Though any loss of cooling on one of the hottest days of the year will certainly feel urgent, in some cases there is an easy fix that may not even require the assistance of a professional. Of course, when you do need fast AC repair, we’ll be there to help! In the meantime, we’d like to share some AC troubleshooting tips with you below.
What to Do When Your AC Won’t Work
- Check the Circuit Breakers: Your air conditioner accounts for a large amount of the demand on your electrical system. In fact, it has its own dedicated circuit breaker. So if your cooling system becomes too strained—which can happen due to a clogged air filter or natural wear and tear—its circuit breaker will trip. Try resetting the breaker and see if that resolves your problem.
- Check That the Thermostat Is Set Correctly: Is it in “cooling” mode? Perhaps it accidentally got stuck in “fan only” mode by someone in your household, or someone turned the thermostat up due to different cooling preferences. Or it could even be that your battery-powered thermostat needs new batteries.
- Check the Air Filter: There is a common misconception among homeowners that the air filter is there to protect the household’s indoor air quality. On the contrary, it’s there to protect the inside components of an air conditioner from dirt and debris. So when it becomes too clogged up, it restricts airflow and as a result you may not feel as much cool air as you should, and therefore could think there’s something wrong with your air conditioner.
If you checked for all the above issues and this still isn’t resolving your AC problems, then be sure to give us a call right away and we’ll be out as soon as possible.
Staying Cool in the Meantime
No matter if you have to wait five minutes or an hour, your home heats up fast when there’s no working air conditioner. It’s only natural you want to stay cool until help arrives. Try the following tips:
- Close all blinds in your home to reduce heat gain. It’s a good idea to turn off any heat-producing lighting as well.
- Use your ceiling fans. While this won’t help lower the temperature, it may help you feel cooler, especially if there is still any residual cool air left from your AC before it stopped working.
- Turn off heat-generating appliances. This includes your washing machine, dishwasher, and any other appliances that radiate heat.
- If the air conditioner’s fan is still working, keep the fan on to help circulate air, as this can create breezes that help your family feel cooler.
Prevent Emergencies with Routine AC Maintenance
The best way to prevent cooling system emergencies to begin with is to schedule maintenance on a routine basis. Maintenance for your air conditioner should be scheduled once a year, preferably in the springtime before its heaviest period of use.
If you have a heat pump system, your maintenance appointments should be scheduled twice a year, as you’ll be using this system for both heating and cooling. Maintenance reduces repair risks, keeps the system clean and efficient, and even improves its lifespan.
Contact Sound Heating today! We take your comfort as serious as you do.