Dealing With an Inadequately Cooling AC

When your air conditioner breaks down or is not performing well during times of extreme heat, waiting for an AC repair shop to come to the rescue may leave you without it for several days. In a year, Houston, TX experiences about 99 days of severe heat - temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Heat like this can cause heat stroke and even death. Older folks are particularly at risk.

Before you call an AC repair technician, there are several things that you can check and fix yourself. You may be able to get your air conditioning back in operation and save on the repair bill by looking at a few common problems with AC units.

The first thing you should check is the filter to see if it is covered with dust or other debris. This is one of the main causes of underperforming air conditioners. A dirty air filter will not only slow down the unit, but also degrades the respiratory health of the people using the system. In this case, you can simply clean the filter or replace it.

Next, look at the condenser coils and check if they are dirty and dust them off. The condenser is located at the back of the unit. Many other things can cause an AC to cool inadequately. If you can’t see quickly what is causing your AC to underperform – then go ahead and call a qualified technician specializing in AC repair. You don’t want to have a family member or yourself having a heat stroke!