It’s a hot summer day, so you turn on the A/C. Then, before the house has a chance to cool down, the AC goes out. Now what?!
First, don’t panic. You may not need to call a repair service right away. We have plenty of tips to offer for you to troubleshoot the problem. If staying cool is your main priority, or if the AC has gone out due to a power outage – check out our previous post How to Survive a Heatwave for some things you can do to stay cool and try to beat the heat.
First
If the power is still on, then it’s time to investigate the Air Conditioning unit. The first thing you’ll want to do is check the thermostat. If you have air that’s controlled by a thermostat, make sure a faulty thermostat isn’t what’s causing the problem. In some cases, the batteries may have died or the unit is malfunctioning. Reset the thermostat to see if that turns the AC unit back on. If not, then try turning the AC on manually. If that does the trick, then it’s time to replace your thermostat (surprise, we can help!).
If That Doesn’t Work
If you’ve been able to rule out the thermostat as the cause of your AC problems, the next thing to check is the AC unit itself. Every Air Conditioner has a condensate drain that helps draw out the moisture from the air. It’s supposed to be self-draining, but if for some reason the drain has clogged and too much moisture builds up in the unit, this might have caused your AC to stop running. By unblocking the drain or dumping out the water, your AC should start back up again.
One Last Option
Finally, the last thing to self-check before declaring your AC in need of repair is the power and circuit breaker. Air conditioners can cause surges in power use, especially if it’s really hot outside and the AC is working too hard to keep your house cool. You can easily locate and check the circuit breaker to see if the switch has flipped. If so, flip the switch back on and see if that starts up the AC again.
These are some of the most common issues we see with Air Conditioners. If you’ve tried our troubleshooting tips and your AC still isn’t working, it could be a matter that requires a professional AC repair service. If your AC requires professional repair contact Accurate Electric, Plumbing, Heating, and Air today. In the meantime, remember to stay hydrated and keep the house cool.
