Is Your Air Conditioner Ready for Summer? What Melbourne Homeowners Should Check Now

Melbourne has given us our first taste of warmer weather, and for many households it’s the first time the air conditioner has been switched to cooling in months.

If you’ve turned yours on and it seems to be working fine, that’s a good start. But these first warm days are also a good opportunity to give it a proper run and notice whether anything has changed since last summer.

You don’t need to diagnose anything. You’re simply checking that it’s actually doing the job.

How do you know if your air conditioner is ready for summer?

Give it a proper run on cooling for around 20 minutes. Check that cold air is reaching every room or zone, the outdoor unit is running, the filters are clean and there are no fault codes, persistent smells, unusual noises or water where it shouldn’t be.

If everything is cooling normally, that’s a good sign. If something has changed since last summer, start with the simple checks below.

What we see when Melbourne starts warming up

Once the warmer weather arrives, our phones tend to follow a familiar pattern.

Alongside customers booking their pre-summer service, we start hearing about rooms or zones that aren’t cooling, controllers not behaving as they should, fault codes and systems that simply won’t start.

And one of the most common things our technicians find when a system feels weak is also one of the simplest: dirty filters.

That’s why we always recommend checking the basics before paying someone to come out.

Before you call us, check these things first

Check your filters. On a split system, the filters are usually behind the front panel. On a ducted system, check the return-air filter in the large grille in the ceiling or wall.

If the filter is visibly dirty, clean it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A heavily blocked filter restricts airflow and can make a perfectly good air conditioner feel like it isn’t doing its job.

Check the controller. Make sure it’s actually set to COOL rather than FAN, DRY, AUTO or, after winter, still on HEAT.

If you have ducted air conditioning, check your zones. One being accidentally switched off is easier to miss than you might think.

Look at the outdoor unit. Is it running? Is it clear of leaves, plants or anything else restricting the airflow?

Check the remote batteries, isolator and circuit breaker. Simple, yes. But they’re worth ruling out.

Then walk through the house while the system is running. Is the air coming from the vents actually cold rather than just moving air? Is it reaching every room?

If you’ve checked those things and something still isn’t right, that’s useful information to give us when you call.

Why is my air conditioner running but not cooling properly?

The fan running doesn’t necessarily mean the cooling side of your air conditioner is doing what it should.

If air is moving but it isn’t getting noticeably cooler after the system has had time to run, there may be something else going on.

With ducted systems, we often explain it as two parts: the air-conditioning unit itself and the duct network that delivers the air around your home.

The machine can be working perfectly well, but if a zone motor has failed or ductwork in the roof has become disconnected, crushed or damaged, that cooled air may not be getting where it needs to go.

This is particularly relevant when most of the house feels fine but one room or one zone doesn’t.

Why is my ducted air conditioning not cooling some rooms?

It doesn’t necessarily mean the air conditioner itself is faulty.

A room may not be cooling properly because of zoning, airflow or the ductwork supplying that part of the house. We regularly find failed zone motors or ductwork that has become damaged or disconnected in the roof.

We attended a double-storey home where the customer told us the upstairs wasn’t cooling properly. The air-conditioning unit itself was fine. The problem was the duct serving upstairs, which had failed in the roof. Once that section of ductwork was replaced, the airflow upstairs returned.

It’s a good example of why “my air conditioner isn’t cooling properly” doesn’t automatically mean the air conditioner needs replacing.

The home itself can also play a part. A west-facing room with a large window has a very different cooling load from a shaded room on the other side of the house. Upstairs rooms are generally harder to cool, while renovations and extensions can also change what an existing system is being asked to do.

This is why simply installing a bigger air conditioner isn’t always the answer.

Does an air conditioner need regassing?

This is a question we get all the time.

An air conditioner doesn’t normally use up refrigerant like a car uses petrol. It operates within a sealed system.

So if a system is low on refrigerant, the important question isn’t simply “Can you put more gas in it?” It’s why has the refrigerant escaped?

Think of it like pumping up a car tyre with a puncture. You can put more air in it, but unless you find and repair the puncture, you haven’t really fixed the problem.

It’s also the law. A licensed technician isn’t allowed to simply top up a leaking system. The leak has to be found and repaired before the system is regassed.

Sometimes a refrigerant leak is relatively straightforward to repair. Other times, depending on where the leak is and the age and condition of the system, the repair may not make financial sense.

That’s why the underlying problem needs to be properly diagnosed rather than assuming a “regas” will solve it.

Should you repair or replace your air conditioner?

There isn’t one answer for every home.

We look at the age of the system, what has actually failed, whether parts are still readily available, its repair history and how well the system still suits the home.

A straightforward repair on an otherwise good system can absolutely make sense. We have no problem telling a customer to repair a system and keep it going.

The conversation changes when you’re looking at an ageing system that has already had several repairs, parts are becoming difficult to source, or the cost of a major repair is becoming a significant portion of the cost of replacement.

Our approach is simple: we’ll give you our best advice, but you don’t have to take it.

If a repair makes sense, we’ll tell you.

If we can repair it but think you’re taking a risk putting significant money into an older system, we’ll tell you that too and explain why.

We don’t believe in quietly carrying out an expensive repair on something we wouldn’t spend the money repairing in our own home.

Why spring is a good time to check your air conditioner

Spring gives you the luxury of time.

If your system is working properly, you can head towards summer knowing everything is doing what it should.

If something isn’t quite right, you have time to find out whether it’s a simple fix, a repair or something you need to start planning for.

And if you’ve done the basic checks above and everything is working perfectly?

That’s good news. You don’t need us.

Not sure whether something is quite right?

If your air conditioner isn’t cooling like it used to, one room or zone isn’t getting airflow, you’re seeing a fault code or something just seems different from last summer, talk to the Ideal Air Melbourne team.

Call us on (03) 8548 1291, book online, or send us a message. Tell us what you’ve noticed and what you’ve already checked. It helps us understand what might be going on before we arrive, and we’ll talk you through what we find once we’ve had a proper look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my air conditioner running but not cooling?

Start with the basics. Check that the system is set to COOL, the filters are clean and, for ducted systems, the correct zones are switched on. If air is moving but isn’t getting cold, or the house still isn’t cooling properly, the system may need to be professionally checked.

Does my air conditioner need a regas?

Not as part of normal maintenance. Air-conditioning refrigerants operate within a sealed system. If refrigerant levels are low, there is usually an underlying reason that should be diagnosed and repaired rather than simply topping the system up.

Should I service my air conditioner before summer?

If the system hasn’t been professionally checked for some time, gets heavy use, is getting older or you’ve noticed a change in its performance, spring is a sensible time to have it looked at. It gives you time to deal with anything that needs attention before the system is working harder through summer. Once a year is the usual guide for a home system, ideally before summer. Keeping the service record up also matters if you ever need to make a manufacturer’s warranty claim, because manufacturers can ask to see it.

Should I repair or replace an old air conditioner?

Age alone doesn’t determine whether an air conditioner needs replacing. The type and cost of the repair, availability of parts, previous repairs, overall condition and how well the system still suits your home all matter. A good technician should be able to explain both options so you can make an informed decision.

Reviewed by Louis Rehrl, Director, Ideal Air Melbourne. ArcTick Authorisation AU46212.