Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several explanations why your air conditioning system won’t cool: a triggered circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Overloaded Circuit Breaker
Your air conditioner won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.
To check if one has gotten overloaded, locate your home’s main electrical panel. You can find this silver box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker marked “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s tripped, the breaker will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly transfer the switch back to the “on” location. If it instantaneously trips again, don’t reset it and reach us at 201-579-2562. A breaker that keeps flipping might signal your residence has an electrical issue.
Incorrect Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t signaling your system to start, it won’t turn on.
The key point is checking it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner will probably not switch on. You could also receive warm air moving from vents because the heater is on instead.
If you rely on a traditional thermostat:
- Swap out the batteries if the monitor is clear. If the screen is presenting jumbled letters, replace the thermostat.
- Check the proper setting is on the display. If you can’t alter it, reverse it by decreasing the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if scheduling is wrong.
- Attempt to set the thermostat 5 degrees below the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is set the same as the house’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is set properly, you should receive cool air promptly.
If you’re using a smart thermostat, such as one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, reach us at 201-579-2562 for help.
Shut-Down Switch
Your system typically has a shut-off switch by its outside unit. This lever is typically in a metal box mounted on your residence. If your unit has recently been maintained, the device may have inadvertently been turned off.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans hold the extra water your system pulls from the air. This pan can be positioned either under or in your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or clogged drain, water can build up and trigger a safety feature to turn off your air conditioner.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the additional water with a special pan-cleaning tab. You can buy these tablets at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan has a pump, find the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you may need to get a new pump. Call us at 201-579-2562 for assistance.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your equipment is working but not cooling, its airflow could be obstructed. Or it might not have sufficient refrigerant.
Clogged Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be restricted by a plugged air filter or dirty condenser.
How to Change Your Air Filter
A dirty filter can lead to many troubles, including:
- Reduced cooling
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Larger energy costs
- Making your system break down sooner
We propose installing new flat filters once a month, and pleated filters every three months.
If you aren’t sure when you last replaced your filter, turn off your equipment completely and remove the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be found in an adjoining filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
Tilt the filter up to your light fixture. If you can’t see through it, you should buy a new filter.
4 Steps to Cleaning Your AC Unit
Weeds, plants and shrubbery can block your condensing system. This can reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s how you can get your equipment operating smoothly again.
- Turn off electricity totally at the breaker or external switch.
- Get rid of yard debris around the equipment. Once you’ve removed larger clutter within a two-foot area, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly clean the equipment’s fins. Kinked fins can also affect efficiency.
- Use a hose nozzle to gingerly remove gunk off the fins from inside the system. Make sure to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
- Restore the power.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When cooling equipment doesn’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your space.
Here are several signs that your system is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to cool your residence and you’re continually turning down the thermostat.
- Air conditioning moving through the vents isn’t as cold as it should be.
- You’re experiencing hissing or burbling noises when the air conditioning is on.
- Your evaporator coil is frosty due to having trouble absorbing humidity.
Think your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and replenish the right amount of refrigerant in your unit. Contact us at 201-579-2562 for help.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it appears like you’re not receiving enough cold air, there’s possibly an obstruction or disconnection inside your air conditioning unit.
- The first place is looking at your air filter. Replace it if it’s soiled.
- Make sure the registers are open around your house.
- If you’re still not getting sufficient chilled air, you should have your ductwork inspected by a pro like ACE Solutions. Your ducts could need to be repaired or hooked up again in tricky areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.