If your central air conditioner decides to call it quits right in the middle of a scorching summer heatwave, the last thing you want is to wait around for a repair technician, which could take days or even weeks. On top of that, it could cost you a pretty penny, easily reaching a few hundred dollars. But, if you’re not afraid to tinker around with some electrical stuff and are willing to shell out less than a hundred bucks on parts, there’s a good chance you can get your air conditioner back in action yourself in about two hours.

Here’s the lowdown on what you’ll need: grab yourself a multimeter, a voltage detector, a bunch of insulated screwdrivers, and a trusty socket set. Now, if these DIY AC fixes do the trick, you’ve got the most common issues squared away, and when the service technician finally shows up, they can focus on hunting down any trickier problems.

AC Won’t Start:

So, picture this: Your AC decides it’s taking a little break and won’t budge when you try to turn it on. It’s a real headache, and there could be a bunch of reasons why your AC is playing hard to get. But more often than not, it’s because of your circuit breaker or some wonky wiring.

Here’s the fix: Got a non-responsive AC unit? Start by making a trip to your trusty fuse box. Stand to the side (not right in front of it), and look for the circuit breaker that controls your AC. Flip that circuit breaker switch to the off position and then switch it right back on.

Not Blowing Cool Air:

You’re expecting a nice, cool breeze to come dancing out of your air conditioner, but instead, it’s more like a blast of warm air. Not exactly what you had in mind for beating the heat, right? Well, no worries, here’s what you can do:

First off, try this simple trick – drop your thermostat down by about five degrees and see if that gets the air to cool down. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of giving it a nudge in the right direction. But if that doesn’t do the trick, there could be a few culprits causing your AC to act up:

• The evaporator might be in need of a good cleaning.
• Your air filter could be clogged with dust and debris.
• Your refrigerant levels might be running on the low side.

At times, you feel the AC is not blowing cool air because the AC might be too small for the large room you are in. You must purchase an AC that has the capacity to cool bigger rooms or larger areas. You might want to check out the best commercial grade AC units for large buildings. These ACs are best for large drawing rooms and commercial spaces.

Turning On and Off All On Its Own:

Your AC seems to have developed a case of the “on-off” jitters. It is what we call “short cycling,” and it’s like when your AC just can’t make up its mind whether it wants to be on or off. It’s like the Goldilocks of air conditioners – always too hot or too cold.

If you suspect a dirty air filter or a condenser unit that’s seen better days, roll up your sleeves and give your system a good cleaning – that might do the trick. But if those fixes don’t do the job, it’s time to bring in the big guns and get a pro.

Share on Facebook

Danny White