What Can You Do when Your A/C’s Not Performing Well?

What Can You Do when Your A/C's Not Performing Well?Air conditioner cooling issues are all too common in the spring and summertime, when millions of homeowners turn on their cooling system for the first time, only to find that its not working to satisfaction or worse yet, is not operational. If you find your system operating inaffectively this spring, use these Cooling troubleshooting tips to get your HVAC system back up and running:

  1. Start your A/C troubleshooting at the thermostat. Make sure your thermostat has fresh batteries, is on the “cool” setting, and that the temperature is set lower than the current room temperature.
  2. If your air conditioner won’t turn on at all, the most common cause is a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker. Replace the fuse or reset the breaker if necessary, and then try again. Check to see if all the appropriate switches are set to “on,” and make sure the blower door on the air handler is closed securely.
  3. If your A/C works, but you’re getting poor air flow, check the filter to make sure it’s not dirty or blocked. It’s always a good idea to start the cooling season with a fresh filter. Blocked or disconnected ducts could also be the cause.
  4. When an air conditioner operates, but doesn’t cool properly, dirt and debris in the system is a common culprit. Clean the evaporator coil, condenser coil and fins. Check for condenser fin damage at the outdoor unit. Remove debris that may be blocking the outdoor condenser unit, trim the grass around the condenser, and get rid of weeds, vines and even bushes that may be blocking the unit.
  5. Another common problem, in which an A/C unit repeatedly turns on and shuts off quickly, is known as short-cycling. This can be caused by a dirty condenser coil, defective outdoor fan motor or a loss of refrigerant. To diagnose these issues will require a call to your licensed professionals at Overland Park Heating and Cooling

If you find yourself at the end of this list and your air conditioner still won’t work, contact a professional. To learn more about A/C troubleshooting, or to schedule your air conditioner for service, contact Overland Park Heating & Cooling. We’ve been serving the Greater Kansas City area since 1983.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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