The last thing you need when it’s sweltering outside is a broken or faulty cooling system. If you want to spend your summer days and night in comfort, you need an air conditioning system that works efficiently and is easy enough to repair as needed. You don’t want to have to worry about hiring a costly repairman every time there is a small issue, so you need a system that you can fix yourself when needed.
Central air conditioning can be a fairly expensive investment, so most people go for alternative options to keep them cool. One of the most common cooling systems that many people purchase to endure the heat is a portable air conditioning system.
The good news is that if you buy a quiet portable air conditioner, you’ll find that many of the most common issues are easy enough to fix yourself. So before you seek out a costly professional for repairs, check out our list of the 5 most common portable air conditioner problems and how you can fix them:
1. Your portable air conditioner doesn’t start or completely stops working
There could be a number of reasons why your portable air conditioner may not start or may even entirely stop working. Here are some of the reasons and solutions for this:
- Check if your unit is plugged in and switched on. It sounds obvious, but it’s the first place to start! Make sure that all the cords are sockets are in working order, and power is actually being transmitted to the unit.
- Look into whether your portable air conditioner has been set on timer, which would explain why it switches off at intervals.
- Check the temperature that the air conditioner has been set to. If it is set as lower than the ambient temperature in the room, the unit may switch itself off or not even get started.
2. Your portable air conditioner doesn’t effectively cool the room
On particularly hot days, it makes sense that it would take your portable air conditioner a while to cool a room. This is especially true for larger rooms. However if your room is still warm after your air conditioner has been on for about an hour, there could be an underlying issue you need to address such as the below:
- It could be that your portable air conditioner is simply not big enough for the room you’re trying to cool with it. The dimensions of the room need to be considered before you decide on the portable air conditioner model to purchase. If you have mistakenly bought a unit that isn’t large enough to adequately cool the room, get it exchanged for the right size as soon as possible.
- The ambient temperature of the room you’re trying to cool may be too high. You need to ensure that hot air isn’t coming in to the room through other ways. Keep the doors of the room shut and close the curtains to keep the sunlight out and the room will cool down much more quickly.
3. There is a lack of airflow from your air conditioning unit
There are two potential reasons why you could be seeing a reduced air flow from your portable air conditioner:
- If you’ve owned your portable air conditioner for a while and you find that there’s a lack of airflow, it may just need a good clean. Dust off the vents and clean the filter thoroughly to remove any dirt and clogs (make sure you follow the proper cleaning instructions listed in your manual). You’re likely to see an instant change in air flow when you switch it back on.
- It may be possible that your portable air conditioner has experienced some issues with water drainage resulting in the build up of frost within the unit. This can limit air flow considerably. To deal with any frost, remove the filter of your air conditioner and leave it out to defrost. Any excess water should be wiped off. Turn the unit back on only when the interior is completely dry, and you should find that the air flow is back to normal.
4. There’s a strange smell coming from your portable air conditioner
If you’re smelling something a little musty coming from your air conditioner, it could be the result of mold growing within the unit. This can occur when your air conditioner retains water, making it the ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew.
Check the interior of the unit thoroughly for any signs of mold or mildew. If you spot it in the filters, the coils, or anywhere else within the unit, you need to give your wall air conditioner a thorough cleaning. Make sure that you put on a mask and gloves while cleaning. After it has been fully cleaned and left to dry, turn the unit back on and the musty smell should be gone.
5. Your portable air conditioner is leaking
A leak can occur if you’re operating your portable air conditioner in a more humid country. In this sort of climate, the water reservoir within the air conditioning unit tends to fill up much more quickly and can result in a leak. This is a fairly simple issue that you can solve by draining the water bucket. If that doesn’t resolve the leak, you should check that the drain hose hasn’t become clogged or dirty, which can also result in inadequate drainage.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the above solutions will help to resolve any of these five common portable air conditioner issues. If you try all these solutions and still find that your unit isn’t working properly, it may be time to consider contacting a professional. A professional should also be consulted for any issues that are more complex and not listed here.
Try and get a quote from at least two repairmen to find the best price. If you find that the cost of the required repairs is extremely high, it may be worth replacing your portable air conditioner with a new one entirely, especially if you’ve had your unit for a while.
Sources:
- Four Portable Air Conditioner Problems, Do It Yourself
- Troubleshooting Your Portable Air Conditioner, Air Conditioner Home
- Warnings On Portable Air Conditioners, Canoga Park Heating and Air Conditioning Blog
