Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several reasons why your air conditioning won’t start: a tripped circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioning won’t start when you have a blown breaker.
To check if one has blown, locate your home’s main electrical panel. You can locate this silver box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Confirm your hands and feet are free of moisture before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Locate the breaker marked “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” location. If it’s triggered, the lever will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly shift the lever back to the “on” position. If it immediately triggers again, leave it alone and contact us at 850-250-0335. A fuse that keeps turning off could indicate your residence has electrical trouble.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your air conditioner to start, it won’t turn on.
The main point is ensuring it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner will probably not turn on. You may also receive heated air moving from vents being the heat is going instead.
If you rely on a traditional thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the readout is empty. If the readout is presenting jumbled characters, replace the thermostat.
- Make sure the proper setting is on the display. If you can’t alter it, cancel it by dropping the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if scheduling is incorrect.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is identical to the house’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is adjusted properly, you should receive cool air promptly.
If you have a smart thermostat, including ones 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, reach us at 850-250-0335 for assistance.
Shut-Down Switch
Your air conditioner usually has a shut-off device by its condenser. This device is commonly in a metal box attached to your home. If your air conditioner has recently been maintained, the lever may have unintentionally been turned off.
Clogged 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 a blockage or blocked drain, water can accumulate and prompt a safety feature to switch off your air conditioner.
If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the extra liquid with a formulated pan-cleaning capsule. You can buy these tabs at a home improvement or hardware store.
If your pan involves a pump, look for the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you may need to install a new pump. Contact us at 850-250-0335 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your equipment is working but not cooling, its airflow could be clogged. Or it might not have enough refrigerant.
Obstructed Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be restricted by a blocked air filter or filthy condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A dirty filter can create countless issues, including:
- Lower comfort
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Uneven cooling
- Bigger energy expenses
- Leading your system to stop working sooner
We suggest 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 AC fully and pull out the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be located in an adjoining filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to your light fixture. If you see a lot of dust, you should replace it.
How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Unit
Weeds, vegetation and sticks can get in the way of your condensing system. This may restrict its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment running smoothly again.
- Switch off the electrical current fully at the breaker or outdoor lever.
- Clear yard debris around the AC. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger debris within a two-foot range, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to carefully remove dirt from the unit’s fins. Misshapen fins can also impact performance.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly remove gunk off the fins from inside the unit. Be careful to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
- Turn the power back on.
Low Refrigerant Levels
When cooling systems don’t have ample refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your space.
Here are a couple of signs that your unit is losing refrigerant:
- It takes a long time to cool your home and you’re regularly turning down the thermostat.
- Air conditioning blowing through the registers isn’t as chilled as it should be.
- You’re hearing fizzing or bubbling noises when cooling is on.
- Your evaporator coil is frozen because it’s having difficulty handling heat.
Suspect your unit is leaking refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service specialist to fix the leak and replenish the right measurement of refrigerant in your unit. Contact us at 850-250-0335 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not getting enough cold air, there’s potentially an obstruction or separation somewhere in your AC unit.
- The beginning place is looking at your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s dusty.
- Make sure the ductwork is open throughout your rooms.
- If you’re still not receiving sufficient cold air, you should have your ductwork checked by a professional like Gordon Air Conditioning. Your ducts might need to be serviced or rejoined in limited space areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.