Air Conditioner Repair Checklist
1. AC Won’t Turn On
There can be a couple of causes why your air conditioner won’t cool: a tripped circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a shut off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.
Triggered Circuit Breaker
Your system won’t work when you have a tripped breaker.
To find out if one has gotten overloaded, go to your house’s main electrical panel. You can find this metallic fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.
- Ensure your hands and feet are dry before you work on the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker marked “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s overloaded, the switch will be in the "off" position.
- Firmly shift the switch back to the “on” position. If it instantly trips again, don’t reset it and call us at 309-517-7511. A breaker that keeps tripping could mean your residence has electrical trouble.
Inaccurate Thermostat Settings
If your thermostat isn’t telling your air conditioner to run, it won’t switch on.
The most important step is ensuring it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner will probably not switch on. You may also have warm air moving from vents being the furnace is on instead.
If you’re using a traditional thermostat:
- Put in new batteries if the screen is clear. If the screen is presenting garbled numbers, get a new thermostat.
- Ensure the right mode is displaying. If you can’t alter it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if the configuration is incorrect.
- Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat matches the room’s temperature.
Once your thermostat is set correctly, you should begin getting cool air promptly.
If you’re using a smart thermostat, like one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for help. If it still won’t work, reach us at 309-517-7511 for support.
Shut-Down Switch
Your system probably has a shut-down switch by its outdoor unit. This device is commonly in a metal box attached to your house. If your air conditioner has recently been maintained, the device may have unintentionally been turned off.
Overflowing Condensate Drain Pan 
Condensate drain pans keep the extra water your air conditioner pulls from the air. This pan is located either below or within your furnace or air handler.
When there’s a clog or clogged drain, water can build up and initiate a safety setting to turn off your air conditioner.
If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the additional water with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can purchase these tablets at a home improvement or hardware retailer.
If your pan involves a pump, locate the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you may need to replace the pump. Reach us at 309-517-7511 for help.
2. AC Blows Warm Air
If your air conditioner is on but not delivering cold air, its airflow could be obstructed. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.
Blocked Airflow
Your unit’s airflow can be decreased by a plugged air filter or dusty condenser.
How to Change Your Air Filter
A dirty filter can lead to numerous issues, like:
- Lower comfort
- Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
- Uneven cooling
- Higher cooling costs
- Making your system break down faster
We recommend replacing flat filters once a month, and pleated filters every three months.
If you can’t recall when you last replaced your filter, switch off your system fully and remove the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might 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 through it, you should buy a new filter.
4 Steps to Cleaning Your Air Conditioning Unit
Weeds, grass and bushes can obstruct your condensing system. This may limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your unit operating well again.
- Switch off power totally at the breaker or outside switch.
- Remove yard debris around the AC. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger refuse within a two-foot space, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to gingerly clean the unit’s fins. Warped fins can also affect performance.
- Use a hose nozzle to slowly take off dirt on the fins from inside the unit. Don’t get liquid on the fan motor.
- Turn the power back on.
Not Enough Refrigerant
When cooling equipment doesn’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from the air.
Here are a couple of flags that your unit is losing refrigerant:
- It takes too long to cool your residence and you’re constantly lowering the thermostat.
- Cooling moving through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
- You’re experiencing hissing or bubbling sounds when cooling runs.
- Your evaporator coil is icy due to having difficulty absorbing heat.
Suspect your equipment is seeping refrigerant? You need a licensed heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and restore the proper measurement of refrigerant in your system. Call us at 309-517-7511 for assistance.
3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air
When it feels like you’re not having ample amounts of cool air, there’s possibly an obstruction or detachment within your AC unit.
- The initial stage is checking your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s dirty.
- Make sure the registers are open throughout your house.
- If you’re still not experiencing ample cold air, you should have your ductwork examined by a professional like J.L. Brady Company LLC. Your ductwork could need to be serviced or hooked up again in difficult areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.