Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a few reasons why your AC unit won’t work: a blown circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Tripped Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioner won’t turn on when you have a tripped breaker.
To check if one has gotten overloaded, locate your house’s main electrical panel. You can locate this silver device on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Confirm your hands and feet are free of moisture before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Locate the breaker identified “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s overloaded, the switch will be in the middle or “off” spot.
- Steadily move the breaker back to the “on” position. If it instantly trips again, don’t reset it and get in touch with us at 601-736-7362. A switch that keeps tripping may mean your house has an electrical problem.
Wrong Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your AC to work, it won’t turn on.
The key step is ensuring it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning might not switch on. Or you could receive heated air blowing from vents being the furnace is on instead.
If you rely on a digital thermostat:
- Replace the batteries if the monitor is blank. If the monitor is displaying jumbled letters, replace the thermostat.
- Make sure the correct option is on the display. If you can’t update it, override it by dropping the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if programming is incorrect.
- Attempt to set the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is identical to the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is set correctly, you should receive cold air quickly.
If you rely on a smart thermostat, including ones manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for assistance. If it still won’t work, reach us at 601-736-7362 for help.
Turn-Off Switch
Your air conditioner usually has a shut-off switch around its outside unit. This lever is typically in a metal box mounted on your home. If your air conditioner has recently been maintained, the switch may have inadvertently been positioned in the “off” location.
Clogged Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans hold the additional water your air conditioner pulls from the air. This pan can be situated either below or inside your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or clogged drain, water can build up and initiate a safety setting to stop your equipment.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the surplus water with a custom pan-cleaning capsule. You can buy these tabs at a home improvement or hardware shop.
If your pan has a pump, look for the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you may need to get a new pump. Call us at 601-736-7362 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is working but not cooling, its airflow could be obstructed. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.
Obstructed Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be reduced by a clogged air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Replace Your Air Filter
A dusty filter can cause numerous issues, such as:
- Reduced airflow
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Bigger utility expenses
- Making your system wear out sooner
We recommend installing new flat filters once a month, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t remember when you last installed a new one, shut off your equipment totally and remove the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might also be situated in an attached filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to the light. If you can’t see through it, you should replace it.
How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Unit
Greenery, grass and sticks can block your condensing unit. This may limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your unit working well again.
- Switch off the electrical current completely at the breaker or outside lever.
- Clear greenery rubbish around the equipment. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger clutter within a two-foot area, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly clean the equipment’s fins. Distorted fins can also impact effectiveness, so you can attempt to correct them with a dinner knife.
- Take off the top of your system and remove any leaves or grass clippings that has accumulated. Then clean the condenser fan with a damp cloth.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the equipment. Make sure to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
- Install the top again and turn on the power.
Insufficient Refrigerant
When cooling equipment doesn’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your residence.
Here are several indications that your equipment is losing refrigerant:
- It takes a long time to lower the temperature in your space and you’re continually turning down the thermostat.
- Air coming through the ducts isn’t as chilled as it should be.
- You’re experiencing fizzing or gurgling sounds when the AC is on.
- Your evaporator coil is frosty because it’s having trouble handling warmth.
Think your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and restore the right measurement of refrigerant in your unit. Call us at 601-736-7362 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of cold air, there’s probably a clog or disconnection within your AC equipment.
- The beginning place is looking at your air filter. Get a new one if it’s dirty.
- Then check the registers are open across your home.
- If you’re still not experiencing ample chilly air, you should have your ducts checked by a professional like Watts Electric & A/C Inc. Your ducts may need to be serviced or reconnected in limited space locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.