Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several reasons why your air conditioner won’t start: a triggered circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a shut off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Triggered Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t work when you have an overloaded breaker.
To find out if one has gotten overloaded, go to your house’s main electrical panel. You can find this gray box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you work on the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker marked “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s tripped, the lever will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly move the lever back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously flips again, don’t reset it and call us at 772-247-2283. A fuse that keeps turning off could indicate your home has an electrical problem.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your air conditioner to run, it won’t turn on.
The most important part is ensuring it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner might not start running. You may also have heated air coming from vents since the furnace is going instead.
If you’re using a digital thermostat:
- Swap out the batteries if the monitor is blank. If the readout is showing scrambled numbers, replace the thermostat.
- Check the right mode is showing. If you can’t update it, reverse it by lowering the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if the configuration is incorrect.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat matches the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is adjusted properly, you should begin getting refreshing air quickly.
If you have a smart thermostat, including ones produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you’re still having problems, reach us at 772-247-2283 for support.
Shut-Off Switch
Your system typically has a shut-off device near its outside unit. This lever is typically in a metal box hung on your home. If your unit has recently been worked on, the switch may have accidentally been turned off.
Clogged Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans hold the additional condensation your AC pulls from the air. This pan can be found either beneath or in your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or blocked drain, water can build up and prompt a safety feature to switch off your equipment.
If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the surplus condensation with a custom pan-cleaning capsule. You can purchase these tablets at a home improvement or hardware store.
If your pan has a pump, locate the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you may need to replace the pump. Contact us at 772-247-2283 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your AC is working but not delivering cold air, its airflow could be clogged. Or it could not have enough refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be restricted by a plugged air filter or dirty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A dirty filter can create countless issues, such as:
- Limited airflow
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Uneven cooling
- Higher energy bills
- Leading your system to stop working faster
We propose replacing flat filters every four weeks, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t remember when you last replaced your filter, shut off your equipment completely and remove the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might also be found in an attached filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.
Tilt the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see through it, you need to get a new one.
4 Tips on Cleaning Your AC System
Weeds, plants and leaves can obstruct your condensing unit. This could limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your unit working properly again.
- Shut off power totally at the breaker or outdoor lever.
- Remove yard rubbish around the AC. Once you’ve cleared all the refuse within a two-foot radius, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to carefully remove dust from the unit’s fins. Kinked fins can also affect effectiveness.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly take off dirt on the fins from inside the unit. Be careful to avoid getting water on the fan motor.
- Restore the power.
Insufficient Refrigerant
When AC units don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from your rooms.
Here are a few flags that your unit is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes too long to lower the temperature in your residence and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Air conditioning moving through the ducts isn’t as chilly as it should be.
- You’re noticing whistling or gurgling sounds when the AC works.
- Your evaporator coil is icy on account of having an issue handling heat.
Worried your unit is losing refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service specialist to fix the leak and refill the right level of refrigerant in your system. Get in touch with us at 772-247-2283 for support.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it appears like you’re not receiving enough chilled air, there’s potentially a clog or disconnection inside your air conditioning system.
- The initial stage is looking at your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s dirty.
- Make sure the registers are open around your house.
- If you’re still not experiencing adequate cold air, you should have your duct system examined by a professional like Custom Air Systems Inc. Your duct system could need to be fixed or relinked in difficult spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.