Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a few reasons why your central AC system won’t run: a tripped circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a switched off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your cooling won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.
To check if one has gotten overloaded, locate your residence’s main electrical panel. You can spot this metallic box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Confirm your hands and feet are dry before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Look for the breaker identified “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s tripped, the lever will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly transfer the breaker back to the “on” location. If it instantly flips again, don’t reset it and contact us at 631-737-5566. A fuse that keeps turning off might signal your house has an electrical issue.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your AC to start, it won’t switch on.
The main step is making sure it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC will probably not start running. You could also get hot air coming from vents since the furnace is on instead.
If you’re using a regular thermostat:
- Replace the batteries if the screen is blank. If the screen is showing jumbled letters, buy a new thermostat.
- Check the right mode is showing. If you can’t change it, reverse it by lowering the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if scheduling is not right.
- Attempt to set the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is identical to the space’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is calibrated accurately, you should begin getting refreshing air quickly.
If you have a smart thermostat, including ones made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for help. If you’re still having problems, call us at 631-737-5566 for support.
Shut-Off Switch
Your cooling equipment typically has a shut-off lever by its outdoor unit. This lever is commonly in a metal box hung on your home. If your equipment has recently been tuned up, the device may have unintentionally been turned off.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans keep the extra liquid your AC pulls from the air. This pan is located either under or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or clogged drain, water can accumulate and initiate a safety feature to switch off your air conditioner.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the surplus liquid with a custom pan-cleaning capsule. You can buy these capsules at a home improvement or hardware store.
If your pan involves a pump, look for the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you might have to install a new pump. Call us at 631-737-5566 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your AC is working but not providing cold air, its airflow might be blocked. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.
Clogged Airflow
Your equipment’s airflow can be reduced by a blocked air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Replace Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can cause countless troubles, including:
- Lower comfort
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Uneven cooling
- Larger cooling bills
- Leading your system to wear out more quickly
We recommend changing 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 unit completely and pull out the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be found in an attached 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.
4 Steps to Cleaning Your Cooling Equipment
Weeds, plants and bushes can obstruct your condensing system. This could restrict its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your unit operating smoothly again.
- Shut off power fully at the breaker or external device.
- Clear greenery debris around the equipment. Once you’ve removed larger debris within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to carefully remove dust from the equipment’s fins. Kinked fins can also affect effectiveness.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the system. Don’t get liquid on the fan motor.
- Turn on the power.
Insufficient Refrigerant
When AC equipment doesn’t have ample refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from your home.
Here are a few symptoms that your unit is losing refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to refresh your home and you’re continually decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Cooling moving through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
- You’re experiencing fizzing or gurgling sounds when cooling works.
- Your evaporator coil is frosty because it’s having difficulty absorbing heat.
Worried your system is leaking refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service expert to take care of the leak and replenish the proper measurement of refrigerant in your equipment. Get in touch with us at 631-737-5566 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it appears like you’re not getting ample amounts of chilled air, there’s potentially a clog or separation inside your air conditioning unit.
- The first place is checking your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s soiled.
- Make sure the vents are open across your house.
- If you’re still not experiencing ample chilly air, you should have your ductwork checked by a expert like Airmax Long Island Inc. Your duct system could need to be fixed or rejoined in tricky spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.