Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a few explanations why your air conditioning system won’t run: a triggered circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a switched off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Triggered Circuit Breaker
Your cooling won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.
To find out if one has blown, locate your residence’s main electrical panel. You can find this gray device on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Confirm your hands and feet aren’t wet before you work on the panel or breakers.
- Look for the breaker labeled “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s overloaded, the breaker will be in the in between or “off” spot.
- Quickly move the switch back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously triggers again, don’t reset it and reach us at 262-358-9468. A fuse that keeps turning off may mean your house has electrical trouble.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your AC to work, it won’t turn on.
The most important part is ensuring it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner may not switch on. Or you may get hot air moving from vents since the heater is running instead.
If you rely on a traditional thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the screen is empty. If the readout is displaying scrambled letters, buy a new thermostat.
- Make sure the correct option is showing. If you can’t change it, override it by dropping the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if programming is wrong.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees below the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is set the same as the house’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is adjusted accurately, you should begin getting cool air quickly.
If you’re using a smart thermostat, like one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, call us at 262-358-9468 for help.
Turn-Off Switch
Your air conditioner probably has a power-cutting lever near its outside unit. This switch is typically in a metal box hung on your residence. If your AC has recently been repaired, the device may have unintentionally been put in the “off” position.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans catch the additional water your AC takes out of the air. This pan can be found either below or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or backed up drain, water can accumulate and trigger a safety feature to turn off your unit.
If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the surplus condensation with a formulated pan-cleaning tab. You can buy these tablets at a home improvement or hardware store.
If your pan includes a pump, locate the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you might have to replace the pump. Contact us at 262-358-9468 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is on but not providing cold air, its airflow might be congested. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your equipment’s airflow can be limited by a clogged air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Put in a New Your Air Filter
A dirty filter can create many troubles, like:
- Reduced airflow
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Intermittent cooling
- Larger electricity bills
- Causing your system to wear out faster
We propose replacing flat filters every four weeks, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t remember when you last changed yours, shut off your unit completely and remove the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in an adjoining filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Tilt the filter up to the light. If you see a lot of dust, you should buy a new filter.
5 Steps to Cleaning Your Cooling System
Weeds, plants and sticks can block your condensing unit. This could reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and impact your comfort. Here’s how you can get your equipment running properly again.
- Switch off electricity completely at the breaker or external device.
- Clear vegetation debris around the equipment. Once you’ve removed all the debris within a two-foot radius, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to slowly remove dirt from the condenser fins. Deformed fins can also affect capability, so you can attempt to adjust them with a blunt knife.
- Remove the upper grate of your system and take out any leaves or yard waste that has built up. Then wipe down the condenser fan with a moist rag.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the unit. Make sure to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
- Replace the top and turn on the power.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When cooling units don’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your residence.
Here are a few signs that your system is leaking refrigerant:
- It takes a long time to refresh your residence and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Air coming through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
- You’re noticing fizzing or burbling sounds when cooling is on.
- Your evaporator coil is icy on account of having an issue taking on warmth.
Suspect your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service specialist to repair the leak and replenish the proper measurement of refrigerant in your equipment. Call us at 262-358-9468 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it seems like you’re not having ample amounts of cold air, there’s likely an obstruction or detachment somewhere in your air conditioning equipment.
- The first step is checking your air filter. Get a new one if it’s dirty.
- Then ensure the vents are open around your residence.
- If you’re still not receiving sufficient cold air, you should have your ductwork inspected by a pro like Keystone Heating & Air Conditioning Co., Inc. Your ductwork could need to be repaired or reconnected in tricky areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.