Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a couple of causes why your air conditioner won’t work: a blown circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a switched off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Tripped Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t work when you have a blown breaker.
To check if one has gotten overloaded, find your house’s main electrical panel. You can locate this metallic device on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet are free of moisture before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Locate the breaker identified “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” location. If it’s tripped, the switch will be in the "off" position.
- Steadily move the switch back to the “on” spot. If it immediately trips again, don’t touch it and reach us at 940-202-1184. A switch that keeps turning off could mean your house has electrical trouble.
Incorrect Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your air conditioner to work, it won’t switch on.
The most important step is checking it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning will probably not start running. You could also have heated air moving from vents because the heat is on instead.
If you have a regular thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the monitor is empty. If the readout is presenting garbled characters, replace the thermostat.
- Ensure the right option is showing. If you can’t change it, cancel it by dropping the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if programming is incorrect.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is identical to the space’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated correctly, you should receive chilled air promptly.
If you have a smart thermostat, such as one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you’re still having problems, call us at 940-202-1184 for support.
Shut-Off Switch
Your air conditioner typically has a shut-off switch near its outside unit. This switch is commonly in a metal box mounted on your house. If your air conditioner has recently been fixed, the switch may have accidentally been turned off.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans hold the surplus condensation your AC takes out of the air. This pan can be situated either under or inside your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or backed up drain, water can build up and trigger a safety control to stop your air conditioner.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the surplus condensation with a special pan-cleaning tab. You can get these tablets at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan includes a pump, locate the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you may need to install a new pump. Reach us at 940-202-1184 for help.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your AC is on but not cooling, its airflow may be blocked. Or it may not have enough refrigerant.
Obstructed Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be decreased by a blocked air filter or filthy condenser.
How to Replace Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can create countless troubles, including:
- Limited airflow
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Higher utility expenses
- Leading your system to wear out more quickly
We suggest changing flat filters every four weeks, and pleated filters every three months.
If you aren’t sure when you last replaced your filter, switch off your equipment fully and pull out the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might also be located in a connected filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.
Tilt the filter up to the sunshine. If you see a lot of dust, you certainly should replace it.
How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Equipment
Brush, plants and leaves can get in the way of your condensing system. This can restrict its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and impact your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your system running properly again.
- Switch off the electrical current completely at the breaker or outdoor switch.
- Get rid of greenery waste around the AC. Once you’ve cleared larger refuse within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to gingerly clean the equipment’s fins. Bent fins can also impact performance.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully remove gunk off the fins from inside the equipment. Make sure to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
- Restore the power.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When cooling equipment doesn’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your rooms.
Here are several symptoms that your system is losing refrigerant:
- It takes a long time to lower the temperature in your residence and you’re regularly lowering the thermostat.
- Air conditioning coming through the vents isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re noticing whistling or burbling sounds when the AC is on.
- Your evaporator coil is iced over on account of having difficulty absorbing humidity.
Suspect your equipment is losing refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service specialist to fix the leak and restore the proper amount of refrigerant in your system. Call us at 940-202-1184 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it appears like you’re not getting enough chilled air, there’s likely an obstruction or disconnection inside your AC equipment.
- The initial stage is looking at your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s soiled.
- Make sure the ductwork is open throughout your home.
- If you’re still not getting sufficient chilled air, you should have your ductwork checked by a expert like Pepper AC & Htg Inc. Your ductwork may need to be serviced or rejoined in limited space areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.