Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several causes why your air conditioning won’t cool: an overloaded circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a shut off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Triggered Circuit Breaker
Your system won’t run when you have a blown breaker.
To see if one has gotten overloaded, find your residence’s main electrical panel. You can find this metallic box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Make sure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you check the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker labeled “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s overloaded, the lever will be in the "off" position.
- Quickly transfer the switch back to the “on” location. If it instantly triggers again, don’t touch it and reach us at 360-255-5857. A breaker that keeps turning off might mean your house has an electrical problem.
Incorrect Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your equipment to work, it won’t activate.
The most important part is making sure it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning will probably not switch on. You could also have warm air blowing from vents since the heater is on instead.
If you have a traditional thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the screen is blank. If the screen is presenting jumbled letters, buy a new thermostat.
- Make sure the right option is displaying. If you can’t alter it, cancel it by lowering the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if the configuration is not right.
- Attempt to set the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat matches the space’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is adjusted correctly, you should start getting cold air quickly.
If you have a smart thermostat, like one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 360-255-5857 for assistance.
Shut-Off Switch
Your air conditioner probably has a shut-off lever near its outside unit. This lever is typically in a metal box mounted on your house. If your unit has recently been fixed, the device may have inadvertently been turned off.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans hold the extra condensation your AC pulls from the air. This pan can be positioned either below or inside your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a clog or clogged drain, water can build up and trigger a safety setting to stop your unit.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the additional water with a custom pan-cleaning capsule. You can get these capsules at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan involves a pump, find the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you may need to replace the pump. Reach us at 360-255-5857 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is on but not delivering cold air, its airflow may be blocked. Or it could not have enough refrigerant.
Obstructed Airflow
Your equipment’s airflow can be decreased by a blocked air filter or dirty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A dusty filter can lead to many issues, such as:
- Reduced airflow
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Higher electricity expenses
- Making your system break down sooner
We propose changing flat filters monthly, and pleated filters every three months.
If you aren’t sure when you last replaced your filter, turn off your system fully and take out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be found in an adjoining filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to the sunshine. If you see a lot of dust, you need to get a new one.
4 Tips on Cleaning Your Air Conditioning Equipment
Weeds, grass and leaves can block your condensing equipment. This could limit its airflow, make it less energy efficient and affect your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your system working well again.
- Switch off electricity completely at the breaker or external device.
- Clear yard waste around the AC. Once you’ve gotten rid of all the clutter within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly clean the unit’s fins. Crooked fins can also hurt capability.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully take off dirt on the fins from inside the system. Don’t get moisture on the fan motor.
- Restore the power.
Low Refrigerant Levels
When AC systems don’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your rooms.
Here are a couple of symptoms that your system is seeping refrigerant:
- It takes too long to lower the temperature in your rooms and you’re continually lowering the thermostat.
- Cooling coming through the registers isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re hearing whistling or gurgling racket when the air conditioning works.
- Your evaporator coil is frosty due to having an issue absorbing humidity.
Think your equipment is losing refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service professional to fix the leak and replenish the proper amount of refrigerant in your unit. Get in touch with us at 360-255-5857 for support.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not getting enough chilled air, there’s possibly an obstruction or separation inside your air conditioning unit.
- The first place is examining your air filter. Replace it if it’s filthy.
- Make sure the registers are open across your residence.
- If you’re still not experiencing adequate chilly air, you should have your ductwork checked by a expert like Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning. Your ducts may need to be fixed or rejoined in tricky areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.