Sometimes our electrical appliances break down or don’t work as they should. Before reaching for the phone to call your local tradesman, you can always try some troubleshooting of your own. Not only can this save you a little bit of cash, but you may find the solution is quite an easy fix. If you’ve found your air conditioner isn’t running as it should, perhaps you can try one of our troubleshooting tips to get to the bottom of the issue and work out whether you need an air conditioning technician or not.
Air conditioner won’t turn on
An air conditioner that won’t turn on could mean your circuit breaker has tripped. The last thing you want to happen is to call your local air conditioning technician out only to find the solution was to just flick the breaker back on.
To check this yourself, go to your homes switchboard and check for any circuit breakers that have switched themselves off. Hopefully your circuit breakers have been labelled. If they have, look for one that says “air conditioner”. If it’s off, switch it on and try to turn your air conditioner on again.
If the circuit breaker trips again, call your air conditioning technician to come and take a look. It could be a sign that you have a larger electrical problem at hand.
Cooling not working
You’d be surprised how many times we’ve been called out to inspect an air conditioner that wasn’t cooling, only to find the controller was still on the heating mode. If the season has just changed, remember to check you’ve switched the setting over.
If you’re unsure how to do this, check your controller manual for instructions.
If you have a multi split system make sure both or all of your systems are set to the same mode.
A low air flow
If you’ve noticed your air conditioner has a lower air flow than usual and doesn’t seem to be cooling or heating as effectively as it once did, you may have a dirty filter or a blocked cross flow fan.
The fan
If you look up inside your air conditioning system and notice dirt over the cross flow fan (your fan blade) do not clean it or stick anything inside the unit.
The filter
Air conditioning filters keep your air clean and cool. If your filter is dirty, you’ll notice a build up of dust, dirt and grime. This can also cause mould issues through your air conditioner.
Your local air conditioning technician carries out a filter clean every time they maintain your air conditioner.
Book a maintenance for your air conditioning system
Electricity bill is higher than last year
Did your electricity bill just shock you? It may be because of your air conditioner. A dirty filter could actually be the cause of this. This is because your air conditioner is working harder than it’s used to. If your filters blocked the air conditioning systems thermostat might struggle to read the correct temperature, therefore the outdoor unit is running longer and harder than needed.
Leaking water
The water you are seeing here is condensation. When your air conditioner cools the air, it’s also dehumidifying it. Refrigerant inside the air conditioner evaporator coils absorbs heat and moisture from warm air. This moisture collects on the evaporator coils and drips into a condensate tray. Eventually the water from the tray is pushed into a drain and taken outside of the home.
It’s not ideal, but sometimes your air conditioner can leak this water into your home. If this is happening, turn your air conditioner off so no water damage is caused and no electrical parts get damaged.
There are many reasons this can happen including:
A broken condensate tray - An old and rusted tray will need to be replaced. It’s best to get your local air conditioning technician in to replace this for you. They will know the correct type and size.
A broken condensate pump - The pump may need to be repaired or replaced. Like the above, it’s best to get your air conditioning technician in to fix this for you.
A blocked drain - The drain that takes the water outside of the home can become blocked. Call your air conditioning technician straight away if you think this is the case and do not continue to use your air conditioning unit.
A dirty filter - A dirty air conditioning filter can lead to frozen over coils. This is because not enough warm air is passing over them, leading them to drop in temperature quickly. All of this moisture will eventually turn into ice which may cause a leak.
Air conditioner making a funny noise
If you’ve noticed your air conditioner all of a sudden isn’t sounding as it used to, there may be an underlying problem. Sometimes this can mean there is dirt or debris on the fan motors, or it could mean you have worn parts and loose bearings. If this is the case, in this circumstance it’s better to call your local air conditioning technician.
If there’s a slight tick, don't be scared to give the air conditioning unit a little tap on the left or right side of the unit. It's good to remember units are plastic and things can shift a little bit when the unit heats up or cools down.
Troubleshooting not working
If you’ve tried our troubleshooting tips above and can’t identify or fix the issue, you may be due for a new air conditioner or a service. Remember, it’s always best to leave it to a licensed, experienced professional to get the job done in the correct and safest way.
Still need help?
Book an appointment with one of our air conditioning technicians today.