
Mary Hunt
The heat of summer is bearing down, giving millions of window-mounted air conditioners a real workout.
Many owners of said units are wondering why their air conditioners aren’t working properly.
Good news! In most situations, consumers can fix a window air conditioner themselves, provided they have the right information and an inexpensive handy tool.
If you have a window air conditioner in your home, here’s what you need to know to fix it, clean it and make it like new.
An easy do-it-yourself project. More than any other household appliance, window-type air conditioning units are the most frequently neglected. This is a pity because one that is operating poorly can be a big energy guzzler. A little maintenance means that homeowners can save money on both utility and repair bills.
With the right information and access to replacement parts, you should be able to repair a window air conditioner yourself, saving the cost of a service call or, worse, replacing the unit altogether.
Basically the same. All residential window air conditioners have a cooling system consisting of four primary components: a compressor, an evaporator, a temperature-sensing device and a condenser.
Air conditioner cooling systems are better understood if you think of them as devices that remove heat and humidity from the air rather than devices that cool the air.