As a home owner your hands are tied for ransom for those in the air conditioning business. They tell us this and that but are they telling the truth? Some simple checks you can do yourself without touching the gas side.

Air flow is a major issue with air conditioners. They require 350 to 400 cubic feet of air per minute per ton of cooling for the air conditioner to work properly. The furnace manufactures specification sheet will give you the air volume output information for your furnace to ensure you have enough.

One of the most common problems are filters. They must be kept clean and checked every 30 days. A blocked air filter will reduce the air flow dramatically enough to cause the air conditioner to ice up. Remember, an air conditioner is actually a freezer in disguise. It is just redesigned to prevent the freeze up in layman’s terms.

Another major cause is a severely dirty blower wheel. A clean blower wheel can scoop the air required to prevent freeze up. A dirty blower wheel would be the equivalent of driving with bald tires on ice. Your tires are turning but you are not moving much if anything at all.

The evaporator coil could also be blocked. It is located in the duct work above the furnace. If it was installed properly, you should be able to cut a hole in the sheet metal below the coil and above the furnace for access for inspection. A good air conditioning mechanic would make sure access is available.

The condensing unit outside maybe dirty. The dirt sticks to the outside of the coil fins preventing air flow. Why does air flow in the outdoor unit matter you ask? Energy can not be created or destroyed, just moved.

So everyone has a basic understanding of how an air conditioner works, the evaporator coil located above the furnace does not produce cold air. It absorbs and removes the heat from the air that passes though it. The gas that runs through the lines carries it outside.

The condenser unit outside gets rid of the heat by air passing through finned coil and cooling it off. Think of the air conditioning system as a sponge. You can only soak up so much water and then have to get rid of it before the sponge can absorb more to complete the job.

The following items can be done by the home owner:

Replace dirty filters
Remove and clean furnace blowers
Clean the evaporator coil if access permits
Clean outdoor condenser coils

Evaporator coils can be vacuumed from underneath as the air blows from the bottom up. The rest of the dirt can be washed out with a hose from the top down only and not from the bottom up.

You do not want tot force the dirt further into the fins of the coil. Be sure the the power to the furnace is shut off and made safe before beginning this task. Wear safety glasses and gloves to prevent injury.

The outside condensing coil can also be washed. Turn off the 220 volt power supply to the unit before beginning. Remove the fan assembly or complete top of the unit and lean to one side securely.

Spray a garden hose on a 45 degree angle from the inside out. Remember the air is drawn threw the coils so we are going to flush it in reverse and not force the dirt in deeper. Let both the furnace and condenser unit drip dry for at least an hour before turning back on.

If the unit is working properly and the outside temperature is well above 70 degrees F. with the temperature in the house also much warmer than 70 degrees F. then the large pipe entering condensing unit should begin to sweat with water droplets with in an hour of running time.

The higher the temperatures the quicker this will take place. If a check on the refrigerant is needed, a licensed technician will be required.