Troubleshooting and doing your own AC repair in Wausau, Wisconsin, can appear like a lot of hassle.

There’s a better way. There are several quick remedies you can attempt by yourself that might help you get out of an AC service call.

When you’re having air conditioning issues, try this checklist before calling a heating and cooling repair professional like Gilray Heating and Cooling.

Our experts are standing by at 715-301-0727 when you need expert service. We have emergency AC repair and work on most brands of central AC equipment.

If you want to get an up to date air conditioner, we also provide AC installation.

When you’re in contact with us, contemplate a yearly AC maintenance plan that may help you keep clear of future malfunctions. We can advise how often you need air conditioner service.

Ready to get started troubleshooting your system? Try our fast tips below. Many of these procedures don’t require any HVAC knowledge.

Air Conditioner Repair Checklist

1. AC Won’t Turn On

There can be a couple of reasons why your air conditioner won’t cool: an overloaded circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a turned off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.

Tripped Circuit Breaker

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

To see if one has blown, find your house’s main electrical panel. You can find this metallic box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

  • Ensure your hands and feet are dry before you work on the panel or breakers.
  • Locate the breaker identified “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s triggered the lever will be in the in between or “off” position.
  • Steadily move the breaker back to the “on” position. If it immediately flips again, don’t reset it and get in touch with us at 715-301-0727. A fuse that keeps turning off might indicate your residence has an electrical issue.

Inaccurate Thermostat Settings

If your thermostat isn’t telling your AC to start, it won’t switch on.

The key part is making sure it’s set to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC will probably not switch on. Or you might have. heated air coming from vents being the furnace is on instead.

If you rely on a digital thermostat:

  • Put in new batteries if the monitor is empty. If the monitor is presenting scrambled numbers, buy a new thermostat.
  • Check the correct option is showing. If you can’t alter it, override it by dropping the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if scheduling is wrong.
  • Try setting the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t work if the thermostat is identical to the house’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is adjusted correctly, you should receive refreshing air quickly.

If you have a smart thermostat, including ones manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you still can’t get it to work, contact us at 715-301-0727 for assistance.

Shut-Down Switch

Your system typically has a power-cutting switch near its outdoor unit. This switch is commonly in a metal box hung on your house. If your AC has recently been tuned up, the lever may have inadvertently been placed in the “off” location.

Clogged Condensate Drain Pan

Condensate drain pans hold the extra liquid your equipment pulls from the air. This pan can be situated either beneath or within your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a blockage or backed up drain, water can accumulate and prompt a safety setting to turn off your air conditioner.

If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the extra liquid with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can purchase these capsules at a home improvement or hardware store.

If your pan has a pump, look for the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you might have to replace the pump. Reach us at 715-301-0727 for assistance.

2. AC Blows Warm Air

If your air conditioner is going but not cooling, its airflow could be blocked. Or it might not have sufficient refrigerant.

Blocked Airflow

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

How to Put in a New Your Air Filter

A dusty filter can create a lot of problems, like:

  • Lower cooling
  • Frozen refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
  • Uneven cooling
  • Larger energy bills
  • Leading your system to wear out faster

We recommend installing new flat filters monthly, and accordion filters every three months.

If you aren’t sure when you last changed yours, switch off your AC totally and take out the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in a connected filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.

Tilt the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see through it you should buy a new filter.

4 Tips on Cleaning Your AC Unit

Greenery, plants and shrubbery can get in the way of your condensing equipment. This may limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and change your comfort. Here’s how you can get your system operating properly again.

  1. Shut off the electrical current totally at the breaker or outdoor switch.
  2. Remove yard rubbish around the unit. Once you’ve cleared bigger refuse within a two-foot area, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly clean the equipment’s fins. Bent fins can also hurt effectiveness, so you can attempt to straighten them with a blunt knife.
  3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully clean the fins from inside the equipment. Be careful to avoid getting liquid on the fan motor.
  4. Replace the top and turn the power back on.

Leaking Refrigerant

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

Here are a couple of flags that your unit is seeping refrigerant:

  1. It takes an extended amount of time to cool your house and you’re constantly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
  2. Air conditioning coming through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
  3. You’re experiencing fizzing or bubbling sounds when cooling works.
  4. Your evaporator coil is frosted as a result of having trouble absorbing humidity.

Suspect your unit is leaking refrigerant? You need a qualified heating and cooling service professional to take care of the leak and refill the correct level of refrigerant in your system. Get in touch with us at 715-301-0727 for support.

3. AC Not Blowing Enough Air

When it appears like you’re not having ample amounts of cool air, there’s probably a clog or detachment within your AC equipment.

  • The initial step is looking at your air filter. Get a new one if it’s dusty.
  • Then make sure the vents are free around your home.
  • If you’re still not experiencing enough cold air, you should have your ducts checked by a expert like Gilray Heating and Cooling. Your ductwork might need to be serviced or reconnected in tricky areas like your attic, basement or crawl space.

Request Pro Air Conditioner Repair Now

When you require air conditioning service quickly, contact the HVAC repair experts at Gilray Heating and Cooling at 715-301-0727. We’ll quickly identify the problem when your equipment won’t work or provide enough chilled air.

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