A/C Not Cooling? Steps to Take Before Calling the Pros
If you are having issues with your A/C not cooling your Wilmington home, you’re not alone. Air conditioners that weren’t properly installed or haven’t been properly maintained are more prone to breaking down. Unfortunately, this often seems to happen at the most inconvenient times- during the hottest times of the year! Before running to telephone the experts, consider the following troubleshooting guide to common A/C issues and their quick fix tips.
Air won’t flow out of the floor or ceiling registers. This is a common symptom for an A/C not cooling, and can have a few root causes. First, inspect the outside unit’s fans and ensure they are properly running. If they aren’t, the issue may be a tripped breaker needing to be reset. If this isn’t it, check the A/C’s condensate pump. It may have a full reservoir that has triggered a limit switch shutting off your A/C. To fix this, either replace or repair the condensate pump. The outside fan blows hot air. If your outside fan is running, but the blower isn’t, you may have a broken run capacitor, blower motor, or bad control board wiring.
Begin troubleshooting by shutting down your A/C and inspecting all of the wire connections for signs of burning or corrosion. You can use a wire brush to clean off odd build-up. If you suspect the issue might be a blown motor or broken run capacitor, then it’s likely time to call the professionals. The connecting lines have ice buildup and/or there’s water around the furnace.
Begin troubleshooting by turning off the outside unit for several hours. This will allow the furnace blower to melt any icy build-up. Once sufficiently melted, turn the A/C on for 5 minutes. Next, feel the large copper line located outdoors. If it feels cold and condensation is forming, your issue is resolved. If it isn’t cold and is frosting, call the technicians.
At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.
Photo Credit: MLazarevski via Compfight cc
