wont turn on You wonder, “Do I REALLY need a refrigerant / Freon charge, or am I being ripped off?” It’s a good question! There’s nothing wrong with a healthy dose of skepticism when your money is on the line. Here are 2 signs an A/C contractor may be trying to scam you and charge you for refrigerant when you might not really need it.

Imagine this scenario: You’re sick, go to the doctor and tell him your symptoms. The doctor looks you up and down and says, “Aha, all you need is surgery!” No tests, just a quick solution. Sounds silly, but that is what some air conditioning contractors will do. They’ll hear the “symptoms” (air conditioner is blowing hot air) and recommends a refrigerant charge without actually checking to see if that’s the case. This may have some nasty consequences for you: What else could the problem be? Well, there are several things that could cause your home’s air conditioner to stop blowing cold air, including: A contractor needs to use special equipment to check the refrigerant levels before recommending that you need a refrigerant charge. OK, so the contractor has actually checked the refrigerant levels. But you still may be getting ripped off if... Refrigerant isn’t like gas in a car; it’s not “used up”. Refrigerant flows between the inside and outside unit going from a liquid and a gas over and over again in what’s called a “self contained system”.

If you’re actually low on refrigerant, then there’s most likely a leak somewhere in your system where the refrigerant is escaping. If there’s no mention of finding a leak, then that means a couple things: If it’s a major leak on a condenser or evaporator coil, repairing your A/C may be expensive. And if the air conditioner is old, then replacing your air conditioner may be the most cost efficient option. Do you think you need more refrigerant, and you live in the Phoenix-area? Contact George Brazil, and we’ll examine your home’s A/C, find the real problem and make sure to fix it right the first time!The requested URL /vbb/showthread.php?166147-How-to-properly-charge-A-C-unit-in-the-winter-time was not found on this server. WATCH: A Brampton man who opened the door to salespeople promising to replace his air conditioning unit says the free deal was anything but. As Sean O'Shea reports, he's got a warning for others in the same position this summer.

TORONTO–A Brampton man who opened his door to salesmen says he was offered a free air conditioning unit but later learned he had to pay about $6500 for it.“They checked the air conditioning and said it’s not working well,” said Constantin Doulgeris, who is retired and lives on a pension.Doulgeris told Global News he allowed the salesmen to look at his heating and air conditioning system because they said it was under warranty. “That was the only reason I let them in,” he said. “They said I can get a free replacement. I can get it for free.”When Doulgeris’s daughter became aware of what happened, she started doing some research. She called the company and found out Doulgeris was on the hook for about $6500, paid out in monthly installments for the new unit.“He got scammed, he thought he was doing good,” said Helen Falcioni, who called Secure Home Services, the company that quickly arranged and completed the installation of the new air conditioning system.“

It’s a huge injustice for low-income seniors to be treated this way,” Falcioni said.She says her father never signed a contract agreeing to pay for the air conditioning unit. She says he only signed an acknowledgement that that the air conditioning unit had been installed.After complaining to the company, alleging her father had been duped, Secure Home Services sent regulatory manager James Keena to the home to discuss the installation. He brought a copy of the contract to which he says Doulgeris was bound.RELATED: New immigrants, seniors become targets of phone scams: Halifax policeOriginally, as witnessed by Global News cameras, Keena told Doulgeris the contract bore the name and signature of his wife, Agapi. Family members told Keena the signature was not hers or his.Secure Home Services vice president Ali Mohammad told Global News he had spoken to the salesmen who dealt with Doulgeris. Mohammad said in an email: “the father signed the agreement and understood the contract”.

Later in the day, when asked for clarification, Mohammad emailed Global News with a different explanation.“Wife’s name and husband’s signature on the contract,” Mohammad wrote.READ MORE: Liberal bill would see ban on doorstep sales of furnaces, air conditioners in OntarioFollowing a television broadcast of Doulgeris’s plight, Global News received a statement from lawyers representing Secure Home Services. It reads, in part:“SHS is firmly of the view that they have acted in accordance with all of their contractual and legislative obligations as a responsible home services company. SHS is dismayed by the unnecessary and unwarranted media attention regarding one of their customers and their contract, which has inhibited and interfered with a prompt and satisfactory resolution with the customer,” said Pradeep Chand of Chand Snider LLP.The letter promises the company is working on a resolution but that hasn’t happened so far. The family wants to retain the new unit or get their old one reinstalled, at no charge.“