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We've all struggled to get through a Maryland heat wave with a less-than-functional air conditioning system, only to see the heat isn't going anywhere any time soon.

As a result, most of us would like to avoid this situation from reccurring. If you see the temperature creeping up and are concerned about your A/C unit, try these suggestions to diagnose your problem before it gets too hot:

Furnace Or A/C Unit?

This is the first step in diagnosing a problem with your cooling system. Sometimes, the furnace is the reason for a lack of cold air circulating around the room. Luckily, you can easily test this theory!

Step 1: Set your thermostat to A/C

Step 2: Drop the temperature setting

Step 3: Check the furnace fan

*If the furnace fan isn't running

Step 4: Reset the furnace

Step 5: Call a professional

If you try these steps and the furnace fan still isn't working, call an HVAC professional to take a look.

If the furnace is working properly, it's time to look at diagnosing the A/C unit itself. The best way to do this is to diagnose the outside part of the unit, and then diagnose the parts of the system inside your home separately.

Inspect the outside.

In most A/C systems, the parts of the A/C unit that are outside of your home are the compressor and condenser coil. The first step in checking the outdoor unit is to ensure that power is getting to the unit. Check the electrical panel of the unit.

At times, small animals chew through the low voltage wires of the A/C unit. Look around to make sure that all of the wires are intact, and look for animal droppings or other chew marks.

While checking the electrical panel, check that fuses are all intact and functional. If a surge of power is sent into the A/C unit, a fuse will take the brunt of that power. This is beneficial because this limits the amount of damage taken on by the unit itself, but it may lead to a blown fuse.

*Before testing fuses, make sure the electricity is shut off.

If your A/C unit is running but not cooling your home, it could be time to replace or clean the air filter. This is a simple chore that can go a long way in keeping your unit at peak performance.

Step 1: Turn off the unit

Step 2: Clean or replace the filter

Step 3: Check the coils for debris, dirt, and ice

Step 4: Clean out the condensation drain

Step 5: Clean the outside of the compressor

This should be done monthly to ensure that the air conditioner is properly maintained. This may need to be done more often when pollen is bad,or when the grass gets cut. Both can cause build-up in or around the unit.

Inspect the inside.

The second phase to diagnosing your air conditioning problem is to check the inside of the unit. Make sure the power switch wasn't accidentally turned off. In almost every home, a switch controls the power to the furnace and indoor blower in case of emergency.

However, this switch is identical to a light switch and can sometimes get turned off by accident. If you don't know where this switch is, check areas around the furnace, such as closets and doorways, or in the attic.

Once the switch is on, the condensation drain line is the next item to check. Most homes either have a drain line or pump that's designed to remove the condensation build-up from the home.

Unfortauntely, this drain line can get clogged with debris or other foreign matter. If this happens, the line is designed to enter an emergency shut-off.

  • If you're concerned that the drain is clogged, use a wet/dry vac to pull the blockage out of the pipe.
  • If you have a drain pump, check that the pump is operational. If not, call a professional to repair the pump.

If you've tried all of these steps and your air conditioner still isn't working, don't get frustrated. Here are a few more specific breakdowns of possible air conditioning problems with the unit that you could fix yourself:

Condenser isn't running:

  1. Check the power
  2. Reset the thermostat

Inconsistent cooling:

  1. Rebalance the distribution system
  2. Reset the thermostat
  3. Clean or replace the evaporator

Unit turns off and on:

  1. Clean condenser coils and fins
  2. Remove dirt and debris from the condenser
  3. Clean evaporator

If these steps were unable to help, call a professional. At Warner Service, we understand the headaches that cooling units can cause. Give us a call, and we'll get out there as soon as possible:

Schedule A Service Appointment