AC Repair in Auburn, CA: How to Handle 3 Typical Issues

There can be a few reasons why your air conditioning system won’t work: a triggered circuit breaker, wrong thermostat settings, a switched off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.

Your system won’t start when you have an overloaded breaker.

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

• Confirm your hands and feet aren’t wet before you check the panel or breakers.
• Find the breaker labeled “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s overloaded the breaker will be in the middle or “off” position.
• Firmly transfer the switch back to the “on” location. If it immediately flips again, don’t touch it and contact us at 530-885-8081. A switch that keeps turning off may signal your house has an electrical problem.

If your thermostat isn’t signaling your air conditioner to start, it won’t activate.

The main part is checking it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your AC might not switch on. Or you could receive. heated air blowing from vents because the furnace is on instead.

If you rely on a regular thermostat:

• Replace the batteries if the readout is empty. If the monitor is presenting scrambled letters, buy a new thermostat.
• Ensure the correct option is showing. If you can’t update it, override it by dropping 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 lower than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat matches the space’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is set properly, you should begin getting refreshing air fast.

If you rely on a smart thermostat, like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, call us at 530-885-8081 for assistance.

Your AC usually has a shut-down device near its outdoor unit. This device is generally in a metal box attached to your house. If your AC has recently been fixed, the lever may have inadvertently been left in the “off” setting.

Condensate drain pans catch the surplus condensation your AC removes from the air. This pan can be situated either under or within your furnace or air handler.

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

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

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. Call us at 530-885-8081 for help.

If your AC is running but not delivering cold air, its airflow might be congested. Or it might not have adequate refrigerant.

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

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

• Limited airflow
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Uneven cooling
• Bigger utility costs
• Leading your system to wear out more quickly

We suggest replacing flat filters every four weeks, and accordion filters every three months.

If you can’t recall when you last installed a new one, switch off your equipment fully and remove the filter. You can locate the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It may also be found in an attached filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.

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

Greenery, plants and sticks can get in the way of your condensing system. This may reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s how you can get your equipment working well again.

1. Shut off electricity completely at the breaker or external lever.
2. Get rid of plant waste around the air conditioner. Once you’ve cleared bigger debris within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to slowly remove dirt from the unit’s fins. Kinked fins can also affect effectiveness, so you can attempt to correct them with a small knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the equipment. Make sure to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
4. Put the top back on and restore the power.

When cooling systems don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your rooms.

Here are a couple of flags that your system is losing refrigerant:

1. It takes too long to cool your residence and you’re regularly turning down the thermostat.
2. Air moving through the ducts isn’t as chilly as it should be.
3. You’re hearing whistling or burbling racket when the AC is on.
4. Your evaporator coil is frosty as a result of having difficulty taking on humidity.

Think your unit is leaking refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and restore the correct measurement of refrigerant in your unit. Reach us at 530-885-8081 for help.

When it seems like you’re not getting adequate amounts of cool air, there’s potentially an obstruction or separation somewhere in your cooling equipment.

• The initial place is examining your air filter. Get a new one if it’s filthy.
• Then make sure the vents are clear throughout your rooms.
• If you’re still not getting adequate cold air, you should have your ductwork checked by a professional like Forster Heating. Your ductwork may need to be repaired or rejoined in hard-to-reach spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.