AC Repair in Safford, AZ: How to Repair 3 Common Problems

There can be several reasons why your AC unit won’t start: an overloaded circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a shut off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.

Your air conditioning won’t start when you have a blown breaker.

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

• Make sure your hands and feet are dry before you check the panel or breakers.
• Look for the breaker labeled “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s overloaded the breaker will be in the middle of the panel or “off” position.
• Quickly shift the lever back to the “on” position. If it instantaneously flips again, don’t touch it and get in touch with us at 928-432-6018. A fuse that keeps tripping might indicate your house has an electrical problem.

If your thermostat isn’t giving a sign to your equipment to start, it won’t turn on.

The main point is checking it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC may not turn on. Or you might receive. warm air coming from vents being the heater is going instead.

If you rely on a traditional thermostat:

• Replace the batteries if the readout is empty. If the monitor is presenting scrambled letters, replace the thermostat.
• Check the correct setting is showing. If you can’t alter it, cancel it by decreasing the temperature and hitting the “hold” button. This will force your AC to work if scheduling is not right.
• Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the house’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is set the same as the space’s temperature.

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

If you have 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 928-432-6018 for support.

Your system typically has a power-cutting lever around its outdoor unit. This lever is generally in a metal box mounted on your home. If your unit has recently been repaired, the lever may have unintentionally been positioned in the “off” setting.

Condensate drain pans keep the additional liquid your equipment takes out of the air. This pan can be positioned either beneath or within your furnace or air handler.

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

If your pan involves a PVC pipe or drain, you can get rid of the additional condensation with a custom pan-cleaning tab. You can purchase these tabs at a home improvement or hardware shop.

If your pan has a pump, look for the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you could need to get a new pump. Reach us at 928-432-6018 for help.

If your system is working but not providing cold air, its airflow might be clogged. Or it may not have enough refrigerant.

Your system’s airflow can be reduced by a plugged air filter or dusty condenser.

A filthy filter can cause countless problems, including:

• Reduced airflow
• Frosted refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Intermittent cooling
• Increased cooling bills
• Leading your system to wear out more quickly

We recommend changing flat filters every four weeks, and creased filters every three months.

If you can’t recall when you last changed yours, shut off your unit fully 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 attached filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.

Tilt the filter up to the light. If you can’t see through it you should get a new one.

Greenery, vegetation and bushes can block your condensing unit. This may reduce its airflow, make it less energy efficient and impact your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your unit working well again.

1. Shut off electricity completely at the breaker or external lever.
2. Remove yard rubbish around the AC. Once you’ve cleared larger refuse within a two-foot space, you can use a soft brush or vacuum to gingerly clean the unit’s fins. Kinked fins can also affect capability, so you can attempt to straighten them with a dinner knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to carefully remove gunk off the fins from inside the equipment. Don’t get water on the fan motor.
4. Put the top back on and restore the power.

When AC systems don’t have ample refrigerant, they’ll have to work much harder to remove heat and humidity from your residence.

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

1. It takes too long to lower the temperature in your residence and you’re regularly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
2. Cooling coming through the registers isn’t as chilly as it should be.
3. You’re hearing hissing or gurgling sounds when the AC runs.
4. Your evaporator coil is iced over due to having difficulty absorbing humidity.

Suspect your unit is seeping refrigerant? You need a licensed heating and cooling service professional to take care of the leak and replenish the right level of refrigerant in your system. Contact us at 928-432-6018 for help.

When it feels like you’re not getting enough cold air, there’s probably a blockage or disconnection somewhere in your AC equipment.

• The first step is checking your air filter. Get a new one if it’s filthy.
• Then check the registers are open across your house.
• If you’re still not getting enough chilly air, you should have your duct system checked by a expert like B&D Air Conditioning. Your ducts could need to be serviced or hooked up again in hard-to-reach spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.