Air Conditioner Manuals for when your a/c quits

So your air conditioner has gone down, and you want it fixed NOW! I do not blame you. Being from the South, I know how hot and humid it can get. Now I am not an advocate of doing it yourself, because fixing HVAC equipment can be very complicated.

But there are some things that you can check before you call a contractor and spend an arm and a leg.

Lets walk through a couple of steps that could save you some money!

STEP 1 Check your circuit breaker. If you tripped the breaker, this will cause your system to be shut down. Just flip it back on.

Congratulations, you just saved $75 on a service call. (if that is not the problem continue to step 2).

STEP 2 O.k. So your circuit breaker did not trip. If it is a hot day, one of the most common problems is a bad capacitor. To check this, disconnect power going to the outside air conditioning unit by flipping the disconnect switch. Take the cover off the unit and look for something that looks like this :

If the capacitor is bulged out (or if it is really hot, the top will blow off) then it is bad and needs to be replaced. If you call a technician to come out, it may cost you over $200 to get them to replace it.

You can replace the capacitor yourself. Just take a screwdriver and place it across the prongs of the capacitor to discharge it and take the wires off. Then read the label and match it up to one of these capacitors. You can buy it online without having to deal with the hassle that you might get (for being a homeowner) by going to a local hvac supply house.

STEP 3 If the coil has frozen up or you see ice on the unit, then you do not have enough air flow going through the air handler (inside unit).

Do not try to come home from vacation to a house that is hot and turn the thermostat down real low. This will cause the unit to freeze. Other causes that you can fix are:

Windows are open while air conditioner is running

Air filter is dirty and is blocking air

Registers and grills are blocked

If all of these are ok, then let the unit thaw out. If that does not solve the problem continue to step 4.

STEP 4 Clean your coils. You can pick up some good non-acid coil cleaner from your local hvac supply shop. I recommend foam-n-clean. You will have to mix it with water and spray the coils on your outside unit.

There is also a cleaner that comes in a spray can called Blast-A-Coil. You can just spray the coils and walk away. It does not require you to rinse. Use this for a quick coil clean.

If your unit is still not working then continue on to step 5.

STEP 5 Call an HVAC technician. Ask around, and get some feedback on some reputable service companies. If the first one tells you that you need to replace the air conditioning unit, then get a second, third, and possibly a fourth opinion.

If they all conclude that you need a new one, then weigh your options. I recommend a duel fuel unit. Either a package duel fuel, or a heat pump unit outside, and a gas furnace inside. Ask the contractor, he will explain it all to you.

Good luck and study up on the air conditioners, and choose one not just for the upfront costs, but for the long term energy savings that a higher seer unit will provide!