Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself. In Singapore, air-conditioning makes up a large part of our lives. Every home has an air-conditioner, and some may even have two or three in their house.

The air-conditioners that we use at home are not the same as those used at factories or in large buildings – they are specially made for homes. They usually come in a box shape with a carry handle on top, placed on four thin rubber feet.

The most familiar type of aircon is a window unit that can be installed into the window space of your living room, bedroom, or kitchen. Since there aren’t any public cooling centers to escape here in Singapore, it becomes essential for every household to have an efficient working air-conditioner to provide an excellent and comfortable living environment for the family.

Unfortunately, air-conditioners are very temperamental machines – they can stop working at any moment without warning signs. Since there is a lack of professional aircon technicians, some simple aircon problems may go unnoticed or unsolved because people don’t know how to repair the aircon themselves.

It is often even more economical to fix these minor aircon problems by yourself rather than call up a technician who will charge you an arm and a leg to inspect your unit. Most of these problems are caused by simple things such as clogged drain tubes and dirty filters, which only require essential tools and knowledge to fix.

In this article, we will be giving out some quick tips and easy pointers on common aircon problems that I can repair myself at home without calling up an expensive technician. Armed with these simple tips, you should be able to save yourself a hefty service fee!

Aircon Not Cooling? Check The Air Filters First!

The filters are usually placed behind the grill of the air-conditioner unit. They are extremely important as they prevent dust particles from entering your unit’s inner parts since dust is detrimental to the air conditioner’s cooling performance.

The easiest way to determine if your air filters need cleaning or replacement is to look at them – if they are visibly dirty, then it is time to clean up! If they are not visibly dirty but can still see dust particles trapped in the filter mesh, then it is time to replace them.

You can buy new air filters like pro aircon repair tips from any major electronics store. It is best to replace your air filters once every six months, depending on the amount of dust in your house.

How To Clean Your Filters Properly

The general rule is that you must turn off the power anytime you clean or replace your air filters before handling anything within the unit. This ensures that you will not get electrocuted due to any short circuit if some parts are still energized when you start fiddling with them.

First, shut down and unplug your unit from its primary power source. Then remove all contents within the storage compartment under the filter grill at the back. There should be a canister that contains water – do not attempt to move this canister since it has a delicate mechanism inside, which can be easily damaged.

Next, use a screwdriver to remove the screws that hold the grill in place. Be careful not to damage the grill as you remove it, as you will need to put it back later. You should now see the filters, either a mesh or paper-like material.

If they are mesh-type filters, you can rinse them under a running tap and air dry before replacing them in the unit. If they are paper-like filters, you will need to carefully unfold them and shake off any dust particles before placing them back into position.

You mustn’t wet the filters if they are made of paper, as this will cause them to disintegrate over time. If they are made of mesh, you can use your hose to give them a good spray before hanging them out to dry. Once they are dry, re-fasten the grill back into position and enjoy clean air again!

Aircon Not Cooling? Check The Air Con Coils For Clogs!

The easiest way to determine if your air conditioner is clogged with dust particles is to check the area where the hot and cold air comes out after it has passed through the filters. You should see some form of metallic piping that comprises interconnecting coils that act as condensers.

If these coils are clogged, then the air conditioner will not cool your house as efficiently as it should. To clean the coils, you will need to remove the unit’s front panel. The screws that hold the panel in place can be easily accessed from behind once you have removed the grill at the back.

Be very careful when removing the panel – there are some delicate wires and parts that could easily be damaged if you’re not careful. Once you have removed the panel, you will see the coils, free from any dirt or dust particles. If they are not, use a brush or a vacuum cleaner to clean them.

You can also use a hose to spray water over the coils. Be very careful not to damage anything while cleaning them, and put everything back in place once you are done. Suppose your aircon is yet to reach its cooling potential despite having new filters and clean coils.

In that case, it might be worth checking if the unit is low on refrigerant gas – a typical problem among older models of air conditioners that have been in service for many years. You should also check your unit’s manual for any error codes – sometimes, the cause could be an electrical fault that requires professional attention.

Is Your Aircon Overworking? Check The Thermostat!

Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

Your air conditioner’s thermostat can get stuck at a specific temperature so that it continuously keeps running even when the room has already reached the desired temperature. This will cause the unit to overwork and eventually break down.

To test if your thermostat is working correctly, you can use a thermometer to measure the temperature at different parts of your house. Compare the readings with the thermostat’s set points and see if they are in sync. If not, then you might want to consider replacing the thermostat or have it checked by a professional technician.

Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

So, what are the common aircon problems that I can repair myself? With regular aircon maintenance & cleaning, you can solve the everyday problems of your aircon by yourself. How often should you clean your aircon? It depends on how dusty the environment is and how dirty the aircon is.

Experts recommend cleaning it at least once every two months, and if the environment is dusty, you should clean it every month. Besides cleaning, another way to prevent your aircon from having problems is by using a quality air filter.

Cheap filters don’t do an excellent job in trapping dust particles and other allergens, which can cause problems for people with asthma or allergies. A quality air filter is worth the investment as it will help keep your aircon running smoothly, avoid further common aircon problems and improve the quality of air in your home.

What Are The Common Problems That Aircons Can Have?

There are many different types of aircon, but most problems are mostly the same. Note that if your aircon condenser has a problem, it will either heat up or freeze up.

  • AC Freeze-up
Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

This happens when too much moisture in the air passes through the aircon evaporator coil. As a result, the compressor shuts down to prevent damage. The air blowing out of the vents will be warm and wet, with some fogging/frosting at times.

Usually, this occurs after a rainstorm during humid weather as most buildings trap water and humidity inside and don’t allow them to escape.

You can tell that your aircon is frozen by pressing the remote control buttons – if one of them doesn’t respond, it’s most likely frozen. To resolve this aircon problem, you need to run your aircon without the remote control using a screwdriver or coin – bend out the plastic cover and remove the small circuit board inside.

Then unplug the power connector from the back of the remote control receiver, push in all buttons for about 30 seconds and then plug everything back in again. This will reset your aircon, and it will usually start working after that.

  • AC Heat-up
Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

This happens when there is too much dust/dirt on the evaporator coil, preventing proper heat transfer, resulting in less cooling output. As a result, your aircon starts to overheat itself, along with being unable to cool down your room.

You will need to open up the aircon and clean it properly to resolve this aircon problem. You can easily find all sorts of tutorials online that show how to fix aircon with heat-up problems.

  • AC Faulty Electronic Controls
Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

This usually occurs when the circuit board inside the remote control receiver burns out due to too much electricity flowing through it.

It typically happens because people press on too many buttons at one go or hold down a button for too long. Someone who once pressed nine times instead of 1 time on his remote control, which resulted in cooking his aircon circuit board!

The circuit board may also short circuit if the aircon is not grounded correctly. Unfortunately, people can only fix this aircon problem by replacing the entire remote control receiver.

Conclusion

Common Aircon Problems That I Can Repair Myself

So, what are the common Aircon problems that I can repair myself? While some aircon problems do require professional attention, many can be easily fixed by following the tips. So before you go ahead and call for help, be sure to try out some of the more simple solutions first and see if they can get your aircon running in no time!

Unless you are a certified aircon technician, experts do not recommend fixing any complicated aircon problems yourself as they could cause further damage or even an electrical fire. However, for the aircon’s everyday issues, you can quickly repair them yourself without any special tools or skills required.

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