During a scorching Canadian summer, the last thing you need is a problem with your air conditioner. But while
some issues are definitely best left to AC repair professionals, you’d be surprised how many can be solved with a
simple fix — saving you both time and money. We’ve put together a handy guide to the most common AC
problems and how you can solve them yourself at home.
Common AC Problems
It’s easy to panic when something goes wrong with your air conditioner, thinking it’ll be complicated, dangerous or
expensive to fix. But most of the time, your issue will turn out to be pretty common and nothing to worry about.
Some of the most frequent AC problems can include:
● Not turning on
● Not turning off
● No cool air flowing
● Water or other liquid leaking from unit
● Strange noises
● Unusual or unpleasant smells
Let’s take a look at some of the easiest ways you can fix these problems yourself, without having to call in the
experts.
- Set Your Thermostat Correctly
If you’re experiencing a problem with your AC, one of the first things you should check is whether you’ve set your
thermostat correctly. You wouldn’t believe how many potential problems are simply caused by the thermostat
being set to “heat” rather than “cool!”
For your air conditioner to function properly, the unit should be set to “cool” and the temperature should be at
least 3 to 5 degrees lower than the temperature outside. The fan should also be set to “auto” rather than “on” so
that it doesn’t end up blowing hot air when the cooling system is not running. Note that it may take several hours to cool down a warm house in the summer, so be patient when trying this method out.
- Look for Tripped Circuit Breakers
If your AC simply won’t turn on, don’t panic. The answer may be as simple as a broken fuse. Head to your fuse box
and see if any of the switches are in the “off” position. If they are, it means the circuit breaker has tripped. Try
flicking the switch back to “on” and see if this gets the AC working.
If this happens more than once, or the breaker trips as soon as the air conditioner comes back on, that’s a sign of a wider electrical problem. In that case, you should keep your AC unit switched off and contact a licensed electrician as soon as possible.