4 Most Common Air Conditioner Cooling Problems (and How to Fix Them)

Like any machine which has moving parts, air conditioners need regular maintenance to deliver maximum efficiency in terms of cooling performance. If the ACs are not take care of properly, they tend to struggle to keep you cool during peak summers.

As a company that knows the ins and outs of home appliance repairs, AC repair and maintenance is one of the most booked services. So, we thought we’d try to break down the most common problems consumers face when dealing with AC maintenance. While physical breakdowns and electrical issues will need to be fixed by a professional, here is a list of 8 most common reasons why ACs land up in problems.

Dirty Filters

A clogged filter will always restrict the smooth flow of air in any type of air conditioner, whether it is Window based or Split – even centralized or tower ACs. This clogging causing reduction in effective cooling capacity of the AC……causing it run for longer hours to cool a given area. Thus, consuming more electricity as well. Clogged or dirty filters are bad when it comes to AC efficiency.

Here’s the Fix

Just make sure to check the filters by opening the front grill periodically. You can easily remove them and wash them under a stream of water and put it right back. It would hardly take 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to turn your AC off when you are opening the front of your ACs.

Room Receiving Direct Sunlight

Well the whole purpose of an AC is to cool the room. It will continue to do so until the room gets cool enough to the set temperature on the AC. But if your room is receiving direct sunlight and susceptible to getting hot, it just makes the ACs job tougher. It doesn’t mean the AC won’t cool or not work, but the heat produced inside your room will make it feel like your AC isn’t just cooling enough. Your AC will have to work much harder to cool the room now.

Here’s the Fix

Consider installing AC in a room which does not receive direct sunlight. If that is not possible, try to cover the windows with dark curtains and installing a wooden chic outside your windows to block the sun and minimize the impact of the direct heat from the sun.

Leakage of Air From Room

If you have checked the above two points but have not sealed your room so as to maintain the cool air within the room, then the cool air (which scientifically has a higher pressure) will continue to flow to a a space which has lower air pressure (to achieve the state of equilibrium. We believe you must have studied the laws of equilibrium in Chemistry in your senior high school). As a result, the outside hot air will continue to seep in.

Here’s the Fix

Check the seals and holes around your AC (window or split) to make sure there isn’t much space for cool breeze to flow out freely. Sealing the room doesn’t mean it needs to be airtight, but it should not allow much free movement of air in and out of the room (just like how the Delhi NCR borders were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic).

AC is Vibrating Too Much

If you, or the noobs you called, haven’t installed the AC properly and haven’t set the base properly, chances are you may experience vibration from your AC. Overtime, those vibrations will turn into rattle through your window. This is more of a problem with window ACs as they have the fan and the cooling assembly in one unit. Split ACs have an indoor unit which doesn’t have much moving parts as the outdoor has. Nonetheless, correct installation of all units is essential for proper functioning of AC.

Here’s the Fix

Try to diagnose where is the noise coming from and make your way to the spot where the unit has been installed incorrectly. Find your manufacturer’s manual and rectify the problem using manual intervention. Call a professional installer if you need to.