AC Repair in Brookfield, CT: How to Repair 3 Typical Troubles

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

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

To determine if one has tripped, find your home’s main electrical panel. You can locate this gray fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Make sure your hands and feet are dry before you work on the panel or breakers.
• Look for the breaker labeled “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” position. If it’s triggered the breaker will be in the in between or “off” position.
• Firmly shift the switch back to the “on” location. If it immediately triggers again, don’t reset it and contact us at 203-357-5913. A switch that keeps flipping could mean your house has electrical trouble.

If your thermostat isn’t signaling your equipment to work, it won’t activate.

The key part is making sure it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning will probably not turn on. Or you could have. warm air coming from vents because the heater is going instead.

If you’re using a traditional thermostat:

• Put in new batteries if the monitor is empty. If the readout is displaying jumbled letters, get a new thermostat.
• Check the right option is on the display. If you can’t update it, reverse it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if scheduling is wrong.
• Attempt to set the thermostat 5 degrees below the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat matches the room’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is adjusted correctly, you should begin getting cool air quickly.

If you have a smart thermostat, like one produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 203-357-5913 for help.

Your AC usually has a power-cutting device by its outside unit. This lever is commonly in a metal box attached to your home. If your unit has recently been maintained, the switch may have accidentally been put in the “off” location.

Condensate drain pans catch the surplus condensation your air conditioner takes out of the air. This pan can be found either beneath or inside your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a blockage or backed up drain, water can accumulate and trigger a safety control to switch off your equipment.

If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the surplus condensation with a formulated pan-cleaning capsule. You can get these tablets at a home improvement or hardware store.

If your pan involves a pump, find the float switch. If the lever is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you may need to get a new pump. Reach us at 203-357-5913 for assistance.

If your system is going but not cooling, its airflow might be congested. Or it might not have sufficient refrigerant.

Your unit’s airflow can be decreased by a plugged air filter or dusty condenser.

A filthy filter can lead to countless problems, including:

• Limited cooling
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Inconsistent cooling
• Increased energy costs
• Causing your system to wear out faster

We suggest installing new flat filters every four weeks, and pleated filters every three months.

If you aren’t sure when you last installed a new one, shut off your equipment completely and pull out the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be situated in an attached filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.

Hold the filter up to the sunshine. If you see a lot of dust you should buy a new filter.

Brush, grass and shrubbery can block your condensing equipment. This can reduce its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your system working properly again.

1. Turn off power totally at the breaker or outdoor switch.
2. Get rid of greenery waste around the equipment. Once you’ve cleared all the clutter within a two-foot radius, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to slowly clean the unit’s fins. Misshapen fins can also impact performance, so you can attempt to adjust them with a small knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to slowly take off dirt on the fins from inside the unit. Be careful to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
4. Put the top back on and restore the power.

When AC 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 symptoms that your equipment is seeping refrigerant:

1. It takes too long to lower the temperature in your residence and you’re constantly lowering the thermostat.
2. Air conditioning moving through the vents isn’t as cold as it should be.
3. You’re hearing hissing or burbling racket when the air conditioning works.
4. Your evaporator coil is frosted due to having trouble taking on heat.

Suspect your system is leaking refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and replenish the correct level of refrigerant in your unit. Reach us at 203-357-5913 for help.

When it feels like you’re not having ample amounts of chilled air, there’s likely a clog or disconnection within your air conditioning system.

• The first place is checking your air filter. Get a new one if it’s filthy.
• Then check the ductwork is clear throughout your home.
• If you’re still not getting adequate chilly air, you should have your ducts examined by a specialist like Central Air LLC. Your ducts could need to be repaired or rejoined in difficult areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.