Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several explanations why your air conditioning system won’t work: a tripped circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a shut off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.
To see if one has tripped, go to your house’s main electrical panel. You can find this silver fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Confirm your hands and feet aren’t wet before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker labeled “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s triggered, the lever will be in the middle of the panel or “off” position.
- Firmly transfer the breaker back to the “on” location. If it immediately trips again, don’t touch it and contact us at 952-373-0377. A switch that keeps flipping may mean your home has an electrical issue.
Incorrect Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t signaling your air conditioner to run, it won’t activate.
The main part is checking it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner might not start running. Or you could have hot air blowing from vents because the heater is running instead.
If you have a digital thermostat:
- Replace the batteries if the monitor is empty. If the monitor is displaying jumbled characters, replace the thermostat.
- Make sure the proper mode is on the display. If you can’t change it, cancel it by lowering the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if the configuration is wrong.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is set the same as the space’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated properly, you should receive refreshing air fast.
If you’re using a smart thermostat, including ones produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, call us at 952-373-0377 for help.
Turn-Off Switch
Your cooling equipment probably has a shut-down device near its condenser. This lever is generally in a metal box attached to your residence. If your unit has recently been repaired, the lever may have inadvertently been placed in the “off” location.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans keep the extra condensation your equipment takes out of the air. This pan can be positioned either beneath or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or clogged drain, water can build up and trigger a safety feature to stop your air conditioner.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the surplus condensation with a formulated pan-cleaning tablet. You can buy these tabs at a home improvement or hardware store.
If your pan includes a pump, find the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you could need to get a new pump. Reach us at 952-373-0377 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is running but not delivering cold air, its airflow may be obstructed. Or it may not have enough refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your system’s airflow can be restricted by a clogged air filter or filthy condenser.
How to Replace Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can lead to a lot of problems, such as:
- Reduced comfort
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Uneven cooling
- Higher electricity bills
- Leading your system to break down faster
We suggest changing flat filters monthly, and accordion filters every three months.
If you can’t remember when you last installed a new one, turn off your AC completely and pull out the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be situated in an adjoining filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
Tilt the filter up to the light. If you see a lot of dust, you should buy a new filter.
5 Steps to Cleaning Your Air Conditioning System
Weeds, plants and sticks can block your condensing unit. This can reduce its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your unit working properly again.
- Shut off the electrical current completely at the breaker or external switch.
- Remove plant debris around the equipment. Once you’ve removed bigger refuse within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly remove dust from the unit’s fins. Bent fins can also affect effectiveness, so you can attempt to adjust them with a small knife.
- Lift off the top of your system and pull out any leaves or sticks that has collected. Then clean the condenser fan with a moist cloth.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully remove gunk off the fins from inside the system. Be careful to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
- Replace the top and turn the power back on.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When AC equipment doesn’t have ample refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from your rooms.
Here are a couple of indications that your equipment is losing refrigerant:
- It takes a long time to refresh your house and you’re continually lowering the thermostat.
- Air conditioning blowing through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
- You’re experiencing whistling or burbling sounds when the air conditioning runs.
- Your evaporator coil is frosted on account of having difficulty taking on heat.
Suspect your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service expert to repair the leak and replenish the right measurement of refrigerant in your equipment. Reach us at 952-373-0377 for help.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it seems like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of chilled air, there’s usually a clog or disconnection within your AC unit.
- The initial stage is looking at your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s soiled.
- Then check the registers are free throughout your rooms.
- If you’re still not getting adequate chilled air, you should have your duct system inspected by a specialist like Gopher Heating and Air Conditioning. Your ducts may need to be repaired or relinked in difficult locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.