AC Repair in Savage, MN: How to Handle 3 Frequent Troubles

There can be several explanations why your air conditioning won’t start: a blown circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a switched off switch or a full condensate drain pan.

Your AC won’t start when you have a tripped breaker.

To determine if one has blown, go to your house’s main electrical panel. You can spot this metallic fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Confirm your hands and feet aren’t wet before you check the panel or breakers.
• Look for the breaker labeled “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s triggered the switch will be in the middle or “off” spot.
• Steadily move the breaker back to the “on” location. If it instantly triggers again, don’t reset it and call us at 952-373-0377. A fuse that keeps flipping could indicate your residence has electrical trouble.

If your thermostat isn’t telling your air conditioner to start, it won’t activate.

The first step is ensuring it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner may not start running. Or you might get. warm air moving from vents since the furnace is running instead.

If you have a digital thermostat:

• Put in new batteries if the screen is empty. If the screen is showing garbled numbers, buy a new thermostat.
• Check the proper program is showing. If you can’t change it, cancel it by lowering the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if scheduling is incorrect.
• Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is identical to the room’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is set correctly, you should receive cold air quickly.

If you’re using a smart thermostat, like one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for assistance. If it still won’t work, call us at 952-373-0377 for help.

Your AC probably has a shut-down device by its outdoor unit. This device is generally in a metal box mounted on your residence. If your equipment has recently been worked on, the lever may have accidentally been positioned in the “off” setting.

Condensate drain pans catch the extra liquid your equipment removes from the air. This pan can be situated either below or within your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a clog or blocked drain, water can accumulate and trigger a safety control to switch off your system.

If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the additional water with a special pan-cleaning capsule. You can get these capsules at a home improvement or hardware store.

If your pan involves a pump, find the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you could need to replace the pump. Reach us at 952-373-0377 for help.

If your air conditioner is running but not delivering cold air, its airflow could be congested. Or it might not have adequate refrigerant.

Your unit’s airflow can be restricted by a blocked air filter or dusty condenser.

A dirty filter can cause countless problems, such as:

• Lower airflow
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Intermittent cooling
• Higher electricity costs
• Making your system stop working sooner

We suggest installing new flat filters once a month, and creased filters every three months.

If you can’t remember when you last replaced yours, switch off your system completely and remove the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in an adjoining filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

Tilt the filter up to your light fixture. If you can’t see through it you should buy a new filter.

Brush, vegetation and bushes can obstruct your condensing equipment. This can limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and impact your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your unit working properly again.

1. Turn off the electrical current completely at the breaker or outside switch.
2. Get rid of plant debris around the AC. Once you’ve cleared all the refuse within a two-foot area, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to slowly remove dust from the equipment’s fins. Kinked fins can also affect performance, so you can attempt to correct them with a small knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the unit. Make sure to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
4. Replace the top and turn on the power.

When cooling systems don’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your rooms.

Here are a few signs that your equipment is seeping refrigerant:

1. It takes too long to lower the temperature in your rooms and you’re continually decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
2. Air blowing through the registers isn’t as chilled as it should be.
3. You’re noticing whistling or burbling sounds when the air conditioning works.
4. Your evaporator coil is frosted due to having difficulty handling warmth.

Suspect your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service specialist to repair the leak and refill the proper measurement of refrigerant in your unit. Contact us at 952-373-0377 for help.

When it seems like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of cold air, there’s likely an obstruction or separation somewhere in your air conditioning system.

• The initial place is looking at your air filter. Get a new one if it’s dirty.
• Then check the ductwork is clear around your residence.
• If you’re still not experiencing enough cold air, you should have your ducts inspected by a expert like Gopher Heating and Air Conditioning. Your duct system may need to be fixed or reconnected in difficult locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.