You're in the middle of a heatwave and your AC decides to stop working. It could be days before a repair guy can even get to you, and you already feel like Frosty the Snowman at the beach. What can you possibly do to find relief from the heat, besides sitting in a tub filled with ice water, sipping frozen cocktails? Well, actually, there are a few really useful things you could do, including repair your own air conditioning. Even if you think you are useless at DIY, these simple DIY AC repair fixes should be a breeze (pun intended). Here's how you can get back to chilling when the AC goes out in your home.
Check your registers and furnace filter
If any of the registers in the house are closed, the reduction in air flow could cause the AC unit to work extra hard, and the evaporator coil could freeze up. A blocked or dirty furnace filter can have the same effect. Start by making sure that every register (air vent) in the house is set to "open," and check the furnace filter for dirt or debris that could be blocking air flow. Change the filter if necessary, then go to your outside AC unit and clean off the condenser coils.
Clean your condenser coils
To clean the condenser coils, turn off the electricity to the unit, and spray the coils gently with a garden hose. You can also buy condenser cleaner from the hardware store to clean the condenser coils more thoroughly. Be careful not to bend or damage the fine coils when cleaning them, or you could block air flow further and cause damage to your AC unit.
After you've opened the registers, cleaned the condenser coils and replaced your furnace filter, reconnect the electricity to your AC unit and switch the thermostat from "cooling" to "off," then turn the fan to the "on" setting. Let the air blow for at least half an hour, then switch the thermostat back to "cooling." If the air gets cold and stays that way for at least 12 hours, you've solved your problem. If not, it's time to call in the AC repair guy.
It's a good idea to clean your condenser coils annually before you need to use the air conditioning. Because the unit that houses them is outside, it's vulnerable to the elements and even insects and small animals building their homes inside the casing that surrounds them. If you aren't sure about doing this yourself, your local AC repair company can schedule an annual maintenance visit to do it for you. This will not only keep your unit running more efficiently, it will also help prolong the life of the air conditioning unit in your home.
Before you call out the repair guy, try these easy fixes yourself, and you might just keep your cool, all on your own.
Share30 December 2014
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