The weather is finally warming up to the point that you turn on your air conditioner, but then nothing happens. Or, your A/C turns on but it isn’t cooling. This is a frustrating situation that you really don’t want to begin your spring and summer with. Before you start stressing about possible repair or replacement costs, try these troubleshooting tips to get your A/C up and running correctly.
Thermostat or Relay Problem
Your air conditioner depends on electrical parts to activate and monitor cooling. The go-to device, of course, is your thermostat. Make sure it’s on the “Cool” and “Auto” settings. Try fresh batteries, or you could remove the thermostat to make sure there are no loose wires.
If you hear a constant clicking noise, this indicates a bad capacitor or relay board. You’ll need to call your HVAC technician to fix the problem.
Condensate Drain Problem
Check your air handler to see if the condensate pan is full of water or if it is running over with water. Many air conditioners have a float switch that turns the A/C off in the event a clog in the drain line causes water to fill or spill over the condensate pan. If this is the case, use a shop-vac to suck the clog and water out of the drain line.
Low Refrigerant
Your air conditioner uses very cold refrigerant to extract heat from indoor air. If there isn’t enough refrigerant in the evaporator, condenser and compressor, your A/C isn’t going to be able to cool your home. Also, low refrigerant indicates a leak in the A/C somewhere that most certainly needs to be remedied.
Frozen Evaporator
A common problem with an A/C unit that is operating but not cooling is ice accumulation on the evaporator coil. This can occur due to low refrigerant, a dirty filter or failing electrical contacts. Hopefully, all you need to do is change your filter. Otherwise, call your HVAC contractor.
If your air conditioner is being stubborn and won’t start or cool your Lorain home, please contact the professionals at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioner problems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area