How To Check When A Central Air Conditioner Needs To Be Charged

Overview

Air conditioning is not only a luxury in homes, but a necessity. Whereas there are many reasons that can render your air conditioner non-functional, there are ways through which you can identify if your central air conditioner needs charged. Before assuming your central air conditioner is totally broken or scheduling a repair/ replacement with the professionals, check if the fans, vents or thermostat work as expected. If any of the above parts work fine, schedule to have a professional HVAC service provider come and check your air conditioner Refrigerant’s status, and charge it if it needs charging.

Checking thermostat

A programmable thermostat allows your air conditioner to switch off when no one is around and switch back on when the house gets occupied. You can check if your thermostat is working as it should by switching on your air conditioner without tampering with the thermostat. If the temperature cools, yet the thermostat does not indicate any changes, then your thermostat has a problem. Call in a professional to fix your thermostat.

Check your air conditioner’s venting system

Before you schedule to have your air conditioner’s Refrigerant charged, rule out a problem with your air conditioner air venting system by placing your hand on the outlets of the vents. Naturally, the vents should blow out cool air, unless it is the reverse air vent, which blows out warm air. If the vents blows cool air, as expected, you can be sure the venting system is fine and you should go ahead to check the status of your air conditioner’s charge.

Check your fans

The other way of checking that your central air conditioner needs to be charged is to eliminate the possibility of non-functional fans. Fans should be rotating whenever the air conditioner is running. If and when the fans are immobile, it is an indication that they are broken or something is hampering their movement. You should never insert hands or objects to check whether the fans are rotating or not; placing your hands over to feel the breeze, or watching, is enough. If the fans are operational, go ahead and call a professional to check whether the Refrigerant is flat and needs charging.

Conclusion: Possible Refrigerant charge

An air conditioner may fail for many reasons including broken thermostats, fans, vents and Refrigerant. If you have confirmed that the venting system, fans and thermostat are fine, then a professional HVAC should check your Refrigerant. If your air conditioner’s Refrigerant is flat, your HVAC service provider can charge it for you in a matter of minutes.

Ed Lambert