Troubleshooting Your Air Conditioning Unit

SAN JOSE — If your air conditioning system doesn’t seem to be functioning properly, your first inclination may be to call a professional. However, in many instances, you may be able to identify and fix the issue yourself, which will save you the cost of an unnecessary service call.

When an air conditioner doesn’t seem to be operating at full strength or effectively cooling your home, you might assume it needs to be repaired. However, it’s possible that you’ve simply forgotten to set the thermostat to the “cool” setting or to a low enough temperature. Another factor that may affect the performance of your air conditioning unit is dirty or clogged components such as the filter or evaporator coil. Before calling a professional, clean these components and see if it makes a noticeable improvement.

Other times, an air conditioning unit may appear to not be working at all. In this instance, first make sure the unit is connected to power. Next, check your electrical circuit or fuse box to make sure the problem isn’t being caused by a tripped breaker or blown fuse. If there aren’t any power issues, it may be something more serious like a blown motor or compressor, in which case you’ll need professional assistance.