Troubleshooting

United Air Conditioning of Central Florida, Inc.

HVAC Troubleshooting - What You Should Do Before You Call for Service

Air conditioner adjustments and repairs should be done by professionals. An air conditioning unit is much more complex than it seems. There are refrigerant gases, brazing joints, compressors, fans, coils, fins, electrical starters, thermostats, overload switches, filters, dryers, lubricating oil, drain pans, insulation, mountings, control systems, remote sensing, and many other components that only a professional should handle.

Never Remove Any Panels of Any of Your HVAC Systems Unless You Are a Licensed HVAC Professional

When should I call a professional? - About 1-2% of the calls we get could have been solved by the homeowner without the help of a professional. There are some simple things you can do before calling a service technician that might save you the expense of a service call.

• Check your circuit breakers - Make sure that the circuit breakers for the air conditioner and heater in the electrical service panel are “on” and that none of the fuses has blown. If the circuit breakers or the fuses blow for the second time, do not reengage as the problem could be serious. Consult a professional like those of United Air Conditioning of Central Florida, Inc.
• Check for the correct settings on your thermostat - You would be surprised to know just how many calls are made to us due to incorrect settings on the thermostat. Remember, if you want air conditioning, make sure the thermostat is set below room temperature, and the system switch is in the “cool” or “auto” position. If you want heating, make sure the thermostat is set above room temperature and the system is set to “heat” or “auto” position. The fan switch should be set to the “on” position for continuous fan operation or “auto” for the blower to work only when the unit is active.
• Check for obstructed airflow - Make sure that the air filters are clean, there is nothing blocking the return air, and all the ceiling grills are open and unobstructed.
• Decide if you need professional maintenance or repair - Your home comfort system (HVAC) should be professionally serviced at least once a year (We recommend that heat pump systems are serviced twice a year) by a properly trained service technician. They can make sure your system works safely, gives you top-notch performance, and runs more efficiently to add life to your system. Properly diagnosing an HVAC takes expensive specialty tools, testing equipment, and most importantly, proper training and experience. Some people who have mechanical knowledge and access to tools might think that they can repair their own unit. However, most of them will realize that this is the costliest way of doing the job because HVAC systems have sensitive and expensive parts, which can be damaged from improper servicing. Also, there are chances of someone getting hurt.

If these above-mentioned procedures don’t solve the problem, call United Air Conditioning of Central Florida, Inc. for service.