Home air conditioning problem?

Question:we live in ga. and it's been in the 90's. this unit is from the 80's. came home tonight and it's not blowing cool. husband checked the unit outside and it's hot? is there anything we can do or do we need an air conditoning tech? any ideas to the problen would be very helpful. Thank you.

Answers:
The outside unit gets hot, because it is moving the heat from inside your house outside of the house. Being hot is a good sign, as the unit is still working somewhat.

Are the coils/fins on the outdoor unit clean? Take a gentle hose and clean them off. This will allow more air to circulate and remove more of the heat.

When it runs, is the outdoor fan moving air? If the outdoor fan is not running, the compressor will overheat and cut out to protect itself from high pressure/high temperature. Do not let the unit run without the outdoor fan, as the compressor will die eventually. It could be a simple fix; relay, contactor, capacitor, or motor replacement.

This unit sounds like it is reaching its intended life span. If the compressor has died, spend your money to replace the entire system or outdoor unit, you will get an updated warranty, and a more efficient system.

With your system being this old, it is time to budget for an upgrade.