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Photograph of  this unusual attic air conditioning system is an example of
the range of human creativity observed during a career of building inspections Air Conditioner or Heat Pump System Operating Defects & How to Fix Them

A/C or heat pump operating defect checklist:

How to fix an air conditioner or heat pump that is not operating properly: this A/C diagnosis article lists common air conditioning or heat pump operating defects, tells you what to check, and recommends specific air conditioner or heat pump repair guide articles found at this website.

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Air Conditioning System Maintenance & Operating Defect Diagnosis & Repair Guide: defect checklist

Air conditioner or heat pump basic schematic © D Friedman at InspectApedia.com This A/C repair article is part of our more extensive air conditioning inspection, diagnosis, & repair document which describes the inspection, diagnosis, and repair of residential air conditioning systems (A/C systems) for home buyers, owners, and home inspectors.

Here we list typical, readily observed, air conditioning system operating defects. Use the links at the left side of any of our pages to find more detailed information about these and other air conditioning system defects, as well as diagnostic and repair procedures.

In our sketch at left and in more detail at AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS, the major components of an air conditioning system are described, sketches and photographs are provided, and common defects for each component are listed along with visual or other clues that may suggest a problem or probable failure of A/C components.

Here at OPERATING DEFECTS we take you through the major air conditioning problem symptoms and how to get the air conditioning system working again.

At a companion article, LOST COOLING CAPACITY, our focus is on the case in which the air conditioning system seems to be "running" but not enough cool air, or no cool air at all is being delivered to the occupied space.

at A/C - HEAT PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES we explain the many electrical switches and controls that control an air conditioner or heat pump system. You'll need to check these if your air conditioner won't start.

How to diagnose and fix an air conditioning system that is not working

Since the failure of an air conditioner to turn on, loss of air conditioner cooling capacity, reduced air conditioning output temperatures, loss of cool air supply, or even loss of air flow entirely can be due to a variety of problems with one or more components of an air conditioner or air conditioning system, after reviewing the lost air conditioner cooling diagnosis procedures described in this article, be sure to also review the diagnostic procedures at each of the individual air conditioning diagnosis and repair major topics listed just below. To return to our air conditioning and refrigeration home page go

to AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS.

If your air conditioning or heat pump system has lost its cooling capacity or won't start select one or more of the diagnostic articles listed below.


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Continue reading at DEFECTS LIST - AIR CONDITIONING or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see OPERATING DEFECTS, AIR CONDITIONING FAQs - questions and answers posted originally at this page

Or see these

Defects Lists for Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps

Suggested citation for this web page

OPERATING DEFECTS, AIR CONDITIONING at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMPS

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.



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