As a homeowner, you know that unexpected home repairs can devastate your budget. Maintaining your home requires knowing when to call the professionals and when you can safely perform your own repairs. Save yourself some money and read more for tips on repairing your home air conditioner.
Check your Electrical Connection
Temperatures are starting to rise, so you prepare by closing your windows and turning on your air conditioner. However, when you flip the switch, nothing happens. Before you call in professionals, check your electrical panel.
Your power may have flickered without you noticing. This can cause your breakers to trip. Your electrical circuit has safeguards built in. If the power goes off or you are creating too high of a demand, your breakers trip and turn themselves off. Checking your breakers should be your first step if your air conditioner will not power on. Flip your breakers to the ‘on’ position. Then restart your air conditioner.
Examine the Thermostat
First, make sure that the setting is turned to the on position. If not, change the setting.
Many homes have battery operated thermostats. If your batteries are at the end of their useful life, your thermostat will not activate. If your air conditioner is not working, check the batteries in your thermostat. Replace the batteries. Try your air conditioner again.
Another aspect of your thermostat to check is the temperature setting. The temperature at which you set your air conditioner must be lower than the room temperature. Otherwise, your air conditioner will not activate.
Change your Filters
Air conditioners have air filters. Their purpose is to screen particles that are in the air and stop them from entering the air conditioning unit. By removing damaging impurities, they also improve the quality of the air you breathe.
Changing air filters at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals will keep your air conditioning unit running efficiently. If you have not changed the filters and your unit is not running at its peak, replace the filters. Clogged filters can cause your unit to form ice or run sluggishly.
Read more in your manufacturer’s information on which filters to purchase and when to change them. Mark your calendar for the next time filters should be changed. It is much better to be proactive.
Inspect and Clean the Unit
As a preventative measure, annually you should inspect and clean your outside unit. Leaves, weeds, and grass that accumulated over the winter should be removed from the unit. There should be a minimum of a one-foot clearance around the entire unit. Ideally, most manufacturers recommend a two-foot radius of unobstructed air flow.
Look inside the unit. If it is filled with debris from the fall and winter, you need to remove any obstacles. Before doing that, be sure the unit is completely off at your circuit breaker. Unscrew the top of the unit. Carefully, reach in and remove the leaves that have collected. You can gently hose off the fan if it needs cleaning. Do not use a power washer to clean your outside air conditioning unit.