August 18, 2011
Air conditioners fail from time to time. Whether your AC is making noise, doesn’t cool your home or just doesn’t come on, we’ve listed some possible reasons why and what you can do about them.
Most air conditioners make some noise when they are running, and this is normal. If you hear vibrations or loud rattling noises, something could be wrong. Your ac unit could have been installed incorrectly and should be checked by a professional. Some contributors to this are, but not exclusive to: improper charging of the system, not leveling the system correctly on the pad, not strapping down the system securely to the concrete pad, improper size copper, which can cause your compressor the “starve” for oil, which, like any motor, will make it noisy!
Sometimes people report squealing sounds when their air conditioner is running. This may actually be coming from your air handler, the part of the ac system that regulates and directs air through the ductwork. Most air handlers have direct-drive motors, but older units may be belt-driven. The squealing noise sometimes occurs when the belt connecting the blower to the motor slips. If you suspect this is the case, shut your ac unit off and call a professional – proper diagnosis and repairs are likely needed.
If air is flowing through your vents, but it is not coming out cold, you might have a stalled condenser coil – the part of the air conditioning unit that produces cold air. The condenser fan will run even if the condenser isn’t working properly. Condenser failure can be caused by a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker. Sometimes a lack of cooling can also be due to low refrigerant. In either case it is best to contact a professional to help you diagnose the problem.
Sometimes mysteriously, an air conditioning unit won’t come on, but the fan inside the home seems to be working OK. There can be several reasons for this. The first thing to check is your thermostat to make sure it is working properly. A broken thermostat can easily disable an entire AC system.
If you are able to rule out the thermostat as the problem, check your home’s circuit breaker and the circuit breaker outside near the unit. If you suspect it may be the breaker, it doesn’t hurt to try to figure out what might have caused it to trip before you attempt to reset it. If you flip the breaker and it does trip again, don’t repeat the process. If this isn’t working to remedy the situation, call a professional.
Anytime your AC fails or you suspect something is mechanically wrong, contact a professional to help you diagnose the problem. At Cool Today, we recommend regular maintenance with our CoolCare Comprehensive Maintenance agreements to keep your unit running smoothly.
If you suspect problems with your air conditioner, consult with one of our experts or schedule a repair online today.
Posted in: Troubleshooting