Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several reasons why your air conditioning won’t work: a blown circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t work when you have a tripped breaker.
To determine if one has gotten overloaded, go to your residence’s main electrical panel. You can spot this silver fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker marked “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” location. If it’s overloaded, the switch will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly transfer the lever back to the “on” spot. If it instantly triggers again, leave it alone and contact us at 713-364-9957. A breaker that keeps flipping could indicate your house has an electrical issue.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your equipment to work, it won’t turn on.
The key step is checking it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC may not start running. You may also have warm air blowing from vents since the heat is going instead.
If you’re using a regular thermostat:
- Replace the batteries if the screen is empty. If the screen is displaying garbled letters, get a new thermostat.
- Ensure the right mode is on the display. If you can’t update it, reverse it by dropping the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if programming is incorrect.
- Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is set the same as the house’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated accurately, you should receive cool air quickly.
If you rely on a smart thermostat, like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for assistance. If you still can’t get it to work, reach us at 713-364-9957 for assistance.
Shut-Off Switch
Your AC probably has a power-cutting device around its outdoor unit. This switch is typically in a metal box hung on your house. If your equipment has recently been maintained, the lever may have unintentionally been turned off.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans catch the additional water your AC pulls from the air. This pan can be found either below or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or backed up drain, water can become concentrated and initiate a safety setting to switch off your equipment.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the surplus liquid with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can buy these capsules at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan includes a pump, find the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you might have to install a new pump. Reach us at 713-364-9957 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your system is working but not providing cold air, its airflow may be blocked. Or it might not have sufficient refrigerant.
Obstructed Airflow
Your equipment’s airflow can be restricted by a blocked air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can create many issues, including:
- Reduced cooling
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Higher electricity costs
- Leading your system to break down more quickly
We suggest installing new flat filters every four weeks, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t recall when you last replaced your filter, switch off your equipment fully and take out the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be found in an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
Tilt the filter up to the light. If you can’t see through it, you need to buy a new filter.
4 Steps to Cleaning Your Air Conditioning System
Greenery, grass and leaves can block your condensing system. This could reduce its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your system working well again.
- Switch off electricity fully at the breaker or outside switch.
- Remove plant waste around the AC. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger refuse within a two-foot range, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to carefully clean the equipment’s fins. Bent fins can also impact performance.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly take off dirt on the fins from inside the unit. Make sure to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
- Turn the power back on.
Leaking Refrigerant
When cooling equipment doesn’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from your house.
Here are a couple of symptoms that your unit is seeping refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to cool your rooms and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Cooling coming through the registers isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re experiencing fizzing or bubbling sounds when cooling runs.
- Your evaporator coil is frosty because it’s having difficulty taking on heat.
Worried your unit is leaking refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service specialist to repair the leak and restore the proper amount of refrigerant in your unit. Get in touch with us at 713-364-9957 for help.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it appears like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of chilled air, there’s potentially a blockage or detachment inside your cooling equipment.
- The initial step is looking at your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s dusty.
- Make sure the registers are open across your residence.
- If you’re still not receiving sufficient cold air, you should have your duct system inspected by a specialist like Premium Air Services LLC. Your ducts could need to be fixed or reconnected in hard-to-reach areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.