4 THINGS TO CHECK IF YOU HAVE SUDDEN AC FAILURE

No matter what condition your AC is in, you always have a small chance it can face a sudden failure. Failures can happen to any mechanical appliance, but these failures often have a reason. Here is how you can deal with a sudden fail from your air conditioner.

1. Check the Thermostat

When an AC suddenly stops working, the thermostat is usually the first thing you should check. Check the thermostat to see if it's on. You can also try changing the temperature on the thermostat to see if that kicks the AC into operation.

The location of your thermostat can also affect your AC. If the immediate area around the thermostat feels cooler than the rest of the house, the thermostat may turn off the AC to match the temperature it reads. This can occur if your thermostat sits by a window or something that creates a cool draft.

Your thermostat may also need cleaning, repair, or fresh batteries. Since the thermostat has absolute control over your AC, you should keep it in good condition. The thermostat isn't always the culprit for an AC not working, but you should always check it.

2. Check Your Breaker Box

Air conditioners can trip a breaker. When this occurs, the AC will shut down. Check your circuit box to see if a breaker tripped. If you find a tripped breaker, switch it back on, then try your AC again.

Tripped breakers can come from electrical problems in the house. An AC can trip a breaker for other reasons as well. For example, overheating or an AC trying to use too much electricity at one time will cause a tripped breaker.

You can check a few things to make sure the source of the problem is an AC issue and not a wiring problem. First, leave the breaker switch tripped. You don't want any current coming through while you investigate. Then check the air filters of your AC and the condition of your AC condenser.

If you find dirt and dust accumulation, then cleaning might help. Dirty air filters and condenser coils will cause your AC to work harder to give you conditioned air. That extra effort will cause the AC to heat up.

3. Check for Airflow Issues

Your AC requires unencumbered airflow. Usually, if you hear the AC turning on but don't get any conditioned air, you may have an airflow issue. Check to see if you have anything blocking airflow. Start with your vents and grilles. If they're blocked, then moving whatever is blocking them may solve your problem.

Your filters may also need cleaning or swapping. The air filters can contribute to the aforementioned overheating, but they can also cause a lack of airflow as well.

The type of air filters you have will depend on the type of AC you have installed. Consult your owner's manual or the manufacturer's website to learn more about swapping or cleaning your filters.

4. Check Your Maintenance Schedule

If you haven't started or stuck to a maintenance schedule, then wear and tear may catch up to you. A sudden AC failure can occur for various reasons. Regular maintenance can mitigate many of those reasons.

The manufacturer of your AC unit will have guidelines for the maintenance routines you can perform yourself. These will generally consist of cleaning your AC and changing its filters. For all other maintenance procedures, you need to contact a professional HVAC service.

Many things beyond your control can go wrong with an AC unit. A professional can diagnose issues and fix problems that aren't on the surface. If your AC suddenly stops, and none of these easy solutions work, contact Dick Kearsley Service Center immediately.