Summer means hotter weather and, to stay cool, relying on your air conditioner. If you notice a difference in the cooling your AC unit is providing, or you notice frozen refrigerant lines or water leaking near the indoor unit, here is a list of things to check.

1. Check the Thermostat
2. Check Furnace Filter
3. Check for Obstructed Vents
4. Check the Condenser

Check the Thermostat

The first and easy check to make is at the thermostat. Make sure the system setting or mode wasn’t accidentally changed for cool or auto to off. If you have your fan setting list to “ON” to circulate air non-stop the fan will still run, but when the air conditioner should kick on it won’t.

While checking the system setting check to see if your thermostat has any notifications or warnings listed.

Check Furnace Filter

A dirty coil can greatly restrict airflow through your heating and cooling system. If not changed regularly the restriction can become so bad that it causes the indoor coil to freeze.

Check for Obstructed Vents

Check throughout the home to see that all the supply vents and return air vents are not obstructed. If too many vents are either closed off or blocked the heating and cooling system could have issues. Furnaces and air conditioners are installed with calculated amounts of air to be moving through the system. If either part of the air flow is greatly changed issues can arise.

Check the Condenser

When the indoor temperature has gone beyond your comfort setting and you know the AC should be running, make sure it is. Walk outside to check if the compressor makes noise. Make sure that the fan is running and there aren’t any twigs, branches or other debris obstructing it.

Also check to ensure the condenser coil and fins are clean for optimal heat transfer. If you notice it is covered in dirt, dust, grass or pollen cleaning it will can help. Use the garden hose with a light spray setting to wash away the debris. Make sure not to use too much water pressure as doing so can cause the fins to flatten. If too many of the fins become flattened your cooling efficiency will be negatively affected. 

If the outdoor unit doesn’t seem to power on, make sure that the breaker on your main panel hasn’t tripped. If it has you can try resetting it, but you will want to pay attention to it. If the breaker trips again there is likely a electrical issue with your cooling that requires a technician’s review.

Call a Pro

If there isn’t a difference in your cooling after doing the previous checks and fixes call a local trust HVAC professional to perform a more indepth diagnostic. If you do have parts of the system freezing up, turn your thermostat’s system mode to “OFF” and the fan to “ON”. This will allow the system to defrost and the technician to fully inspect the system.

For cooling repair needs in the Lincoln, Nebraska are contact Bryant Air Conditioning, Heating, Electrical and Plumbing. They have highly skilled technicians ready to diagnose all cooling issues.