An AC unit is a built-in appliance that cools and dehumidifies your home. If it malfunctions or breaks down, it will affect the temperature in your home and, thus, the comfort level of yourself, family members, or guests living there. Here are some helpful tips to ensure the AC unit is working correctly.

Start by Checking the Outside Unit

First things first, make sure the air conditioner itself is working. You will only want to call a technician in for the inside portion of your AC if the outside part is fixed. Before calling a technician, please inspect your outdoor unit and ensure it is secure and grounded. You wouldn’t want one of your AC units to fall or become ungrounded during use and risk causing injury to someone or damage to your home. Make sure all the components of your unit are working correctly. You can look for loose wires, broken vents, or leaking fluids. If you notice an issue, call an air conditioning technician to repair it immediately.

Turn Off All Power to the Unit

If you are working on the inside of your air conditioning unit, you must ensure power is turned off first. Find the circuit breaker in your fuse box and turn off the power to the breaker connected to your AC unit. This will ensure your AC doesn’t accidentally kick back on while working on it and cause injury or damage.

Examine Your Thermostat

The thermostat is what tells your AC unit to turn on or off. If it is broken, it will not work properly. Make sure it functions correctly by looking at the timer and t-stat dials. See if you can adjust the dials to manipulate the temperature setting on the air conditioning unit. You should be able to change the temperature up or down by using the dials. If you cannot adjust these controls, consider installing a new thermostat in your home.

Check the Outside Fan Blades and Wiring

Your AC unit likely has fan blades that are rusted or damaged. These blades will not conduct cool air to the unit’s condenser, which will, in turn, cause it to malfunction. You may need to replace the blade if it is heavily damaged or rusty. If you notice any damage on the outside unit, call a technician immediately to have that repaired professionally.

Change the Air Filter

The air filter captures dust, lint, and other debris in your house and directs it outside the AC unit. If this filter isn’t working correctly, you may notice dirt build-up in your air conditioning unit. This could cause it to malfunction or not work correctly at all. To fix this issue, change the air filter inside your AC unit. This should return the unit to the total capacity.

Air conditioning is an essential part of your home. It is probably a piece of machinery, but it comes with risks. Even though air conditioners have safety features, a broken or malfunctioning one could injure or damage your home and its contents. To improve the safety and comfort of your home’s AC unit, you should ensure everything works correctly by adequately caring for the outside unit and maintaining the inside portion.