Air Conditioner Troubleshooting Guide: Common Problems & Solutions
During summer, the load on the air conditioner increases drastically. Besides, during those hot and humid days, your cooling system may not function as you want. In those situations, the AC troubleshooting guide below will help you a lot.
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Troubleshooting Guide: 4 Common Air Conditioner Problems
1. AC Isn’t Turning On
If your cooling unit isn’t turning on even when your house has a power supply, it’s probably because of your malfunctioning HVAC thermostat or other AC problems.
At first, check your AC thermostat whether it’s functioning correctly or not. If the thermostat is okay, check the electrical wiring of the thermostat connecting to the air conditioner.
If electrical wires of the thermostat are loose, connect them correctly with the air conditioner. Again, over time, the electrical wiring of the thermostat can get damaged. This is truer when you have a relatively old cooling system or thermostat. Besides, when this problem can arise if you have skipped regular air conditioner maintenance checkups for years.
As soon as you find that the thermostat wirings are damaged, you must call an electrician and replace them with new ones.
Apart from the thermostat issue, your AC won’t turn on when you have a blown fuse or circuit breaker tripping problem. Check the AC circuit breaker and if it’s tripped, set it right. However, regular AC circuit breaker tripping is a big issue for any air conditioning unit. If your circuit breaker trips regularly, you must consult an HVAC expert and identify the main reason. Generally, homeowners face frequent circuit breaker tripping problems when the AC is functioning for a long time or because of some other internal AC problems.
2. Thermostat Not Working
AC thermostat not working is one of the most common problems that almost every homeowner face. As an AC thermostat is the brain of a cooling system, when the thermostat stops working, your AC won’t start either. In this case, at first, you’ll have to check if the thermostat is connected to the power supply or not. If it’s properly connected, find the thermostat manuals and program the thermostat accordingly. Because if the thermostat isn’t correctly programmed, it won’t receive your commands and run the air conditioner. But unfortunately, most homeowners fail to program their HVAC thermostat correctly and their thermostat malfunctions.
However, if you have programmed your HVAC thermostat correctly, call a nearby heating and cooling expert and check the thermostat. If you haven’t performed a regular AC maintenance checkup or using an old thermostat, chances are your thermostat needs to be recalibrated, or you may have to replace it with a new one.
While replacing your AC thermostat, it’s recommended that you install a smart thermostat in your cooling system. Because this type of thermostat comes with lots of advanced features, which increases the overall comfort of the people living inside the house.
3. AC Isn’t Cooling Properly
If you’re suddenly noticing that your air conditioning unit isn’t cooling as much as before, there is a high possibility that your cooling system is low on AC refrigerant and it needs refilling. However, generally, the AC refrigerant level stays almost the same throughout its lifespan. AC refrigerant level only depletes when there is a leak in the AC.
As refrigerant is a hazardous component, you should never try to inspect the level yourself. Call an expert HVAC technician and check the refrigerant level by the professional. If it’s found that the refrigerant level has dropped down significantly, you’ll have to refill the refrigerant as soon as possible. Again while refilling, you’ll have to ensure that you repair the AC leaks as well. Because if you keep the AC leaks, the refrigerant level will again go down, and you’ll require further refilling.
Pro-Tip
If your cooling system is currently using the banned R22 refrigerant, it’s recommended that you should switch to the R410A refrigerant. Because according to the new law, the use and production of R22 as an AC refrigerant is completely illegal. As a result, if you require further refilling, you’ll have to purchase the refrigerant from the black market at a high price.
4. AC Is Running for A Long Time
Over time, especially when you skip regular AC maintenance or air duct cleaning, air ducts can fill with contaminant micro particles and dust. Besides, if your cooling unit is old, there is a high possibility that it has leaks in the air ducts.
When there are leaks or dirt in the air ducts, it’ll hamper the cooling system's airflow. As a result, your cooling system won’t get the necessary air supply to reach your set temperature. And eventually, your AC will have longer operation time.
So, how do you understand if the air ducts have leaks or dirt? If you’re noticing that the air quality of your home has dropped drastically, there is a high possibility that there are dust and other particles inside the air ducts. Besides, you’ll have other symptoms like nausea, headaches, allergy problems, etc.
If these signs match your current condition, call a nearby air duct cleaning technician and inspect the air ducts. As soon as you find leaks or dirt in the air duct, you’ll have to repair or clean the AC air ducts.
Conclusion
All these air conditioner problems can be prevented by doing regular duct cleaning and HVAC maintenance. So, if you haven’t done an AC maintenance checkup recently, you should do it right now. It’ll increase your comfort and AC performance at the same time.
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