Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a couple of explanations why your AC equipment won’t start: a tripped circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Tripped Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioner won’t start when you have an overloaded breaker.
To determine if one has blown, find your residence’s main electrical panel. You can spot this gray box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Make sure your hands and feet are free of moisture before you work on the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker identified “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s tripped, the lever will be in the middle of the panel or “off” spot.
- Firmly shift the breaker back to the “on” spot. If it instantaneously trips again, don’t reset it and contact us at 309-323-9584. A fuse that keeps tripping may mean your home has electrical trouble.
Wrong Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your air conditioner to start, it won’t turn on.
The most important part is checking it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner may not switch on. Or you might have warm air moving from vents because the heat is on instead.
If you’re using a digital thermostat:
- Swap out the batteries if the screen is blank. If the screen is showing scrambled letters, buy a new thermostat.
- Ensure the correct mode is on the display. If you can’t update it, reverse it by decreasing the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if scheduling is incorrect.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is identical to the space’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated correctly, you should begin getting refreshing air fast.
If you rely on a smart thermostat, such as one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for assistance. If you still can’t get it to work, contact us at 309-323-9584 for help.
Turn-Off Switch
Your cooling equipment typically has a shut-down switch near its outside unit. This lever is typically in a metal box mounted on your residence. If your air conditioner has recently been maintained, the switch may have unintentionally been positioned in the “off” setting.
Clogged Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans catch the extra liquid your air conditioner takes out of the air. This pan is located either beneath or inside your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a blockage or clogged drain, water can become concentrated and prompt a safety feature to stop your system.
If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the extra water with a special pan-cleaning tablet. You can purchase these tablets at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan has a pump, find the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you could need to get a new pump. Call us at 309-323-9584 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your AC is running but not delivering cold air, its airflow might be congested. Or it may not have enough refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be decreased by a plugged air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Change Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can cause a lot of issues, including:
- Limited cooling
- Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Bigger electricity costs
- Leading your system to break down faster
We recommend replacing flat filters monthly, and accordion filters every three months.
If you can’t recall when you last replaced yours, switch off your unit fully and take out the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be situated in a connected filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Angle the filter up to the light. If you can’t see through it, you need to buy a new filter.
5 Steps to Cleaning Your Cooling Equipment
Greenery, vegetation and bushes can obstruct your condensing system. This could limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your equipment operating well again.
- Turn off electricity totally at the breaker or outside device.
- Remove vegetation rubbish around the unit. Once you’ve cleared larger debris within a two-foot space, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to gingerly remove dust from the condenser fins. Kinked fins can also affect effectiveness, so you can attempt to straighten them with a dinner knife.
- Take off the top of your AC and remove any leaves or yard waste that has accumulated. Then wipe off the condenser fan with a wet scrap cloth.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly remove gunk off the fins from inside the unit. Make sure to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
- Install the top again and turn the power back on.
Leaking Refrigerant
When cooling equipment doesn’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your space.
Here are a couple of signs that your equipment is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to refresh your house and you’re regularly turning down the thermostat.
- Cooling blowing through the vents isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re noticing whistling or burbling sounds when the AC works.
- Your evaporator coil is iced over on account of having difficulty handling warmth.
Suspect your unit is seeping refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and restore the proper measurement of refrigerant in your equipment. Reach us at 309-323-9584 for support.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not receiving ample amounts of cool air, there’s usually an obstruction or detachment inside your AC equipment.
- The initial place is examining your air filter. Replace it if it’s dirty.
- Then check the vents are free around your home.
- If you’re still not experiencing enough cold air, you should have your ductwork inspected by a expert like Freed Heating & Air Conditioning. Your duct system may need to be serviced or reconnected in hard-to-reach spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.