Goodman Air Conditioner Common Problems: Troubleshooting Guide for Homeowners

Overview of Goodman Air Conditioner Troubleshooting

There is a Goodman central AC condenser unit in an outside home. These central air systems are reliable and even the most superior of them can start having issues that require troubleshooting.

This lesson explains the common problems of Goodman central air conditioners and their troubleshooting. Learn what the symptoms, possible causes and solutions to each of the problems are and when you need to address a professional.

Goodman Air Conditioner Won’t Turn On

In the case when your Goodman AC fails to turn on at all, then you are to begin with the power supply. Make sure that there are no tripped circuit breakers and blown fuses and reset them where required. Also make sure that thermostat is on cool and lower temperature than the room temperature.

In other cases, it is as simple as a thermostat setting or dead batteries to have the AC running.

• Tripped power supply: Power surge or overload can lead to tripping of the circuit breaker of the AC. In the event that the AC breaker is tripped, reset the breaker (or replace the fuse) and see whether the unit is started. In case it trips immediately again, do not continue to reset it, call an expert to inspect the circuit.
• Thermostat issues: Make sure that the thermostat is turned on and that it is on cooling mode and the temperature is a few degrees lower than the room temperature. Where it is battery operated, change the batteries. A misadjusted or powered thermostat will not allow the AC to come on.
• Internal safety switches: Goodman units are equipped with safety switches which shut down the system when trouble occurs. To illustrate, a condensate overflow float switch will switch off the AC in the event that the drain pan is full. If your AC does not turn on, look at the drip pan of the indoor unit to see whether it is filled with water and clear any clogged condensate drain line (see the section on leaks).
• Capacitor or wiring: A faulty start capacitor or loose electrical wiring can prevent the compressor and fan energizing. When the thermostat is calling to cool and you hear a slight click or buzz and nothing comes on it could be a bad capacitor or contactor. A professional in HVAC ought to change these high-voltage components to be on the safe side.

In case these steps do not help to turn on your AC, then you should call a specialist. Internal faults or electrical problems are complex and require professional diagnosis.

Goodman AC Running but Not Cooling

In other instances, the AC is switched on and it fails to cool the house, you may feel warm or room temperature air coming out of the vents instead of cold air. The issue can be caused by many things such as airflow problems to loss of refrigerant.

Deal with easy solutions and proceed to more complex causes.

Thermostat fan setting: 

The initial step that you ought to take is to make sure that your thermostat fan is not on but rather auto. When the fan is in On position, it will still blow the air even when the compressor is not operating and this will provide room temperature air through the vents. The Auto mode is applied to ensure that the fan operates when the AC is cooling.

Dirty air filter or coils: 

Lack of maintenance of the system can lead to accumulation of dust which interferes with cooling. The air flow will be restricted by a blocked filter and the heat transfer will be restricted by contaminated condenser or evaporator coils.

The system can choke and blow warm air. Verify the air filter and replace it when it is clogged. And the outdoor condenser coil too, which can be coated with dirt or debris, can be washed with a garden hose (turn off the unit first). The loss of cooling is contributed by dirty filters and coils.

Low refrigerant (leak):

When the system does not have sufficient refrigerant, it means that the system cannot absorb and reject heat efficiently and this leads to poor or no cooling. Signs of low refrigerant are that the AC will never reach the thermostat setpoint, ice on the evaporator coil or refrigerant lines or less cooling even during a long cycle.

Do not ever recharge refrigerant yourself, only EPA-certified technicians may deal with refrigerant issues. Should you feel that there might be a leakage in the refrigerant, call a licensed HVAC professional to detect and seal the leak and recharge the system.

Broken compressor or fan: 

The AC will not cool when the outdoor condenser fan is not turning or when the compressor is not turning on. The fan that does not turn may be a sign of a faulty fan motor or capacitor and a silent compressor may be seized or burnt out.

These problems cannot be solved by a layman, but they require professional repair or replacement of parts because they deal with large parts.

When such repairs do not solve the cooling issue, then the issue could be a more serious component problem (bad condenser or evaporator coil).

