Keeping your home comfortable in the summer months is important if you live in Southern California. So when your AC goes on the fritz, you need a solution fast. While your best bet is to call an HVAC professional, there are a few things you can check on yourself first.
Take a Look at Your Thermostat
Depending on the age of your home, you may have a dial, a programmable thermostat, or a smart thermostat, which you can control from your smartphone. Regardless of what model you have, your thermostat should be turned to “cool.” While this sounds like a no-brainer, it’s surprisingly easy to turn the “cool” setting off by accident.
Also, be sure to check your thermostat has power, especially if it’s not hard-wired into your home’s electrical system. If the batteries in your thermostat die, none of your HVAC equipment will turn on.
Check Your Circuit Breaker
If your thermostat is on the right setting, the next thing to do is check your circuit breaker. There may have been a minor surge that caused your circuit breaker to cut off the flow of electricity (i.e. tripped) to protect the circuit from overheating. If that’s the case, it’s not a bad idea to check with a professional to make sure there’s not a bigger problem.
Some homeowners turn the breaker off during the cooler months and often forget to flip the breaker back on for the summer. This can also happen with the indoor and outdoor disconnect switches. You should make sure these switches aren’t accidentally switched off when you’re trying to use your cooling system.
Look at Your Air Conditioner Coils
If your AC is turning on but not producing cool air, check your condenser and evaporator coils. Dirt naturally builds up on condenser coolers over time. However, if these coils get too dirty, they can’t effectively perform the warm air exchange that provides your home with cool air. You can prevent this buildup with yearly preventative maintenance appointments for your unit.
If you notice pools of liquid below your coils or any leaks running down the coil, you may have a refrigerant leak. These types of leaks can be expensive to fix. If this is the case, you’ll need help from a professional.
Change the Air Filters
One simple way to fix an underperforming air conditioner is to change its air filters. Realistically, you should do this for your AC unit every 30 to 90 days.
Changing the filters on your AC unit helps keep dirt, dust, and other particles from building up and blocking airflow. When that happens, air can’t flow freely through your system, which can lead to your coils freezing. Needless to say, this will prevent your AC from working properly.
Call the AC Repair Experts
If you’re not sure what’s wrong with your AC equipment, take the heat off yourself and call the Santa Clarita air conditioning experts at Rowland Air. We’ll send a technician to your home, figure out the problem, and get you the cool air you need.