Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several reasons why your AC equipment won’t start: a blown circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a switched off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your cooling won’t turn on when you have a blown breaker.
To check if one has gotten overloaded, find your home’s main electrical panel. You can spot this silver box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet are dry before you work on the panel or breakers.
- Look for the breaker labeled “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s tripped, the lever will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly transfer the lever back to the “on” position. If it instantly flips again, don’t reset it and call us at 512-355-1482. A switch that keeps flipping might indicate your residence has electrical trouble.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t signaling your system to start, it won’t activate.
The first part is making sure it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning will probably not start running. You might also have hot air coming from vents since the furnace is going instead.
If you rely on a regular thermostat:
- Swap out the batteries if the monitor is empty. If the screen is showing scrambled numbers, buy a new thermostat.
- Ensure the proper setting is showing. If you can’t alter it, override it by dropping the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if programming is not right.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is identical to the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is set properly, you should start getting chilled 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, call us at 512-355-1482 for support.
Shut-Off Switch
Your AC usually has a shut-off lever around its outdoor unit. This device is typically in a metal box mounted on your residence. If your air conditioner has recently been maintained, the lever may have accidentally been turned off.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans catch the additional water your equipment pulls from the air. This pan is located either beneath or in your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or backed up drain, water can accumulate and prompt a safety control to turn off your equipment.
If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the additional condensation with a special pan-cleaning tab. You can get these tablets at a home improvement or hardware shop.
If your pan includes a pump, look for the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you could need to get a new pump. Call us at 512-355-1482 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is going but not providing cold air, its airflow could be blocked. Or it might not have sufficient refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your equipment’s airflow can be restricted by a plugged air filter or filthy condenser.
How to Change Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can cause countless issues, including:
- Reduced comfort
- Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Inconsistent cooling
- Larger cooling bills
- Leading your system to stop working faster
We recommend 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 fully and remove the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be found in an adjoining filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to your light fixture. If you can’t see through it, you certainly should get a new one.
4 Tips on Cleaning Your Air Conditioning Unit
Brush, grass and shrubbery can block your condensing system. This may reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and impact your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment running well again.
- Turn off electricity fully at the breaker or outside lever.
- Get rid of greenery rubbish around the AC. Once you’ve cleared all the clutter within a two-foot range, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to carefully remove dust from the unit’s fins. Crooked fins can also affect efficiency.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully clean the fins from inside the unit. Be careful to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
- Turn on the power.
Leaking Refrigerant
When AC equipment doesn’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your house.
Here are a couple of flags that your system is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to cool your rooms and you’re constantly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Cooling blowing through the vents isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re noticing hissing or gurgling sounds when cooling is on.
- Your evaporator coil is iced over as a result of having difficulty handling warmth.
Worried your system is leaking refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service professional to take care of the leak and refill the proper level of refrigerant in your system. Get in touch with us at 512-355-1482 for help.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of cool air, there’s usually an obstruction or separation within your AC unit.
- The beginning place is checking 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 getting ample chilled air, you should have your ducts checked by a pro like Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning. Your duct system might need to be fixed or hooked up again in limited space spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.