Welp, you’re in big trouble. It’s hot enough to fry an egg on the concrete outside and your air conditioner isn’t cooling your home very well. In Arizona, this is almost like a death sentence (a very slow and painful one). Most people will jump to conclusions and say, “Well, obviously you need more Freon!” But honestly, there are several reasons why this happens. To make things simple, we’ll give you a few things you can do right now that may fix this problem. If none of them work, you'll need to schedule an air conditioning technician to diagnose your problem. First things first:  Check the thermostat one more time to make sure it’s on the right settings. Obviously, if it’s accidentally set to “heat” your A/C is never going to come on. But also check the fan settings. If you have it set to “on” then the indoor blower will keep blowing air into your home even when it’s not being cooled. This gives the illusion that your air conditioner is low on refrigerant because it’s blowing cold air sometimes and warm air other times.

Set the thermostat to “auto” so your A/C only blows cold air.  If that didn’t work, then... Go to your return vent and check the air filter. Does it look like the one on the right in this picture? If so, change it (it should be changed once a month). A dirty air filter blocks return airflow to your air conditioner. This makes it harder for your air conditioner to circulate the amount of cooled air  needed back into your home. If changing the air filter didn’t work, then... When’s the last time you had the outdoor air conditioning unit cleaned? If the answer is “never”, well you may have found your problem.  We’ve already talked in detail about why you need to clean your outdoor unit at least once a year. To summarize, the outdoor unit needs to be clean and clear of obstructions (grass, bushes, tree branches, fences)  so it can cool down the refrigerant, which is then used to cool your home’s air. You can clean the outdoor unit yourself using a water sprayer and a special A/C coil cleaner.

But doing it properly requires a professional touch. And most professionals will clean it as part of an A/C maintenance visit. (Psst, we have a coupon that takes $40 off an AC tune-up visit) If you’ve cleaned the outside unit, and your A/C STILL isn’t cooling your home well, then you’ll need a professional’s help. They can check for things like low refrigerant, malfunctioning condenser fan, malfunctioning compressor, and so forth. If your air conditioner needs repairing, we have a coupon for $50 off A/C repairs.cost for hvac training George Brazil has been keeping Phoenix-area homes safe, comfortable and energy efficient since 1955.carrier package air handling unitIf your air conditioner is leaking into your room, it may not be installed properly. air conditioning unit stopped running

When the temperatures start to rise, a window air conditioning unit can be a convenient, affordable way to beat the heat. From time to time, though, problems may arise with your unit that affect its performance. Being able to troubleshoot your air conditioner can save you valuable time when you notice there's insufficient cooling. That way, you won't wind up frustrated -- and sweating -- in the middle of the next heat wave. Not Cooling Well If your air conditioner turns on but isn't cooling the room properly, check to see if the front of unit is blocked. Any item, including furniture, blinds or curtains, can restrict its airflow and reduce its cooling performance. If your unit isn't blocked and still isn't cooling effectively, however, check the condensing coils on the side of the unit. Cool air must pass through the coils before exiting the unit, so if they are dirty, it may be difficult for the air to emerge. Over time, the coils are likely to become clogged with dirt, dust and lint, but you can clean them by removing the unit's cover and using a soft brush or can of compressed air to gently remove the debris.

If your air conditioner still isn't cooling effectively, its air damper may be open. An open damper allows the air conditioner to draw in outside air, which can decrease its efficiency. Close the damper, and the unit's cooling performance should improve. No Air Blowing If you can hear your air conditioner running but it isn't blowing air into the room, there may be a problem with its fan motor. A window unit typically has two motors – the fan motor and the compressor motor. The compressor motor may be functioning, causing the unit to make running sounds, but the fan motor may be damaged. To check, turn the unit off and remove its cover. Try to rotate the fan blade by hand – if it's stiff and difficult to turn, you should have your fan motor replaced. If you find that the fan blade is easy to turn, the motor's circuit is likely experiencing an electrical problem. The issue may be with the unit's selector switch, capacitor or the motor, so you should contact a licensed electrician to handle the problem.

Water Sounds Inside Unit From time to time, you may hear water sloshing around in your window air conditioner unit. The sound may be alarming, but it's actually normal. Your window unit cools the room by drawing in warm, moist air and passing it through the indoor coil to cool it before blowing it back into the room. During the cooling process, moisture is removed from the air and usually collected in a pan at the bottom of the unit where it can be evaporated by the condensing coils. While the evaporation process is ongoing, it's common to hear water moving around inside the unit. You don't need to open the unit to try to remove the water – the only time to take action is if you notice water dripping out of the unit and into the room. Water Dripping Into the Room While your window air conditioner is designed to evaporate most of the water that it removes from the air inside your room, excess water does build up inside the unit. The unit should be sloped slightly out the window so any excess drips outside the home.