Few things are more frustrating than turning on your air conditioner and hearing nothing but lukewarm air. Often, the problem is as simple as a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse.
Before you panic, ensure your thermostat setting isn’t accidentally set on “heat” instead of excellent. If it is, a vetted maintenance professional can help.
Frozen Coils
When your evaporator coil freezes, it can shut down your entire air conditioner system. This can lead to many issues, including water damage and higher utility bills. Luckily, frozen coils are easy to troubleshoot and prevent with the proper maintenance techniques and professional assistance.
Start by checking your programmable thermostat settings. You may have a dirty air filter or clogged vents if the unit is running but not cooling. A clogged filter restricts airflow, which can lead to freezing of the evaporator coil. Ensure the filters are regularly changed, and the ducts are debris-free. Trimming grass and plants away from the outdoor AC unit also helps prevent blockages.
Next, shut off the power to your air conditioning unit and wait for the ice to melt. A hairdryer set on low could help speed up the process, but don’t attempt to remove the glaze with your hands, or you might risk damaging the coils. Place an old towel nearby to soak up water that might pool as the evaporator coil thaws.
Frozen Thermostat
Often, your air conditioner’s thermostat may appear to be frozen. If your air conditioner is running and no cold air comes through the vents, ensure the thermostat is set to cool instead of heat. This common mistake many people make can cause the thermostat to wear out much faster than it should.
If this doesn’t help, you can try to reset your thermostat by removing the front panel and putting it back on. If you can’t do this alone, call a professional for A/C repair in Dallas.
Another possibility is that there’s a problem with the system itself. You may need to reset your circuit breaker if your thermostat is constantly tripping or stuck between the off and on positions. You can do this by going to your home’s breaker box and finding the one that has the HVAC system connected to it. Turn the breaker off and wait 30 seconds before turning it back on. This will reset the breaker and possibly solve the problem.
Unbalanced Temperatures
If a room in your home is warmer or colder than another, no matter how you set the thermostat, there might be something wrong with your HVAC system. Uneven temperatures are a sure sign of an airflow issue, and the good news is there are several simple solutions for this problem.
One of the most common causes of uneven temperatures is blocked vents. Please ensure all the vents in your house are open, and no furniture is blocking them. You should also check the condition of your air ducts, as leaky and dirty ducts can cause uneven temperatures in your home.
Another possible reason for uneven temperatures is that your air conditioning system needs to be more significant for the size of your home. If the system is too small, it will cycle on and off frequently, which can lead to hot or cold spots in different rooms. If you’ve recently added rooms or completed some remodeling, it may be time to upgrade your system.
Water Leaks
A puddle leaking water from your air conditioning unit isn’t a good sign. Leaks can cause extensive damage that’s usually expensive to fix, including rot and mold. If your AC unit leaks water, turn it off until a professional resolves it.
Inside your AC contains an evaporator coil that cools the air blown over it by causing condensation (water). The moisture on the coil drips into a drain pan and then through a condensate line that leads outside. If the drain line becomes clogged, the condensation can’t flow away from your unit and will spill into your home instead.
The best way to prevent this is to have a professional service your AC unit before summer. During maintenance, the professional can check the drain line for clogs and remove them to keep water from leaking from your air conditioner. This helps prevent costly repairs.
Clogged Drain Lines
If water leaks out of the air conditioner and into your home, it could be caused by a clogged drain line. If so, turn off your AC unit to avoid costly water damage.
Drain lines carry wastewater throughout the house from sinks, toilets, and tubs to your sewer line or septic tank. When these drains become clogged, waste cannot move through the system. That’s also true of the drain line connected to your AC unit.
A clogged drain line can lead to mold, mildew, and a musty smell in the house. It can also attract household pests such as drain flies.
If you notice that your air conditioning unit is producing a strange noise and is getting noisier, it may be time to call a professional. They can use a wet/dry vacuum to extract any debris that has built up in the drain line and unclog it. Another way is to plug in a power drill, position it near the drain, and feed several feet of cable into the pipe.
