As the weather is warming up, you’re probably finding it necessary to use the air conditioner more frequently. Having an AC unit in your apartment is great, but it comes with a major hassle if it breaks.
This summer, if you’re wondering what to do about a broken air conditioner, we’ve got you covered with these simple steps.
1. Arrange for repair
First things first, when you find yourself stuck with a broken AC, call for repair. What this means for you will depend on the specifics of where you live.
If you live in an apartment complex
If you live in an apartment complex, it’s likely that maintenance is handled by an on-site team or individual maintenance technician.
Requests for maintenance at apartments are typically either filed online through a website portal or by paying a visit to the main office. Many apartments even have an after-hours emergency maintenance option when you need urgent assistance before the next business day.
If you rent from an individual landlord
If you live in a home or apartment that’s owned by a single landlord, you should follow a different process for arranging repair of your broken AC. First, you should contact your landlord and see if they will handle the repair. Not all states require landlords to fix a broken AC, so you may find yourself needing to schedule your own repair.
If that’s the case, you should shop around for the best repair rates. Do research on community sites like Angie’s List or Yelp and find a repair company that seems trustworthy.
2. Keep yourself cool in the meantime
Whether you’re relying on a private company, your landlord or a contracted maintenance team to fix your broken air conditioner, there’s a chance you’ll have to wait some time before the repairs are completed.
In this case, you’ll have to take whatever steps possible to stay cool in your apartment. Using a ceiling fan, strategically placing ice packs, taking advantage of naturally occurring wind and even eating cold foods can all help.
If your AC blower is working, even though the cooling unit is not actually cooling the air, you can continue to run the blower to keep air circulating. Moving air will actually help you feel cooler than you’d feel in stagnant air.
3. Avoid making your house hotter
In the summer, your home will obviously start to warm up as soon as the broken air conditioner gives out. You can take some steps to make your apartment cooler when this happens, but it’s also important to take steps to make sure you don’t inadvertently make your apartment hotter.
For starters, avoid using any large appliances to cook. That means the oven and stovetop are out until the AC is back up and running. Instead, opt for using the microwave or even a slow cooker in the interim. If you have an outdoor space, this makes a great time to break out the grill recipes, as well.
In addition to avoiding heat-generating cooking, you should be mindful of the lights in your house. When possible, use natural lighting throughout the daytime, but only in the rooms you need it in. Closed blinds or curtains in unused rooms can go a long way towards keeping your apartment from heating up. At night, keep lights on only in the spaces you need, as electric bulbs can generate heat.
4. Be prepared when the repair technicians arrive
Hopefully, you won’t have to wait long before help arrives. But, before they do, there are a couple of things you can do to be prepared.
First, having some important documents on hand can help the repair technicians better diagnose potential problems. Anything you have related to the air conditioner unit could potentially be helpful, including warranty information, user manuals and any receipts or notes from prior repair calls.
For standard repairs on a broken AC, a maintenance technician will likely only stay one or two hours. You’ll also likely know when they’ll arrive beforehand so you can be prepared.
Don’t let a broken air conditioner ruin your summer
Your apartment should be your sanctuary, a place you can truly feel comfortable. If you’re dealing with a broken air conditioner, you’re likely not truly comfortable in your home. Having repairs done to your broken AC is easy and painless.
Hopefully this guide has helped you better understand exactly what to do about a broken air conditioner so that you can enjoy this summer in comfort.
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Source: apartmentguide.com