AC Repair in Reinholds, PA: How to Repair 3 Common Issues

There can be several explanations why your air conditioning system won’t work: a blown circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a switched off switch or an overfull condensate drain pan.

Your air conditioner won’t work when you have a tripped breaker.

To determine if one has blown, go to your residence’s main electrical panel. You can spot this silver fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Confirm your hands and feet aren’t wet before you check the panel or breakers.
• Look for the breaker marked “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” position. If it’s overloaded the switch will be in the in between or “off” spot.
• Quickly move the breaker back to the “on” spot. If it immediately trips again, don’t reset it and reach us at 717-216-0846. A breaker that keeps turning off could indicate your home has electrical trouble.

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

The first step is checking it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioning may not start running. Or you could have. heated air blowing from vents because the furnace is running instead.

If you’re using a digital thermostat:

• Put in new batteries if the screen is empty. If the screen is presenting scrambled letters, get a new thermostat.
• Make sure the proper program is displaying. If you can’t update it, reverse it by lowering the temperature and pushing the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if scheduling is not right.
• Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees lower than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is identical to the space’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is set properly, you should receive cool air quickly.

If you’re using a smart thermostat, such as one made 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 717-216-0846 for help.

Your cooling equipment typically has a shut-off switch near its outdoor unit. This lever is commonly in a metal box mounted on your house. If your air conditioner has recently been fixed, the lever may have unintentionally been left in the “off” setting.

Condensate drain pans keep the surplus condensation your air conditioner removes from the air. This pan can be positioned either beneath or in your furnace or air handler.

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

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

If your pan has a pump, locate the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you may need to install a new pump. Contact us at 717-216-0846 for support.

If your equipment is going but not cooling, its airflow might be clogged. Or it might not have adequate refrigerant.

Your unit’s airflow can be restricted by a blocked air filter or dusty condenser.

A dirty filter can cause numerous issues, including:

• Reduced comfort
• Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Intermittent cooling
• Higher energy expenses
• Causing your system to break down faster

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

If you can’t remember when you last replaced yours, turn off your unit fully and remove the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be located in an adjoining filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.

Angle the filter up to your light fixture. If you can’t see any light you should get a new one.

Brush, grass and bushes can block your condensing equipment. This may limit its airflow, impact its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your unit running well again.

1. Turn off electricity fully at the breaker or external switch.
2. Remove yard rubbish around the air conditioner. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger refuse within a two-foot radius, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to carefully remove dirt from the unit’s fins. Bent fins can also impact performance, so you can attempt to adjust them with a dinner knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the equipment. Don’t get water on the fan motor.
4. Put the top back on and turn on the power.

When AC systems don’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from your residence.

Here are several symptoms that your unit is losing refrigerant:

1. It takes an extended amount of time to refresh your home and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
2. Cooling moving through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
3. You’re noticing fizzing or bubbling sounds when the AC is on.
4. Your evaporator coil is frozen because it’s having difficulty handling humidity.

Think your system is seeping refrigerant? You need a certified heating and cooling service expert to repair the leak and replenish the proper amount of refrigerant in your equipment. Reach us at 717-216-0846 for assistance.

When it seems like you’re not receiving adequate amounts of cool air, there’s probably a clog or separation somewhere in your cooling equipment.

• The beginning stage is checking your air filter. Get a new one if it’s filthy.
• Then check the registers are free around your house.
• If you’re still not experiencing ample cold air, you should have your ductwork checked by a professional like County Line Mechanical LLC. Your duct system could need to be serviced or relinked in tricky locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.