Roberts Mechanical

The best thing you can do for your A/C is provide maintenance. The systems in your home are just like your body systems: Routine checkups keep them healthy, and the earlier problems are caught, the easier and less expensive they are to solve. However, that is of little comfort to homeowners who put maintenance on the back burner and are now facing a problem. Summer is fast approaching, and every homeowner deserves to be cool and comfortable.

A/C systems are associated with a few common complaints, and in some instances the fixes are fast and affordable (or even free if you’re handy!). If the air condenser is not working, make sure the unit is actually plugged in — it sounds silly, but it happens more often that you might think. You may also have a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker, so reset your home power to check. Alternatively, the thermostat setting might have been changed accidentally (or intentionally by your cold-blooded housemates), so try lowering the settings by five degrees and listen for the condenser to kick in. If that does not work, it is probably a bad compressor or motor, which requires expert care.

You. Be. Cool.

This is more than a famous Quentin Tarantino line — it should also be your mantra in the summer. Air that isn’t cool enough for you is air conditioning that doesn’t work. Try the five-degree trick again, and if that does not work, you might have a dirty evaporator. Homeowners can clean this safely themselves, or you can get a pro to do it. If that does not solve the problem, the A/C unit itself might not be the right size for your home. Bear in mind that A/C units are not miracle workers. Very hot days (100+ degrees) might mean that your home cannot remain a chilly 62 degrees. Number of windows, insulation and other factors are also at play.

Cool Runnings

You hear the A/C running, but no cool air comes out. Again, check the condenser. Weeds, debris and grass might be the only problem. However, a broken compressor also might be the culprit, or low refrigerant. Finally, if you find your A/C has a mind of its own, turning on and off on whims, you could have evaporator or unit trouble. These scenarios require the attention of an expert to be remedied.

The good news is that many times, a cleaning is all an A/C system needs to work flawlessly. Homeowners can do this themselves, or it can be part of a routine maintenance call. Most importantly, simply make sure to schedule annual or bi-annual inspections, particularly in the spring. After all, what is the point of having air conditioning if it doesn’t work at 100 percent?

To keep your home cool this summer, call Roberts Mechanical for routine maintenance that will keep your air conditioning unit running in tip-top shape.