On the Wire - Keep Your Cool
If your AC has been working overtime lately, you’re not alone. They don’t call them the dog days of summer for nothing. Always keep your thermostat at 78 degrees for best results and remember that turning it down to 70 WON’T cool your home any faster. If your AC system does not seem to be working right, use the following troubleshooting tips found at www.warmair.net:
- First make sure that the thermostat is set lower than the actual room temperature. Or remember to realize that if your room is already 78 degrees, your AC won’t come on. Also, the selector switch should be on "cool". If the thermostat is programmable, be certain it has fresh batteries.
- Check for power by moving the fan switch from "auto" to "on". If the blower runs, there is power. If nothing happens, a control is burned out or power is disconnected. If the system uses a furnace for heat, check that the emergency switch is on. If you are familiar with the fuse or circuit breaker panel, check for blown fuses or tripped breakers. Correct the problem one time only. If it repeats, call for service.
- With the selector switch on cool and the fan switch on auto, move the thermostat well below room temp. If the blower runs but the condenser (outdoor unit) does not, check the circuit breaker panel. If the breaker is on, examine the condenser. Some have a high pressure cut out. It is a button sticking out of the cabinet, usually near the refrigerant lines. Push it in as far as it will go to reset it.
- If both units are running and no cooling is taking place, touch the larger of the two copper lines exiting the condenser. If it if warm, the system is out of freon or the compressor is down. If the line is frozen or iced over, there is an air flow problem inside, such as clogged filter or too many registers closed or an object covering the return duct. A low freon charge will also cause a freeze-up. Shut the system down and let it thaw out completely. If it freezes up again, call for service.
- If the unit is in the basement and has a condensate pump, the control wire for the condenser might be wired through a safety switch on the pump. Check to see if the pump is plugged in and operable.
- If the unit is in the attic, there could be a float switch in the air handler or in the safety pan that will shut the condenser off if the drain is clogged. Water around the unit is evidence of trouble. Call for service.
- If your AC is leaking water, remember that some water is a byproduct of air conditioning. AC units are designed to drain off this water. If water appears and the system is not cooling, the cooling coil is probably frozen. A frozen coil is the result of a low refrigerant charge or not enough air flow. A professional is needed to correct the refrigerant charge. Most air flow problems are due to dirty filters, which the homeowner himself should know/learn how to replace.
- If water appears and the cooling system is working fine, there is most likely a problem with the condensate drain. The drain may be a gravity type which simply flows down hill and outside, in which case. it is clogged somewhere. A shop vac, applied to the outside end, might clear the problem. Or the condensate might drain into a nearby mounted pump. This pump runs when it is filled, but will over flow if it fails.
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Ask Tom & Leslie - Fridge on the Fritz
This week’s question comes to us from Felix in Alexandria, Virginia. He says, “I'm having problems with my refrigerator’s ice maker. The supply line inside the freezer froze. I was able to unclog it but the ice maker still doesn't work correctly. The supply line outside the refrigerator leaks now. What’s wrong?”
Felix, you did the right thing by defrosting and unclogging the supply line. What you should do in addition to this is replace the water shutoff valve or the water inlet valve, or both if necessary. Either or both of these valves may have been damaged and you will have a recurrence of the problem in that case. Good luck and thanks for listening!
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Got A Question About Your Money Pit?
You can do-it-yourself but you don't have to do-it-alone. Getting in touch with us is as easy as 1 - 2 or 3!
- The toll-free studio hot line is 1-888-MONEY PIT. Find out when we broadcast in your area by checking out our website at www.moneypit.com. Each week we take dozens of calls, give great advice and offer callers a chance to win a terrific prize awarded to one random caller to every show.
- Call when it's convenient for you, 24 hours a day, same number: 1-888-MONEY PIT. A live person takes your call 24/7! So -- WHENEVER you have a home improvement question -- phone it in. Simply tell our phone screener your first name, and where you're calling from...and ask your question. We’ll get back to you with the answer – or even call you back during the show!
- Click here to email your question to us. We may read your email on the air and we also respond personally to many of the email questions we get.
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On the Air - Cordless Revolution
You’ve heard a lot about the so-called “cordless revolution”. Tool manufacturers have put a lot of hype behind the newest generation of tools powered by lithium-ion batteries. But it’s not just hype! By packing up to three times the voltage into a battery cell, you have longer run times and more power. Listen to the show this week for the lowdown on the cordless revolution from Fine Homebuilding magazine’s editor, Kevin Ireton.
While we’re on the topic of power tools, Ryobi has done something that makes complete sense to make using and storing power tools a lot easier. The folks at Ryobi realized that one of the most cumbersome things about owning an arsenal of power tools was having a battery, charger and case for each one. With the One line, one power source works with every 18V power tool Ryobi has ever made. Plus there is a full line of brand new tools. Twenty-five tools in all so you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Visit www.oneplustools.comfor details, including new additions to the line for this fall.
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Dot Common Sense - Dehumidifier Tips
Too much humidity in your home provides the perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew, dust mites, bacteria and more. When you turn up your air conditioner to try and get rid of indoor stickiness, you’re really just making your home uncomfortably cool. Using a dehumidifier can help your air conditioner run more efficiently and cool your home better. To make sure your dehumidifier is working right, follow these steps:
- Dust or vacuum dehumidifier coils at least once per year, before you plug it in.
- Check the owner’s manual for cleaning tips as well, especially if yours is hard to clean.
- If you are using your humidifier in a room or rooms that are cooler than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, check it now and then to make sure frost is not building on the coils. If you do see frost, turn the unit off until the frost melts and the room is warmer.
Remember that humidity is not confined to one room. An Aprilaire Whole-House Dehumidifier eliminates the need to over-cool, allowing for a higher thermostat setting for the same comfort level. And because it is more energy efficient than portable dehumidifiers, it uses less energy for the same amount of moisture removed. Visit www.Aprilaire.com for more info.
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Fun Fact - The Dirt on Soil
To keep your lawn and garden healthy: aerate soils, especially clay, once a year. This loosens compacted surface soil and allows for better water penetration. Mulch plants, bushes and trees. This helps retain soil moisture, discourages weeds, provides nutrients and prevents soil underneath from compacting. Fertilize twice a year, once in spring with slow release nitrogen and in fall with quick release.
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Short Cuts - Recycling Pesticides
Keeping your lawn green and healthy usually means using some sort of chemical product on it, be it fertilizer or weed killer or pesticide. You may have some empty containers lying around. Here are guidelines for what to do with them:
If the label on your empty pesticide container tells you to rinse the container, use the rinse
water on your target site. Do not pour the rinse water into a household drain, on the ground, or into a gutter or storm drain. In many communities, these containers are not recyclable. Find out how to dispose of through your local waste management office. Aerosol containers should be capped and thrown in with your trash. Fertilizer bags should be wrapped in newspaper and thrown in trash. Don’t reuse any of these containers. Any unused product should be disposed of through your local hazardous waste program.
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Copyright 2006 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.
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