AC running but not cooling

The AC is on, you can hear it running, but the house is stuck at 78 on a July afternoon. Here's how to narrow it down.

Check these first

• Thermostat. Set to Cool, fan on Auto, and set below the room temperature.
• Filter. A clogged filter is the most common cause of weak cooling.
• Outdoor unit. Is the fan on top spinning? Is the unit choked with grass clippings, cottonwood fluff or weeds? Rinse the outside fins gently with a garden hose, power off first.
• Vents. Make sure supply and return vents aren't blocked by furniture or rugs.
• Ice. If you see ice on the copper line outside or on the indoor unit, turn the AC off and see our frozen AC coil page.

What a tech looks at

A failed capacitor is the classic one: the outdoor fan won't spin, or the unit hums and won't start. Others are a worn contactor, a bad condenser fan motor, a dirty coil, or low refrigerant from a leak. On the hottest days, an older system that's working fine may still only manage about 20 degrees cooler than outside.

Get it looked at

Call (681) 405-6130 or use the form below. We're an HVAC dispatch and coordination service for Clarksburg and towns within about 60 miles. We only refer licensed, certified HVAC techs.

The diagnostic is $89. If you approve the repair the same day, the $89 is credited toward it. Calls after 5 PM on weekdays, and all day on weekends, are emergency calls: a $100 emergency call-out, in addition to the $89 diagnostic.

Towns: Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Fairmont, Shinnston, Weston, Buckhannon, Morgantown.