Most air conditioning units last for years and years. This is especially true for older models that are cased in steel and wrought iron. Of course, proper maintenance plays a great role in the units’ prolonged life spans.

Repairs and maintenance are best delegated to HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) professionals. But there are some minor and relatively easy procedures that you, as an owner and user, must perform to minimize professional intervention.

There are some seemingly complex problems that you may encounter with your air conditioning unit. But not all problems of this nature need the services of an expert HVAC professional. You can address some of these yourself.

Probably one of the most common malfunctions of the air conditioning unit is its inability to cool the temperature of the room. While you may consider a hundred possible causes of this problem, such as a factory defect or motor failure, you may have to check if a thick layer of dust keeps the unit from running properly. In this case, all you need to do is clean out the filter and other parts of the unit. But before you proceed, consult the unit manual first for proper disassembly and reassembly of the parts of the unit.

An air-conditioned unit that does not turn on may mean extensive system failure. However, it may also be caused by something simpler such as a tripped breaker or blown fuse. To avoid encountering such a problem, make sure that you follow the power requirement of the unit. For example, a central air conditioning unit needs to be connected to a dedicated circuit of 240 volts.

You may encounter temperature swings resulting from your air conditioning unit going on and off. This may mean that the heat pump has difficulty in cycling air. This usually happens when there is a misstep in the adjustment of the heat anticipator. To solve this problem, consult the user’s manual on adjusting the device.