How to fix an air conditioner

While air conditioners are generally quite reliable, there are a few things that can potentially go wrong with your system, ranging from minor inconveniences to major issues that make you want to rip your hair out. But your air conditioner doesn't have to be a constant source of frustration - there are air conditioning repair steps you can take around the house to get everything running smoothly again, or to prevent problems from happening in the first place!

Common air conditioning problems and how to fix them

Although there could be many reasons why your AC might malfunction or not work at all, including faulty wiring, low refrigerant, and poor installation, which need to be solved by a professional, there are a few major issues that can be addressed at home.

The air conditioner does not turn on

Two common reasons your AC won't start are fairly simple: it could go offline or the thermostat might be low on battery if it's not wired.

The solution: This may seem obvious, but the first thing you should do is make sure the AC disconnect switch is on. Many people forget that they turned off their air conditioning during the winter and will have to turn it on again. Second, make sure your thermostat works - if it's not wired, check the batteries and make sure it's set to cool mode rather than heating. If your programmable thermostat is wired and doesn't work, you probably need to replace it.

The air conditioner is working, but there is no air blowing https://rescueairexperts.com/

This problem is usually due to clogged and dirty air filters or frozen coils, and one can lead to the other in many cases! Dirty air filters restrict air flow in your home and can cause the temperature in your evaporator to drop until you are dealing with a solid block of ice.

The solution: If it's the air filter that's causing your problems, the solution is as easy as swapping your dirty filter for a clean one to get everything working again. Of course, you should get used to changing the filters every one to three months, depending on usage.

Frozen coils can be a little more difficult to fix because you have to figure out why your air conditioner is freezing in the first place. Often, simply changing your air filters or increasing the temperature of your thermostat can solve this problem. It's important to note that you shouldn't set your thermostat below 70-72 degrees because that subjects your evaporator coils, which are 40 degrees cooler than your home air, to sub-zero temperatures. If changing the air filters and raising the temperature doesn't fix your frozen air conditioner, it's time to call an HVAC professional to diagnose and recommend the best course of action.

The air coming from the vents is not cold

As we mentioned earlier, the refrigerant-filled evaporator coils are 40 degrees cooler than your home air, meaning it will return air that is 20 degrees cooler than room temperature. However, this also means that if the air at room temperature is warm enough, let's say it is 90 degrees, then the air coming out of your vents will only be 70 degrees, which may not feel as cold to the touch.