Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a few reasons why your central AC system won’t work: an overloaded circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioner won’t run when you have a blown breaker.
To see if one has gotten overloaded, go to your home’s main electrical panel. You can locate this silver box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Confirm your hands and feet are dry before you work on the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker identified “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” location. If it’s overloaded, the breaker will be in the "off" position.
- Steadily shift the lever back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously trips again, don’t touch it and get in touch with us at 304-707-0600. A breaker that keeps flipping might mean your residence has electrical trouble.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your AC to run, it won’t activate.
The first part is ensuring it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning may not switch on. You may also have hot air moving from vents since the heater is running instead.
If you have a regular thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the screen is empty. If the monitor is showing jumbled numbers, replace the thermostat.
- Check the right setting is on the display. If you can’t alter it, reverse it by dropping the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if the configuration is incorrect.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is identical to the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated correctly, you should begin getting refreshing air fast.
If you rely on a smart thermostat, like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 304-707-0600 for support.
Shut-Down Switch
Your cooling equipment usually has a shut-off lever near its condenser. This switch is typically in a metal box hung on your home. If your unit has recently been tuned up, the device may have unintentionally been turned off.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans catch the extra condensation your equipment pulls from the air. This pan can be positioned either under or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a blockage or backed up drain, water can become concentrated and initiate a safety control to switch off your unit.
If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the additional liquid with a formulated pan-cleaning tablet. You can purchase these tabs at a home improvement or hardware shop.
If your pan includes a pump, locate the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you may need to replace the pump. Reach us at 304-707-0600 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your system is on but not providing cold air, its airflow could be obstructed. Or it might not have sufficient refrigerant.
Obstructed Airflow
Your system’s airflow can be limited by a clogged air filter or dirty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can cause a lot of problems, like:
- Lower comfort
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Inconsistent cooling
- Higher cooling bills
- Causing your system to stop working more quickly
We suggest replacing flat filters once a month, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t remember when you last replaced your filter, shut off your system completely and take out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in a connected filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see any light, you should replace it.
How to Clean Your Cooling Equipment
Brush, grass and sticks can get in the way of your condensing unit. This may limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s how you can get your equipment running well again.
- Turn off electricity totally at the breaker or outside device.
- Remove yard rubbish around the air conditioner. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger debris within a two-foot range, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly remove dirt from the unit’s fins. Kinked fins can also impact capability.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully remove gunk off the fins from inside the system. Be careful to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
- Restore the power.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When AC equipment doesn’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your rooms.
Here are a few flags that your unit is seeping refrigerant:
- It takes too long to refresh your residence and you’re constantly turning down the thermostat.
- Cooling blowing through the registers isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re experiencing fizzing or gurgling racket when the air conditioning runs.
- Your evaporator coil is iced over because it’s having difficulty absorbing humidity.
Think your unit is losing refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service expert to take care of the leak and restore the right level of refrigerant in your equipment. Contact us at 304-707-0600 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it appears like you’re not getting adequate amounts of chilled air, there’s probably an obstruction or detachment somewhere in your AC system.
- The beginning place is looking at your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s dirty.
- Make sure the ductwork is open around your house.
- If you’re still not getting adequate cold air, you should have your ductwork checked by a expert like Appalachian Heating. Your ductwork may need to be fixed or relinked in tricky areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.