Air Conditioner Not Working? Try Our Fast 5 DIY Fixes

Queensland’s climate is known all over the world for how amazing it is. But it sure does get hot, muggy, chilly and downright freezing here, too. Unfortunately, it’s when that cold wind is blowing or that summer sun is blazing that you sometimes discover your air conditioner not working well - or at all.

• Air conditioner making strange noises?
• Seeing smoke?
• Is your aircon leaking water?
• Skyrocketing electricity bills?
• Wrong-temperature air from the vents?

Is your home’s aircon not working properly? Normally, we’d advise you to simply call your local Brisbane & Gold Coast air conditioning specialists rather than doing your own air conditioning unit troubleshooting. That’s because while a basic filter may be quite easy to clean or replace, more complex work may be dangerous to you or your expensive technology, void your manufacturer’s warranty, turn a little problem into a huge one, or get you in trouble for non-compliance workmanship.

But we’re here with the good news. If you notice your air con not working as well as it should, or not at all, some do-it-yourself remedies won’t get you in trouble or endanger your safety and equipment.

1. Is it plugged in?

You’d be absolutely amazed how often we get to a property only to discover that an air conditioner power connection has simply been cut. So, first things first: Is it still plugged in, or is that plug partially dislodged?

2. Has a breaker or fuse tripped?

A power cut can also occur when a fuse, breaker or your property’s RCD protection has detected a fault and tripped. Resolving it can be as simple as flicking that switch back on.

3. Does it just need to be reset?

At other times, your air conditioner may be in a natural fault state for one reason or another - and might just need a manual reset.

4. Is it blowing hot air in summer?

While a reverse cycle air conditioner blowing hot air in winter is exactly what you need, you don’t want that hot air in your lounge in the heat of summer. So have you checked the little snowflake icon is displayed rather than the ‘sun’ mode that puts the entire process in a warm ‘reverse’?

Another common cause of an AC not working for cool air is a hopelessly blocked filter - because when your unit is in a hard-working phase of the year, it should be done every two or three weeks or so.

5. Is it always the wrong temperature?

One particularly puzzling problem is when an air conditioner starts blowing much colder air than requested - or vice versa. It’s puzzling because there’s obviously nothing seriously wrong with the unit, but easy to explain if there’s an issue with the thermostat. Before doing anything else, look to see if a thermostat sensor is easily accessible because it might just have been knocked out of position.

Air conditioner not working? We’ll fix it fast!

Air conditioner not working still? Under no circumstances should you attempt any more complex work than we’ve just outlined above, which includes diving into your switchboard or attempting any wiring work. A component may have failed, your electrical system may be overloaded, your air conditioner may be short-cycling, or it could be something else entirely.

If you need an air conditioner repair quickly, expertly and with a lifetime workmanship guarantee, there’s only one wise choice - giving the experienced team of Brisbane electricians and Gold Coast electricians and qualified air conditioning specialists here at Your Electrical Expert a call straight away! No matter the problem or type of air conditioner and for all residential and commercial properties, we’re the safest and most competitive choice for a range of electrical services. Call Your Electrical Expert today for a quote.