Cheap AC fixes

Summer is on us here in Texas.  Official or not, it's hot as all get out!  The other day our house was getting progressively hotter rather than cooler with the air conditioner going.  A quick glance and I discovered that the fan blade on the outside unit (that's the ugly metal box that's located right next to your house, for those who don't know) was not spinning.  A fast call to my cousin, the AC guy, and we troubleshot the problem.  If you are experiencing similar problems, pull the small access panel from the back left corner and locate the silver cylinder that has four (4) wires attached to the top.  If the cylinder is bulging at all on the top then it's bad and needs to be replaced.  Mark the wires, remove the part and take it to your local AC shop (Lowe's doesn't carry 'em).  Replace in opposite order and you're done.  And you just saved yourself a few hundred dollars in service calls from the AC guys.  You're welcome :)