how to level ac unit

The air conditioner on the side of my house is on a small slab of concrete. Over time, it has started to tilt as the land has settled. We just recently moved in and a few of the neighbors have givens us advice, almost all of which is different. What options do I have other than paying someone to remove the unit and re-lay a new foundation for it? I would try getting a crow bar or 2x4 under the slab and seeing if you could lift it up enough to get some gravel underneath it to level it off. Although this could be difficult if the ground around the slab is soft. Step 4: Check concrete pad on which condenser rests to make sure it'sSet carpenters' level front to back and side to side on top of unit. If pad has settled, lift pad with pry bar or piece of 2-by-4, then force gravel or rocks under concrete to Did you find this question interesting? Sign up for our newsletter and get our top new questions delivered to your inbox (). Dig out some of the front dirt to fashion a down ramp of sorts so you can get a small floor jack under slab.

Jack up the slab using a 4x4 long enough to support the entire width of slab. Then, after it's level, put some bricks underneath to support it temporarily. Remove the jack, and make a form to bridge that gap of the ramp area and fill dirt behind it. Mix up some cement and pour in the voids under the slab to hold the bricks in place and support the rest of the slab. Remove form and fill back after concrete is cured. After doing it this way my slab stayed level for several years. You might be able to use "Mudjacking", although this would require hiring a professional. Mudjacking is the process of pumping a water, dirt and cement mixture under a concrete slab in order to lift it. This mixture is called slurry. The exact ingredients vary from company to company, and from job to job. Mudjacking can be the solution to many homeowners’ concrete problems, including foundation settling, crumbling curbs and repairing falling sidewalks. It may also be called concrete leveling, pressure grouting or slabjacking.

Is the unit on legs? If so, the legs might be adjustable. One bit of caution, some units are actually supposed to be tilted slightly (<1 inch).
central ac unit not turning onThis is to enable water and snow to drain out the side, versus pooling in the bottom.
ac unit for a room Unless your unit is really messed up, you should be able to shim under it.
ac unit repair guide I would not bother to pay someone to do this. If the tilt is small, why bother anyway? I would do this the simple way. Pick a spot where you can insert a large crowbar/prybar underneath the edge of the slab, where you will wish to raise it. You may need to dig out a small amount of dirt there to get a firm grip. In front of that spot, place a piece of wood to use as a point of leverage.

It will also prevent the bar from sinking into the ground when you lift. The slab plus the air conditioning unit will be moderately heavy, so expect to need a long prybar to lift it. A friend may be of help here to help you to lift, as well as place a few well placed stones to support the slab after you have raised it to level. One problem is the slab may crack if it is left without adequate support. To prevent this from happening, after you raise the slab to level, inject some expanding foam insulation into the void under your slab. This foam will expand to fill in that void, providing support for the slab. While you might think that simple foam would be unable to provide much support, remember that it dries to a stiff, hard consistency, and the load per square inch from that slab will not be massive. I would jack it up with a crowbar or new 2x4. Go to Lowes and get some paver stones to place under there. You may have to dig out a little dirt, but not too much. Make sure the pavers are level.

If possible, buy two metal brackets and mounting hardware from a DIY store (they can help you pick the items) so that you can mount it to the wall a foot or two off the ground. You will need a friend or neighbor to help you lift it; but you will get better air flow, less bottom rusting, and never worry about settling again. (Make sure that the refrigerant lines and power cable are long enough to reach the raised mounting position).Browse other questions tagged air-conditioner or ask your own question.Freon (a brand name of refrigerant) is the blood of your air conditioner. Without enough refrigerant, your AC can’t cool your home properly, leaving you sweaty and uncomfortable. Not only that, but a low level of refrigerant can severely damage your air conditioner, just like a low blood count damages your body. We’ll explain why in more detail. Here are the signs your AC is low on refrigerant...and what you need to do to get things back to normal. Freon (a brand name of refrigerant) is the blood of your air conditioner.

If your AC is taking longer than normal to cool the home, you may be low on refrigerant. Because refrigerant is what absorbs the heat in your air. So without enough of it, your AC can’t absorb enough heat to cool the air well. In other words, think of refrigerant like a heat sponge: the smaller the sponge, the less it can absorb. If you’re really low on Freon, you’ll notice that your supply vents are blowing lukewarm/warm air. Now it makes sense why your home is taking forever to cool off! Due to lack of refrigerant, your AC runs much longer than needed to cool the home, increasing your energy bills as a result. Go to your outside AC unit (the one with the spinning fan). If you see ice building up on the copper refrigerant line, then you may be low on refrigerant. When low on refrigerant, the inside AC unit’s evaporator coil (the part that cold refrigerant flows through) gets too cold, causing cold liquid refrigerant to flow back the refrigerant line.

This causes the surrounding moisture on the refrigerant line to freeze up. Eventually the liquid refrigerant will make its way to the outside unit’s compressor (the “heart” of your AC). This flowback of refrigerant will damage the outside unit’s compressor. You see, liquids can’t be compressed, so when the refrigerant flows into the compressor, it’s quickly converted into thousands of pounds of hydraulic pressure, and something (valves, rods, plates) will break. Compressors are extremely expensive to replace and, if yours doesn't have a valid warranty, you’ll probably end up replacing the entire outside AC unit since it’d be more cost efficient. The only reason you’d be low on refrigerant is due to a refrigerant leak (refrigerant isn’t used up like gas in a car, so escape through a leak is the only conclusion). And if you have a bad refrigerant leak, the refrigerant makes a hissing or bubbling noise as it escapes. If you suspect you have low refrigerant (and thus a refrigerant leak) call a professional AC technician for a diagnostic check.