Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be several explanations why your AC unit won’t work: an overloaded circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a turned off switch or a full condensate drain pan.
Blown Circuit Breaker
Your cooling won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.
To determine if one has gotten overloaded, find your home’s main electrical panel. You can locate this gray box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet are free of moisture before you touch the panel or breakers.
- Look for the breaker marked “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” location. If it’s overloaded, the breaker will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly move the switch back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously flips again, leave it alone and contact us at 541-286-6617. A breaker that keeps tripping could signal your residence has an electrical issue.
Wrong Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t signaling your system to run, it won’t switch on.
The key part is ensuring it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning will probably not start running. You could also have heated air coming from vents since the furnace is going instead.
If you have a traditional thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the monitor is blank. If the screen is showing jumbled numbers, replace the thermostat.
- Check the correct program is showing. If you can’t alter it, cancel it by dropping the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if programming is incorrect.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees below the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is identical to the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is set properly, you should begin getting chilled air promptly.
If you rely on a smart thermostat, such as one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 541-286-6617 for help.
Shut-Off Switch
Your cooling equipment usually has a power-cutting lever near its outdoor unit. This switch is typically in a metal box attached to your residence. If your equipment has recently been maintained, the lever may have accidentally been turned off.
Blocked Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans keep the extra water your system removes from the air. This pan can be positioned either beneath or inside your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a clog or clogged drain, water can become concentrated and prompt a safety feature to switch off your system.
If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the additional water with a formulated pan-cleaning tablet. You can buy these tabs at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan has 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 541-286-6617 for help.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your equipment is working but not delivering cold air, its airflow may be clogged. Or it might not have sufficient refrigerant.
Clogged Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be decreased by a blocked air filter or filthy condenser.
How to Change Your Air Filter
A filthy filter can create numerous issues, like:
- Lower airflow
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Inconsistent cooling
- Larger utility costs
- Leading your system to wear out sooner
We propose replacing flat filters monthly, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t remember when you last replaced your filter, shut off your AC fully and pull out the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might also be found in an adjoining filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.
Hold the filter up to the sunshine. If you see a lot of dust, you should get a new one.
4 Tips on Cleaning Your AC System
Weeds, vegetation and shrubbery can block your condensing unit. This could limit its airflow, make it less energy efficient and affect your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your system operating smoothly again.
- Shut off electricity totally at the breaker or outdoor lever.
- Remove plant rubbish around the AC. Once you’ve removed all the refuse within a two-foot range, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to gingerly clean the unit’s fins. Crooked fins can also hurt effectiveness.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly remove gunk off the fins from inside the equipment. Don’t get moisture on the fan motor.
- Turn on the power.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When AC equipment doesn’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your house.
Here are several symptoms that your unit is losing refrigerant:
- It takes a long time to cool your space and you’re constantly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
- Air conditioning moving through the ducts isn’t as chilly as it should be.
- You’re experiencing whistling or gurgling noises when cooling is on.
- Your evaporator coil is iced over as a result of having an issue handling heat.
Worried your unit is leaking refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service professional to take care of the leak and replenish the right level of refrigerant in your unit. Call us at 541-286-6617 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not getting ample amounts of cold air, there’s possibly an obstruction or detachment inside your air conditioning equipment.
- The beginning stage is looking at your air filter. Replace it if it’s soiled.
- Make sure the ductwork is open around your home.
- If you’re still not receiving adequate cold air, you should have your ducts examined by a pro like Titan Heating & Air Conditioning. Your duct system could need to be repaired or hooked up again in difficult locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.