Air Conditioner Doesn’t Cool Air Conditioner Doesn’t Turn On If your room or window air conditioner doesn’t cool or turn on, this expert guide to AC repairs will help. Most problems with window and room air conditioners can be categorized under one of two symptoms: they do not cool sufficiently or they do not turn on at all. Here is a closer look at how to troubleshoot and repair these issues. A window or room air conditioner that doesn’t cool may need to be recharged with refrigerant, but the chances are good it simply needs to be cleaned. You can do this yourself, which involves disassembling the unit, or you can call an air-conditioning professional. Before attempting the work yourself, consult your owner’s manual and make sure you have the right skills and tools to handle the task. Here is what a typical manual advises: 1Unplug the unit and carefully remove it from the window or wall. Put the air conditioner somewhere outdoors or in the garage where you can work on it.

2Remove the grille and filter and unscrew the metal case (taking care not to damage the coil’s fins). 3Wash the filter thoroughly or replace it with a new filter; ac units for the windowmost filters are readily available at most appliance stores.average price to replace ac unit 4Using a vacuum with a soft brush attachment, clean the coil’s fins.sizing ac unit for a house 5Spray water back through the fins from the fan side (protect the wiring and the motor with plastic). 6Clean the unit up with a rag, making sure all drains that allow condensed water to drip away from the unit are open. Allow it to dry thoroughly. 7Lubrication. While you have the unit apart, lubricate the motor according to your owner’s manual.

8Finally, reassemble and reinstall the unit. Window and room air conditioners draw a lot of electrical power, which can lead to less than peak performance or even complete failure. If your room air conditioner doesn’t turn on: 1Be sure the unit is plugged in and turned on. 2Check that the outlet works by plugging in a light that works (only for standard-voltage models—do not plug a light into a 220/240- volt receptacle). 3If the light doesn’t go on, the circuit has probably overloaded—check the electric panel or fuse box and reset the breaker or replace the fuse. 4If the light works, it’s likely that the air conditioner’s switch is faulty or the thermostat needs adjustment or repair. 5Be sure the thermostat is set to “cool” and below room temperature. 6Refer to the owner’s manual for thermostat repair. If repairing the thermostat doesn’t solve the problem, unplug the unit and call an air conditioner repair person.Sandwiched between the coils are a compressor, two fans, a motor, and thermostat controls.

Dirt is the biggest enemy of window air conditioners; it can lower the efficiency of the evaporator coil, block the operation of the fan that blows out the cool air, clog filters, and block drain ports. Both of the major components of a room air conditioner are contained in one housing. The condenser coil faces outside, and the evaporator faces inside. The coils, the compressor, and the motor of a room air conditioner are sealed components, so any repairs to them should be left to a professional service person. However, you can make minor repairs, and regular maintenance will keep your unit running well. When extensive repairs are needed, you can also save the cost of a service call by removing the air conditioner from its mounting and taking it to the repair shop. Caution: Before doing any work on a room air conditioner, make sure it's unplugged. Room air conditioners have either one or two capacitors, located behind the control panel and near the fan. Capacitors store electricity, even when the power to the unit is turned off.

Before you do any work on an air conditioner, unplug it and discharge the capacitor or you could receive a severe shock. The unit's owner's manual will show the location of capacitors and tell how to discharge them. Otherwise, let an air conditioning technician do it.Now that you're ready to work on your air conditioner, try to determine exactly what needs to be done. Look for your problem, and solution, on the chart on the next page. How To Repair Central Air Conditioners: If your system sends cool air to all parts of the house, you've got central air. Keep the system running cool. Major Appliance Repair: If the a/c isn't the only thing in your house on the fritz, you can learn how to fix other machines in this article. Small Appliance Repair: Once you've tackled the a/c, a toaster or blender seems like child's play. Find out how to fix them here. Thermostat Maintenance: To make sure there's actually a problem with your a/c, you may want to check the thermostat, too.

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