We understand that a suddenly non-working air conditioning system in your home during a hot summer day can bring on panic. We’re expecting extreme heat this summer, and central air conditioners are vital for getting through many sweltering days. If you have to confront a cooling system that isn’t cooling, you might be ready to try anything to get it working again.
Usually, the best way to restore your cooling is to call for professional air conditioning repair in Potomac, MD from our experts. If you want to know what repairs you can do yourself, the answer is that there aren’t any. A “repair” means getting out the tools, opening the AC cabinets, and trying to fix whatever is wrong. Unless you are an HVAC professional with the proper training and equipment, you won’t be able to repair the AC on your own. In fact, you may make the situation worse and even void the warranty.
But you aren’t completely without help …
Although it’s true you can’t do any repairs to a broken air conditioner, you can troubleshoot it; i.e. look for a potentially simple reason the AC stopped cooling the house. You may not need to call technicians at all. Take some time to make a few basic checks that might allow you to restore your AC’s cooling power.
- Check the power to the house: If the air conditioner stops working during daylight hours, you may miss that the real problem is that the house has lost all its electrical power. Unfortunately, overwhelmed electrical grids are common during the height of summer. See if power is down throughout the house before you call for AC repairs.
- See if the thermostat is set accurately: Always investigate your thermostat settings to find out if somebody made a change to them by mistake. Yes, sometimes the issue is as basic as an error with setting the thermostat. (Kids love to play with the buttons!)
- Reset any tripped circuit breaker: Another common source for an AC that stops working is when the blower fan or compressor motor trips a circuit breaker. Check the house electrical panel to see if there is a tripped breaker and reset it. Note that if the AC keeps tripping the circuit breaker, you’ll need to have a professional look into it.
- Replace a clogged HVAC filter: The air filter on the HVAC cabinet is a frequent source of trouble for an air conditioner if it’s allowed to clog up over months. We recommend changing the filter every one to three months. If you’ve left the current filter in longer than that, it might be the reason the AC can’t cool the house or is shutting down early.
- Clean and clear the outdoor cabinet: When an AC has its fans running but won’t send out cool air, check that the outdoor condenser cabinet isn’t dirty or blocked by branches or other debris. Such obstructions will prevent the AC from releasing enough heat from the inside to cool the house.
Once you’ve gone through these steps, it’s time to call us to handle the repairs that will cool you down again.
At Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing, we pledge to exceed expectations at every turn. Call for service in Washington D.C., Montgomery, and Frederick Counties.