Its getting hot out now and i'm guessing if you don't have central air conditioning, you probably rely on a window air conditioner to cool your house. If you've had your window air conditioner for a while it's almost a guarantee that its been collecting a lot of dust and other free floating object as its pulling air over the coils. One of the most common service calls on window air conditioners we get are that "its not cooling well, we think it needs freon". Sometimes that proves to be the case, but most of the time it ends up just needing the coils cleaned out. After the air conditioner has collected enough dust inside to block the air flow from passing over the cooled coils then the air conditioner is no longer as effective as it once was. 1st thing you can do to determine that it might need freon is, after the air conditioner has been off for at least 30 minutes, take the front panel off so you can see the coils. Now turn the air conditioner on and watch the coils on the side to see if any of them frost up. If you do see them frost up, that is a sign that you may need freon. With a couple of strong backs to get the air conditioner out of the window you can clean the coils yourself and avoid the cost of repairman. Remember that there will be water in the bottom of the air conditioner, this is normal. You'll need to move the air conditioner to an outside hose that you'll use to spray the coils down when you've removed the cabinet from the unit and any other cover inside that is in the way of cleaning the front and back coils. There are products such as, AC-Safe Air Conditioning Coil Foaming Cleaner, that you can use that will help you get the coils extra clean. I use a fairly firm brisselled brush with a handle to scrub the coils lightly while running water over them after the AC-Safe Air Conditioning Coil Foaming Cleaner has had time to do its job. Make sure you do you best to keep water off of the electronics.
If your air conditioner is shutting off before it gets cool in the room. First make sure there are not objects in the way of the of any part of the air conditioner that may affect the air conditioners performance. If you have nothing in the way then remove the front cover of the air conditioner and make sure that the sensor isn't positioned to close to the coils. It shouldn't be touching the coils. If it is bend it away a little bit at a time until the unit is acting correctly.
If the air conditioner is getting it way to cold in the room. You'll need to remove the front cover to make sure the sensor hasn't fallen out of place or been knocked out of place by the filter. If is no longer mounted on the coils then you'll need to push the mounting clips back into the coils and put the front cover back on. If it continues to fall out of place then move it to another spot on the coils where it will hold firmer and be out of the way of the removable filter.
If all you get is a hum when you turn the air conditioner on. Take the unit out of the window and remove the cabinet. Check in the area of the fan to make sure that nothing is stopping the blade from turning. If there is nothing obstructing the rotation and you can manual spin the fan then you'll need a new fan motor.
If there is water running out of the front onto the floor you'll need to use a level and create fall from inside to outside so the water accumulating inside during use will drain outside.
If you turn the air conditioner on and get nothing. First thing you'll want to do is a/c power test the outlet the unit is plugged into. If you have no power at the outlet you'll need to check your breaker or fuse box. If you turn the breaker back on, turn the unit back on, and it trips the breaker again you could have a shorted wire or compressor. You'll need to visually inspect all the wires inside to make sure none are burned up and grounded out and run a continuity test from each terminal on the compressor to a spot on the outside of the compressor with the paint scratched off. If you get continuity from any terminal to the compressor body your compressor is bad. Note that some air conditioners need there own 20 amp breaker to operate correctly with no problems. If you do have power at the outlet test at the wires running to the thermostat with the a/c plugged in and the thermostat on. If your getting power to the thermostat and no power to the compressor or the fan then you'll need a new thermostat.
If your air conditioner is shutting off before it gets cool in the room. First make sure there are not objects in the way of the of any part of the air conditioner that may affect the air conditioners performance. If you have nothing in the way then remove the front cover of the air conditioner and make sure that the sensor isn't positioned to close to the coils. It shouldn't be touching the coils. If it is bend it away a little bit at a time until the unit is acting correctly.
If the air conditioner is getting it way to cold in the room. You'll need to remove the front cover to make sure the sensor hasn't fallen out of place or been knocked out of place by the filter. If is no longer mounted on the coils then you'll need to push the mounting clips back into the coils and put the front cover back on. If it continues to fall out of place then move it to another spot on the coils where it will hold firmer and be out of the way of the removable filter.
If all you get is a hum when you turn the air conditioner on. Take the unit out of the window and remove the cabinet. Check in the area of the fan to make sure that nothing is stopping the blade from turning. If there is nothing obstructing the rotation and you can manual spin the fan then you'll need a new fan motor.
If there is water running out of the front onto the floor you'll need to use a level and create fall from inside to outside so the water accumulating inside during use will drain outside.
If you turn the air conditioner on and get nothing. First thing you'll want to do is a/c power test the outlet the unit is plugged into. If you have no power at the outlet you'll need to check your breaker or fuse box. If you turn the breaker back on, turn the unit back on, and it trips the breaker again you could have a shorted wire or compressor. You'll need to visually inspect all the wires inside to make sure none are burned up and grounded out and run a continuity test from each terminal on the compressor to a spot on the outside of the compressor with the paint scratched off. If you get continuity from any terminal to the compressor body your compressor is bad. Note that some air conditioners need there own 20 amp breaker to operate correctly with no problems. If you do have power at the outlet test at the wires running to the thermostat with the a/c plugged in and the thermostat on. If your getting power to the thermostat and no power to the compressor or the fan then you'll need a new thermostat.
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