Simple Air Conditioning Repairs You Can Do Yourself

If you own an air conditioner, then it is safe to say that at some time in the future you will need air-conditioning repairs. There are a few different things that can go wrong and some are very easily repaired. For example, if your air conditioner is not cooling, but is still running it may just need cleaning. Before you start, find your owner's manual. If you can't find it, then you can request one from the manufacturer. Try to pick a fairly warm day for the repair because this will give you a better idea of why it is not working.

Before you start your air-conditioning repairs, make sure the power to the unit is turned off. You should be able to find a shut off panels for this. If you can't find this panel then shut off the electricity to the house itself. Make sure you rake any debris away from the outside condenser.

Now you can start to find out what the problem is by removing the grill cover off the condenser and clean the fins by using a soft cloth and brush. You have to be careful not to damage the fins as this can be done very easily. Vacuum them out after cleaning. Now unscrew and lift up the cover of the grill, but be careful. The fan is attached to some of them and you don't want to pull any wires loose. After cleaning, you can hose out the fins, but protect the motor with some kind of waterproof covering. If you think the motor needs lubricating, now is the time to do it. Now put the unit back together. This is the easy part of air-conditioning repairs.

To test your air conditioning repairs, turn the power back on and let your unit run for a few minutes. Place your hand on the pipes that connect to the condenser unit. One of the pipes should feel warm and the other should feel cool. If it's still not working, then you probably need the refrigerant recharged and this will require a professional.

If your air conditioner doesn't go on automatically, there are a few steps you can take to check this out. First, make sure that your thermostat is set to cool and below room temperature. You should also check to see if a fuse is blown or the problem may be a tripped breaker on your main panel box. Make sure that the power switch on the furnace is turned on and also the condenser switch on the outside unit. You can also check to make sure the 240-volt disconnect, which is next to the compressor outside, hasn't been turned off. These are some steps that will help you with air-conditioning repairs.

Any air conditioning repairs you can do on your own will certainly help your budget and can be spent on other problems that may arise where you can't repair your air conditioning yourself. The repairs above are straightforward and you should have no problem in completing them. If you run into difficulty, contact the manufacturer. They hold a world of knowledge about the products they make and may be able to contribute some useful information for the problems you face while doing the repairs.