Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several causes why your AC equipment won’t cool: a triggered circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a shut off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Overloaded Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.
To determine if one has tripped, locate your residence’s main electrical panel. You can spot 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.
- Find the breaker marked “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s tripped, the lever will be in the "off" position.
- Quickly shift the switch back to the “on” location. If it instantly triggers again, don’t touch it and contact us at 662-281-1231. A breaker that keeps turning off might indicate your home has an electrical problem.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your system to run, it won’t activate.
The first step is checking it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning might not start running. You might also receive hot air blowing from vents because the furnace is running instead.
If you have a regular thermostat:
- Swap out the batteries if the monitor is clear. If the readout is presenting garbled characters, replace the thermostat.
- Check the proper mode is displaying. If you can’t change it, reverse it by dropping the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if programming is wrong.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is set the same as the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated accurately, you should begin getting cold air quickly.
If you rely on a smart thermostat, such as one produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, contact us at 662-281-1231 for support.
Shut-Off Switch
Your AC typically has a shut-down lever near its outside unit. This switch is typically in a metal box attached to your home. If your air conditioner has recently been tuned up, the switch may have accidentally been turned off.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans hold the additional liquid your AC takes out of the air. This pan can be positioned either beneath or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a clog or blocked drain, water can accumulate and trigger a safety feature to switch off your equipment.
If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the additional condensation with a formulated pan-cleaning capsule. You can get these tablets at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan has a pump, find the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you may need to install a new pump. Contact us at 662-281-1231 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is on but not delivering cold air, its airflow could be clogged. Or it may not have adequate refrigerant.
Clogged Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be decreased by a clogged air filter or filthy condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can create many troubles, including:
- Reduced airflow
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Higher utility expenses
- Leading your system to break down 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 AC completely and take out the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in an adjoining 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 get a new one.
4 Tips on Cleaning Your Cooling System
Brush, plants and shrubbery can get in the way of your condensing system. This may limit its airflow, make it less energy efficient and affect your comfort. Here’s how you can get your system working well again.
- Turn off electricity completely at the breaker or outdoor lever.
- Clear vegetation rubbish around the air conditioner. Once you’ve gotten rid of bigger debris within a two-foot space, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to gingerly clean the equipment’s fins. Bent fins can also hurt performance.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully remove gunk off the fins from inside the unit. Don’t get moisture on the fan motor.
- Restore the power.
Leaking Refrigerant
When air conditioning systems don’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your residence.
Here are several signs that your system is losing refrigerant:
- It takes too long to cool your house and you’re continually lowering the thermostat.
- Air moving through the vents isn’t as chilled as it should be.
- You’re noticing fizzing or bubbling sounds when cooling runs.
- Your evaporator coil is icy because it’s having trouble absorbing humidity.
Worried your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a licensed heating and cooling service expert to repair the leak and refill the right level of refrigerant in your unit. Get in touch with us at 662-281-1231 for help.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not getting adequate amounts of chilled air, there’s probably an obstruction or detachment inside your air conditioning equipment.
- The beginning step is looking at your air filter. Replace it if it’s dusty.
- Make sure the vents are open around your home.
- If you’re still not experiencing ample chilly air, you should have your ducts examined by a expert like Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Your ducts might need to be repaired or relinked in limited space spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.