Window & Room Air Conditioner Repairs

By +Don Vandervort, HomeTips

room window mount air conditioner

In this article:

Window or Room Air Conditioner Does Not Cool
Window or Room Air Conditioner Doesn't Turn On

How to troubleshoot window and room air conditioner problems and make repairs yourself.

By Don Vandervort, HomeTips

Most problems with window and room air conditioners can be categorized under one of two symptoms: they do not cool sufficiently or they do not turn on at all. Here is a closer look at how to troubleshoot and repair these issues. 

Window or Room Air Conditioner Doesn’t Cool

A window or room air conditioner that doesn’t cool may need to be recharged with refrigerant, but the chances are good it simply needs to be cleaned. You can do this yourself, which involves disassembling the unit, or you can call an air-conditioning professional. Before attempting the work yourself, consult your owner’s manual and make sure you have the right skills and tools to handle the task. Here is what a typical manual advises:

1) Unplug the unit and carefully remove it from the window or wall. Put the air conditioner somewhere outdoors or in the garage where you can work on it.

2) Remove the grille and filter and unscrew the metal case (taking care not to damage the coil’s fins).window air conditioner parts

3) Wash the filter thoroughly or replace it with a new filter; most filters are readily available at most appliance stores.

4) Using a vacuum with a soft brush attachment, clean the coil’s fins.

5) Then, from the fan side, spray water back through the fins (protect the wiring and the motor with plastic).

6) Clean the unit up with a rag, making sure all drains that allow condensed water to drip away from the unit are open. Allow it to dry thoroughly.

7) While you have the unit apart, lubricate the motor according to your owner’s manual.

8) Finally, reassemble and reinstall the unit.

Window or Room Air Conditioner Doesn’t Turn On

Window and room air conditioners draw a lot of electrical power, which can lead to less than peak performance or even complete failure. If your room air conditioner doesn’t turn on:

1) Be sure the unit is plugged in and turned on.

2) Check that the outlet works by plugging in a light that works (only for standard-voltage models—do not plug a light into a 220/240- volt receptacle).

3) If the light doesn’t go on, the circuit has probably overloaded—check the electric panel or fuse box and reset the breaker or replace the fuse.

4) If the light works, it’s likely that the air conditioner’s switch is faulty or the thermostat needs adjustment or repair.

5) Be sure the thermostat is set to “cool” and below room temperature.

6) Refer to the owner’s manual for thermostat repair. If repairing the thermostat doesn’t solve the problem, unplug the unit and call an air conditioner technician.


Copyright © 1997-2012, Don Vandervort, HomeTips, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.




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