Comments on: Central Air Conditioner Not Working? Simple Troubleshooting Steps

By: Tom Coffee

Tom Coffee — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:53:09 +0000

Margaret,

It sounds like your fan is blowing (that’s what you’re hearing in the hallway) but your AC condenser has a problem with it. It could be an outside fuse, it could be something more serious. If the fan is working then at least part of your thermostat is also working. You may want to call a technician if you don’t have any other options.

Let us know what the problem is when you find out!

By: Margaret

Margaret — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 23:35:20 +0000

My outside condenser fan is not working but my return in my hall is because I can hear it. No cool air at all checked the breakers multiple times.

Thanks

By: Felix

Felix — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 05:29:15 +0000

My house A/C failed a couple days ago, and I called for someone to check. The guy checked the A/C and found evaporator coil having some ice on the lower quarter part. He told me there probably is a leakage there. Later I asked why the fluid freon line is cool and have water on it, but the bigger freon line feel not cool. He checked again, called his boss, and concluded there’s something inside the evaporator coil blocking the freon. I googled and found some people say it’s commonly due to low on freon. I called back and explained what I found online, and the boss told me that his A/C guy tried to put freon in but couldn’t due to the blockage, and they have to cut the line and blow the coil. I’m not sure whether he actually tried to charge the system. Could anybody give some suggestion? My system is about 7 years old, and the coil looks clean from outside. It’s about $500 to do what the A/C suggested. I just want to make sure I’m not getting ripped of. Thanks.

By: joe w

joe w — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 05:04:55 +0000

thanks. worked like a charm

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:25:48 +0000

I was at work when a thunderstorm came through and knocked out the power. I came home to a hot house and nothing displaying on the thermostat. I follwed these directions by turning off the thermostat and breaker. Waited a couple minutes and turned them back on and to my surprise, the temperature was displayed on the thermostat. I turned it on to auto and the AC came back on in a few minutes. THANK YOU for this information. It saved me a hot night without AC and a service charge for someone to check it.

By: Stephanie O

Stephanie O — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:54:17 +0000

My A/C stopped working a few days ago and I tried pretty much all I could that you’ve suggested. What does it mean if air (not cold air) is still blowing out of the vents even though my thermostat AND the breakers are switched off? Am I missing a switch? If so, where would it be located? Thanks!

By: Troy

Troy — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:00:10 +0000

My central ac unit quit and was frozen (lines to the outdoor compressor frosted, etc). My filter was very dirty and blocking the air flow which contributed to the problem. I also discovered that the blower in the bottom of the furnace would not start. Long story short I needed a new filter and a new run capacitor on the indoor blower. Total cost was about $25 for both. I discovered the run capacitor problem when I noticed the fan would run if I started spinning it by hand and replaced the bottom panel on the furnace. Once it was spinning the motor would keep it blowing. Apparently the blower motor need the capacitor for startup only.

By: Marcus

Marcus — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 22:19:27 +0000

Thank you so much, I took your advice and turned it off from the thermostat as well as the circuit breaker. I turned it back on and I heard it humming outside and saw the fan was not moving. I turned off the circuit breaker again and went out and spun the fan a little and turned it back on. Now it is working, not sure why fan did not seem tight.. In any case it is working at the moment.. PS also the filter is very dirty I did remove it as well.. need to replace..

By: Ed

Ed — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 21:12:35 +0000

Just had a problem with my Central Air Unit , lastnite it was 103 an my Fan on my Lennox just went out . I ran to YouTube videos an found out the issue , I tested the Thermostat , then the Fuses BAM it was the Fuse’s I cut everything off ran to Lowes an in Minutes it cut right on.. Price 11.95$ for two Fuse’s . Great !!! I learn sumthing new today ;-) Ed

By: carrie

carrie — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:38:23 +0000

When I turn on ac it starts to turn on n then makes a humming sound n turns off. I went up in attic when the motor is and it has a hard time keeping power to turn. It makes humming sound n stops turning. The fan outside works. Why would it stop turning?

By: natalia rodriguez

natalia rodriguez — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:55:49 +0000

my ac’s reset button is not working? what should i do?

By: http://www.homeimprovementsdepot.com

http://www.homeimprovementsdepot.com — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 01:32:17 +0000

Okay… a few quick comments:

1. If your AC was working great and then suddenly stopped then it’s most likely (but not guaranteed) to be a fuse or a breaker. Fuses do sometimes need to be replaced. If you’re finding that your AC is tripping a breaker pretty regularly then you might need to have an electrician come in and take a good look at what’s causing the problem.

2. For some of the less consistent mysterious problems that revolve around systems working for a while and then stopping you could always call in an impartial AC repair company (not the one that installed the unit) and try to get a second opinion. I had a new central AC installed about 4 years ago and had intermittent problems for several months. I called in two different repair companies before one finally diagnosed a loose switch on one of the electronics boards. He actually wiggled it and the system turned off. A little solder and it’s been working ever since.

Another option would be to skip the HVAC repair company and try calling in an electrician with HVAC experience. Sometimes a second (or third opinion) and a new set of eyes is all that’s needed to solve those difficult-to-diagnose AC problems.

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 17:27:06 +0000

I have the same problem as Nichole….I don’t see a response…Does anyone have a clue? Thanks

By: bertha

bertha — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:42:55 +0000

im having issues lately with my fan on my unit staying on even after we shut it off in the house at the thermostat…ended up shutting off the power supply to the unit out side to get it to stop…any idea’s?

By: Joselyne Hernandez

Joselyne Hernandez — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:59:49 +0000

ok so when I turn on my Ac,in a few minutes it turns off by itself,then it turns on again and repeats the cycle.I dont know why it does that when the house is still hot.The filter is fine and the thermostat doesnt need batteries.We had a repair guy come here and “supposably” fix it but its still the same. The other thing is that only 4 out of the 10 rooms in our house gets air.Can you tell me whats due to that?

By: Leah

Leah — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:27:51 +0000

My thermostat clicks as usual when it needs to trigger the a/c to come on but nothing happens inside or outside. Everything worked just fine last night. I’ve tried your tips with new batteries and flipping the breaker for 15 min but it didn’t work. New therm needed perhaps? Its only 2 yrs old, digital, and its been a great lil unit until today!!

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:53:40 +0000

My house is cooled by an electronic thermostat. The condenser unit is outside, and I can feel the electricity coming into the unit (it hums). But I have no air coming through the vents other than a fan blowing what little cool air there is. I reset the breaker in basement, and also pulled out and put back the outside breaker. Still getting nothing. The condenser doesn’t run so I have no cool air coming in. Any ideas as to what the problem might be?

By: sheila

sheila — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:36:07 +0000

My fan and air conditioner outside working thermostat replaced inside last year.Air not cooling inside house,thermostat set on 70, it says its 78 in house.Unit is 15 to 20 yrs old,,help…

By: Reena

Reena — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:34:03 +0000

Hello,

We have central ac and it worked fine last year and this year when we try to switch on the ac it works fine and cools the house but after 4-5hours it starts making strange noise.Please suggest what can be done to rectify this

By: linda

linda — Tue, 31 May 2011 02:55:25 +0000

central air unit frezzing outside have to turn off for 1 hr. will start workink again???