5 Things You Should Check When Your AC Will Not Turn On
ShareThe heat of summer is starting to roll in, and you want to make sure your AC is ready to back you up and keep things cool. If your AC doesn't turn on, don't panic. Instead, go through the 5 troubleshooting steps below, and if they don't work, then put in a call to your local air conditioning repair company.
Step #1: Check the Thermostat
The first thing you need to do is go over to the thermostat. Make sure the thermostat is powered up. Then make sure the AC is turned on, and that you didn't accidentally turn on the fan or turn off the AC. Then, make sure that the temperature that you have the AC set at is below the temperature of the room. If the room is 70 and the AC is set to 70, or even 68, the AC may not come on when you think it should. Lower the temperature of the AC so it is at least four degrees below the room temperature in the room. If that doesn't work, move to the next step.
Step #2: Check the Air Filter
When your air filter gets really clogged up, it can actually cause your entire air conditioning system to turn off. It can also cause your AC system to freeze up as it works too hard to push air through a dirty filter.
Change out the air filter, give your AC some time to thaw off, and see if it turns on. If not, move on to step three.
Step #3: Check the Circuit Breaker
Head over to where your circuit breakers are located, and make sure the one that is connected to your air conditioner has not been set off. It it has been flipped, turn the circuit back on and see if that fixes things. If the breaker trips again, you have an electrical issue to deal with. If the breaker stays on, but your AC is still being stubborn, move on to step four.
Step #4: Check the Drain Pan
The portion of your air conditioner that is located inside should have a drain pain. The drain pan catches condensation as it comes out of your machine. When too much water gets in the drain pan, a little sensor is triggered that will turn off your air conditioner and keep it off until the water level lowers. Take the pan and drain it to see if that fixes things.
Step #5: Check the Power Switch
Finally, make sure that the power switch for your system wasn't turned off by accident.
If none of the above steps get your air conditioner working again, call in an air conditioning expert to do some dealer troubleshooting and identify the issue that is keeping your air conditioner from performing.