If you find yourself having air conditioning problems, make sure to try safely troubleshooting it yourself to the best of your abilities. The last thing you want to do is pay for expensive repairs that you could have handled on your own. To help you out, the pros at OnTime Service have prepared a quick guide on how you can diagnose and even troubleshoot the most common AC problems.
1. AC Blowing Warm Air
One of the most common AC issues homeowners deal with is an air conditioner blowing warm air. If your AC is doing that, try out some of the techniques below to fix it!
Your Thermostat is on “Heat”
Check your thermostat to ensure it isn’t on the “heat” setting. It might sound silly, but it’s normal for many people to forget to set their thermostat correctly. After making sure it is on the “heat” setting, check to see if it is on “auto” instead of “fan.” If your AC is on the “fan” setting, air continues to blow through the ducts even when the AC isn’t going through a cooling cycle. This is also probably what leads to warm air blowing through your AC’s vents.
Your Air Filter Needs to Be Changed
Though a dirty air filter doesn’t directly lead to warm air blowing through your vents, it can cause your coils to become dirty. Once these coils become dirty, they can freeze up and stop working properly, leading to your AC blowing warm air. Change your air filter to solve this problem—it only takes a few minutes!
Your Evaporator Coil is Frozen
As we mentioned above, if your evaporator coil has frozen up, chances are this might be what is leading to warm air blowing out of your vents. To fix this, turn the unit off and wait for the frozen coils to thaw—make sure you have changed your filter before you do this. If the coil continues to freeze up after you turn it back on, you might have to call an HVAC technician.
2. AC Running Constantly
Your AC provides cooling in cycles, each cycle being about 10 minutes long. However, if your AC is running constantly, it might be because of these reasons.
Your Home has Air Leaks
Air leaks can force your air conditioner to work overtime and run constantly. Inspect your home for leaks and make a note of any broken or worn-out seals around your home, specifically your doors and windows.
Your Thermostat is Set a Really Low Temperature
If it’s hot outside and the temperature is set to 60 degrees inside, your air conditioner will have a hard time getting to that setting. Your AC absorbs air from its surroundings and sucks in the heat from the air to provide cooling. If there is a significant temperature difference between the set temperature and the surrounding temperature, your AC will have run constantly to provide cooling. Set your AC temperature at a more reasonable setting.
3. You Have High Cooling Bills
If you have high cooling bills, you can try out some of these techniques to help lower these bills.
DOE’s Thermostat Technique
According to the Department of Energy, you can save up to 10% on your cooling bills by turning your thermostat up 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day. Try this out and see if it works!
Use Fans
Set your thermostat a few degrees higher and use fans to cool yourself. You can shed a few dollars on your cooling bill while remaining cool and comfortable.
Want more tips on how you can troubleshoot AC problems? Get in touch with the pros at OnTime Service! Call us today at 205-942-1405 (Birmingham) or 251-272-3595 (Eastern Shore/Mobile) or schedule a service on our website!
