AC Repair in Houston, TX: How to Repair 3 Typical Problems

There can be a few reasons why your AC equipment won’t run: a blown circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a turned off switch or a full condensate drain pan.

Your air conditioning won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.

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

• Confirm your hands and feet are free of moisture before you touch the panel or breakers.
• Find the breaker marked “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” position. If it’s tripped the switch will be in the in between or “off” location.
• Steadily shift the switch back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously flips again, leave it alone and reach us at 713-322-4318. A switch that keeps tripping might signal your home has an electrical issue.

If your thermostat isn’t signaling your AC to run, it won’t switch on.

The most important point is checking it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning will probably not start running. Or you could receive. heated air coming from vents being the heat is on instead.

If you have a regular thermostat:

• Replace the batteries if the readout is blank. If the screen is showing scrambled characters, get a new thermostat.
• Check the right setting is on the display. If you can’t change it, override it by decreasing the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if programming is not right.
• Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees below the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is identical to the house’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is calibrated accurately, you should receive cool air fast.

If you’re using a smart thermostat, such as one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you still can’t get it to work, reach us at 713-322-4318 for support.

Your air conditioner probably has a power-cutting switch around its outdoor unit. This device is typically in a metal box hung on your residence. If your unit has recently been serviced, the switch may have accidentally been left in the “off” location.

Condensate drain pans keep the extra condensation your air conditioner takes out of the air. This pan is located either beneath or in your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a clog or blocked drain, water can build up and prompt a safety feature to switch off your air conditioner.

If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the extra liquid with a formulated pan-cleaning tablet. You can get these capsules at a home improvement or hardware retailer.

If your pan has a pump, locate the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you could need to get a new pump. Reach us at 713-322-4318 for help.

If your AC is running but not delivering cold air, its airflow might be clogged. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.

Your unit’s airflow can be restricted by a clogged air filter or filthy condenser.

A dirty filter can cause countless issues, like:

• Lower cooling
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Inconsistent cooling
• Increased utility costs
• Causing your system to break down more quickly

We propose installing new flat filters every four weeks, and creased filters every three months.

If you aren’t sure when you last changed yours, switch off your AC completely and remove the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in an adjoining filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.

Angle the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see through it you certainly should get a new one.

Brush, vegetation and shrubbery can obstruct your condensing equipment. This can reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your unit working properly again.

1. Shut off electricity fully at the breaker or external device.
2. Get rid of vegetation debris around the AC. Once you’ve removed larger debris within a two-foot radius, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to carefully clean the unit’s fins. Bent fins can also impact effectiveness, so you can attempt to adjust them with a blunt knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully clean the fins from inside the system. Be careful to avoid getting water on the fan motor.
4. Install the top again and restore the power.

When cooling equipment doesn’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your home.

Here are several signs that your unit is leaking refrigerant:

1. It takes a long time to cool your space and you’re continually decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
2. Air moving through the registers isn’t as chilled as it should be.
3. You’re noticing fizzing or burbling noises when cooling runs.
4. Your evaporator coil is iced over as a result of having an issue handling warmth.

Worried your unit is seeping refrigerant? You need a licensed heating and cooling service expert to repair the leak and refill the right amount of refrigerant in your equipment. Call us at 713-322-4318 for help.

When it seems like you’re not getting ample amounts of chilled air, there’s probably a clog or detachment somewhere in your AC system.

• The first place is checking your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s dusty.
• Then ensure the registers are open around your rooms.
• If you’re still not getting adequate cold air, you should have your ducts examined by a professional like Air Current AC & Heat. Your ducts could need to be repaired or rejoined in tricky areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.