Troubleshooting and doing your own AC repair in Mobile, Alabama, 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 Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.

Our experts are standing by at 251-471-2674 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 couple of explanations why your air conditioner won’t run: a blown circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.

Triggered Circuit Breaker

Your air conditioning won’t start when you have a blown breaker.

To check if one has gotten overloaded, locate your home’s main electrical panel. You can spot this silver fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

  • Make sure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you touch the panel or breakers.
  • Locate the breaker marked “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s tripped the lever will be in the middle of the panel or “off” location.
  • Firmly transfer the breaker back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously triggers again, leave it alone and call us at 251-471-2674. A breaker that keeps turning off may signal your house has an electrical issue.

Inaccurate Thermostat Settings

If your thermostat isn’t telling your air conditioner to run, it won’t activate.

The first point is ensuring it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner may not start running. Or you could get. hot air moving from vents being the heater is going instead.

If you have a regular thermostat:

  • Put in new batteries if the screen is empty. If the screen is displaying jumbled numbers, get a new thermostat.
  • Ensure the right program is showing. If you can’t change it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if programming is wrong.
  • Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat matches the space’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is calibrated correctly, you should receive refreshing air promptly.

If you’re using a smart thermostat, like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you’re still having problems, call us at 251-471-2674 for help.

Shut-Down Switch

Your cooling equipment typically has a shut-down device around its outdoor unit. This device is typically in a metal box hung on your residence. If your air conditioner has recently been worked on, the device may have accidentally been left in the “off” setting.

Blocked Condensate Drain Pan

Condensate drain pans hold the additional condensation your air conditioner pulls from the air. This pan can be found either below or in your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a clog or blocked drain, water can build up and prompt a safety feature to switch off your air conditioner.

If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the additional water with a special pan-cleaning tablet. You can purchase these tabs at a home improvement or hardware retailer.

If your pan includes a pump, locate the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you could need to install a new pump. Contact us at 251-471-2674 for support.

2. AC Blows Warm Air

If your equipment is running but not delivering cold air, its airflow may be clogged. Or it might not have adequate refrigerant.

Obstructed Airflow

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

How to Change Your Air Filter

A dirty filter can create many troubles, such as:

  • Limited comfort
  • Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
  • Intermittent cooling
  • Higher energy bills
  • Leading your system to stop working more quickly

We recommend replacing flat filters every four weeks, and accordion filters every three months.

If you can’t remember when you last replaced yours, shut off your AC totally and pull out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be located in an adjoining filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

Hold the filter up to the light. If you can’t see any light you should replace it.

How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Unit

Greenery, plants and bushes can obstruct your condensing equipment. This can limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and impact your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment working smoothly again.

  1. Turn off the electrical current completely at the breaker or external lever.
  2. Clear plant rubbish around the AC. Once you’ve cleared all the clutter within a two-foot radius, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to carefully clean the unit’s fins. Deformed fins can also impact capability, so you can attempt to adjust them with a small knife.
  3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully clean the fins from inside the equipment. Don’t get water on the fan motor.
  4. Put the top back on and restore the power.

Low Refrigerant Levels

When air conditioning equipment doesn’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your home.

Here are a few symptoms that your unit is leaking refrigerant:

  1. It takes too long to cool your home and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
  2. Cooling blowing through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
  3. You’re hearing hissing or gurgling racket when cooling runs.
  4. Your evaporator coil is frozen because it’s having trouble handling warmth.

Worried your system is losing refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service professional to take care of the leak and restore the proper amount of refrigerant in your unit. Reach us at 251-471-2674 for support.

3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air

When it feels like you’re not receiving enough chilled air, there’s possibly a clog or detachment somewhere in your cooling unit.

  • The first place is checking your air filter. Replace it if it’s dusty.
  • Then ensure the registers are free across your rooms.
  • If you’re still not receiving adequate cold air, you should have your duct system checked by a professional like Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. Your ducts might need to be repaired or hooked up again in tricky locations 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 Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc at 251-471-2674. We’ll quickly identify the problem when your equipment won’t work or provide enough chilled air.

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