Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a couple of reasons why your air conditioning won’t run: a tripped circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a switched off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Triggered Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioner won’t start when you have a tripped breaker.
To determine if one has tripped, go to your house’s main electrical panel. You can spot this gray device on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Confirm your hands and feet are dry before you check the panel or breakers.
- Locate the breaker labeled “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” location. If it’s overloaded, the switch will be in the "off" position.
- Steadily move the breaker back to the “on” location. If it immediately flips again, don’t touch it and call us at 361-214-1203. A breaker that keeps flipping might indicate your home has electrical trouble.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your equipment to work, it won’t turn on.
The first point is ensuring it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC will probably not turn on. You could also get heated air moving from vents since the heater is running instead.
If you rely on a traditional thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the monitor is empty. If the monitor is displaying jumbled characters, buy a new thermostat.
- Ensure the proper mode is on the display. If you can’t change it, override it by decreasing the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if scheduling is wrong.
- Test 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 room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated accurately, you should begin getting cool air quickly.
If you’re using a smart thermostat, such as one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you’re still having problems, call us at 361-214-1203 for assistance.
Shut-Down Switch
Your cooling equipment probably has a shut-down switch near its condenser. This switch is commonly in a metal box hung on your residence. If your AC has recently been fixed, the switch may have inadvertently been turned off.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans keep the extra liquid your air conditioner pulls from the air. This pan can be situated either below or in your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or backed up drain, water can accumulate and trigger a safety control to switch off your air conditioner.
If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the surplus liquid with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can purchase these tablets at a home improvement or hardware store.
If your pan involves a pump, find the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you might have to replace the pump. Call us at 361-214-1203 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your AC is on but not cooling, its airflow could be blocked. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your system’s airflow can be limited by a plugged air filter or dirty condenser.
How to Replace Your Air Filter
A dirty filter can cause many problems, such as:
- Lower airflow
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Higher energy expenses
- Leading your system to break down faster
We suggest replacing flat filters monthly, and pleated filters every three months.
If you aren’t sure when you last replaced your filter, switch off your AC totally and take out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be found in a connected filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to the light. If you can’t see any light, you certainly should buy a new filter.
4 Steps to Cleaning Your Cooling Equipment
Brush, vegetation and bushes can obstruct your condensing equipment. This can reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and impact your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment operating smoothly again.
- Switch off the electrical current totally at the breaker or outside device.
- Clear plant waste around the AC. Once you’ve cleared bigger debris within a two-foot area, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to gingerly clean the condenser fins. Misshapen fins can also affect performance.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly take off dirt on the fins from inside the system. Don’t get moisture on the fan motor.
- Turn the power back on.
Leaking Refrigerant
When air conditioning systems don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from the air.
Here are several symptoms that your system is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to refresh your rooms and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Air conditioning blowing through the vents isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re experiencing hissing or burbling noises when the AC is on.
- Your evaporator coil is frosty on account of having difficulty absorbing humidity.
Think your unit is losing refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service expert to take care of the leak and replenish the right measurement of refrigerant in your unit. Call us at 361-214-1203 for support.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of cool air, there’s possibly an obstruction or detachment somewhere in your AC system.
- The first place is checking your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s filthy.
- Make sure the vents are open throughout your rooms.
- If you’re still not receiving adequate cold air, you should have your duct system examined by a specialist like Four Seasons Air Conditioning and Heating LLC. Your duct system could need to be fixed or rejoined in hard-to-reach areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.