There are few things more irritating than an air conditioner that blows only hot air or keeps cycling on and off. But an air conditioning system that won’t turn on is certainly one of them. A completely non-responsive HVAC can be caused by a lot of different problems, and there are a few you can investigate yourself before calling in a service technician.
What can you do if your air conditioner won’t start?
Troubleshooting your air conditioner can be dangerous. It’s wired straight into your home’s power, so you can’t directly turn it off before you start. The overall system also has freon, a lot of moving parts in the outdoor condenser unit, and sharp edges. So check these simple solutions first:
Was the circuit breaker tripped?
If your home’s electricity or power demand overloaded, the connected circuit breakers will trip to protect the house. So check the panel of circuit breakers in your garage to see if any of them shifted to the off position. If so, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem is solved. Something broken in the unit may have been what made the circuit trip.
Is the filter too dirty?
Dirty air conditioning filters are one of the top reasons why air conditioners malfunction. Once the filter picks up too much dust and debris, it clogs up the air flow. Usually, this problem will make the HVAC motor overwork until it breaks. But some dirty filters stop water from escaping, and that water will ice over the coils.
Is the thermostat erroring out?
If you have a digital thermostat, check the screen. Sometimes a tripped circuit breaker can make it malfunction and the thermostat will need a hard reset. Other times, the temperature settings may just be too high for your air conditioner to know it needs to turn on.
If none of these problems fit your situation, call in an expert. Contact our team at Tri County Air Care to schedule an appointment.