Aircon Repair Guide For Dummies

It is quite normal for almost all homes to have some kind of air-conditioning system. Whether it is summer or winter, life could become one big challenge if these appliances are not up and running. While new air conditioners will not generally pose much of a problem, as they age they are bound to have some issues cropping up every now and then. While major problems can be addressed only by qualified and experienced technicians, there are some simple tricks and tips, which if learnt, could be very helpful in setting air cons right without having to wait for the mechanic to arrive. Hence over the next few lines we will try and find out the various aircon repairing and troubleshooting tips which could come in very handy to say the least.

Understand The Major Parts
As an end user, you would be doing yourself a world of good if you had some basic idea about the major parts of an air conditioner. This will help you to identify the areas where the problem could be lying. Otherwise even if you have some DIY tricks in your bag, you would be beating around the bush not knowing where to start and where to look for the problem. We all know that the main job or air conditioner is to cool the indoor air or heat it, if needed. Air conditioners can heat only if they have a heating pump. However, cooling is what air conditioners are built for. They do so with the help of a technology called thermostat. The main parts of an air conditioner are as follows.

Compressor Thermostat Machine. Evaporator Condenser &Expansion Valve
The main role of compressor is to pressurize the refrigerant. The refrigerant is in the form of a gas which is received by the evaporator. The role of condenser is also important because it helps in facilitating of heat transfer. The evaporator helps in regulating the flow of refrigerant which is required for cooling the air. The compressor performs the role of a pump which gives adequate pressure to the refrigerant. Additionally there are other parts too which are of significance. However, understand the function of these basic spare parts will help you to troubleshoot to a large extent. It will help you guide through the various events and situations which could help you to repair some minor problems with your air conditioner.

Here is a look at some common complaints as far as air conditioners are concerned. Let us look at each one of them and find out how it could be handled perhaps without the help of technicians.


Air conditioner not working –
This is one of the most common complaints which we come across. Before rushing and calling the technicians, it would be better to check the power source and ensure that the unit is properly plugged in. Blown fuse or a circuit breaker which is trapped could also be the reason for the AC machine not working. Repairing the fuse and releasing the trapped circuit breaker could solve the problem.

Not Enough Cooling –
Your air conditioner might be running but it may not be cooling to the extent you desire or the extent it is supposed to. You could set the thermostat a bit lower (perhaps by 5 degrees). If this does not fix the problem, you could try and clean the evaporator which could be clogged and dirty. This should solve the problem in six out of ten cases.

The Units Shut Off Repeatedly –
This is another common problem which we come across as far as air conditioning machines are concerned. This happens when the condenser is clogged or if the evaporator is dirty. If you spend some time cleaning the entire unit, thoroughly including the evaporator and condenser the problems should be resolved.

Centralized Air Conditioning Systems With Ducts
The above might work or single unit air conditioners but when it comes to centralized air conditioning systems, the role of the ducts and heating and ventilation systems also have a big role to play. As dummies or as end use customers, it is virtually impossible for you to repair the same without the help of technicians and experts. However, here also there are some useful and time tested DIY tips which you could find useful and of utility. Ice on the coils could be a big reason why centralized units may not be able to clean to the extent desired. In such situations, it would be better to turn off the power. If possible, you could change or clean the filter. Cleaning the condensate drain could also be helpful. The ice around the coils should be allowed to melt and this is possible only if the air conditioner is kept switched off for a couple of hours. The outdoor compressor should also be cleaned and the dust should be removed.

The above are a few examples where things perhaps can be handled by the customers themselves without having to take the help of technicians and engineers. However, it may not be always possible for you to set your air conditioners set with DIY ways and means. Therefore you must know where to call in technicians to set things right. When you need to go in for thorough water wash of your air conditioners then instead of settling for DIY aircon repair ways and means it would be better to call up technicians rather than damaging the unit further. Even if the unit starts working through your own efforts, it would be advisable to have the entire unit checked by experts so that you know that your methods of repair are proper and that you have not damaged any unit whatsoever.

Conclusion
Hence at the end of the day, while there could be some simple techniques, ways and means by which even dummies can set AC machines right, you should know where to draw the line. At the end of the day you are dealing with a complicated machine and therefore you should not take risks which are unnecessary and which could cost you heavy in terms of damage to the unit. Leakage of cooling refrigerants could be a major problem and therefore you must be wary of these at all points of time.