A window air conditioner can provide the much-needed relief you need when the temperature rises, especially in homes without central air. To ensure you stay cool all summer long, it’s important to know how to troubleshoot some common problems with the unit. You may not be able to fix every problem, but at the very least you’ll gain an understanding of what the problem could be. From that point you can decide whether you need to repair the unit or purchase a new one. My air conditioner won’t turn on. The first thing to do if your A/C unit won’t turn on is to check for power. Is the air conditioner plugged in? If so, test the outlet by plugging another appliance into that same outlet. If the outlet is receiving no power, check your circuit breaker. If the A/C is receiving power but still doesn’t turn on, there are a number of issues that could be wrong and would require repair, including the wiring, thermostat, compressor, selector switch, or control board. My air conditioner isn’t cold enough.

This is a common complaint and the reason it’s important to purchase the right BTU size air conditioner for the space you are trying to cool. Check your BTU size here to see if you purchased the right size for your space. You may need a new air conditioner with a larger BTU size to get the job done. If you have the right size BTU, use a thermometer to get the temperature of the room, and compare that to the temperature you want it to be.  If there is a 15 degree difference you may be asking the unit to do more than it is capable of. home air conditioning parts suppliesTry resetting the temperature to 10 degrees lower than the room temperature.how to charge an air conditioner unit If the difference with the thermometer is less than 15 degrees, check the air damper. ac unit motor

If it is open, it will bring in outside air, which is bad for the unit’s efficiency. Check your back cover, also; many people forget to remove this cover after the winter season. Lastly, check the condensing coils, which are located on the warm end of the A/C unit. Remove the air conditioner cover to access the coils and clean them with a soft brush. For more tips on how to keep your air conditioner running efficiently, click here. My air conditioner isn’t blowing out any cold air. If you’re not feeling any cold air coming from the unit but the fan is blowing, make sure the thermostat is set appropriately first. Next, check the compressor motor, which is a small case inside the air conditioner. If it is humming continuously, it could be the condenser, evaporator or compressor, all of which would need service from a professional. My air conditioner is leaking water. If you find your A/C unit is leaking water, this could be a sign that it wasn’t installed properly.

Re-check the manual’s installation instructions to be sure the installation was done correctly. Most likely you may just need to tilt the unit back slightly to allow water to run off. If you have consistent problems with your A/C unit and you have gone through all the troubleshooting steps, the unit may need service from a professional or it may just be time for an upgrade. An average window air conditioner has a life span of 8 years, and this varies depending on how often it is used and how well you maintain the unit. Stay informed on the latest P.C. Richard & Son sales product news, tips and tricks, contests, P.C. Richard & Son Theater shows and more! Window Air Conditioner: Won't start If the window air conditioner has electrical power—the control panel powers up—but the compressor and fans won't run, possible causes include an electronic control failure or a wiring problem. The window air conditioner also won’t start if the electronic control detects a component problem such as a defective thermistor.

Check the control panel for an error code, which usually indicates which component failed. To decipher an error code, check our error code tables or refer to your owner’s manual. Some repairs that could correct the problem are listed below. Replace the window air conditioner user interface control board The user interface control board in the control panel houses the selection buttons you push. A wire harness connects the user interface control board to the control board. If the selection buttons don’t respond when you push them, replace the user interface control board. How to Replace a User Interface Control Board in a Window Air Conditioner Replace the window air conditioner ambient thermistor The window air conditioner ambient thermistor—also known as a temperature sensor—senses the temperature of the air entering the air conditioner and communicates that temperature to the electronic control board, which cycles the compressor on and off to maintain the set room temperature.

The ambient thermistor is attached to the evaporator coil that’s behind the air filter, and a wire harness connects the ambient thermistor to the electronic control board. If the ambient thermistor is defective, the electronic control board will not cycle the compressor on and off properly to maintain the room temperature that is set on the control. Replace the ambient thermistor if it doesn’t accurately measure the ambient room temperature. How to Replace an Ambient Thermistor in a Window Air Conditioner Given that we're in the height of summer now with the rainy season behind us, temps are soaring across the country and folks are suffering from heatstroke left and right, this might be a good time to look at how to use your air conditioner, especially as I've received several requests for this post. Of course, we should all be trying to do our best to save electricity or finding other ways to cool off, but now that we have a baby, I understand the importance of regulating the temperature somewhat (or else, we NEVER sleep at night due to a cranky, hot little one).

And if the heat and humidity are enough to actually affect you negatively, then please be careful and cool down as needed. It's crazy (in a bad way) to see how many people are falling victim to the heat, this year and every year. Back to your air conditioner. Keep in mind that aircon makes and models vary -- some have only the most basic features and others a long list of options. I'm using our air conditioner remote as an example for this post, but there are remotes that differ to some extent. Some features might be called something else under different models, as well. The basic functions on most air conditioners will include some or all of the following: 除湿 じょしつjoshitsu dehumidify (may also see this as ドライ) If you use the dehumidify function, you can save some electricity versus using the air conditioning function, although it, of course, won't really cool things down (usually heats up the room instead), but just reduces moisture in the air, which can feel better in some cases.

You might also see this function as ドライ. The automatic function, from my understanding, is slightly different among models, but it basically regulates the room's temperature and humidity automatically, depending on how it's set and the manufacturer's settings. Some air conditioners have an on/off switch while others (like ours above) have an off/stop button (停止, ていし, teishi) and the function buttons can be pressed to turn it on (such as a/c, heating, etc.) A simpler version than the other two photos, with some similar but some different options. Other aircon settings include (see the vocabulary chart below the picture for more detailed translations and other words to know): energy saving mode ( strength or amount of air flow Some air conditioners also have timers, which you can see in the picture above. Again, these may vary by make and model but in our case the おやすみ timer acts as a countdown timer so the aircon  turns off after the period of time you specify.

The other two timers allow you to specify a time you want the aircon to turn off and on, perhaps to make sure it turns off when you leave for work, or to turn on right before you get home, etc. ハイパワー - haipawaahigh power スイング -suingu swing (the fan will swing up and down) - you might also see swing as 上下風向 風向 かざむき or ふうこう  kazamuki or fuukou direction of "wind" (the fan) 省パワーしょうパワー shoupawa- energy saving mode 風量ふうりょう  fuuryou kirikae "wind" (fan) strength, amount of air flow 強風きょうふう kyoufuu strong, high (fan, wind) 弱風じゃくふう jyakufuu weak, low (fan, wind) 微風びふう bifuu very low, breeze 静音せいおん seion quiet mode Now, hopefully you'll be able to work that heating/cooling device on your wall. Those of you with aircon remotes, what other functions does your make and model have?Subscribe for free updates: via RSS or email