Central Air Repair

Efficiency of the central air by and large depends on its routine maintenance. It should be tuned before the beginning of summer and winter months. However, your maintenance does not end with this biennial check-up. You should clean and maintain the components of the AC to keep you AC functional. However being a gadget it is subject to wear and tear and therefore will malfunction at certain times. It is not possible to repair an AC yourself in most cases. But you can begin troubleshooting before calling a repair technician.

Let’s take a look at some troubleshooting tips for your central air:

The air conditioning system will not operate at all: Do not panic. Start with checking the power board. See if the machine is pigged to a socket and the power panel is working. Check the panel for blown fuses or tripped breaker. Also make sure that the outdoor condenser’s power switch is on. There is a 240-volt disconnect next to the compressor. This is present in metal box and is mounted on the wall. Check if it is not shut off. Next, see if the controls are set at proper limits. Sometimes a thermostat is set too high in summer months. Being in heating mode the AC does not cool. Set it five degrees below the room temperature. If you have a battery-run thermostat, check if they have run out. Sometimes a thermostat can be faulty. To ensure it, open the thermostat and unscrew the wire. Now turn the power on and hold the wire by it insulation. Let the bare end touch the R terminal. If the compressor kicks on then you need to replace the thermostat. Otherwise your compressor could be faulty. You need to schedule a service call with an AC technician.

The air conditioning system is working but no cool air comes out: This problem could be due to a gamut of issues. To start troubleshooting, begin with putting off the power. Remove the door of the air handler. You should get access to the filter.Clean it or change it, if you find it clogged with dirt. Now check for ice around the evaporator coil. If you find some, replace the door of the air handler. Turn on the AC and also the fan. The ice will melt and the AC will come back to normalcy.

If this is not the case, check the condensate drain. If you find it jammed with algae, clean the drain. If the drain is clean and fine, it is time to take look into the outdoor unit. If your thermostat is set in cooling mode, you should be able to hear the outdoor compressor run and see the fan on the top rotating typically. In case the fan is not working then check the overload button. If the overload button is fine, insert a screwdriver and try to move the blades. They should spin freely. If doing this turns the fan and gets it going, then you have a faulty capacitor that needs replacement. If the fan does not run, there should be a problem with the motor. Also check the fan belt for wear and tear.

If none of these works, then the refrigerant needs to be charged.

The AC is not blowing air: If the air handler motor is running, but the blower is not able to proper air, then there could be a problem with the belt that connects the two. You have to replace the belt. If your comfortable with handling electrical devices you can do it yourself. You will need some tools for it. Turn of the power off. If the handler is gas furnace then turn the gas valve off to prevent flow of gas to the burners. Now remove the door at the front of the air handler. This will give you access to the blower. Take a look at the belt and the number printed on it to get a new belt with the same number. Now slip the new belt on the motor pulley first and then on blower pulley. Now rotate the blower pulley gently by hand to make the belt slip at right position. Some motors also need regular lubricating. Oil the bearing according to the instruction sin the manufacturer s manual.

Leakage of water from the AC: It could be due to leaks in one of the plastic pipes or tubes that vents the water outside the house. Also if your pipes are clogged with algae and debris then water will be unable to move and start dripping. The best way to get rid of algae is pumping some bleach solution to the tubes through the trough of the condensate pump. Also check if the condensate pump is working. Check if the pump is connected to a working electrical outlet. Also see if the tube that carry water has become displaced from the pump. A not-working condensate pump will result in dripping. Pour some water in the pump to know if it is functioning. If it does not start,it is stuck or broken. In some ACs the condensation drain pipe has a small safety float switch. If there is overflow then the float switch will shut off the air conditioner. Sometimes there could be ice in the tubes which can lead to dripping. In that case change your filter immediately.

Air Conditioner Makes Noise: The most common cause of this is that the belt that connects the blower with motor has become misaligned. Sometimes the bearing of the motor's shot. This needs professional intervention. Many ducts are metal-made so they conduct the noise of the cooling or heating unit through the rooms. In this case have a heating contractor inserted in the insulation duct work between the heating/cooling system and the metal duct work.Sometimes the sound is due to thermal expansion or by air blowing past a shaking sheet of metal.Make a small dent in the sheet metal. This is to make surface of the duct more rigid and less prone to wobbling as it heats and cools.

The compressor is noisy during start up: If the compressor is making noise, then means it is time for a servicing.Do it ASAP to prevent any major damage to your compressor that will require unwanted repair or replacement cost.

The air conditioner fuse keeps blowing or the circuit breaker trips:
This indicates a faulty compressor. Also, there could be a problem with wiring inside the unit. This will need an AC technician for appropriate diagnosis and repair.

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