You probably take your AC for granted and don't think about it until it suddenly stops keeping you cool. When your air conditioner malfunctions, you may have no idea about what could be wrong. When that happens, call an air conditioning service for help.

One of the most important services they provide is troubleshooting problems. The parts in your AC work together, so when one part fails, it affects other parts. The problem with your AC may be something other than it seems. Here are some examples.

The Fan Malfunctions Due To The Capacitor

If the blower fan doesn't kick on and blow air through your home, it may seem like the fan or fan motor has gone bad. However, the problem might be with the capacitor instead. The capacitor provides a boost of power to help the fan motor start up. Without the added power, the fan struggles to start and won't be able to turn the blower fan.

The fan motor may eventually burn itself out or the AC might shut down when the motor starts overheating. A repair technician can test the capacitor and motor with a multimeter to determine which part is bad or if the problem is something else entirely such as a bad contactor or stuck blower fan.

The Refrigerant Doesn't Cool Due To Dirty Coils

When your AC won't keep you cool, you may fear there is a refrigerant leak in your system. However, your air conditioner can have trouble cooling your home even if the refrigerant is at the proper pressure. That happens when the evaporator coils are coated in dust. The dust insulates the coils and prevents warm house air from contacting the cold copper coils. This keeps the refrigerant from cooling down the air that blows out of your air conditioner.

Eventually, the refrigerant coil may ice over and limit cooling even more. The repair technician can test the level of refrigerant with a meter to see if there's a leak. They can tell by looking if the coils are dirty, so that makes it easy to identify the source of the problem. However, there are other causes for an AC not keeping you cool, so the technician may troubleshoot the condenser too just to make sure that all the parts affecting the refrigerant cycle are working.

The AC Has Weak Airflow Due To A Leaky Duct

When the air blowing out of the AC is too weak to cool your home properly, you might think you're facing an expensive repair bill. The problem might be with the ducts instead. A rip or gap in a duct lets cold air escape before it blows out the registers. Your AC may be working fine, but cool air is lost in a hot attic. The AC repair technician may check the fan first, and if it's blowing optimally and getting enough power, they can narrow down the problem to the ducts.

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