If you are like most home owners, you are concerned about the air conditioner service cost. Before calling a professional to service your air conditioner, there are several things to check. Below is a short list of things you can check and essentially do an at home air conditioner repair:
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If you are having issues with the air conditioner not turning on, check your fuse box. Look for the heat and/or AC breaker. Turn the breakers for the air conditioner off, wait a few seconds and then turn them back on. After this, wait three to five minutes. If the unit turns on, then the problem is fixed. If the breaker keeps tripping, then you will need to call a professional. If the unit does not turn on but the breaker does not trip, then let’s look at the second area.
Digital Thermostat
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If you have a digital thermostat, be sure to check the batteries in the unit to see if they need to be replaced. Take the cover off the thermostat, replace the batteries and then put the cover back on. Turn on the air conditioner and wait three to five minutes. This is because all thermostats have a delay. See if the system comes back on. If it doesn’t turn on, you will need to try the next step.
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Sometimes, the drain line can be backed up. The drain line is usually found next to the furnace. A couple of ways to fix this is to flush the drain line out with a vacuum cleaner or with a water hose. If the drain line was clogged and if your unit has a flow switch, once the line is clear, the flow switch will reset, and the unit should turn back on. If this fixes the problem, be sure to check the line about once a month and service the air conditioner about every six months.
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If you are still having problems, the next thing to check is the air filter. In some units, the filter is in the furnace unit itself. Other times, the filters are inside the home. Look for intake vents. The vents will vary in sizes but they are larger than the regular air conditioner vents. If the filter is dirty, replace with a new filter. While changing the filter in the furnace, check to see if you see any ice in the coil. If you do, change the filter and turn the fan to on and let is run for a while. This should thaw the ice. After this, turn the unit to cool. If the unit keeps freezing, it’s time to call the air conditioner repair service company.
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The outside condenser unit may be dirty. This prevents the air conditioner from cooling. The condenser needs to be free of grass or weeds, so be sure to cut these off from around the unit. It is also good practice to rinse the unit with water to keep it free of debris. You can use a hose to do this, but be sure not to blast or use any objects as this could damage the metal fins. Only use water. After cleaning, remove any debris from the bottom of the unit with your hand.
This list of things to check should help you in determining whether or not you need to call a professional for your air conditioner repair. They will be able to service the unit properly and will have the air conditioner parts that you may need.