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nauticalstar420 · Aug 7, 2007, 05:20 PM

My air conditioner hasn't been cooling and I have had it on 70 degrees for the last 2 1/2 days hoping that it might cool down. Well it hasn't. It has been 80 degrees in here for the last two days. I called the maintenance man who works for my apartment complex and he looked at it and said there was nothing wrong with it, his exact words were "its just really hot outside so the a/c can't cool down". Does this normally occur with a/c's? I have never had a problem with an a/c until I moved here. The maintenance man told me to go buy some fans and set them out.

The problem is, I have two young boys and they are so hot they're crying. Is there anything that my husband or myself can look at to see if it really is in fact broken somehow? The maintenance man didn't show much interest, and the office never does either. This is the not the first time this has happened.

If there is any way to look at it myself, some advice would be greatly appreciated. :)

esquire1 · Aug 7, 2007, 05:35 PM

If the unit is working properly it should cool the home. Is your filter clean? Look and the evaporator in the inside unit. Is it frosted up? Do you have condensation water in the pan? Go to the outside unit and feel the air coming out of the fan. Is it warm? Now feel the 2 copper pipes coming out of the unit. Is the small one warm or hot? Is the larger one cool ? Is there moisture on it? Post back with results. Many apt. maintenance folks really don't know a lot about A/C.

nauticalstar420 · Aug 7, 2007, 05:36 PM

Thank you so much for your response. I'll go and check those things out and get back to you! :)

nauticalstar420 · Aug 7, 2007, 05:42 PM

Okay, the filter has some dust in it. It is not frosted up, and there is no condensation in the pan. Outside is a little more confusing. There was a large pipe coming out of the unit, but it wasn't copper, it was a kind of squishy material. That was cool. There was also a little tube coming out but it was a plastic like material, and that was warm. And the air coming out of the outside unit was warm. Does that sound right?

esquire1 · Aug 7, 2007, 05:48 PM

Change the filter. You should have condesation in the pan. Ask the maint. Man to put gauges on the unit and check the pressures. I bet you'll find it is low on refrigerant.

nauticalstar420 · Aug 7, 2007, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by esquire1

Change the filter. You should have condesation in the pan. Ask the maint. man to put gauges on the unit and check the pressures. I bet you'll find it is low on refrigerant.

By refrigerant you mean freon? I thought about that too. I can't get him here to change the filter tonight, should I just leave it off until tomorrow?

This has been a repeating problem and I'm starting to get angry at management. If you know anything about laws, is there anything I can do? They just keep saying "there's nothing wrong with it". When he was here earlier he didn't even check the outside unit, and just took a glance at the inside unit. My electric bill is sky high because I'm afraid if I turn it off its going to get even worse in here so I just keep it running.

esquire1 · Aug 7, 2007, 05:58 PM

Yes, refrigerant is freon. I would leave unit off until properly checked out however if you a fan on setting you could use that. At lease you will have some air circulating threw out the apt. Bless the little ones.

nauticalstar420 · Aug 7, 2007, 06:01 PM

Thank you so much you have been a big help! :)

nauticalstar420 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:05 PM

I just wanted to give you an update. They came and looked at my a/c unit, and apparently they say the blower is going out on it, or something like that. They said however that they won't fix this problem until it goes out completely, so it looks like a hot future for us!

I just wanted to say thanks again and you were such a big help! :)

esquire1 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:20 PM

If you don't have proper airflow you cannot keep cool. I would keep on them until they correct problem. No one should be hot in there own place when the equipment is there to prevent this.

nauticalstar420 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:22 PM

My husband just set an appointment with the GM of the complex to discuss this. They say they will stand their ground and will not fix it until it goes out completely, but I think that is bull. He says he is not going to quit until this problem is fixed, or they start paying our electric bill :p

I'll keep you posted on what happens. :)

esquire1 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:30 PM

There should be a governmental agency that protect renters in your area. If they don't want to make proper repairs. I would contact them. Don't give in.

nauticalstar420 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:32 PM

I won't, trust me. Thank you very much! :)

modular01 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by nauticalstar420

My husband just set an appointment with the GM of the complex to discuss this. They say they will stand their ground and will not fix it until it goes out completely, but I think that is bull. He says he is not going to quit until this problem is fixed, or they start paying our electric bill :p

I'll keep you posted on what happens. :)

Are there other tenants that are having the same type of problem?
If so, group together and arrange a meeting with the GM of the complex.
Strength in numbers helps.
Worse case scenario, is there another place you can move to if this doesn't pan out?

nauticalstar420 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by modular01

Are there other tenants that are having the same type of problem?
If so, group together and arrange a meeting with the GM of the complex.
Strength in numbers helps.
Worse case scenario, is there another place you can move to if this doesn't pan out?

The maintenance man himself said that we are not the only ones with this problem, I would just have to find the other people.

Unfortunately there is no where else I can go. If they won't let me break my lease no charge (which I already know they wont) I'm stuck here. I still have 8 months left on my lease. :(

modular01 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by nauticalstar420

The maintenance man himself said that we are not the only ones with this problem, I would just have to find the other people.

Unfortunately there is no where else I can go. If they wont let me break my lease no charge (which I already know they wont) i'm stuck here. I still have 8 months left on my lease. :(

If they aren't fixing a recognized problem, depending on the wording of the lease (if you have a copy of the lease agreement, read it over), they are breaking the terms of the lease. You may have a legal avenue for the situation if they aren't remedying a known problem that several tenants are having.

nauticalstar420 · Aug 13, 2007, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by modular01

If they aren't fixing a recognized problem, depending on the wording of the lease (if you have a copy of the lease agreement, read it over), they are breaking the terms of the lease. You may have a legal avenue for the situation if they aren't remedying a known problem that several tenants are having.

Thank you very much and I'll take a good and careful look at my lease. :)

J Costa · Aug 13, 2007, 05:09 PM

Is the motor maybe not going in the right direction some of them have wires that reverse the fan motor I have ran into that problem before. It is true a lot of the maintenance guys don't know a lot about a/cs or they are just lazy and do not want to do the work, I know I am one but I do have a little knowledge of them.

aabla353 · Feb 27, 2010, 12:12 AM

NO Cooling And ICe forming

aabla353 · Feb 27, 2010, 12:13 AM

Ice Forming ON Discharge Line