Common Causes of Air Conditioning Issues and What to Expect from Your AC Repair

Part of learning to drive a car includes getting an idea of the most common problems that can crop up while you’re out on the road: a flat tire, low oil, a dead battery, getting stuck in the mud. Without the basic understanding of what these problems are and how to handle them, a new driver can be put into a full panic about a fairly minor issue. It can cause stress and even cost more money than needed to fix the problem if they take the wrong course of action. The same is true of your home’s AC system. In the same way that you’re probably not going to pull over and change your own oil on the side of the road, we’re not suggesting that you become well versed enough in the workings of your AC to take it apart and check whether the fan needs to be replaced when it starts making a funny noise (actually, please don’t do that). But having a rough idea of what the most common AC problems are, and how the average homeowner can either avoid these problems, or handle minor ones without stress and panic, will help make your homeowning experience less worrisome, and your conversations with your HVAC technician more fruitful.

AC Not Turning On, or Not Cooling

Solutions: check the circuit breaker and power source to your unit; make sure the unit is set to cooling rather than heating (if it’s a dual HVAC unit)

If your AC unit suddenly doesn’t turn on, especially on a hot day, it can feel like a disaster. But often, this problem is actually easy to fix. The first thing to do is to make sure the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped and that the outdoor unit has power. Make sure the thermostat is set to an appropriate temperature for cooling, and ensure the system is set to “cooling” if it’s a dual heating and cooling system. If these tips don’t solve the problem, your AC technician will check to make sure the capacitor is still good and that the internal fuses haven’t blown – all relatively minor repairs.

Decreased Air Output from Your AC

Solutions: check the air filter to make sure it isn’t clogged; check registers to make sure they aren’t covered by toys, curtains, furniture, rugs, etc.

The most common solution to decreased airflow from your AC unit is to remove something that is physically blocking the air. The fix is often as simple as making sure the air filter has been recently replaced and that nothing is sitting on top of the registers, preventing the air from reaching the rooms you’d like to have cooled off. If these checks don’t uncover the problem, your HVAC service technician will make sure there isn’t anything wrong with your ductwork and that the fan is working properly.

Leaking or Dripping AC Unit

Solutions: clearing the drain lines, maintaining and cleaning the coils

This one isn’t always a DIY fix, but it is an issue that can cause panic in a homeowner and is usually a pretty minor issue. As the air is cooled inside your AC unit, condensation forms, and, if everything is working how it should, this condensation is collected and drained without you ever knowing that it’s there. But over time, the collection pan and drain line can become dusty and dirty and blocked. Clearing it often gets things all dried up pretty fast. A lot of homeowners mistakenly believe that this is a normal condition for their AC, but it isn’t! There’s no need to deal with a dripping or leaking AC, and it’s almost always easy for your AC technician to fix.

The Number One Thing You Can Do for Your AC

It’s great to have a working knowledge of how your AC functions, because it takes the mystery out of it and lets you take control over minor fixes and troubleshooting situations. But if you really want to be an excellent partner in the care of your home’s HVAC system, get on a regular maintenance schedule with a trusted, local heating and cooling company, in the same way that you take your car for regular oil changes and don’t wait for something to go wrong to address it. Making sure your systems are serviced at least twice per year (in the spring for your AC and in the fall for your heating system) will put you on the path towards a stress- and trouble-free relationship with your home’s HVAC system. Here at Jansen Heating & Cooling in Cincinnati, we offer a Maintenance Club that reminds you to schedule necessary maintenance, plus provides discounts and priority appointment scheduling. We’re here to help you keep your heating and cooling systems running their best, all year long.