5 Common Air Conditioning Problems and Solutions

If there’s one thing that a lot of us would probably admit that we take for granted, it would be the air conditioning unit within our homes. When we’re walking in from the sweltering heat, we don’t usually give a second thought to walking over to our thermostat (if it’s not already programmed) and adjusting the temperature to make us feel more comfortable.

But what happens on the days when we try to turn it on and the air does not seem to be flowing freely, there are abnormal sounds coming from the unit or it doesn’t turn on at all? OK honestly, if that last thing transpires, we recommend that you call a professional to come and inspect the unit. But for other air conditioning problems could occur, you might be surprised to know that there are actually some solutions that you can apply yourself. Check these out:

If you have uneven air delivery: If you have uneven air delivery, before doing anything else, walk around your home to see if you have some vents that might be blocked by either a piece of furniture or even something as lightweight as a magazine. If there isn’t anything, install some air duct dampers. They use a baffle to help you to easily open and close the ducts yourself.

If the air flow seems restricted: Sometimes air is not flowing as it should, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the air conditioning unit itself. In order to test to see if this is the case, take a piece of tissue and hold it up in front of a couple of your vents throughout the house. If the tissue moves freely, then the restriction is not related to your unit. Our guess is that your ducts probably need to be cleaned and/or resealed.

If you see puddles by the equipment: Do you happen to see some water puddles by the equipment? If so, that could be a sign that there is a clogged filter or some other form of air blockage or that there is a plugged condensation drain that needs to be cleared out.

If you see ice on the coils: Another common problem with air conditioners are ice that has accumulated on the coil or line set. This could be an indication of either the refrigerant being low or there being a clogged up air filter.

If there is no air blowing at all: As we previously stated, if you have no air blowing at all, we really recommend that you call a licensed technician to come and professionally inspect your unit (perhaps one like Fahrenheit Inc). But, if they can’t come over that same day, there are a couple of safe things that you can do in the meantime. Check to see that all of your circuit breakers are on. Look to see if your thermostat has a low battery (and if so, replace it). And also don’t forget to look for a dirty filter. All of these could be the cause for why your unit is not working and could be an easy and cheap fix to your “no air” problem.