Logo of comfort time heating and cooling featuring seasonal symbols and a maple leaf.
Over 687 / Five Star Reviews

★★★★★

New Installation

Free Estimate

We Can Be There Today!

562-273-2903

$49 Service Call

562-273-2903

7 Ways To Fix Your Air Conditioning For DIY

Most Air Conditioning Systems Can Be Fixed For Less Than $10

Hey there, if your Air Conditioning is acting up and you’re looking to get that cool comfort back without breaking the bank, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the basics of DIY air conditioning system fixes. Before we get started, though, a little disclaimer: Safety is your number one priority here. Messing around with electrical stuff can be risky business. If you’re not comfortable or it’s way out of your league, it might be best to give a pro a call.

Alright, let’s get into it. One of the most common A/C problems is due to a lack of maintenance. So, if you’ve been slacking in the upkeep department, you might be in for a little DIY adventure.

Before You Start:

  • Please use common sense and work to your ability.  An Air Conditioning system can be hazardous under the covers.
  • If you don’t understand any of the moving parts or the terms we’re using, repairing might be best done by a professional.
  • Every important to always double check when you’re turning on or turning off the power to your air conditioning unit.
  • It’s very easy to forget if you turned off your air conditioning unit or turned it back on and get shocked (it happened to me).
  • Make sure to remember the process that you did, so if you do need to call a qualified air conditioning repair contractor, you can lead the technician in the right direction.
  • We’ve come across plenty of homeowners that wanted to “D.I.Y.” and made more problems that didn’t exist in the first place.

Declaimer:  Our guide is super simple and doesn’t cover any technical situations or hard repairs.

1) Check The Filter

Your A/C needs to breath clean air!

  • Replace the filter to prevent cooling issues to your air conditioning unit.
  • The filter will be inside the furnace, your furnace can be located either in your attic, closet or in the hallway.
  • You should change the filter at least twice a year.
  • We can do this for you.

2) Check The Thermostat

If the thermostat is not working, your not going to get comfortable.

  • If you have an old thermostat with no batteries, make sure you hear the click sound when you turn it on. If you don’t hear a click sound, you may need a new thermostat.
  • If you have a digital thermostat, you should replace the batteries.
  • If you replace the batteries or can’t install a new one and the thermostat is blank, check the power or replace the thermostat.

3) Check The Ducts

Your duct work can either be in the attic or walls.

  • Check the duct work in the attic or the basement.
  • Having clogged duct work or broken duct work can cause a lot of issues.
  • You can fix small tears with duct tape.

4) Check The Power To The Furnace

No power, no comfort!

  • Make sure the furnace has power, without power to the furnace it will not blow air throughout your home or office.
  • The furnace without power will cause your air conditioning to not receive signal to turn on.
  • Make sure your outlet has power, you can check this by plugging in a small electronic device like a phone charger.
  • If there is no power coming out of your outlet, reset your breakers at the power panel and check for power again.

5) Check The Power To The Condenser

The condenser is 99% always found outside.

  • Use the thermostat to turn on the air conditioning system.
  • Go to the air conditioning unit and see if it turns on.
  • If it does not turn on, check the fuses.
  • The fuses are found on the wall inside a “4×10″ box usually.
  • You can replace the fuses for less than $10.

6) Check The Power To The Power Panel

Check the breaks one at a time.

  • If you replaced the fuses on the condenser, you would check the main power panel.
  • Find the A/C breaker inside the main power panel.
  • If it’s not listed, most A/C units use more then 30 AMPS breakers.
  • Reset the breaker by turning it off and on.

7) Wash Down The Condenser

Be sure not to wet any of the electrical!

  • If your unit is on but is not cooling, try to wash down the condenser.
  • A dirty condenser can cause significant problems to the air conditioning system.
  • Turn the unit off first.
  • Get the water hose and rinse off the entire unit except for the electrical.
  • Turn the unit back on and see if it makes a difference.