Air Conditioner Trouble? Try a Few Tricks of the Trade

Is your air conditioner having troubles? With the Florida summer heat well on its way, you want to be cool when you turn your system on. We have a few tricks of the trade for you to have in your pocket if you flip the switch and the AC doesn’t come on.

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting Tips

Try these tips for common air conditioning problems before contacting your trusted HVAC technician for service:

• Get trash and debris away from the condenser. To cool your home properly, the air needs to flow freely around the outside condenser unit. If the air doesn’t flow freely due to debris, the air conditioner may not be able to cool properly.
• Make sure the thermostat triggers the A/C at the right time. Many thermostats have a heat anticipator. When it’s on, the cooling system will turn on when the temperature in the house rises a degree or two. When it’s off, the A/C will wait until it’s two or three degrees higher than the setting before turning on.
• Clear the condensate drain. The air conditioner draws moisture out of the air. This moisture collects in the condensate pan underneath the A/C indoor unit, and the drain in the condensate pan allows this moisture to flow to the outside. If the drain is plugged or clogged, the water pools. This can lead to indoor humidity problems.
• Clean air vents and registers and change the air filter regularly. The air inside your ducts need to flow freely to keep your home cool and comfortable. If there’s dust in the vents, you need to clear it out, and make sure the filter is clean so airflow isn’t restricted.
• Verify that the air conditioner is sized properly for your home. There are two signs that you may have an air conditioner that’s not properly sized. If it’s too big, it will cycle on and off frequently. This will prevent it from removing humidity from your home. If the air conditioner unit is too small, it will run constantly without getting your home comfortably cool.

Learn more about air conditioning troubleshooting, as well as Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, LLC’s air conditioning services, or call us at (561) 202-1422 to schedule an appointment for your Palm Beach home.