An air conditioner is a necessity when you live in an area with extreme weather conditions. What’s better is that there are ways to use your AC more effectively for comfort and lower your bills.
However, as easy as it is to use and make your air conditioner more efficient, it’s also easy to break it. A broken air conditioner will not only cause stop functioning, but it can also be a hazard to your health and your home.
This means that it’s important that you fix your air conditioner as soon as you can. What should you do first when dealing with one, though? Read on and learn what you can do to fix your air conditioner.
1. Check Your Circuit Breakers
The first thing to do when you have a broken air conditioner is to check on your circuit breakers. It may be a simple case of not having enough power supplied to your AC unit.
Once you reset the circuit breaker, listen for the sounds that your unit makes. If it makes any sound that resembles sparks of electricity, turn the unit off.
This can mean that the unit is short-circuiting or causing an arc fault. Hiring a professional contractor is your best bet here. Leaving this alone or fixing it yourself can lead to serious damages.
2. Clean Air Filters and Vents
If your AC unit isn’t blowing air, it can be because there’s something blocking it. Check your vent and filters when you’re experiencing this. Dust and other debris may be blocking the airflow.
These build up over time and will always inconvenience you. This makes it important to clean and maintain these elements as often as you can.
3. Water Leaks
Find the water drain hose/tube outside your house and give it a few shakes. If there’s no visible blockage and water won’t come out, there might be too much dirt, mold, algae, and/or fungi inside.
Cleaning this out is essential if you want your unit to work again. Leaving these will only encourage mold to grow, making it more of a health hazard in the home. A great way to remove these is to use a dry vacuum on the tube.
4. Move Your Window AC Unit
Did you notice that your AC is taking too long to cool your house? Direct sunlight can heat up some of the parts so it needs to run much longer than usual.
Uninstall your cooling system and move them in a shady spot in the room. If that’s not possible, put up some curtains or blinds to shade them, instead.
These are often enough to prevent your unit from overheating. Another great way to solve this is to hire an HVAC company to install your unit in the first place. It’s a surefire way to ensure that your unit gets install right and in the right place, too.
5. Check the Surroundings of Your Broken Air Conditioner
A common mistake with indoor air conditioning units is that people place them close to things that can obstruct their functions. Simple things like curtains and plant leaves can prevent your unit from working. Move these things out of the way to ensure they won’t obstruct your unit’s vents and airways.
Helpful Tips for Fixing a Broken Air Conditioner
Save yourself from trouble when dealing with a broken air conditioner. Try these things and keep the stress at bay today!
Are you looking for ways to improve your HVAC system? Check out more of our blogs and guides to learn all you can learn today!