InspectAPedia®   -   Search InspectApedia

Drawing showing the key parts to a modern air conditioning compressor/condensor unitAir Conditioner / Heat Pump Repair Guide FAQs

Q&A on How to Fix an A/C or Heat Pump

Air conditioner & heat pump repair procedures:

The articles listed below describe in detail the inspection, troubleshooting diagnosis, and repair of all types of residential and light commercial central air conditioning and heat pump systems.

Page top image and airhandler image below were provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education & report writing tool company [ carsondunlop.com ].

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Questions & Answers about how to diagnose and fix an air conditioning system

Loose blower assembly pulley or belt reduces airflow (C) Carson Dunlop AssociatesThese questions and answers about HVAC system diagnosis and repair were posted originally at AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - that's a great place to start diagnosing a problem with your air conditioner or heat pump as there we give an index to diagnostic and repair articles by typical problem or repair topic.

Compresser comes on and runs for 10-15 minutes..Day & Night..then goes off

Home maintaines set temp.

However, compresser comes on and runs for 10-15 minutes.

Day & Night..then goes off.

No change to the thermostate or inside temp. - On 2018-07-01 by Jerry -

Reply by (mod)

Jerry

I can't guess from your note if the compressor is running even when the thermostat is not calling for cooling.

Take a look at the thermostat. If the room temp is above the set temp on the thermostat then yes you'd expect the air handler to run and the outdoor compressor/condenser unit to run.

If that's not the case then there may be a problem with a control board or relay.

Indoor Furnace or Air Conditioner Air handler unit won't stop running

Air handler does not shut off after temp is reached - On 2018-05-10 by Will -

On 2018-05-10 by (mod) - what to check when the air handler fan won't stop

Will

Using the search box on any of our pages finds our article on FURNACE FAN WONT STOP 

More diagnostic diagnostic procedures to check when the indoor air handler (blower fan) won't stop are at

BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING

FAN WONT STOP - LIMIT SWITCH

FAN WONT STOP - THERMOSTAT SWITCH


Air conditioner starts in heat mode and then trips circuit breaker

When sethings my air conditioner to heating function it starts up running heating the room for a short while but then trips the circuit breaker. When set to cooling function it is working perfectly. - On 2017-08-12 by Koos -

A/C Heat Pump Keeps Triping Breaker

My ac/heat pump keeps tripping the circuit breaker at the box, how do I test the fan and compasitor? - On 2016-01-14 by Anonymous -

Reply by (mod) -

Koos and Anon

If the circuit breaker is tripping that means it's doing its job of protecting from a fire or short circuit; I suspect that your system is either

- requiring use of a backup heat, probably electric, that is damaged, or shorted
or
- a relay or control used to switch to heating mode is defective or is shorting or drawing an overrcurrent. For example if a reversing valve doesn't reverse, high head pressures at the compressor could cause a malfunction.


Furnace works in heat mode but in cool mode there's no air flow

I have an Intertherm electric furnace in a mobile home. We just had the Outside AC unit replaced about 4 years ago. When we have the heat on there isn't a problem. When we turn it on cool there isn't any air flow coming from the vents. Checked all filters, nothing is freezing up, outside unit is running and fan is ok. Anything I can check before calling a repair man? - On 2017-04-25 by Danielle S -

Reply by (mod) -

This sounds like a bad control board or relay since we know the air handler works in heating mode.

Check out the initial diagnostic steps at DIAGNOSTIC GUIDES A/C / HEAT PUMP https://inspectapedia.com/aircond/Air_Conditioner_Diagnosis.php


Thermostat clicks on but air conditioner won't start

I have an American Standard heat pump it will not come on my thermostat clicks but nothing turns on the unit is sealed but I don't know where to go in at to check anything Where do I go in at 2 check my wiring or switches - On 2017-04-15 by Rob -

Reply by (mod) -

Rob

Please take a look at AIR CONDITIONER WON'T START at https://inspectapedia.com/aircond/Air_Conditioner_Wont_Start.php and let me know how that works for you - it gives a series of easy things to check.


Outdoor AC Compressor won't Start

I purchased videocon 1.5 ton split ac in april 2012. But recently my ac out door that means compressor in not switch on. I login a complaint to videocon customer care and I got a complaint no also. And after 2 days the service engineer came to my house and checked it properly and finally he told that your compressor is gone. And it was in warranty.

So we replaced with new one. He taken away the compressor with somebody's help and one full night it was in observation he told me. After 1 day he took compressor and fixed that out door in my house and my now my ac is working. But he is asking 3000/- gas filling charges. But he didn't told me on that day when he was checked at first.

He told all is well except compressor. So compressor is in warranty. But now he is asking money. How much his words are genuine, please give me the clarification, because still I didn't pay the money. I will pay the money as per your guidelines. Plz help me as soon as possible. - On 2014-10-15 by JYOTHI -

Reply by (mod)

See the diagnostic steps at

A/C unit runs but water blows out of the coil into the ductwork

I bought a new coil for my a/c and it blows water out the center of the coil instead of going into the drip pan.Can youn help. Thanks - On 2014-06-18 by Anonymous

Reply by (mod) -

Review this problem with your HVAC installer. You may need to adjust the coil position or deflect air slightly so that you're not blowing too much condensate into the ductwork. Also check the fan speed


Compressor won't turn on - is it because I lost all the Freon?

Goodman 3 ton cond unit hooked orange comp wire to 24 v then hooked the cond common to the c from the air handlr and all i get is a click from sounds like from under the fan blade. will it still come on if all freon has leaked out the hi pressure line - On 2014-02-15 by jimmy -

Reply by (mod) - No

Jimmy on the HVAC systems I've worked on loss of refrigerant doesn't keep the equipment from turning on.

You've got a bad compressor motor or bad control or relay.

See Step 1: CHECK THE OUTSIDE COMPRESSOR-CONDENSER UNIT


...

Continue reading at AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

Suggested citation for this web page

REPAIR GUIDES A/C / HEAT PUMP FAQs 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

Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.

Search the InspectApedia website

Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.

Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification
when a response to your question has been posted.
Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.
Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca

Comment Form is loading comments...

Citations & References

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



ADVERTISEMENT