Air Conditioning Troubleshooting

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting

Its the middle of the summer and your A/C is just not cutting it. Before you call the air conditioning service company, check a few things out for yourself.

Air Filter

A clogged air filter can seriously hinder the performance of your A/C system. If your filter is seriously clogged it can cause your air conditioner to freeze up. Change your air filter and if it was clogged, turn your units fan to the on position and set the A/C to off. Let it run for a few hours to allow the system to thaw and then turn the unit back on.
In the future, it is a good idea to replace your filter every month. Establish a day of the month to check it in order to get in the habit.

Compressor Coils

Check the coils on your outside A/C compressor. Make sure they are not clogged with grass, dirt and leaves. Usually a good hose is all that is required to clear them but you may need to brush the fins clean. Be careful not to bend the fins which would restrict air flow and cooling capacity.
Once or twice a month it is a good idea to get a water hose and rinse of your compressor coils.

Frozen Coils

The coils in your unit can freeze up if your system is not able to drain moisture away from the unit. Make sure that your unit is draining properly. A frozen system could be an isolated incident so before you call an air conditioning technician, try to thaw the system. Turn the unit off for several hours to let the coils thaw. When you turn the unit back on, if it freezes again, you need to call an A/C service.

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