Sometimes Air Conditioning Problems Have Nothing To Do With The Air Conditioner

Make sure to get annual maintenance on your HVAC systems to uphold your warranties.

Sometimes Air Conditioning Problems Have Nothing To Do With The Air Conditioner

Sometimes Air Conditioning Problems Have Nothing To Do With The Air Conditioner

19 June 2019
 Categories:
, Blog


When your air conditioning does not turn on or your home is not reaching the temperature you've selected on the thermostat, your first instinct may be to run over to your air conditioner and see what's gone wrong. But while the air conditioner itself is sometimes the culprit, this is not always the case. Air conditioning problems don't always have anything to do with the air conditioner itself. Sometimes, they have more to do with the other components of your HVAC system. Here are a few ac system repair issues to consider.

A Faulty Thermostat

If there's no cool air flowing through the vents, go check the thermostat. There's a chance it has run out of batteries, which would cause it not to communicate properly with the air conditioner and turn it on. You can typically change the batteries just by removing the thermostat from its mount on the wall and then popping new batteries into place. If your thermostat is hard-wired, then batteries can't be the issue -- but there might be a problem with the electrical connection. Check to make sure the circuit has not flipped. If the circuit is on but the thermostat is not on, this could mean there's a short in a wire or that one wire has become disconnected -- an issue any electrician or HVAC contractor should be able to fix.

Blocked Ducts

Let the air conditioner run, and then feel in front of each duct to see whether there is cold air coming out. If cold air is coming out of some ducts, but not others, then you may have an obstruction in the ducts. Animals like squirrels sometimes build nests in ducts. Children may also shove things down through the vents, and those items can create obstructions. An HVAC contractor can reach into the ducts and remove these items for improved airflow.

A Dirty Filter

Depending on how you look at it, this one might be considered a problem within the air conditioner -- but it's not an issue with any of the AC unit's motorized parts. If you let the filter get too dirty before replacing it, then your air conditioner may struggle to circulate air through the filter. The fix for this could not be simpler. You just pull the old filter out and put a new one in place; the air should flow freer, so your home should cool off a lot faster.

About Me
It's More Important Than You Think

I used to routinely get calls from HVAC contractors in my area offering annual maintenance contracts. As soon they would identify themselves, I would quickly say no thank you and hang up. After all, my heating and cooling system was working fine. Why would I spend money on services I clearly didn't need? Boy was I wrong! A few years ago, my AC unit suddenly stopped working. I called my HVAC contractor to have it repaired and assumed that my warranty would pick up the bill. That was until I learned my warranty was voided due to a lack of maintenance. Out of nowhere, my decision to ignore those maintenance calls was about to cost me more than a $1,000. I know there are others out there like me. It is my hope that this site will provide them with the knowledge they need to avoid the mistakes I made.

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