If your AC has broken down, it is best to contact the company that performed your AC repair — they may have overlooked something during service or installation that should have been addressed immediately.
This post will explore the steps you should take if you notice your AC has broken down even after repairs.
If you continue having AC issues after trying these steps, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Hurliman for professional assistance and peace of mind! Click here to visit them.
Inspect the electrical connections
Inspection of electrical connections is an essential step to ensure everything is operating as intended. If any fraying or damage appears, professional assistance should be sought immediately in order to correct it and thus help prevent cooling loss and costly repairs in the future.
If the circuit breaker keeps tripping, this could be a telltale sign that an air conditioner is using too much electricity to cool your home. Resetting the circuit breaker could alleviate this issue.
Inspect air filters
Make sure to inspect the air filters in your house; dirty filters could be impeding airflow to your AC unit, leading to potential blockages of airflow. Furthermore, ensure no obstructions are blocking outdoor units, as this could also restrict airflow.
If, after initial inspection, you find that your air filters are indeed dirty or obstructed, it’s essential to clean them immediately or replace them if necessary. Dirty filters not only block airflow but can also result in your AC unit having to work harder than it should, leading to potential breakdowns or inefficient cooling.
When inspecting your air filters, be sure to check both their cleanliness and their fit in the filter slot. An improperly fitted filter can let unfiltered air bypass the filter, leading to a potential build-up of dust and debris in your AC system. This can also result in inefficient cooling and potential breakdowns.
Check the thermostat
Thermostat issues are more prevalent than you may realize, and many can be resolved simply by changing batteries. If your thermostat won’t let you adjust temperature settings, displays in dark colors or seems unresponsive, this could be a telltale sign that something internal has gone amiss.
If your thermostat uses a mechanical lever for operation, it may become clogged with dust, impeding its normal functionality. To address this, shut off power to your thermostat breaker and remove its cover before using canned compressed air or soft brushing to remove any build-up accumulated over time.
Once completed, switch back on the breaker and observe whether your thermostat usually operates. If it isn’t, contact a professional for inspection and repair.
While simple fixes like replacing batteries or cleaning can often be completed at home by homeowners, anything that involves touching or dismantling should always be performed by trained AC specialists for optimal safety and integrity of the unit’s components.
Check the compressor
Visual inspection should include watching for signs of excess vibrations and listening carefully as your compressor clutch cycles on and off. Grinding noises or whistling sounds could indicate internal mechanical problems that require professional assistance to resolve.
Care should also be taken when inspecting the compressor pulley and belt, looking for any cracks, fraying or excessive slack that could cause its malfunction.
If you are still uncertain as to the cause, turn off your AC by switching the switch in your breaker box off, and locate the compressor relay — usually found near the compressor in the engine bay — using a multimeter. Check to see if there is any voltage reaching the compressor; if none does, then have a qualified technician replace the relay as soon as possible.
Once your air conditioning has been started up again, observe its compressor performance closely. Pay special attention to how often its clutch activates and makes contact with refrigerant; if it shakes when activated, it could be experiencing hard start syndrome, which often precedes compressor failure.
Check the fan
One of the most frequent issues with AC fan motors is when they stop spinning altogether, typically due to power surges or faulty breakers tripping them off. If this occurs in your house, a simple trip to its circuit breaker panel should solve this issue; otherwise, it may lie with its fan windings or capacitor.
In this instance, it’s best to go outside your condenser unit and listen for any humming noise or movement of fan blades. If only the compressor hums but not the fan motor, that could indicate motor failure and require professional assistance to resolve.
Typically, fan windings are in good shape when their humming sound is strong, and blades move freely. If humming is weak or there’s an audible rattle from within the fan itself, that indicates damage that may require replacing its capacitor.
A capacitor is at the core of every AC, providing torque to enable fan motors to rotate while also storing energy like a battery does.
If it becomes damaged, however, the fan won’t start, and you must replace it immediately; before taking such action, however, be aware that opening up your unit and inserting objects inside is never safe and should only be attempted by professional electricians or qualified service personnel.