Once this occurs, it would be recommendable to have the system diagnosed by a technician.

Weak or Insufficient Airflow

The rooms can be uncomfortable even when the air is cold because of poor air circulation through your vents. In case of little air coming out of vents, the problem is likely to be in the airflow blockages or in the blower system, but not in the cooling parts.

You should make sure that you have the correct airflow to cool your Goodman AC.

• Clogged air filter: Air filter is normally the first point to check when the airflow is poor. The airflow can be reduced by 15 percent or more with a clogged filter and the AC will not be able to circulate enough air. Replace the filters after a month or after every three months to prevent clogs. Even the use of the system with a highly clogged filter can result in the freezing of the evaporator coil due to the lack of warm air.
• Blocked or shut vents: Check your house and ensure that all the supply vents and the return grilles are open and free. Furniture and curtains should not block the air. One should not close too many vents because it will lead to reduced airflow and overwork the blower, most of the vents should be left open to facilitate the circulation of air.
• Leaky or dirty ductwork: Leaking or dust filled air ducts can significantly cut down the supply of air to the rooms. You might have leaks or kinks in the ducts in case some of the rooms get much less air. Even though you can inspect visible ducts in the attics or crawlspaces to identify disconnections, ducts can be sealed and thoroughly cleaned, which might require professional service.
• There are times when ducts may not be so easy to find particularly when they are broken or cracked and thus when you have a new filter and yet you still have a poor airflow, then it is possible that your ducts are leaking and you need to call a technician to check your ducts.
• Blower fan/motor issues: The fan/motor that pushes air through the ducts is the blower fan inside. The fan may run slowly or not at all when the blower motor or the capacitor of the motor is going bad and this significantly limits airflow. It is a professional issue that requires repair or replacement of motors.

It may be as simple as replacing a blocked filter and clearing the blocked vents to allow the free flow of air. Those quick fixes should be always addressed. In case the airflow is low despite the basic troubleshooting, then there is a possibility that there is a more serious issue in the system (e.g. undersized ducts or a faulty blower) that needs to be professionally diagnosed.

Goodman AC Short Cycling (Turning On and Off Frequently)

Short cycling is a condition where the air conditioner is turned on and then off in a short period only to be turned on once again after a short period. This fails to enable the house to cool and puts extra pressure on the AC.

Probably the problem in Goodman central AC units that short cycle is that the system is shutting down prematurely.

Oversized AC unit: 

An over-sized AC system will cool the house too fast and will turn off before it has completed the cycle. The thermostat will then require cooling soon after and this will cause on/off cycling. The only and the best way out is to have a unit installed to your home of the right size.

Short cycles consume energy and also wear out the system further.

Clogged filters or coils: 

The filters or coils may be clogged and this may cause the AC to be shut down earlier than anticipated. A very dirty air filter or evaporator coil can cause the coil to freeze and a clogged condenser coil can cause the system to overheat.

In the two cases the unit may be turning on and off frequently. Make sure that your air filter is clean and the coils are not full of dirt.

Thermostat issues: 

Rapid cycling can be caused by a bad thermostat or a thermostat that is not installed properly because it does not give the correct temperature readings of your home. The thermostat can switch off the AC too soon in case it is near a supply vent or in the direct sunlight.

Ensure that the thermostat is correctly positioned and replace it when it is not working or is not accurate.

Clogged condensate drain: 

In the event that the drain line of the AC gets blocked, the condensate pan will overflow and the system will switch off because of a safety switch. The AC is able to make multiple restarting attempts.

When you notice short cycling and water around the unit, ensure that you check and clean the drain line to correct the situation.

Short cycling is not only a problem of comfort, but it can also lead to the wear out of the compressor. Contact an HVAC technician to investigate the issue in case the rapid cycling is not resolved by simple repairs (replacing filters or unclogging a drain).

They can verify the correct size of the unit, refrigerant, and other issues to ensure your Goodman AC has longer and more stable cycles.

