Troubleshooting and doing your own AC repair in Narvon, Pennsylvania, can appear like a lot of hassle.

There’s a better way. There are several quick remedies you can attempt by yourself that might help you get out of an AC service call.

When you’re having air conditioning issues, try this checklist before calling a heating and cooling repair professional like Ameri-Tec.

Our experts are standing by at 717-479-4950 when you need expert service. We have emergency AC repair and work on most brands of central AC equipment.

If you want to get an up to date air conditioner, we also provide AC installation.

When you’re in contact with us, contemplate a yearly AC maintenance plan that may help you keep clear of future malfunctions. We can advise how often you need air conditioner service.

Ready to get started troubleshooting your system? Try our fast tips below. Many of these procedures don’t require any HVAC knowledge.

Air Conditioner Repair Checklist

1. AC Won’t Turn On

There can be a few reasons why your air conditioning system won’t start: a blown circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a turned off switch or a full condensate drain pan.

Triggered Circuit Breaker

Your air conditioning won’t run when you have a tripped breaker.

To find out if one has blown, find your house’s main electrical panel. You can locate this metallic box 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.
  • Find the breaker marked “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s tripped the switch will be in the middle of the panel or “off” position.
  • Quickly transfer the switch back to the “on” spot. If it immediately flips again, don’t touch it and contact us at 717-479-4950. A breaker that keeps turning off could mean your home has an electrical problem.

Incorrect Thermostat Settings

If your thermostat isn’t telling your equipment to start, it won’t switch on.

The most important part is ensuring it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC will probably not turn on. Or you could have. hot air moving from vents being the heat is running instead.

If you rely on a traditional thermostat:

  • Swap out the batteries if the monitor is clear. If the monitor is presenting scrambled letters, buy a new thermostat.
  • Ensure the correct mode is showing. If you can’t update it, override it by decreasing the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if programming is wrong.
  • Attempt to set the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat matches the room’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is calibrated accurately, you should receive refreshing air quickly.

If you rely on a smart thermostat, including ones produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you’re still having problems, call us at 717-479-4950 for assistance.

Shut-Off Switch

Your air conditioner usually has a shut-down device near its outdoor unit. This switch is commonly in a metal box mounted on your residence. If your AC has recently been worked on, the switch may have unintentionally been left in the “off” position.

Blocked Condensate Drain Pan

Condensate drain pans hold the extra water your AC pulls from the air. This pan can be situated either under or inside your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a clog or backed up drain, water can build up and prompt a safety control to switch off your equipment.

If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the surplus condensation with a custom pan-cleaning tablet. You can purchase these tablets at a home improvement or hardware shop.

If your pan includes a pump, find the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you could need to install a new pump. Call us at 717-479-4950 for assistance.

2. AC Blows Warm Air

If your system is running but not cooling, its airflow could be clogged. Or it may not have enough refrigerant.

Obstructed Airflow

Your equipment’s airflow can be limited by a plugged air filter or dusty condenser.

How to Replace Your Air Filter

A dirty filter can create many troubles, like:

  • Limited comfort
  • Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
  • Inconsistent cooling
  • Larger electricity bills
  • Making your system wear out faster

We suggest changing flat filters once a month, and pleated filters every three months.

If you can’t recall when you last replaced yours, turn off your system completely and remove the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be situated in an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

Tilt the filter up to the light. If you can’t see any light you certainly should buy a new filter.

How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Unit

Weeds, vegetation and shrubbery can get in the way of your condensing equipment. This may reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your equipment working properly again.

  1. Shut off power completely at the breaker or outside switch.
  2. Remove vegetation rubbish around the unit. Once you’ve cleared bigger debris within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to carefully clean the unit’s fins. Crooked fins can also affect effectiveness, so you can attempt to reshape them with a small knife.
  3. Use a hose nozzle to slowly remove gunk off the fins from inside the system. Make sure to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
  4. Install the top again and restore the power.

Leaking Refrigerant

When cooling units don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your residence.

Here are several symptoms that your unit is leaking refrigerant:

  1. It takes an extended amount of time to lower the temperature in your home and you’re regularly lowering the thermostat.
  2. Cooling moving through the ducts isn’t as cold as it should be.
  3. You’re noticing fizzing or burbling racket when the AC is on.
  4. Your evaporator coil is frozen on account of having trouble absorbing humidity.

Think your equipment is losing refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and replenish the proper level of refrigerant in your unit. Reach us at 717-479-4950 for support.

3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air

When it seems like you’re not getting adequate amounts of cold air, there’s possibly an obstruction or disconnection within your air conditioning system.

  • The beginning step is checking your air filter. Replace it if it’s dusty.
  • Then check the registers are free across your residence.
  • If you’re still not getting ample chilly air, you should have your ducts inspected by a professional like Ameri-Tec. Your ductwork might need to be repaired or relinked in tricky spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.

Request Pro Air Conditioner Repair Now

When you require air conditioning service quickly, contact the HVAC repair experts at Ameri-Tec at 717-479-4950. We’ll quickly identify the problem when your equipment won’t work or provide enough chilled air.

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