Air conditioning service problems come in many shapes and sizes.
Many homeowners don’t know how to prevent this common service issue with their cooling units. While professionals are always available to help out in a crunch or with more complicated technical issues, a little know-how on your part could save money and time.
So, what’s the problem?
An AC unit that won’t keep the temperature you set on your thermostat.
You know how this goes: You set your thermostat at a comfortable temperature. Your air conditioner turns on, then runs, and runs, and runs. You’re sitting there sweating, double-checking your thermostat every few minutes because you’re not seeing any progress on the mission to cool your home down to a temperature somewhat cooler than the Equator.
Obviously, cooling is the basic function of an air conditioning system, and performance issues are generally related to ineffective cooling or total system shut off. Thankfully, there are a couple easy solutions you can try out to take preventative action in the future:
Don’t Sing the Thermostat Blues.
Be sure not to tamper too frequently with your thermostat, as this can cause shorts and create an electrical issue that affects the entire system. If that doesn’t seem to be the problem, and you notice an issue with your cooling unit you can also try tripping the circuit breaker.
Look Out for Refrigerant Leaks.
If you get the AC running again but notice it isn’t quite hitting the mark of temperature you set, it’s possible you can get to the bottom of this issue without involving the pros. Just check the refrigerant lines (two hoses at the back of the unit) to see if there’s a buildup of condensation or frost. If so, proper airflow isn’t being achieved and you can reset the system by turning the thermostat off and on again.
Calling an AC repair tech may not be your first instinct when something goes wrong – especially if you’re a fan of doing it yourself. But if you’ve checked these common issues and still can’t get your home to cool off, it might be time to call the pros.
To schedule repairs, or better yet, preventative air conditioning service maintenance, click here.