No one likes uncomfortably hot weather. Fortunately, for those lucky enough to have one, a household air conditioner will keep you cool and comfortable through the hottest season. Unfortunately, air conditioners don’t run by magic; they have moving parts that will break down over time.

When air conditioners break down, repair costs can become expensive. The good news is that many air conditioners can be fixed easily without calling the repair man. For those on a budget, you should be aware of some of the common fixes for air conditioners that anyone can perform.

Common Problems with Air Conditioners

Sometimes you will need a professional to fix your air conditioner, but many times you will be able to do it yourself. The symptoms of a malfunctioning air conditioner include:

●Air conditioner doesn’t run at all

●Air conditioner running but is not cooling

●Water leaks from air-conditioner

●A noisy air-conditioner

●Air-conditioner will not turn off

●Air-conditioner will not blow air

Each of these problems requires a separate solution. When repairing your air conditioner, you will need certain tools to perform the job.

Tools you will need:

●Socket/ratchet set

●Voltage tester

●Needle nose pliers

●Nut driver

●Insulated screwdrivers

●Cordless drill

●Adjustable wrench

Some of the replacement parts you may need for your repairs include:

●Fuses

●Contactor

●Condenser fan motor

●Compressed air

●Capacitor

Once you’ve assembled these tools, you may be ready to begin your repairs. Please keep safety in mind at all times. If you have any doubts about fixing your air conditioner on your own, leave it in the hands of a professional instead.

Basic Air Conditioner Repairs

The first thing you’ll want to do is turn off your air conditioner and make sure there is no electric current going to the unit. This is a very important step, as you can b electrocuted and potentially die if you do not turn off the electrical source to your air conditioner prior to repairs.

Once your air conditioner has been disconnected from its electrical source, clean the air conditioner area, removing debris from the unit. You will want to inspect the air conditioner and see what may be wrong with it, and try some different repairs. You can purchase the replacement parts you need at a hardware store.

The most common repair problem is the capacitor, so you may want to have one of these around when you begin your repairs. If another part is necessary, you can purchase that after returning the other parts.

In order to test the capacitor, you need to remove the capacitor from its brackets and install a new one. Test your unit to see if the capacitor is the problem after you install the part. If it is not the capacitor, return the part for a contractor instead.

Replacing the contractor is the next step to take. Disconnect the wires of the contractor and replace with a new part, and then test the unit to see if the contractor is the issue.

You may need to replace the fan motor if the air conditioner will not blow any air at all. Get a new fan motor and install it and determine if this is the problem as well. Remember you can return the parts that you purchase in your diagnosing and troubleshooting if they are not the issue.

Other Cleaning and Maintenance Steps

You may want to change the filter if air is restricted when operating the machine. This is one problem that is the cause when the air won’t blow through the air conditioner. You may want to clean the fins and straighten them out with a butter knife at this point too.

If the air conditioner is sitting at an angle that is not level, you will want to straighten out the unit so that it is level. Using a level to determine the position of your unit is the next step to take. You will want to clean the evaporator coil too. Use industrial strength coil spray to clean the coil after you have dusted it off with a soft brush.

Using these steps should be able to fix your air conditioner in the majority of cases; however, if you can’t fix your machine, consult a professional that will.