Air conditioner · Naples and Campania
Air conditioner not cooling: what to do
The split switches on, the fan turns, but the room is as hot as before. Before thinking about gas, rule out the simple causes, which are also the most frequent. Many can be checked in ten minutes with your phone in hand.
From €250 + VAT about 3 hoursSingle split, back to back, up to 3 m of piping, F-gas certification included
Before touching filters or panels, switch off the air conditioner and cut the power. Do not open the outdoor unit: it contains electrical components that stay live even after switch-off.
Recognise the problem
- Air comes out of the vents, but it is lukewarm
- It cools in the early morning, then cannot cope in the hot hours
- Frost or ice appears on the pipes of the outdoor unit
- You see ice behind the fins of the split and after a while it drips
- The indoor unit runs, the outdoor one stays still and silent
The most common causes
- 1
Clogged filters
If air cannot pass, the indoor coil gets too cold and can ice over. The cooling drops and, when the ice melts, the split often drips. That is why it sometimes stops cooling and leaks water at the same time.
- 2
Wrong settings
Dry mode, fan-only or auto mode cool very little. The remote may also be left on heating or a high temperature, or have flat batteries and not send commands.
- 3
Outdoor unit that cannot shed heat
The outdoor motor must push out the heat taken from the house. With dirty fins, full midday sun, a curtain or furniture in front, or a stopped outdoor fan, the cooling indoors drops a lot.
- 4
Low gas from a leak
The circuit is closed, so gas does not run out by itself. If it has dropped, there is a leak, often at the pipe fittings. The typical sign is frost on the valves of the outdoor unit with clean filters.
- 5
Faulty electrical component
The start capacitor, the small component that gives the compressor its push, may be worn out, or a temperature probe may be giving wrong readings. The split seems on but the compressor does not start.
What you can safely check yourself
- Set cooling mode and a temperature a few degrees below the room, then wait about ten minutes: many inverter models start slowly.
- Close the doors and windows of the room and lower the shutters on the sunny side.
- Switch off, cut the power and check the filters. If they are dirty, wash them and put them back only when dry.
- If you see ice on the split, switch off the cooling and run fan-only until it melts, with a towel underneath.
- From the balcony, check that the outdoor unit fan turns and that there is free space in front of it.
Never open the boiler or the gas water heater, and always switch off the power before touching an electrical appliance. If in doubt, call us.
When you need a technician at home
- With clean filters and correct settings, lukewarm air keeps coming out
- Frost or ice on the pipes and valves of the outdoor unit
- The outdoor compressor does not start or clicks repeatedly
- It had already been recharged with gas and the problem comes back
How much it costs
Air conditioner installation (our price)
Single split, back to back, up to 3 m of piping, F-gas certification included
from €250 + VAT
Full clean of one split
indicative market price in the Naples area
60-90 €
Gas recharge after the leak is repaired
indicative market price in the Naples area; finding and repairing the leak is separate
80-150 €
Market figures are indicative for the Naples area. You know our exact price before we start; prices apply near our base in Parete, and further away you see them in full when you choose your town.
Ice inside or ice outside: what it is telling you
Ice on the fins of the indoor unit usually means too little airflow: dirty filters, a dusty coil, a slow indoor fan. After a good clean it often does not come back.
Frost on the pipe or valves of the outdoor unit, with clean filters, points instead to low gas in the circuit. Topping up is not enough: if gas is missing there is a leak, and it must be found and repaired before recharging.
In both cases, do not scrape the ice with knives or screwdrivers: you risk bending the fins or puncturing a pipe. Switch off the cooling and let it melt by itself.
Very hot days
When Naples goes above thirty degrees and the outdoor unit sits in the sun on a terrace, even a healthy air conditioner struggles to keep the room cool. If the problem appears only in the middle of the day and disappears in the evening, there may be no fault at all.
In that case lowered shutters, closed doors and a clean of the outdoor fins help. A canopy over the motor can help, as long as air can still circulate: enclosing it in a tight box makes things worse.
Want to know what it is first? Show us
We ask you to film the display, the filters and, from a safe position, the outdoor unit while it runs. If we see ice, a stopped outdoor fan or clogged filters, we know straight away where to look. When the signs point to the gas circuit, we tell you and explain what work is needed.
Video consultation, up to 15 minutes: €9.90 (€14.90 on Sundays), deducted from the bill if we then come to your home.
Book the consultationDIY guides
Frequently asked questions
Why is my air conditioner running but not cooling?
It means the fan and board are on but the heat is not being carried outside. The most common causes are dirty filters, a mode other than cooling, or an outdoor unit that cannot shed heat. Only after ruling those out does it make sense to think about gas.
The air conditioner is not cooling and is leaking water: are the two linked?
Often yes. With clogged filters the indoor coil ices over and, when the ice melts, water overflows the tray. Wash the filters and run fan-only until the ice is gone.
Ice forms on the outdoor unit pipe: what does it mean?
With clean filters it is a sign of low refrigerant gas, so a leak in the circuit. You need a technician with F-gas certification to find the leak, repair it and then recharge. In the meantime keep it switched off, so the compressor is not strained.
How cold should the air from the split be?
There is no single number: it depends on the model and how hot the room is. A more useful comparison is with last year, in the same heat. With an ordinary thermometer you can measure the air coming out and the room air and tell us on the video call.
Can I keep using it if it is not cooling?
If there is ice or the compressor makes odd noises, it is better to switch it off until you understand the cause. If it cools a little and the filters were dirty, you can try again normally after cleaning them.
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Air conditioner all over Campania
We work in Naples, Posillipo, Caserta and all over the region. Near our base in Parete there is no travel cost; further away you see the full price before you confirm.
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