Has your central air stopped working?
If you've turned on your central air conditioning and were dismayed to find out it's not cooling your house properly, there are a number of things that could be wrong. Before you call a repair service, there are a few steps you can take to determine if a central air conditioner needs a charge. By eliminating any other possible reasons for a lack of cooling, you can save money on an expensive repair call. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Start by turning on your central air and setting the thermostat for 65. Wait at least 15 minutes. If the room temperature reading has not moved, or has gone up, you need to diagnose the problem.
2. Check to see if the fan is functioning. While the unit is on, go outside and look at the central air unit. If you cannot see a fan turning, the motor may have burned out. Do not stick your hands or any object into the fan to see if it is operating. If the fan is moving, go on to the next step.
3. Look at the thermostat again. Does the house feel cool? If the air temperature inside your home is measurably cooler than the outside, you may simply have a broken thermostat. While this can be checked with an Ohm meter, it is best to leave this to the professionals. If your thermostat seems to be functioning properly, go on to the next step.
4. Put your hand in front of one of your air vents. Make sure it is not the cold air return duct, but rather the vent where you will typically feel cold air entering the house. While the unit is running, put your hand over the vent. If the air feels warm, this is the best way to know if a central air conditioner needs a charge. Once you have gone through all of the above steps and narrowed it down to hot air coming out of the vents, you can be assured you are dealing with a unit that needs to have its freon charged.
5. Call your heating and cooling specialist. You should not attempt to charge the unit on your own. A specialist will be able to quickly add a freon charge to your central air conditioner and the unit will be functional in a matter of minutes.
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