Pablo Luna
@ashkfor121
Troubles with the air conditioning units always seem to arise during summertime. This is especially frustrating if your city is characterized by its hot summers and high humidity levels. Most of us are guilty of taking a rain check, ironically, on a plan or two to avoid the unbearable heat. However, if your AC unit is broken, your home may slowly turn into an unwelcome sauna.
Since everyone’s AC unit seems to stop operating when they need them the most, there’s always a high demand for air conditioning repair contractors. You can end up days and even weeks without air conditioning. To save time and start working on finding possible solutions, you may want to figure out the problem yourself. Here are 6 possible reasons why your AC unit might stop working.
1. Thermostat
While the issue might seem grave, you may be surprised to find out that the problem is not with the air conditioning unit itself. If your AC unit stops working, you need to check out your thermostat first. If there is nothing being displayed, then the batteries are dead and simply need to be replaced.
Finding this out early on will save you the struggle of examining every other aspect of your AC unit, then waiting on a contractor when you find yourself fresh out of luck. As soon as you see a blank thermostat screen, you should immediately try to switch out the batteries. If this doesn’t work, you will need to contact your HVAC company. You should also check that the thermostat is set to cool. Many people forget to check the status of their thermostat since it’s the most trivial issue. Your thermostat may only be spinning the fan or running on hot.
2. Outdoor and Indoor Disconnects
Another thing that you need to look into before immediately thinking of the larger issues is the disconnects. Even if you don’t remember switching them off, the indoor disconnect can be easily switched off by accident especially if it’s located in clustered areas like your garage or attic. Don’t forget that there’s always an outdoor disconnect located next to your outdoor AC unit as well, as required by building codes. The outdoor disconnect can also be easily switched off for a number of reasons.
3. Tripped Circuit Breaker
If your AC unit suddenly stopped working and it’s not because of the thermostat or the disconnects, you may need to check your breaker box. If one of the breakers is tripped, it might be the one that’s connected to your HVAC system. You can easily fix this issue by resetting it and operating the AC unit again. However, if your circuit breaker keeps tripping for no apparent reason, contact a technician for service and repairs before the problem escalates. However, keep in mind that your circuit may be overloaded, leading your breaker to trip often. Try shutting off all appliances or equipment that may be part of the problem.
4. A Blown Fuse
Blown fuses are very common problems. However, in this case, you must be aware that you might have blown two fuses and not just one. The two fuses responsible for this issue are typically the literal fuse and the internal fuse. The literal fuse is what connects your AC unit to your thermostat, and it’s necessary for the AC to operate. Your only solution is to have it replaced so that your AC unit resumes working. If you are not an expert, don’t attempt to fix this issue yourself. You can hurt yourself, cause further damages, or simply fail the task. This is why it’s best to contact your HVAC company or hire a specialist to get the job done.
5. Dirty Coils
Try feeling the air coming out of your vents and checking out the thermostat. If the air coming out of the vents is hot, or just not cold, but your thermostat says that it’s set to cool, your coils may be dirty. Keep in mind that there are two AC coils: one in your indoor unit and another in your outdoor unit. If you don’t get your HVAC system checked and maintained regularly, the coils can get very dirty, and the system will fail to remove the heat from your home as efficiently. When the coils are dirty, the system tends to circulate air that’s the same temperature, not living up to the settings that are visible on your thermostat’s screen.
6. Dirty Filter
Having dirty filters is very common especially if you haven’t operated or maintained your AC unit throughout winter. You might start noticing problems with your AC unit a few weeks into summer until it eventually stops operating if you have a dirty filter. The problem is that if you don’t carry out regular maintenance, dust will clog your filters and obstruct the airflow to your HVAC system. If there isn’t sufficient airflow, your system may end up freezing.
You may start to notice problems with your AC unit a couple of weeks into summer. This may be due to very minor issues that you can easily fix yourself. In other cases, the problems may be more complex and you’ll have to consult a specialist. Either way, it’s good to determine the problem first to understand the measures that should be followed.
