On a hot summer morning, one of the worst things you can wake up to is an air conditioning unit that isn’t turning on. There are many different reasons why you might not be feeling cool air coming out of the vents, and some are easy fixes while others require more extensive repair. What are some of the reasons why your AC won’t turn on?
You Have a Thermostat Problem
Before you panic, you should start troubleshooting your air conditioning issue by checking the thermostat. Even if you think you know that it’s turned on or set at the appropriate temperature, you must still check to be sure. Does the display of the thermostat turn on? Are the batteries dead?
If your thermostat responds normally, you should try to get the air conditioning to turn on again. Start by setting your thermostat significantly cooler than it is currently inside, like 70 degrees if it’s currently 75. Wait a couple of minutes to see if cold air is coming out of the vents. If that didn’t fix the issue, you should contact an HVAC professional.
You Tripped the Circuit Breaker
For safety reasons, the circuit breakers in your home are designed to shut off whenever there is an issue. This might sound like a pain, but it’s actually great since it stops most house fires before they can start. There are numerous reasons why the breaker might trip, including a power surge or too many things plugged in and running at the same time. If it’s a one-time issue, turning the breaker back on will do the trick. If the breaker continues to trip, call for help.
Your Air Filters Are Clogged
When did you last change the filters on your air conditioner? If you don’t remember, that’s a good sign that it’s been too long. Dirty filters force the AC to work harder to cool your home, and it can also lower the quality of the air you’re breathing in. An exceptionally dirty filter might even lead your outdoor unit to freeze, which could prevent it from turning on. A professional can take care of changing your filters and examining the unit.
Your AC Condenser Is Dirty
The outside portion of your air conditioner is known as a condenser. Because it’s outside, it can get very dirty if you are not investing in regular preventative maintenance from a professional HVAC technician. Dirt and debris can effectively insulate the condenser, which means that it will need to work harder to get rid of heat. Call an HVAC technician and they can carefully clean the compressor and inspect the unit to ensure no other issues.
Your Air Conditioner Is Not Appropriately Sized
Sometimes the air conditioner that you purchased for your home is not an appropriate size for the space that you need to cool. This mistake is very common when buying an AC unit without the help of an experienced HVAC professional. If your AC isn’t the right size for your house, it will need to work harder.
If the unit is much bigger than needed, it will get the job done fast and turn on and off regularly, which puts more wear on the unit. If your air conditioner is too tiny for your house or apartment, it will run for very long periods and might even be unable to lower the temperature in the house. In this case, a new unit is required.
Your Air Conditioner Needs to be Reset
For a variety of reasons, sometimes an air conditioning unit may need to be reset for it to work correctly. If your unit has a reset button, you can press it and the unit should return to normal. However, if yours doesn’t, you can mimic a reset switch by turning the unit completely off for about five minutes and then turning it on again.
When in doubt, call Hoot Heating & Air! Contact us today 443-309-8420