Goodman Air Conditioner Leaking Water

Condensate removal problem is indicated by water pooling around your indoor AC unit or dripping off the unit.

When the air is cooled by central air conditioners, the humidity is taken out of the air and the result is When water collects around your indoor AC unit or drips out of the unit, then there is an issue with condensate drainage.

In the process of cooling, central air conditioners dehumidify the air and cause condensation that typically drains into a drip pan and out through a drain line. Should something go wrong during that process, you could end up having water where it does not belong.

Obstructed condensate drain pipe: This is the commonest cause of the AC water leak. The algae or debris can clog the drain pipe resulting in an overflow of the drip pan. To avoid electrical hazards, switch off the AC in case you observe standing water.

Locate the drain line and clean it out- say with a wet/dry vacuum to vacuum out the clog. The water should drain after the clog is out.

Evaporator coil freezing: A frozen coil (see the section above) will ultimately defrost and can overflow the drain pan with water. If your AC was freezing and now you have water, then most likely it is the melted ice.

The reason may be that the refrigerant is low or the airflow is not good that causes the freeze. In this case, you will be required to address the reason why the coil was frozen (replace dirty filters, inspect the amount of refrigerant, etc.) to avoid the recurrence of the leaks. Never put the coil back in operation until it is thoroughly thawed and dry.

After clearing the drain or fixing the drain pan, you are expected to dry any water that is lying around the unit. The leakage must be avoided by reinstating the right drainage.

In the event that the water still shows up despite such repairs, it is advisable to call in a specialist to examine underlying issues.

Frozen Evaporator Coil

The two most typical reasons of a frozen evaporator coil (ice on the indoor coil) are low refrigerant or bad airflow.

The temperature of the coil will drop unless there is enough warm air flowing over the coil (due to a clogged filter, clogged ducts or a malfunctioning blower) and the condensation will freeze. Alternatively, the coil can be too cold and freeze when there is not much refrigerant in the system.

When you discover that your Goodman AC has ice on its coil, you are supposed to turn off the system and leave it to thaw completely before you can turn on the system. Once thawed, any dirty filters should be replaced and all vents opened to improve air flow. When the coil freezes again after a short period, call an HVAC expert to check the system to find out whether the refrigerants are leaking or not.

Goodman AC Making Strange Noises

A good air conditioner is normally characterized by a low hum. When your Goodman AC begins to produce some weird or loud sounds suddenly, then it is a clear indication that there is something wrong. Some sounds can be the signs of some problems:

• Buzzing or humming: A high electrical buzz or hum is usually an indication of an electrical fault, e.g. a faulty capacitor or contactor. When the buzzing is very loud, turn off the AC and request a technician to inspect it since the electrical components may be faulty and need replacement.
• Rattling or banging: Rattling AC means that something is loose or there is some debris lodged in the unit. It might be a loose panel or a fan blade striking a part of the unit. Make sure that screws do not get lost and remove debris. Should the noise still be there, then there is a possibility that a component (e.g. a bent fan blade or a loose blower wheel) will need professional attention.
• Squealing or screeching: A squeal is a high pitch sound and it is normally produced by the blower motor. This may be due to bad motor bearings or a slipping fan belt (on some older systems). Turn off the system and have a technician check the motor; it might be lubricated or replaced.
• Hissing or bubbling: Hissing sound is normally a sign of leakage of refrigerant. In case you hear hissing and understand that the cooling is not good, turn the system off and call a certified technician as soon as possible. The experts are supposed to handle refrigerant leakages.

The strange sounds are the method of your AC to tell you about the problems. Address them early enough before they do more harm. When the issue is identified early, it can be easily fixed by a loose panel or bad capacitor but loud screeches or hissing are indicators of a larger problem that should be fixed by a professional immediately.

How to Avoid Being Ripped Off and Get a Fair Repair Price

It is not an easy task to find a good AC repair specialist, some of them are so cheap due to inexperience or bad reputation, others are too expensive to do the same job. That is why the most intelligent thing to do to receive quality repairs at a reasonable price is to compare estimates of the best-rated local professionals.

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