A Hot Time In Chicago! Is Your AC Keeping You Cool?

Restricted air flow is the biggest reason your AC isn’t keeping you cool.

I never watched Cartoon Network and never heard of Bloo. That is until someone shared this clip of Bloo with me: https://youtu.be/L_IlsPypwZs. Now, whenever someone says, “It’s hot!” guess what comes to mind? every. single. time. Yep. Bloo going on about how, “It’s hot in Topeka!”

There’s been plenty of hot weather lately to prove your AC’s ability or inability for keeping you cool. Is it working? Maybe it is working, but is it having troubles doing its job efficiently? If the latter describes your uncomfortable situation, you need to address it right away. It’s a safe bet you’re losing money.

Common AC problems

There are lots of common AC problems but most of them occur for one of two reasons:

1. Your AC just needs to be cleaned
2. Coolant levels are low

Why your AC might not be keeping you cool

Set your thermostat to “Cool” (at least 3 degrees below the current room temperature). Your central air conditioner should turn on automatically because the thermostat is signaling the need for cool air. (Find out how you can get a FREE Nest Wi-fi thermostat now!)

If your AC is totally lifeless, this could be why:

Your AC unit isn’t receiving power.

• Is the switch in the furnace or air handler and the outdoor condenser and the compressor’s 240-volt disconnect all on?

• You may have a tripped breaker or a blown fuse.

When a breaker trips repeatedly, it’s possible there’s a short in the compressor, capacitor or fan motor. You’ll need to call Blue Frost Heating & Cooling to solve this problem.

• Your thermostat may be faulty. Find out how to check whether or not your thermostat is faulty here.

• If the compressor’s capacitor is dead, your AC unit is dead. Capacitors are easy to test, cheap to buy and easy to fix. Watch this video to see what a capacitor is and how easy and cheap they are to test: https://youtu.be/TFa6JfVu3B4

If there’s life, but your AC isn’t keeping you cool, this could be why:

Can you hear your AC running? Is it cooling like it should be? If not, make sure the air filters, registers and the compressor are clean and that there is nothing preventing good air flow. Reduced air flow is usually the problem your AC is running but not cooling as it should.

• The filter needs to be cleaned or changed. SeeHow to Replace Furnace & AC Filters.

• There may be ice on the coils of the inside evaporator. A kinked refrigerant line or blower fan that isn’t working correctly can prevent your AC from keeping you cool.

• A clogged condensate drain. Algae can form and block the condensate drain over time.

• Your AC’s condensation pump may be broken.

• The outdoor condenser coils are dirty. Air flow to the outdoor compressor could be blocked by debris and bushes, a dirty squirrel cage blower or a broken fan motor.

• The outdoor compressor fins are dirty.

• The compressor’s motor needs to be lubricated.

• The belt that connects the motor to move air may have broken or the blower motor may need to be replaced.

What if the AC works, but it won’t turn off? This could be why:

• The evaporator coil may be covered with dirt and debris.

• Your thermostat is not working correctly and needs to be replaced.

• The contacts on the outdoor run relay have welded together over time. If this is the problem, the contacts should be replaced soon.

If your AC unit isn’t keeping you cool, call Blue Frost Heating & Cooling. We have the training, certification and all the tools needed to repair or maintain your AC unit quickly and efficiently. If the coolant needs to be recharged, this is not something you can do yourself. It must be done by an HVAC pro.

Whether you own a Trane, Goodman, York, Rheem, or Carrier, all HVAC systems need to be maintained to work efficiently, save energy and money and serve you well for a long, long time.

Keeping you cool. It’s what your AC is supposed to do. If not, call Blue Frost Heating & Cooling at (630) 444-0860 for HVAC maintenance or repair today.