Common But Surprising Problems With a Home's Air Conditioner

Your home's central air conditioner should run continuously and without problems for years, but of course you will eventually have some problems with it as parts break down. This can mean that the air conditioner stops working altogether, but in some cases, you may simply be experiencing problems with how it cools or how it operates. Note a few common but surprising problems with a home's air conditioner that you might want to discuss with a repairperson from a service like Aircompliance Airconditioning Pty Ltd, so they know where to start looking for broken parts and so you can know what to expect by way of repair bills.

1. The temperature never seems to be right

If the air conditioner comes on but doesn't seem to shut off as it should, or it gets very warm in the home before the unit switches on, the problem is often going to be found in the thermostat and how it communicates with the air conditioner. If the thermostat is not reading the room temperature correctly or not sending signals back to the air conditioner, it may shut off or start up when it shouldn't. 

The thermostat may need recalibrating or replacing, or it may be that the wiring between it and the air conditioner unit has become damaged or frayed. You might check the air conditioner unit and see if there are any exposed wires or, if you're familiar with how to check the internal electrical panel, look for damaged wires there.

2. The air seem to trickle out the vents

If the air coming out of the vents is cold but there is no force or pressure to the air, this is usually a problem with the blower or fan. The motor of the air conditioning unit is pushing air over the refrigerant to cool it, but the fan is what pushes this cool air into your home. First note if you can hear anything coming from the unit and if it's a bumping noise, this may mean that something is lodged inside and is getting in the way of the fan blades. If you hear a humming or whirring noise, this often means the fan itself is simply breaking down. 

3. The air smells bad

A burning smell may mean that the motor or blower of the air conditioner is breaking down and this smell travels with the air into your home. A musty or mildew smell often means that the unit is not draining properly and condensation is gathering mildew; this mildew is making its way into your home with the air and the problem should be addressed quickly.