When you turn on your air conditioner, you expect it to immediately start producing cold air, but what if it doesn’t? Don’t panic if this happens - there are several reasons this could be the case and they don’t necessarily mean you need a new air conditioner.
Before calling for AC service, check the following:
- Check the thermostat. If it has gotten set to “on” instead of “auto” it will blow air continuously even when it’s not actually cooling the air. In this case you’ll likely notice that the air coming out is sometimes cold and other times not, which is a good indication of a problem with the thermostat setting.
- Check the air filter. If it hasn’t been changed since sometime last summer it’s likely that it’s got debris blocking the airflow, good air flow is necessary to keep your air conditioner running efficiently. This is a quick, inexpensive repair.
- Check the outside unit. It’s possible that during the winter dirt, leaves, a tree branch or bush have encroached on the unit. Clean the outside of the unit and trim everything back to create some clear space around the air conditioner unit itself.
AC Problems That Require a Professional
There are a few additional potential problems that could be causing your air conditioner not to produce cold air. To address these remaining areas it’s recommended that you call Diamond Heating and Cooling to schedule a visit from a professional HVAC technician.
The technician will look at all of the different components associated with your air conditioner unit. It’s possible that there’s a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner. A refrigerant leak will cause your home to feel warmer, however refrigerant is dangerous to handle and should only be done by an HVAC professional.
Another area the technician will check is the air duct system. He or she will make sure your home doesn’t have a leak in the duct work. A leak in this system will likely mean your air conditioner will be working very hard to produce cold air, but it may be getting lost along the way and thus not cooling the main living areas of your home.
The technician will also inspect the evaporator coils. These coils will get dirty over time and occasionally require a good cleaning. If the evaporator coils are dirty, your air conditioner will have a harder time getting rid of warm air, it could eventually cause the air conditioner to overheat and shut down.
Finally the Diamond Heating and Cooling technician will check the circuit breaker. Your air conditioner unit connects to two circuit breakers and if the one for the outside unit has tripped, even if the one for the inside is still functioning, the air conditioner cannot produce cold air. The homeowner can reset it but if it trips again the HVAC technician should evaluate the source of the problem to prevent serious damage to the air conditioning unit.
contact Diamond Heating and Cooling for high quality HVAC service in Boise!