AC Repair in Buellton, California: How to Handle 3 Typical Issues

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

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

To check if one has gotten overloaded, find your house’s main electrical panel. You can spot this silver fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Make sure your hands and feet are dry before you check the panel or breakers.
• Find the breaker marked “AC” and make sure it’s in the “on” location. If it’s overloaded the lever will be in the in between or “off” location.
• Steadily move the lever back to the “on” spot. If it immediately flips again, don’t reset it and contact us at 805-242-9638. A breaker that keeps flipping could signal your home has an electrical issue.

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

The main part is checking it’s on “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner might not switch on. Or you might have. warm air moving from vents since the heat is on instead.

If you’re using a digital thermostat:

• Swap out the batteries if the monitor is blank. If the readout is showing scrambled numbers, get a new thermostat.
• Check the correct setting is on the display. If you can’t change it, override it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will cause your AC to run if programming is incorrect.
• Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is identical to the house’s temperature.

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

If you rely on a smart thermostat, such as one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, look at the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get it to work, call us at 805-242-9638 for help.

Your AC probably has a power-cutting lever around its outside unit. This lever is generally in a metal box hung on your house. If your unit has recently been maintained, the switch may have unintentionally been left in the “off” location.

Condensate drain pans hold the additional water your system pulls from the air. This pan can be positioned either below or within your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a clog or backed up drain, water can build up and initiate a safety setting to turn off your system.

If your pan has a PVC pipe or drain, you can drain the surplus liquid with a special pan-cleaning tablet. You can get these tabs at a home improvement or hardware shop.

If your pan includes a pump, locate the float switch. If the switch is “up” and there’s water in the pan, you might have to replace the pump. Reach us at 805-242-9638 for support.

If your equipment is going but not providing cold air, its airflow could be clogged. Or it could not have adequate refrigerant.

Your equipment’s airflow can be reduced by a clogged air filter or filthy condenser.

A dusty filter can lead to a lot of problems, including:

• Lower cooling
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Inconsistent cooling
• Larger energy expenses
• Causing your system to wear out sooner

We suggest installing new flat filters monthly, and creased filters every three months.

If you aren’t sure when you last replaced yours, turn off your AC completely and remove the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be found in a connected filter box or wall-mounted return air grille.

Hold the filter up to your light fixture. If you see a lot of dust you need to buy a new filter.

Brush, plants and shrubbery can block your condensing system. This could reduce its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and affect your comfort. Here’s how you can get your equipment operating smoothly again.

1. Turn off the electrical current completely at the breaker or outside lever.
2. Clear yard debris around the equipment. Once you’ve removed larger refuse within a two-foot area, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to carefully remove dust from the equipment’s fins. Bent fins can also impact capability, so you can attempt to correct them with a dinner knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to slowly clean the fins from inside the system. Be careful to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
4. Install the top again and turn the power back on.

When air conditioning equipment doesn’t have adequate refrigerant, they’ll have difficulty removing heat and humidity from your home.

Here are a couple of indications that your equipment is losing refrigerant:

1. It takes a long time to refresh your residence and you’re constantly turning down the thermostat.
2. Air coming through the vents isn’t as cold as it should be.
3. You’re experiencing fizzing or gurgling sounds when cooling is on.
4. Your evaporator coil is iced over because it’s having difficulty taking on heat.

Think your unit is losing refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and restore the correct level of refrigerant in your unit. Call us at 805-242-9638 for help.

When it seems like you’re not getting ample amounts of chilled air, there’s potentially a blockage or disconnection within your air conditioning unit.

• The first stage is looking atyour air filter. Get a new one if it’s filthy.
• Then ensure the ductwork is free across your rooms.
• If you’re still not experiencing adequate chilly air, you should have your duct system checked by a professional like Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning. Your duct system may need to be serviced or reconnected in limited space spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.