Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a couple of causes why your air conditioner won’t cool: an overloaded circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a switched off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.
Overloaded Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioner won’t run when you have a blown breaker.
To determine if one has gotten overloaded, locate your residence’s main electrical panel. You can spot this gray 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.
- Locate the breaker marked “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s overloaded, the breaker will be in the "off" position.
- Quickly move the breaker back to the “on” spot. If it immediately triggers again, don’t reset it and call us at 201-268-5663. A switch that keeps tripping may signal your home has electrical trouble.
Incorrect Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your equipment to work, it won’t switch on.
The most important part is checking it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner may not switch on. You may also have heated air coming from vents since the heat is going instead.
If you rely on a traditional thermostat:
- Swap out the batteries if the monitor is empty. If the monitor is displaying scrambled numbers, replace the thermostat.
- Ensure the proper mode is showing. If you can’t update it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if programming is incorrect.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is set the same as the space’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is adjusted accurately, you should start getting refreshing air promptly.
If you’re using a smart thermostat, such as one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you still can’t get it to work, call us at 201-268-5663 for help.
Shut-Down Switch
Your cooling equipment probably has a shut-off switch by its condenser. This lever is commonly in a metal box mounted on your residence. If your air conditioner has recently been serviced, the device may have inadvertently been turned off.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans catch the surplus water your AC takes out of the air. This pan can be situated either below or in your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a blockage or blocked drain, water can accumulate and initiate a safety feature to switch off your equipment.
If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the extra condensation with a formulated pan-cleaning tab. You can purchase these capsules at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan involves a pump, find the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you might have to replace the pump. Call us at 201-268-5663 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is working but not delivering cold air, its airflow might be obstructed. Or it could not have adequate refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be limited by a plugged air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A dusty filter can create a lot of problems, like:
- Limited comfort
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Inconsistent cooling
- Increased utility bills
- Causing your system to break down more quickly
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, switch off your unit fully and take out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might also be situated in an attached filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see any light, you should get a new one.
4 Tips on Cleaning Your Air Conditioning System
Weeds, grass and bushes can obstruct your condensing system. This may limit its airflow, make it less energy efficient and change your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment working smoothly again.
- Turn off electricity totally at the breaker or external device.
- Remove plant waste around the air conditioner. Once you’ve cleared larger debris within a two-foot range, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to carefully remove dirt from the equipment’s fins. Warped fins can also hurt effectiveness.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the equipment. Be careful to avoid getting water on the fan motor.
- Restore the power.
Leaking Refrigerant
When AC systems don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your residence.
Here are a few flags that your system is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to refresh your house and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Air conditioning blowing through the vents isn’t as chilled as it should be.
- You’re hearing hissing or bubbling noises when the air conditioning is on.
- Your evaporator coil is frosty due to having trouble absorbing humidity.
Think your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service professional to repair the leak and refill the proper amount of refrigerant in your unit. Call us at 201-268-5663 for support.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not getting enough cold air, there’s probably a blockage or detachment within your cooling system.
- The beginning stage is looking at your air filter. Replace it if it’s dirty.
- Make sure the registers are open throughout your rooms.
- If you’re still not experiencing adequate chilled air, you should have your ducts inspected by a professional like Total Comfort. Your ducts might need to be repaired or hooked up again in limited space locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.