Tips To Get Your Air Conditioner Running Properly

Are you sweating out another hot and humid summer day? If your air conditioner doesn’t seem to be working you can become agitated and frustrated at a moment’s notice. You’ll likely kick yourself for not having professionals perform routine maintenance on your unit.

You may be overlooking a simple error. In some cases a loose plug or running too many electricity-sapping devices simultaneously can trip circuit breakers and shut off your air conditioner. Before you panic look to the obvious. If you’ve noticed that the unit is plugged in you may have an internal or external issue with your unit.

Check Outlets

The minute an air conditioning system stops working many people rush ahead to dwell on big internal problems. Maybe the system needs to be replaced or extensive repairs are past due but a simple check of a few seemingly obvious issues can get your AC up and running quickly.

For plugged in units make sure to check the plug. Is the air conditioner plugged in? Perhaps during jostling after a move or for any other reason the unit became unplugged from the wall. Plug another appliance of similar voltage into the same outlet to see if you’re experiencing issues with that specific outlet. You may have also tripped a circuit if you’re running too many energy sapping appliances throughout the home. Make sure that the outlet’s voltage meets the air conditioning unit’s requirements before you call a technician.

Check Settings

Is the air conditioner dial turned to the proper settings? Make sure the dial is placed on “cool” instead of “fan.” Open doors or windows can also rob your indoor climate of cool, dry air. Shut all windows and doors completely to keep out hot, humid air and to place less of a burden on your air conditioning unit or system. Filters need to be unclogged and cleared for your air conditioner to run effectively.

Your air conditioning unit needs proper airflow from the exterior to work well. If the unit is blocked you may experience little air flow or coolness from your unit. Clear at least 3 feet of space behind your unit from the exterior to get your air conditioner to work effectively.

Other Issues

If your air condition isn’t working properly you may need a technician to replace the power cord. Never do this job on your own as you can risk electrocution. You may also run the risk of starting a fire if you try to replace the power cord.

Icing of coils on the front end of the unit may be caused by dirty internal condenser coils. Hire a professional to disassemble the unit and clean it.

Consider replacing the fan unit if the air conditioner hums along instead of whirring like an active fan. The cause of this problem would be a broken fan motor.

Set up routine maintenance from a trained professional to avoid common problems with your air condition. You don’t want your air conditioner to quit on you during hot and humid conditions.