You turned on the air conditioner and waited. You expected the house to start cooling off, but instead, you are still sweating. Why is the aircon not getting cold?
There are several reasons your air conditioner may not be getting cold. Let’s take a look at the most common causes and what you can do about them.
Cleanliness Is Next To Coldness – Dirt could be the answer to your air conditioner not working. If it is still cooling the air a little, this is the place to start.
Check the cooling fins and coils on both the front and back side of your air conditioner unit. If they are packed with dirt, your air conditioner cannot function effectively. This is something you can correct yourself, or call a technician to fix.
First, unplug the power from the air conditioner. Remove the covers so you can access the cooling coils and fins. You will notice the air conditioner has cold coils on the internal side and hot coils on the outside. You must clean both sets of coils to restore efficiency. You can use water to clean the fins and coils, but use caution not to get sensitive electronics wet. Also, do not use high pressure, since it can bend the soft radiator fins. You can use a soft brush to loosen stubborn dirt, but make sure not to bend the fins.
Allow the air conditioner to dry before restoring power and trying it. You will quickly know if this fixes the issue or not. If you notice the air is significantly cooler, you have solved the problem.
No Pressure Compressor Woes – If cleaning did not get the cold air flowing, you will probably need the help of an air condition specialist. The problem is probably in the compressor or lack of coolant. The technician can quickly check the compressor to see if it is running properly. If not, it will require the replacement of the compressor, one of the most expensive parts on your air conditioner. If the compressor has failed, you should compare the price of repair and replacement carefully.
The technician may discover the compressor is fine, but the system developed a small leak allowing the coolant to escape. It only takes a pin-size hole for the hot gas coolant to disappear. He will put the system under pressure to locate the leak and then repair it. After fixing the leak, the technician must recharge the system’s coolant. This type of repair is usually cost effective and will save you money over replacement.
Other Problems – While dirt, failing compressors, and coolant leaks are the most common causes of why the aircon is not cold, they are not the only causes. The thermostat may have failed and is no longer signaling the air conditioner to kick on the compressor. It will still allow the fans to run, depending on the system, but will leave the air warm.
The compressor is triggered by a small relay, which can fail, too. The technician will immediately notice if the compressor is not being signaled to start and can check these electrical systems. They are usually inexpensive repairs, but best left to a technician to diagnose and fix.
Always start by cleaning your air conditioner, but when that fails, you should call a technician to check the other options we just discussed.