Welcome to my blog. My name is Betty, and I recently invested in a new heating and cooling system. It had been years since I had purchased our old system, and my husband was alive then. This was the first time selecting my own system. I did a lot of research and even considered taking our HVAC system off the grid. Now, that my house is the perfect temperature all the time, I'm ready to try something else -- so I decided to start a blog. Here, I am going to post a range of blogs on HVAC related issues as well as home repairs and other topics. I hope that you like it.
When your home's air conditioner fails to work, you may have no choice but to call for a maintenance person to check it out for you. However, before you do this, you want to ensure you've checked everything that might be wrong in and out of the house, and which are not actually the fault of an air conditioner in disrepair. Some of these things are very simple, but homeowners often overlook them before making that service call, so be sure you've gone through this checklist before calling for repairs.
1. Thermostat batteries
If your thermostat needs new batteries, and even if they're getting low on power, it won't tell the air conditioner to switch on. It might also give the air conditioner faulty readings as to the temperature in your home, so the air conditioner cycles on and off too infrequently. Install new batteries in your thermostat and see if this allows the air conditioner to switch on and run as it should.
2. Switches
Depending on the model, your air conditioner may have disconnect switches in various areas and which may have been accidentally switched off, so that the unit doesn't run. You may not be aware of these switches, assuming that the thermostat controls the air conditioner alone. Check the outside of your home, where the air conditioner housing is located and where the wiring runs into the house itself, for a safety switch. There may also be a switch on the housing unit itself, usually under the unit, near the pan that catches condensation. There may also be a disconnect switch near your furnace. Check all these areas for switches and ensure they're in the ON position before calling for service.
3. Air filter
A dirty air filter can cause the air conditioner to work harder to pump air through your home's ductwork, and a very clogged filter can cause it to shut down altogether. If you haven't changed the air filter in some time and especially if you notice it seems discolored and dirty, replace it and note if this gets the air conditioner unit working again.
4. Blocked fan
The housing unit outside your home is very well protected, but occasionally there may be rocks, debris, pests such as small rodents or lizards, and such items that get in the way of the fan of your unit working. If you notice a humming sound as if the unit is trying to work but the fan itself doesn't come on, you can usually open the housing unit and clear any obstruction yourself, and then simply close up the housing and your air conditioner should work again.
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