AC Repair in West Valley City, UT: How to Handle 3 Common Troubles

There can be a couple of explanations why your air conditioning system won’t cool: a tripped circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a shut off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.

Your AC won’t run when you have an overloaded breaker.

To see if one has tripped, find your home’s main electrical panel. You can find this metallic box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Make sure your hands and feet are dry before you touch the panel or breakers.
• Look for the breaker identified “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s tripped the lever will be in the in between or “off” position.
• Steadily shift the switch back to the “on” location. If it instantaneously triggers again, don’t touch it and contact us at 801-305-4777. A fuse that keeps flipping could signal your home has electrical trouble.

If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your AC to start, it won’t turn on.

The key point is making sure it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner will probably not start running. Or you could get. hot air moving from vents being the furnace is on instead.

If you’re using a digital thermostat:

• Put in new batteries if the readout is clear. If the screen is displaying scrambled characters, get a new thermostat.
• Make sure the right setting is on the display. If you can’t update it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if scheduling is not right.
• Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is identical to the space’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is adjusted accurately, you should receive cool air fast.

If you’re using a smart thermostat, like one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 801-305-4777 for help.

Your air conditioner usually has a power-cutting device around its condenser. This device is commonly in a metal box mounted on your house. If your equipment has recently been fixed, the device may have inadvertently been left in the “off” location.

Condensate drain pans hold the surplus water your AC pulls from the air. This pan is located either under or inside your furnace or air handler.

When there’s an obstruction or clogged drain, water can build up and initiate a safety feature to switch off your air conditioner.

If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the surplus water with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can buy these tabs at a home improvement or hardware retailer.

If your pan involves a pump, find the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you might have to install a new pump. Reach us at 801-305-4777 for support.

If your equipment is going but not cooling, its airflow might be blocked. Or it may not have sufficient refrigerant.

Your equipment’s airflow can be limited by a clogged air filter or dusty condenser.

A dirty filter can create many problems, such as:

• Lower airflow
• Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Intermittent cooling
• Larger cooling bills
• Making your system wear out faster

We suggest installing new flat filters every four weeks, and pleated filters every three months.

If you can’t remember when you last replaced yours, shut off your equipment completely and remove the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be situated in a connected filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.

Angle the filter up to your light fixture. If you can’t see any light you need to get a new one.

Weeds, grass and bushes can obstruct your condensing equipment. This could restrict its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your system running smoothly again.

1. Turn off power completely at the breaker or external lever.
2. Get rid of vegetation debris around the equipment. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger debris within a two-foot range, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to gingerly remove dust from the unit’s fins. Distorted fins can also affect efficiency, so you can attempt to straighten them with a dinner knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the unit. Don’t get liquid on the fan motor.
4. Replace the top and restore the power.

When air conditioning systems don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your residence.

Here are several flags that your system is losing refrigerant:

1. It takes an extended amount of time to cool your residence and you’re regularly turning down the thermostat.
2. Cooling coming through the ducts isn’t as cold as it should be.
3. You’re experiencing hissing or burbling sounds when cooling is on.
4. Your evaporator coil is frosted because it’s having an issue handling heat.

Worried your equipment is leaking refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service specialist to repair the leak and restore the correct amount of refrigerant in your equipment. Contact us at 801-305-4777 for assistance.

When it seems like you’re not getting ample amounts of chilled air, there’s probably a clog or separation inside your cooling system.

• The beginning place is checking your air filter. Replace it if it’s filthy.
• Then ensure the vents are free throughout your rooms.
• If you’re still not receiving enough chilled air, you should have your duct system checked by a professional like Select Comfort Systems. Your ducts could need to be repaired or rejoined in difficult locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.