6 Tips to Troubleshoot a Broken AC

Posted on: 28 June 2019

Share

When it's a hot day, the last thing you want is your AC unit to break down. If you don't have it repaired pretty quickly, it'll mean a long and hot nights sleep for everyone. But before you go reaching for the phone to call in an AC repair specialist, why not try these simple tips for troubleshooting your broken unit to see if it's something you can repair yourself. It can mean a significant saving on calling out a repairman as well as saving yourself a wait for them to arrive and fix it.

Check the thermostat

If the unit isn't blowing cold air, check the thermostat is at the right temperature. It may not be broken at all; it could have been nudged or knocked and turned up. Simply turn it back down to a cooler temperature and bask in the cool breeze.

Turn it off

Sometimes electronics like to have a fun few minutes and stop working. Sometimes just a simple switch off and on will jolt things back into working properly.

Furnace

AC units have a furnace inside which warms and cools the air. To check that it is working, turn the AC unit to a low temperature. If the fan starts up, then you know this isn't the problem. If it doesn't start, you'll need to call a specialist to repair it.

Compressor

When you stand outside, the back of an AC unit sounds like a refrigerator when it is running. This is the condenser working in the unit. If you don't hear that sound, the condenser isn't working.

Check filters

If the filters in your AC unit are clogged or blocked up, this will cause the unit not to work properly. You can try to clean these out or replace with new ones and see if this fixes the problem.

Check the fuses

Fuses blow out in electrical appliances all the time. It can be caused by lots of different reasons but these are easy to check and replace. Make sure you turn off the unit and disconnect it from the power source to make sure you don't get a nasty shock when looking at the fuses while making your AC repair.

Remember that an AC unit is an electrical device. If you're not sure what you're doing or are uncomfortable working with electrics, you should always call an AC repair company for help to ensure you do not harm yourself or damage the unit even further.