Air Conditioner Replacement: what to do when your air conditioner stops working

May 28, 2015

Living in comfort in the summer can be taken for granted, particularly until you experience a taste of uneasiness with an air conditioner failure. It can occur at the worst moments; you’re eating lunch and suddenly realize how warm your kitchen feels or you can’t fall asleep at night because you are so toasty enfolded in your covers. Think you’re feeling this uncomfortable feeling? It might be an occasion for an air conditioner replacement.

Often times, it isn’t the thermostat’s error; the settings can be running properly, but it still says that the temperature is beyond 80 degrees. It’s most often caused by an outdated or faulty air conditioner that requires a call to the pros to find out what’s wrong. There are many reasons why air conditioners break down, especially considering the weather in Marshalltown. Here are a couple of things that you can search for before you call B & G HVAC if you think your air conditioner has broken down:

  • Broken outdoor fan motor: There is a fan motor on your outdoor air conditioning system that helps transport the heat from your home to the outdoors. If you inspect your system and discover that the fan isn’t running, it means that the heat movement isn’t happening, causing the warm air to remain in your home. This malfunction can also initiate overheating of the compressor and other likely internal damage to your system.
  • Dirty filters: It’s one of the most likely problems that B & G HVAC sees. These unclean filters in your air conditioner reduce suitable airflow, affecting the air quality in your home, which is really difficult when allergy season strikes. Filthy air filters can also lower the efficiency in your home and increase your monthly energy costs.
  • Blocked air flow: Always search for an obstruction or blockage in your return-air or supply-air grille. This can initiate your air conditioner to waste efficiency and slow down.
    TIP: Make sure the grilles aren’t concealed by furniture or other home items, as well.
  • Outside obstructions: Good air flow could be also deterred from exterior obstructions around your system, such as shrubbery, trees, lawn chairs, etc. When the air flow is deterred, it can change it’s cooling capabilities. Make sure that your system is unrestricted by obstacles and is cleaned routinely to lower the likelihood of air conditioner replacement.

Once you’ve worked through these four system checks and your air conditioner still isn’t operating, here are a list of questions and steps that you should look into and answer to get your system up and working again. (Only move on to the next question if the system doesn’t start after doing the step before it):

  1. Is your thermostat temperature set below the indoor temperature?
  2. Is your system switch in the COOL setting?
  3. Is the outdoor unit power supply switch ON?
  4. Is the furnace/air handler power supply ON?
  5. Is your house fuse box/breaker box whole or has it blown a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker?
  6. If none of these things change your system function, call B & G HVAC at 641-316-3360.

Don’t let an air conditioner failure or replacement keep you restless at night. If you follow these tips and keep your system under routine maintenance, you should have you air conditioner running again in no time. Our team at B & G HVAC in Marshalltown is always here to help – give us a call at 641-316-3360.