The weather is starting to warm up and you turn your central air conditioner on for the very first time this year.
No Cooling!? Here are 5 easy steps you can take to check out your AC unit before you call your service company.
- Is your thermostat set to properly?
- Typically the first dozen service calls at the start of air conditioning season are related to improper thermostat settings. We suggest you take these steps:
- Be sure your thermostat is in the “Cool” position and that it’s also set to “Auto”.
- If you have a digital thermostat, do you see the time/date/room setting? If not – change your batteries (this simple step can save you aggravation and a service charge, not to mention you'll be a real hero!)
- If you don't have a digital thermostat...you should! (You'll save on energy costs when your home is unattended.)
- Have you changed your disposable air filter?
- This easy task should be performed every month (yes….every month) while the system is operating (so 12 months a year if you heat and cool through the same duct system or April through September if you have an overhead air conditioning system).
- Is the equipment door secure?
- Often a homeowner will attempt to be a skilled DIY-er. OOOOPS! You left the hinge open! This is a safety control.
- Have you checked to be sure the circuit breaker hasn't tripped?
- Flip the breaker to the off position and then on again. If it was marginal, this may reset the power to the unit.
- If the circuit breaker is not labeled, ask your AC tech to do this for you when you call for air conditioning service.
- Is your outside unit running?
- This can be a dead giveaway! If the unit outside is not running you may have a larger issue. (Emphasis on the word dead outside unit)
So, now that we’ve outlined what you can do yourself, it’s time to contact your trusted AC repair company. Most air conditioning repairs are fixed at the time of original service. If your unit is older your contractor may suggest other options before you invest money into an older, inefficient unit.
As part of annual AC tune-up services, your reputable cooling contractor will take the time to go through a multi-step system check to prepare your air conditioning system for the coming season. Consider scheduling an AC Tune-Up today. (Now do you understand why it's a good idea?) All of these items (and more) are checked during this thorough maintenance service.
Stay cool, and, if your home or business is located in northern or north central New Jersey give us a shout!
