AC Repair in Cambridge, MD: How to Repair 3 Typical Issues

There can be a few causes why your central AC system won’t work: a triggered circuit breaker, incorrect thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.

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

To check if one has gotten overloaded, go to your home’s main electrical panel. You can locate this silver fixture 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.
• Find the breaker marked “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” location. If it’s triggered the switch will be in the middle of the panel or “off” position.
• Steadily transfer the breaker back to the “on” spot. If it instantly triggers again, don’t touch it and contact us at 410-228-4822. A switch that keeps turning off might indicate your home has electrical trouble.

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

The main part is making sure it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner might not turn on. Or you might get. warm air coming from vents because the heat is going instead.

If you have a regular thermostat:

• Swap out the batteries if the monitor is blank. If the readout is presenting garbled letters, buy a new thermostat.
• Make sure the correct option is displaying. If you can’t change it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if the configuration is incorrect.
• Attempt to set the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is set the same as the house’s temperature.

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

If you’re using a smart thermostat, including ones produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 410-228-4822 for assistance.

Your system usually has a shut-off device around its outdoor unit. This switch is typically in a metal box hung on your home. If your unit has recently been fixed, the device may have unintentionally been placed in the “off” setting.

Condensate drain pans catch the additional water your AC pulls from the air. This pan is located either below or in your furnace or air handler.

When there’s an obstruction or blocked drain, water can build up and trigger a safety control to stop your equipment.

If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the surplus condensation with a custom pan-cleaning capsule. You can purchase these capsules at a home improvement or hardware store.

If your pan has a pump, locate the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you may need to get a new pump. Call us at 410-228-4822 for help.

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

Your equipment’s airflow can be reduced by a clogged air filter or filthy condenser.

A dusty filter can lead to a lot of problems, like:

• Limited cooling
• Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Inconsistent cooling
• Larger electricity expenses
• Causing your system to break down more quickly

We recommend replacing flat filters once a month, and accordion filters every three months.

If you can’t recall when you last installed a new one, shut off your AC completely and pull out the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might also be found in an adjoining filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.

Angle the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see any light you need to replace it.

Greenery, plants and bushes can block your condensing unit. This may restrict its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s how you can get your equipment operating properly again.

1. Shut off power totally at the breaker or outdoor device.
2. Clear vegetation rubbish around the air conditioner. Once you’ve removed all the refuse within a two-foot area, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to carefully remove dirt from the condenser fins. Crooked fins can also affect performance, so you can attempt to correct them with a blunt knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully remove gunk off the fins from inside the unit. Make sure to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
4. Put the top back on and turn the power back on.

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

Here are a couple of indications that your unit is leaking refrigerant:

1. It takes an extended amount of time to refresh your home and you’re constantly lowering the thermostat.
2. Cooling coming through the ducts isn’t as chilly as it should be.
3. You’re experiencing fizzing or burbling sounds when the AC runs.
4. Your evaporator coil is frosted because it’s having trouble handling heat.

Suspect your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service specialist to take care of the leak and replenish the proper amount of refrigerant in your unit. Get in touch with us at 410-228-4822 for support.

When it appears like you’re not receiving ample amounts of cool air, there’s probably an obstruction or disconnection within your AC system.

• The first stage is examining your air filter. Buy a new one if it’s soiled.
• Then make sure the vents are clear around your rooms.
• If you’re still not getting enough chilled air, you should have your duct system examined by a specialist like Pliescott HVAC Services LLC. Your ductwork could need to be serviced or relinked in hard-to-reach spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.