AC Repair in Norton, VA: How to Repair 3 Frequent Troubles

There can be several reasons why your air conditioning system won’t start: a triggered circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a shut off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.

Your cooling won’t turn on when you have a tripped breaker.

To find out if one has gotten overloaded, go to your residence’s main electrical panel. You can spot this gray device on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Ensure your hands and feet aren’t wet before you work on the panel or breakers.
• Locate the breaker marked “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s tripped the lever will be in the middle of the panel or “off” spot.
• Firmly shift the lever back to the “on” location. If it instantaneously trips again, don’t touch it and get in touch with us at 276-302-0076. A breaker that keeps tripping could mean your residence has an electrical problem.

If your thermostat isn’t telling your system to run, it won’t switch on.

The most important part is ensuring it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning might not start running. Or you might have. warm air coming from vents since the heat is on instead.

If you rely on a digital thermostat:

• Put in new batteries if the readout is empty. If the monitor is displaying garbled characters, replace the thermostat.
• Make sure the proper setting is showing. If you can’t update it, override it by lowering the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if the configuration is wrong.
• Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is set the same as the space’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is adjusted accurately, you should begin getting chilled air promptly.

If you rely on a smart thermostat, including ones manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for assistance. If it still won’t work, contact us at 276-302-0076 for help.

Your system usually has a power-cutting switch around its outside unit. This device is typically in a metal box hung on your home. If your unit has recently been worked on, the lever may have unintentionally been put in the “off” location.

Condensate drain pans hold the extra liquid your air conditioner pulls from the air. This pan can be positioned either below or inside your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a blockage or clogged drain, water can accumulate and trigger a safety control to turn off your equipment.

If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the extra liquid with a custom pan-cleaning capsule. You can get these tablets at a home improvement or hardware retailer.

If your pan involves a pump, locate the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you might have to get a new pump. Reach us at 276-302-0076 for help.

If your system is going but not delivering cold air, its airflow may be congested. Or it may not have adequate refrigerant.

Your equipment’s airflow can be reduced by a blocked air filter or dusty condenser.

A dirty filter can lead to numerous problems, such as:

• Reduced airflow
• Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Intermittent cooling
• Higher energy bills
• Causing your system to stop working sooner

We recommend installing new flat filters monthly, and creased 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 spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be situated in an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

Tilt the filter up to the light. If you see a lot of dust you certainly should get a new one.

Greenery, vegetation and bushes can block your condensing unit. This may restrict its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your unit operating smoothly again.

1. Switch off power completely at the breaker or outside device.
2. Remove greenery debris around the AC. Once you’ve gotten rid of all the refuse within a two-foot radius, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to gingerly remove dust from the equipment’s fins. Bent fins can also hurt performance, so you can attempt to adjust them with a small knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully clean the fins from inside the equipment. Make sure to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
4. Put the top back on and turn on the power.

When air conditioning units don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from the air.

Here are a couple of flags that your unit is seeping refrigerant:

1. It takes too long to lower the temperature in your home and you’re regularly turning down the thermostat.
2. Air coming through the ducts isn’t as cold as it should be.
3. You’re noticing hissing or bubbling noises when cooling runs.
4. Your evaporator coil is frozen as a result of having difficulty taking on heat.

Worried your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service expert to repair the leak and restore the right measurement of refrigerant in your system. Get in touch with us at 276-302-0076 for assistance.

When it appears like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of cold air, there’s potentially a clog or separation within your air conditioning system.

• The initial stage is examining your air filter. Get a new one if it’s dirty.
• Then make sure the ductwork is free across your house.
• If you’re still not getting sufficient chilled air, you should have your ducts inspected by a specialist like HCE Systems. Your duct system might need to be repaired or hooked up again in hard-to-reach areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.