What to Do When Your Air Conditioner Stops Cooling

“Summer time and the living is easy,” or so the Gershwin song composed in 1934 says. But that song did not take into account extremely hot summers and air conditioning problems, which never seem to happen at a good time.

Air conditioner parts.Unless you yourself are an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) specialist, the best thing you can do is pick up the phone and call one to come out and figure out what your problem is.

Air conditioners make warm weather bearable. Central air conditioners and heat pumps have an air handler that circulates cool air throughout your home through a system of ductwork that culminates in vents.

Central air conditioners run on electricity and remove heat from the air using three principal parts: a condenser, a compressor and an evaporator.

When your unit stops cooling efficiently, any one of these parts, as well as several other parts may be the issue. HVAC technicians are trained to find out why your air conditioner is not cooling and fix it.

Questions you need to be prepared to answer before calling for AC Repair:

  1. Is your unit a heat pump or an air conditioner?
  2. Has it stopped cooling or has it just stopped altogether?
  3. Have you checked your thermostat to make sure it is still set on Cool (sometimes other people in your house can change settings)?
  4. Is it making a noise?
  5. Have you checked the breaker box switch to see if the problem with your air conditioner has kicked the breaker switch for it off?

When in doubt, call Enhanced, your local AC repair contractor.

Here are some things to check if your AC isn’t cooling.

If your unit is a heat pump, and it is running but not cooling, these could be some of the issues:

  • Your thermostat could have gone bad so that it is not telling the unit to cool.
  • You could have wiring problems.
  • Your compressor could have gone bad.
  • You could have a Freon leak.

If your breaker switch that controls the heat pump has flipped off, be careful about turning it back on without having an HVAC specialist find the cause.

You could end up damaging your heat pump. Breaker switches flip off because of problems that need to be addressed. All of these are issues that call for an HVAC repair specialist like Enhanced Heating & Air Conditioning.

Most Heat Pump and Central Air Conditioner Issues Need an HVAC Specialist

Some of the most common causes of air conditioners not cooling properly have to do with issues arising from improper installation and problems created by a lack of maintenance.  Here are some other things to know about heating and air systems.

When your HVAC specialist arrives, he (or she) will perform the following:

  • Technician checking thermostat.Inspect the thermostat to determine if it is working properly
  • Inspect the thermostat cable for burnt wires
  • Assess the refrigerant status in the air conditioner and test for refrigerant leaks
  • Check your duct system for leaks and seal them
  • Assess the airflow moving through the evaporator coil
  • Evaluate the parts of the air conditioner to see if any are defective
  • Inspect filters to determine if they need changing
  • Evaluate the electrical components and wiring
  • Oil the motor and check or replace belts if applicable
  • Check the contactor or capacitor
  • Check the time-delay relay
  • Check to see if the unit is off due to an open safety valve.

These are only a few of the things an HVAC specialist will do to get your air conditioning back to where it is cooling your home on these incredibly hot summer days.

It is helpful to work with an HVAC specialist who is trained and knowledgeable about all brands of air conditioners.

It is also good to have someone who can replace your unit if it cannot be fixed, replace the compressor if it goes bad, and who treats you like a valued customer.

 

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