Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a few reasons why your air conditioning won’t cool: a tripped circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a switched off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Overloaded Circuit Breaker
Your cooling won’t turn on when you have a tripped breaker.
To see if one has gotten overloaded, find your house’s main electrical panel. You can find this gray box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you work on the panel or breakers.
- Locate the breaker labeled “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” location. If it’s triggered, the switch will be in the "off" position.
- Steadily move the lever back to the “on” spot. If it immediately flips again, don’t reset it and call us at 308-321-4703. A breaker that keeps tripping might signal your house has electrical trouble.
Wrong Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your AC to work, it won’t turn on.
The most important part is checking it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning may not start running. You might also have heated air coming from vents since the furnace is on instead.
If you have a digital thermostat:
- Replace the batteries if the readout is clear. If the screen is presenting scrambled characters, get a new thermostat.
- Make sure the proper setting is displaying. If you can’t update it, cancel it by dropping the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if programming is incorrect.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat matches the space’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is set accurately, you should start getting cool air quickly.
If you have a smart thermostat, including ones produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, contact us at 308-321-4703 for support.
Shut-Off Switch
Your air conditioner probably has a shut-down device by its outside unit. This device is typically in a metal box attached to your residence. If your AC has recently been fixed, the lever may have accidentally been turned off.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans catch the extra water your system takes out of the air. This pan is located either below or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s an obstruction or backed up drain, water can become concentrated and prompt a safety control to turn off your equipment.
If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the extra liquid with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can get these capsules at a home improvement or hardware shop.
If your pan involves a pump, look for the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you may need to replace the pump. Reach us at 308-321-4703 for support.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your equipment is going but not cooling, its airflow might be obstructed. Or it may not have enough refrigerant.
Clogged Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be decreased by a blocked air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Change Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can lead to numerous issues, like:
- Limited cooling
- Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Inconsistent cooling
- Increased electricity expenses
- Causing your system to wear out faster
We propose changing flat filters every four weeks, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t recall when you last replaced your filter, turn off your system completely and pull out 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 can’t see any light, you should buy a new filter.
4 Steps to Cleaning Your Cooling Unit
Greenery, grass and shrubbery can block your condensing equipment. This can reduce its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your equipment running well again.
- Turn off power totally at the breaker or external device.
- Get rid of plant waste around the air conditioner. Once you’ve removed bigger clutter within a two-foot space, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to slowly remove dirt from the unit’s fins. Kinked fins can also hurt performance.
- Use a hose nozzle to carefully remove gunk off the fins from inside the system. Don’t get liquid on the fan motor.
- Turn on the power.
Low Refrigerant Levels
When AC systems don’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your residence.
Here are a few indications that your equipment is seeping refrigerant:
- It takes an extended amount of time to lower the temperature in your rooms and you’re continually lowering the thermostat.
- Air blowing through the ducts isn’t as chilled as it should be.
- You’re noticing hissing or bubbling sounds when the air conditioning runs.
- Your evaporator coil is icy on account of having difficulty absorbing warmth.
Think your equipment is leaking refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service professional to take care of the leak and refill the correct measurement of refrigerant in your unit. Contact us at 308-321-4703 for help.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it appears like you’re not getting ample amounts of chilled air, there’s potentially an obstruction or separation somewhere in your air conditioning equipment.
- The initial step is checking your air filter. Get a new one if it’s filthy.
- Make sure the ductwork is open throughout your house.
- If you’re still not experiencing enough chilly air, you should have your ducts inspected by a expert like Jack's Heating, Cooling, Stoves & Fireplaces. Your ducts could need to be serviced or rejoined in hard-to-reach areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.