Air ducts are noisy
January 12, 2009
Many heating/cooling ducts are metal so they conduct noise quite readily from the air-handling unit to your rooms. To break the conduction of sound, you can have a heating contractor insert flexible insulation ductwork between the heating/cooling system and the ductwork runs.
If you hear a pinging or popping sound coming from the ductwork, this may be caused by thermal expansion or by air blowing past a loose flap of metal. Track along the duct runs, listening for the sound. If you find it, make a small dent in the sheet metal to provide a more rigid surface that’s less likely to move as it heats and cools.
Water pools next to air conditioner
January 12, 2009
Air conditioners and high-efficiency combustion furnaces create significant condensation, which exits through a plastic drain tube. This should go into a floor drain or be carried away by a small “condensate pump.” If water is pooling at the base of the appliance, something may be blocking the water’s flow, or leaking, or the pump may not be working.
- Look to see if one of the tubes is leaking. If it is, replace it.
- Test the condensate pump by pouring water into its pan. If the pump doesn’t start, either it isn’t receiving power or it is broken. Be sure that it’s plugged in and test the circuit. If it’s broken, either get it repaired or replace it.
- If the pump runs but doesn’t empty the pan, the ball-like check valve just before the discharge tube is probably stuck. Unscrew the check valve, loosen the ball inside, and look for an obstruction.
- If it appears that a condensation drain tube is clogged with algae, remove it if possible (you may have to cut it and replace it later with a coupling). Run a wire through it to clear it. To kill the algae, pour a dilute solution of bleach (1 part bleach to 16 parts water) through the pipe.
- Ice may be blocking the tube. If this is the case, be sure the filter isn’t dirty. If the filter appears to be fine, the air conditioner’s refrigerant supply is probably low. This is when it’s time to call an air-conditioning technician.
Major room temperature swings
January 12, 2009
When room temperatures swing more than about 3 degrees between when the air conditioner goes off and on again, it generally means that the heat pump isn’t cycling on often enough. Adjust Thermostat Heat Anticipator.
Air conditioner doesn’t turn on?
January 12, 2009
If your central air conditioner doesn’t go on automatically:
- Be sure the thermostat is set to “cool” and below the current temperature.
- A central air conditioner should be on a dedicated 240-volt circuit; check the main electrical panel and any secondary circuit panels for a tripped breaker or blown fuse. If you find the problem here, reset the breaker or replace the fuse.
- Make sure the furnace power switch is turned on and that the outdoor condenser’s power switch, mounted on the outdoor unit, hasn’t been shut off. Also, be sure the 240-volt disconnect next to the compressor (in a metal box, usually mounted on the house wall) hasn’t been shut off.
- Turn off the power to the air conditioner and check the thermostat.
- Remove the thermostat’s cover and unscrew the wire from the Y terminal.
- Turn the power back on.
- Holding the wire by its insulation ONLY, touch the bare end to the R terminal and hold it there for about two minutes. If the compressor kicks on, the thermostat is faulty; replace it or call an air-conditioning technician. If the compressor doesn’t go on when you hold the two wires together, turn the power back off and call a technician.
