Q. The recent problem seems to be related to the outdoor cooling fan. The air conditioning system seems to be working properly, but there is a loss of cooling of the air coming from the indoor air conditioning vents. I inspected the outside unit, and yesterday the cooling fan was stopped with a humming/grinding sound. The capacitor looked good (no bulging), but I'm not an electrician and I have no way (or the knowledge) to test voltages and amperages and such. Anyway, I blew on some dust/dirt/cobwebs around some of the wires, and started the system back on and the fan moved at normal speed and the system worked and cooler air came out. However, today, the indoor temperature wasn't maintained and I went outside and the cooling fan was running much slower (but it was running). After I turned off the system, I felt the metal cover of the outside unit, and it was very hot, and it seemed that the source of the heat came from directly above the cooling fan motor. Please contact me!

A. Replace your outdoor fan and while your at it replace the capacitor and everything will be fine. But turn your unit off untill you get it fixed or you'll be changing a compressor or buying a new unit.

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Q. I just got the ducts in my house cleaned out to get rid of pet dander and help me breathe better. The air conditioning is running great now and seems cleaner to breathe in. The only problem is that there is a loud humming noise coming from the big vent on the wall. It only comes from this big vent, and does not resonate from any of the vents on the ground. The big vent is not the original big vent; my contractor replaced it after the ducts were cleaned because the old big vent was dirty. My contractor says the noise is a result of the air running so openly now, but I'm having a hard time buying that. I think it is the replacement vent vibrating when the air pushes through it. Any thoughts? I'm pretty sure he threw away the old big vent.

A. Call him back and tell him your not satisfied.Lining the duct with duct insulation should help.I think your right about the vibration.

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Q. In a 2400 sq. ft. house?

A. On the average $30.00 per vent plus a $40 set up fee per system price is usaully dictated by the numbers of vents in your house not the sqft

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Q. The central air conditioning in my apartment is getting repaired and won't be working for 4 or 5 days. I want to improvise something. Maybe taking a fan and pointing it a a bag of ice. Heck.. I don't know... Any tips ?

A. Use the principle of evaporation. Depending on the humidity, it can work wonders. Lightly soak and wring out a sheet before bed, and have a fan blow across you. You will be comfortable enough to get to sleep. Some people get a large amount of ice, put it in a shallow pan, and have a fan blow over it. Another is to fill an ice chest with 70% ice and 30% water, take a hand towels, soak and wring out, then place over head and breathe the cold air. Do it once more but this time leave on your wrists for a couple of minutes. As for a whole house fix, there is no other DIY method I know of. The ice cold towel on the head is really amazing relief even though temporary.

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Q. If you know someone that has and operates their own company, not a big company where you have to wait on hold when you call them i'm adding some rooms in my house and need some bids for the a/c thanks

A. Honest Air i dont have the number but you can find it online good luck

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Q. Well my air conditioning broke and we had some people fix it and then it broke again... every time i want it to go to a certain temperature like 75 or 74 it wont move it will stay at like 88 and the 80's and i dont have the number to my ac guy and how could i fix it... i have a digital ac thermometer thing. no the outdoor fan is not runnining

A. Don't take this personally, but if you use phrases like "digital ac thermometer thing" then you aren't qualified to repair an air conditioner. You can check simple things like the circuit breaker. But if it is tripped, it is usually for a reason. And if it trips multiple times, there definitely is a problem. If you aren't satisfied with the last co. Try another one. There are lots of companies in the yellow pages. Or ask a friend or neighbor if they know someone they can recommend.

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Q. This question concern central air conditioning. Like most homes with central air, our compressor unit sits outside of the house. Unfortunately it sits on the side of the house where it is in direct sunlight during the afternoons, which is also the hottest part of the day. Our air conditioner runs pretty much constantly all afternoon. I have been told that building a carport type shelter over the compressor that would shade it from direct sunlight will help it runs more efficiently. the idea makes sense to me, but I am not an expert. How much would this really help? I mean if we are talking a 1% or 2% increase in efficiency that it would hardly be worth the effort, but a 10% or 15% increase is a significant difference. Does any have experience with this? By the way, I already know about the standards tricks, such as the house being well insulated (it is), changing the filter at least once a month, having the unit serviced once a year, etc. I am asking specifically about shading the compressor. Harley - interesting tip, thanks. I have never even heard of solar powered water panels, is there a web site where I could research this further? Roy - I had heard this, in fact the person who suggested I build the cover told me to make sure there was enough room. Looking at my question now I don't think 'cover' was the right word to use, I am not talking about covering it with a snug cover like a car cover, I mean a canopy style covering that would be at least a foot over the top to allow the air to circulate. Does that make more sense?

A. Simply without getting to technical, shade is 20 t0 30 degrees cooler. That makes the unit head pressure lower which makes the suction temperature lower. That's what you get out of the evaporator "air that cools the room" Make a shade spot without restricting air flow. Tall fence or tree.

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Q. My friend has a drug problem and needs serious help. I told him to talk to his boss at work, tell him you have a problem and you need help. I wanted to find out what type of policy his company offers, make sure he's covered by them. Does anyone know where I go or who I should call to find out??

A. Your friend will only have insurance coverage if he opted for it on the job application AND after he has been employed for a certain length of time. He can look at the employee manual to find out that time period to see if he has met it. If he has he needs to talk to the HR department about it. As far as finding the type of policy etc...Only your friend can do that. You are not entitled to that information. I work for an HVAC contractor (air conditioning) so I can tell you that they will not give you any private information about your friend. They also will not discuss their insurance policies with you since you are not employed with them.

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