Once upon a time, home air conditioning was considered a luxury, but today, it’s an absolute necessity when the mercury rises here in Suffolk County. If you’re sitting in your home on a sweltering afternoon, and the A/C isn’t blowing cold air, it can be hard to keep a cool head. (Pun intended.)
There are only so many reasons that a cooling system would stop working, and with a little troubleshooting, you might even be able to fix the problem yourself! If not, the expert HVAC team at Burt’s Reliable is always here to help.
Before you get too deep into the mechanics of your cooling equipment, check your thermostat. Is it set to “cool” or “air conditioning” mode? If so, confirm that the thermostat’s temperature is 5 degrees cooler than your current room temperature. This might get the cool air flowing.
If you have a battery-powered thermostat, and there’s nothing on the screen, your A/C issue might be solved by a couple of new batteries.
If your A/C equipment is running, but your rooms aren’t getting cooler, then some of your vents might be obstructed. Check each vent to ensure it’s not blocked by furniture, rug or other objects.
If your outdoor A/C unit isn’t running, it might not be getting power. Check the power switch in the box next to the condenser and confirm it’s on. If it is, check the break box to make sure the circuit is powered.
During the summer, we recommend you check your air filters at least once a month. If you neglect these filters, your system’s airflow might become obstructed. Check the filter and replace or clean it if it’s clogged.
Another way that airflow can become obstructed is if your outdoor A/C equipment is clogged with vegetation or trash. If you think your outdoor cooling unit is clogged, switch it off and clear two feet of space around it. Turn it back on and see if your cool air comes back.
Did none of these DIY fixes manage to fix your cooling issue? Then there might be something more significant to repair. Some other causes could be:
All these issues should be handled by a licensed HVAC technician like one of the Burt’s Reliable team members. We can perform a thorough assessment of your equipment and find the culprit. Ideally, we can repair the issue right then and there — but there are circumstances when it makes more sense to replace your A/C equipment instead of repairing it. These circumstances include when:
Reach out to Burt’s Reliable to arrange service for your home cooling equipment.