Troubleshooting 8 Common Air Conditioner Problems Poor maintenance can result in an air conditioner that performs poorly Of course it’s on the hottest days that you notice your air conditioner is struggling. And it’s not always the fault of the equipment. A poorly maintained system can perform poorly, failing to keep you cool while costing you more to run. Here are some reasons why your air conditioner isn’t working as well as it used to. Your filter is dirty. If you haven’t cleaned the filter in your room air conditioner recently, do it now. Filters on central AC units should be changed at least once a month, especially if your system is running constantly or you have pets.If so, reseal around your unit with pieces of weatherstripping. TV is too close to the AC. Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near the thermostat that controls your central air or near your window unit. Registers are dirty or blocked. If you have a forced air heating and cooling system, regularly vacuum the registers to remove any dust buildup.

Make sure that furniture and other objects are not blocking the airflow through your registers.my ac unit fan is not turning Thermostat is on the wrong setting. ac unit is running but not coolingIf you have a programmable thermostat, make sure you programmed it so your home is at a comfortable temperature when you’re there and a bit higher when you’re not. types of ac units availableAnd keep in mind that for every degree you raise the temperature, you’ll save 3 percent on your air conditioning costs. Window units, of course, don’t offer the whole-house control of a central system. If you’re depending on one window unit to cool a large space you’ll have to experiment with the thermostat setting as the temperature will vary depending on where you are in the room.

It’s too sunny inside. If your room AC unit is in a sunny window, it’ll have to work harder to cool your space. Likewise, if the thermostat for your central system is in a sunny spot, it will register the wrong temperature. Your best bet is to keep your shades and curtains drawn all day during the heat of the summer. Plants are crowding the compressor. The outdoor compressor for central air needs adequate airflow to work correctly, so make sure there’s at least 2 to 3 feet of space between the unit and any plants or structures. There should also be 5 feet of clearance between the top of the unit and any trees above. You forgot an annual checkup. An inspection by an HVAC technician can catch any serious problems before they get worse and leave you hot and bothered at the peak of summer. The technician will check all the moving parts as well as the refrigerant and recharge the system if necessary. Need a New AC? If your room air conditioner has given up the ghost, you can find one that did well in our tests for as little as $125 for a small unit and as much as $360 for a large one.

Small (5,000 to 6,500 Btu/hr.) GE AEM05LV, $170 (CR Best Buy), LG LW6016R, $175, Frigidaire FFRA0511R1, $125. Medium (7,000 to 8,500 Btu/hr.) LG LW8015ER, $270, GE AEW08LV, $250, GE AEZ08LV, $210. Large (9,800 to 12,500 Btu/hr.) LG LW1216ER, $350 (CR Best Buy), LG LW1215ER, $360, Haier HWE12XCR, $310. The stores are still stocked with room units but getting a central air system at this time of year may be trickier as the installers tend to be busy. But you can check out the most reliable central air systems according to our subscribers. Current Air conditioner ratings To see our price, add these items to your cart. Why don't we show the price?DetailsAC Safe AC-080 Universal Light-Duty Air Conditioner Support Bracket, Upto 80 Pounds FREE Shipping on orders over $49. Buy "Frigidaire 5,000 BTU 115V Window-Mounted Mini-Comp...” from Amazon Warehouse Deals and save 32% off the $219.99 list price. Frigidaire's FFRE0533Q1 5,000 BTU 115V Window-Mounted Mini-Compact Air Conditioner is perfect for cooling a room up to 150 square feet.

It quickly cools the room on hot days and quiet operation keeps you cool without keeping you awake. Low power start-up and operation conserves energy and saves you money. Ready-Select electronic controls allow you to set the comfort level to your preference, while a convenient temperature-readout displays the set temperature. A full-function remote control allows you to precisely control the temperature and fan speed from across the room. The comfort control 4-way air direction allows you to direct the air where you want it, while the washable mesh filter reduces bacteria, room odors and airborne particles for a cool, comfortable environment. 15.2 x 16 x 12 inches 46.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) #2,453 in Home and Kitchen (See Top 100 in Home and Kitchen) #1 in Home & Kitchen > Heating, Cooling & Air Quality > Air Conditioners & Accessories > Air Conditioners > Window LG LW6015ER 6,000 BTU 115V Window-Mounted Air Conditioner with Remote Control 5 star53%4 star27%3 star10%2 star5%1 star5%See all 246 customer reviewsTop Customer ReviewsCools quickly and saves energy.

Adequate AC - updated July 1, great ACFive StarsThe Finished Product, originally uploaded by vanRijn. We have beautiful, wonderful double-hung vinyl windows, yay us. They’re very pretty, very functional, operate very smoothly, etc., etc. HOWEVER, they do NOT play nicely with window-unit air conditioners (you can’t screw the air conditioner into the vinyl window parts). So after getting a brilliant idea from a newsgroup post, and not willing to pay $40 for a metal air conditioner brace that I can’t really use anyway (again, vinyl window sill), I set out to make my own air conditioner brace out of a 2×4, some white paint, and a little sweat. Turned out purty nice too, I must say. I was really pleased with the final outcome of this little product. What started out as a crazy idea with me looking (to my bride, at any rate, who pointed it out several times) like I was just trying to not pay $40 for an air conditioner brace turned out to be a really nice solution. First, I didn’t have to drill any holes into the nice vinyl window frames or sill (they wouldn’t have held anyway).