So, the worst has happened. You’ve come into the office early in the morning to find that the building hasn’t sufficiently cooled. You go to find out why the air conditioner hasn’t switch on at the time you set it to and find that the unit is still and silent – something’s gone wrong.
Don’t panic. When your industrial air conditioning unit seems like it might be malfunctioning, there’s a lot you can do before calling in an expert to get it fixed. Here are the steps you should take first to get your air conditioning unit up and running.
How to Tell if the Air Conditioner is Broken
Firstly, you should assess whether the unit is actually broken or if it’s just a temporary problem that can be resolved with a little troubleshooting. After all, it could just be something as simple as a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker.
If the unit doesn’t switch on, check the unit outside to determine if the condenser is running. Make sure everything is plugged in and that the thermostat is correctly set. If the unit is switched on but is not cooling the air, you may have a blocked air condenser that can be cleaned to remove whatever is blocking the air circulation.
If after trying these things the unit is still not switching on or cooling sufficiently, you may need to try other avenues.
Replace the Filters
If the air conditioning unit’s filters are dirty or clogged, the air won’t be able to flow properly, which can greatly reduce its cooling capacity. You should clean the air filter or replace it to see if this helps with insufficient air flow.
Check the Thermostat
A thermostat senses the room temperature and lets the unit know to start or stop the cooling cycle. If the thermostat is defective, the unit may not cool the space.
Alternatively, if the thermostat’s display is blank, the battery may have died. In this case, a change of batteries may be all it takes to get your unit up and running. However, if the circuitry inside has malfunctioned, you may need to replace your thermostat’s electrical board or even have a new one installed. This is best done by a professional.
Undersized Unit
An issue you may not have considered is that the unit you have is inappropriately sized for the space. A small unit in a large space will find it difficult to cool the whole room in the hottest temperatures. If your unit seems to be working fine but certain areas of a large space, like a factory or warehouse, are not cooling to the level you desire, it may just be that you need another unit to help cool the entire space, or move your existing unit into a more optimal place.
Consult the Manual
Take a look at the manual for your specific make and model of air conditioning unit, it should have troubleshooting steps for you to follow. It will explain how to reset the unit, which may be all that’s needed to fix the problem. It should also explain how you can replace the air filters and set the thermostat.
Ring the Manufacturer Helpline
If you think that the issue isn’t too severe, you may be able to get help over the phone from the manufacturer. They should be able to advise you on the issue, offer guidance and instruct you when it’s time to get a professional in to repair the unit.
Call in a Professional
Once you’ve tried troubleshooting common issues and the unit doesn’t seem to be responding, it’s time to call in a professional to take a look. At Heritage Heating and Cooling, we have a team of highly experienced industrial and commercial maintenance professionals ready to make repairs when a problem occurs.
We don’t limit ourselves to working on systems we installed ourselves, so regardless of your kind of unit, we will be able to help you. We offer nationwide service and repair for all leading manufacturer models of industrial/commercial heating and air conditioning systems. You can also take out one of our service and repair packages that include the likes of breakdown cover, annual service, parts inclusive and a twelve-hour engineer call-out guarantee. Contact us today for more information.
