AC Not Working? 2 Things To Try While You Wait For Help

When your air conditioning unit doesn't keep the home as cool as it should, not only does it make it more uncomfortable for you, but it could be costing you a whole lot more to continue using the unit without having it serviced. What could be causing the unit to fail? Here, you'll find a few things to check while you're waiting for an air conditioning service to come help.

Power Supply                                   

The first thing to check is the power supply. Examine the plug, outlet and where the plug connects to the unit. Do you see any cracks, blackening or other damage? If so, unplug it and do not use it. The cord may be able to be replaced, but the components inside the unit will need to be inspected to make sure that it is safe for use. It's possible that the cord damage was caused by a problem with the unit, or the cord damage may have damaged something internally.

Examine the outlet. Sometimes, when things overheat, the outlet will blacken around the edges of the plug. When this happens, the breaker should trip and stop power to the outlet. The outlet should not be used until it's replaced.

When your unit kicks on, does it cause lights to dim in the same room? If so, you may be drawing too much power through a single breaker. Try unplugging some other electronics and appliances that share the breaker and see if that fixes the issue. If so, you're overloading the breaker and will need to find a way to reduce the load.

Dirty Unit

How long has it been since you've cleaned the air conditioning unit? If it's been a while, chances are, there's a mountain of dirt, dust, hair and bugs built up inside. Remove the filter and clean or replace it. If you have a reusable filter, it will need to be cleaned by soaking it in very hot water mixed with your favorite liquid dish soap. Dawn seems to work very well when it comes to cutting through all kinds of grime.

After it has soaked for a while, rinse it and let it dry. Put it back in the unit and test it out.

These are just two basic issues for you to check while you wait for help to arrive. Hopefully, having the unit serviced will be all that you need to get your home cooling efficiently again.