Troubleshooting and doing your own AC repair in Arlington, Washington, can appear like a lot of hassle.

There’s a better way. There are several quick remedies you can attempt by yourself that might help you get out of an AC service call.

When you’re having air conditioning issues, try this checklist before calling a heating and cooling repair professional like Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our experts are standing by at 360-255-5857 when you need expert service. We have emergency AC repair and work on most brands of central AC equipment.

If you want to get an up to date air conditioner, we also provide AC installation.

When you’re in contact with us, contemplate a yearly AC maintenance plan that may help you keep clear of future malfunctions. We can advise how often you need air conditioner service.

Ready to get started troubleshooting your system? Try our fast tips below. Many of these procedures don’t require any HVAC knowledge.

Air Conditioner Repair Checklist

1. AC Won’t Turn On

There can be a couple of reasons why your AC equipment won’t work: a triggered circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a shut off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.

Tripped Circuit Breaker

Your system won’t start when you have an overloaded breaker.

To see if one has gotten overloaded, find your house’s main electrical panel. You can locate this silver box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

  • Ensure your hands and feet are dry before you work on the panel or breakers.
  • Look for the breaker labeled “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s overloaded the lever will be in the middle or “off” position.
  • Firmly transfer the breaker back to the “on” spot. If it instantaneously flips again, leave it alone and contact us at 360-255-5857. A fuse that keeps flipping may signal your house has an electrical issue.

Incorrect Thermostat Settings

If your thermostat isn’t telling your AC to run, it won’t activate.

The key step is making sure it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning may not switch on. Or you might receive. warm air blowing from vents being the heat is on instead.

If you rely on a traditional thermostat:

  • Replace the batteries if the monitor is empty. If the monitor is showing garbled characters, replace the thermostat.
  • Ensure the correct setting is on the display. If you can’t alter it, override it by decreasing the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if programming is not right.
  • Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat matches the room’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is adjusted accurately, you should begin getting cool air promptly.

If you’re using a smart thermostat, like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, reach us at 360-255-5857 for help.

Shut-Off Switch

Your air conditioner typically has a shut-down lever near its outside unit. This switch is commonly in a metal box attached to your house. If your equipment has recently been maintained, the switch may have accidentally been put in the “off” setting.

Clogged Condensate Drain Pan

Condensate drain pans catch the surplus water your AC removes from the air. This pan can be positioned either under or in your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a blockage or blocked drain, water can build up and trigger a safety setting to turn off your air conditioner.

If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the extra condensation with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can buy these capsules at a home improvement or hardware retailer.

If your pan has a pump, locate the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you may need to get a new pump. Reach us at 360-255-5857 for help.

2. AC Blows Warm Air

If your AC is running but not providing cold air, its airflow could be clogged. Or it may not have adequate refrigerant.

Blocked Airflow

Your unit’s airflow can be limited by a clogged air filter or filthy condenser.

How to Put in a New Your Air Filter

A filthy filter can create many problems, such as:

  • Lower comfort
  • Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
  • Inconsistent cooling
  • Larger utility expenses
  • Leading your system to break down faster

We propose changing flat filters monthly, and pleated filters every three months.

If you can’t remember when you last installed a new one, turn off your unit totally and take out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be situated 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 Tips on Cleaning Your Air Conditioning Equipment

Weeds, grass and leaves can get in the way of your condensing unit. This may limit its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your system operating properly again.

  1. Turn off electricity totally at the breaker or outdoor switch.
  2. Clear greenery rubbish around the equipment. Once you’ve removed bigger debris within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly remove dirt from the condenser fins. Warped fins can also hurt performance, so you can attempt to adjust them with a dinner knife.
  3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully clean the fins from inside the unit. Make sure to avoid getting water on the fan motor.
  4. Put the top back on and turn on the power.

Insufficient Refrigerant

When air conditioning equipment doesn’t have ample refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your residence.

Here are a couple of flags that your system is seeping refrigerant:

  1. It takes too long to refresh your space and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
  2. Air conditioning blowing through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
  3. You’re experiencing hissing or gurgling sounds when cooling runs.
  4. Your evaporator coil is iced over because it’s having difficulty taking on heat.

Suspect your equipment is losing refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and refill the proper measurement of refrigerant in your equipment. Reach us at 360-255-5857 for help.

3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air

When it appears like you’re not having adequate amounts of cool air, there’s probably a blockage or detachment within your air conditioning unit.

  • The first stage is examining your air filter. Replace it if it’s dirty.
  • Then check the ductwork is clear around your house.
  • If you’re still not getting enough chilly air, you should have your ductwork checked by a expert like Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning. Your duct system might need to be repaired or hooked up again in limited space areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.

Request Pro Air Conditioner Repair Now

When you require air conditioning service quickly, contact the HVAC repair experts at Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning at 360-255-5857. We’ll quickly identify the problem when your equipment won’t work or provide enough chilled air.

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