Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a couple of causes why your AC equipment won’t work: an overloaded circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a switched off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Triggered Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t turn on when you have a tripped breaker.
To check if one has blown, find your home’s main electrical panel. You can locate this silver fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you check the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker labeled “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” location. If it’s overloaded, the switch will be in the "off" position.
- Quickly move the breaker back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously flips again, don’t touch it and contact us at 979-335-4262. A fuse that keeps flipping could signal your house has electrical trouble.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your AC to work, it won’t activate.
The most important point is ensuring it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner may not start running. You may also get heated air moving from vents because the heater is running instead.
If you rely on a regular thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the monitor is empty. If the screen is presenting garbled numbers, buy a new thermostat.
- Ensure the correct option is on the display. If you can’t update it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if scheduling is incorrect.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is set the same as the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is set properly, you should begin getting cool air fast.
If you have a smart thermostat, including ones produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for assistance. If you’re still having problems, call us at 979-335-4262 for assistance.
Shut-Down Switch
Your air conditioner usually has a shut-down switch near its outdoor unit. This lever is typically in a metal box hung on your residence. If your AC has recently been tuned up, the lever may have accidentally been turned off.
Clogged Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans keep the surplus liquid your AC takes out of the air. This pan is located either under or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or blocked drain, water can become concentrated and prompt a safety feature to stop your system.
If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the additional water with a formulated pan-cleaning tab. You can get these tabs at a home improvement or hardware store.
If your pan has a pump, find the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you may need to install a new pump. Contact us at 979-335-4262 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is going but not cooling, its airflow may be clogged. Or it might not have adequate refrigerant.
Clogged Airflow
Your system’s airflow can be decreased by a clogged air filter or dirty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can create many issues, including:
- Limited comfort
- Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Inconsistent cooling
- Increased electricity bills
- Making your system break down faster
We suggest changing flat filters once a month, and pleated filters every three months.
If you aren’t sure when you last replaced your filter, turn off your equipment fully and remove the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be situated in an adjoining filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to the sunshine. If you see a lot of dust, you certainly should buy a new filter.
4 Steps to Cleaning Your AC Equipment
Weeds, plants and shrubbery can obstruct your condensing system. This could limit its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment working well again.
- Turn off power completely at the breaker or external switch.
- Get rid of yard waste around the equipment. Once you’ve gotten rid of bigger debris within a two-foot range, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to carefully remove dust from the unit’s fins. Kinked fins can also impact capability.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully take off dirt on the fins from inside the system. Be careful to avoid getting water on the fan motor.
- Turn on the power.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When cooling equipment doesn’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your rooms.
Here are a few symptoms that your unit is seeping refrigerant:
- It takes too long to lower the temperature in your home and you’re continually turning down the thermostat.
- Cooling coming through the vents isn’t as chilly as it should be.
- You’re experiencing whistling or gurgling noises when the air conditioning is on.
- Your evaporator coil is frosted as a result of having difficulty handling warmth.
Worried your system is losing refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and refill the proper amount of refrigerant in your unit. Get in touch with us at 979-335-4262 for help.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it seems like you’re not having enough cold air, there’s possibly a clog or separation inside your cooling system.
- The initial step is checking your air filter. Replace it if it’s filthy.
- Make sure the ductwork is open across your residence.
- If you’re still not receiving enough chilly air, you should have your ductwork examined by a specialist like E.B. Air, LLC. Your duct system might need to be repaired or hooked up again in limited space areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.