It doesn't take long for your home to get hot and stuffy when the air conditioner stops working. You want repairs done quickly. Fortunately, it's often possible to get emergency or same-day repairs done on an AC, which is good because there isn't a lot you can do to repair an air conditioner yourself unless you know what you're doing. One thing everyone can do is check the filter to make sure it is not caked with dust and clogging up the AC. Here are some other things that might be wrong with your air conditioner and how they're repaired.

There Is Ice On The Coils

The coils on your AC can ice over if the coils are dirty or if the refrigerant is low. The first step in solving this problem is to turn off the AC so the coils can thaw out. Then, the coils can be cleaned off if they are coated with dust or dirt. If you come home and find ice on your air conditioner, you may want to go ahead and call for a service appointment, but the ice must be melted and gone before repair work can be done. Luckily, that usually doesn't take too long in the summer.

The Refrigerant Is Low

Low refrigerant can definitely affect how well your AC works since the refrigerant is what chills the air. Low refrigerant is a sign of another problem because the level shouldn't change under normal circumstances. Therefore, topping off the refrigerant isn't really a fix because it will just leak out again. Instead, the leak has to be found and repaired before new refrigerant is added. There are regulations in place concerning filling and disposing of refrigerant so this is a job for an air conditioning repair technician to complete.

The Electrical System Is Damaged

Your AC has a lot of moving parts. One of them is the electrical system that drives the motor and fan. The fuses or capacitor can go bad. If the outdoor condenser isn't running, these parts of the electrical system should be checked and replaced if they are defective. Checking them may require special tools and skills. If you work on the condenser yourself, be sure to turn off the power to the unit first. For the most safety to you and your equipment, let an experienced contractor make repairs to your AC's electrical system.

The Fan Is Malfunctioning

The outdoor condenser cage houses the fan. It can malfunction sometimes and need to be repaired. One problem is bent fan blades. If something strikes the cage and pushes through the fins, a blade might get bent out of shape. It only takes a little bend to make the fan scrape against metal and make loud noises. This puts stress on the fan and can wear it down. Also, the fan motor itself can wear out and need to be replaced.

In addition to these mechanical problems, don't forget to check for simple problems that are easy to overlook. These include blocked vents and closed registers, a blown electrical circuit, and rips or gaps in ducts that let chilled air escape into the attic.

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