AC Repair in Alice, TX: How to Handle 3 Typical Issues

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

Your air conditioning won’t work when you have a blown breaker.

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

• Confirm your hands and feet are free of moisture before you work on the panel or breakers.
• Locate the breaker marked “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s tripped the breaker will be in the middle or “off” location.
• Firmly move the lever back to the “on” position. If it immediately trips again, leave it alone and get in touch with us at 361-265-4371. A breaker that keeps flipping could signal your residence has an electrical problem.

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

The most important step is checking it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner will probably not start running. Or you may have. warm air blowing from vents since the furnace is on instead.

If you have a regular thermostat:

• Swap out the batteries if the readout is empty. If the readout is displaying garbled characters, get a new thermostat.
• Make sure the proper mode is showing. If you can’t update it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if the configuration is wrong.
• Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is set the same as the room’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is set accurately, you should receive cool air quickly.

If you’re using a smart thermostat, such as one produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If it still won’t work, call us at 361-265-4371 for help.

Your system probably has a power-cutting lever by its outdoor unit. This lever is generally in a metal box hung on your home. If your AC has recently been tuned up, the switch may have inadvertently been placed in the “off” position.

Condensate drain pans keep the extra condensation your system pulls from the air. This pan is located either under or in your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a clog or blocked drain, water can become concentrated and initiate a safety feature to stop your air conditioner.

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

If your pan involves a pump, find the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you may need to get a new pump. Call us at 361-265-4371 for help.

If your AC is on but not cooling, its airflow could be clogged. Or it might not have adequate refrigerant.

Your system’s airflow can be limited by a blocked air filter or filthy condenser.

A dirty filter can cause a lot of troubles, such as:

• Lower cooling
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Uneven cooling
• Bigger energy costs
• Causing your system to break down more quickly

We suggest installing new flat filters monthly, and creased filters every three months.

If you aren’t sure when you last changed yours, shut off your AC completely and take out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be situated in an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

Hold the filter up to the light. If you can’t see any light you need to buy a new filter.

Weeds, grass and bushes can obstruct your condensing system. This may reduce its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s how you can get your system running well again.

1. Shut off power completely at the breaker or outdoor lever.
2. Get rid of vegetation debris around the AC. Once you’ve removed bigger debris within a two-foot range, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to gingerly remove dirt from the condenser fins. Warped fins can also impact capability, so you can attempt to adjust them with a small knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully take off dirt on the fins from inside the unit. Be careful to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
4. Install the top again and turn the power back on.

When air conditioning systems don’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your rooms.

Here are a couple of symptoms that your system is losing refrigerant:

1. It takes too long to cool your space and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
2. Air conditioning moving through the registers isn’t as cold as it should be.
3. You’re noticing whistling or gurgling noises when the air conditioning is on.
4. Your evaporator coil is frosted as a result of having difficulty absorbing heat.

Think your equipment is losing refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service specialist to fix the leak and refill the correct amount of refrigerant in your unit. Contact us at 361-265-4371 for assistance.

When it feels like you’re not receiving ample amounts of cold air, there’s probably a clog or disconnection somewhere in your cooling equipment.

• The beginning place is checking your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s dirty.
• Then check the registers are free across your house.
• If you’re still not experiencing enough chilly air, you should have your ducts examined by a expert like Rescue Heating & Air. Your ductwork might need to be repaired or reconnected in limited space spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.