Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several explanations why your central AC system won’t start: a blown circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a switched off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t turn on when you have a blown breaker.
To see if one has blown, locate your residence’s main electrical panel. You can find this gray fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Make sure your hands and feet are free of moisture before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Look for the breaker identified “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s triggered, the switch will be in the middle of the panel or “off” position.
- Quickly move the switch back to the “on” spot. If it instantaneously triggers again, don’t reset it and get in touch with us at 408-215-1018. A switch that keeps tripping might indicate your home has electrical trouble.
Incorrect Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t signaling your equipment to run, it won’t turn on.
The key step is checking it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC may not turn on. Or you may have warm air moving from vents since the heater is running instead.
If you’re using a digital thermostat:
- Replace the batteries if the monitor is blank. If the screen is showing garbled characters, replace the thermostat.
- Ensure the right setting is on the display. If you can’t update it, cancel it by lowering the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if scheduling is not right.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is set the same as the house’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated accurately, you should start getting cool air promptly.
If you have a smart thermostat, including ones manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If it still won’t work, call us at 408-215-1018 for help.
Turn-Off Switch
Your system probably has a power-cutting device around its condenser. This lever is generally in a metal box mounted on your home. If your AC has recently been tuned up, the lever may have inadvertently been left in the “off” setting.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans hold the extra condensation your system pulls from the air. This pan is located either below or in your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a blockage or backed up drain, water can build up and trigger a safety control to stop your air conditioner.
If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the additional liquid with a formulated pan-cleaning tab. You can get these tabs at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan involves a pump, look for the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you may need to install a new pump. Contact us at 408-215-1018 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is going but not providing cold air, its airflow might be congested. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.
Clogged Airflow
Your equipment’s airflow can be decreased by a blocked air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can create numerous problems, like:
- Lower cooling
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Uneven cooling
- Larger energy bills
- Making your system wear out more quickly
We propose replacing flat filters monthly, and accordion filters every three months.
If you aren’t sure when you last replaced yours, switch off your system fully and pull out the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in a connected filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
Angle the filter up to your light fixture. If you see a lot of dust, you need to buy a new filter.
5 Steps to Cleaning Your Cooling System
Weeds, grass and shrubbery can block your condensing system. This could reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment running smoothly again.
- Turn off the electrical current fully at the breaker or external switch.
- Get rid of vegetation debris around the equipment. Once you’ve removed all the refuse within a two-foot space, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to slowly remove dirt from the condenser fins. Kinked fins can also hurt effectiveness, so you can attempt to correct them with a dinner knife.
- Take off the top of your unit and remove any leaves or grass clippings that has collected. Then clean the condenser fan with a moist cloth.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the unit. Make sure to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
- Put the top back on and turn the power back on.
Leaking Refrigerant
When cooling systems don’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your house.
Here are several indications that your system is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes a long time to lower the temperature in your residence and you’re constantly lowering the thermostat.
- Air coming through the registers isn’t as chilled as it should be.
- You’re experiencing whistling or gurgling noises when the air conditioning is on.
- Your evaporator coil is frozen because it’s having difficulty absorbing heat.
Think your equipment is losing refrigerant? You need a licensed heating and cooling service specialist to fix the leak and refill the correct measurement of refrigerant in your equipment. Get in touch with us at 408-215-1018 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it seems like you’re not having enough chilled air, there’s probably a blockage or disconnection somewhere in your AC system.
- The beginning place is examining your air filter. Get a new one if it’s dirty.
- Then ensure the vents are clear around your residence.
- If you’re still not receiving ample chilly air, you should have your duct system examined by a expert like American HVAC Inc. Your duct system might need to be fixed or reconnected in hard-to-reach locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.