What to do if your air conditioner won’t turn on

If you try to turn your unit on and nothing happens, there are some things you can do to rule out minor issues before you have to call a professional.

First of all, check the thermostat. Is it set to below the current room temperature or to cool? If not, set your thermostat at a cooler temperature.

If that does not work, check the electrical panel. Just like when you have lights that will not turn on or an outlet that does not work, the air conditioner’s fuse could be blown or the breaker could be switched to off. If so, make sure they are all the way off and then flip the breaker back to “on”.

Also, sometimes there is a disconnect box with outdoor fuses for the air conditioner right by the unit. Make sure to also check those. You may have to get new fuses. However, it is probably a good idea to turn those fuses off before checking them.

Last but not least, check your filters. Often, your furnace and air conditioner share the same duct work and therefore the same filter. So even though it is sweltering hot, your furnace still plays an intricate part in keeping your home cool. Make sure the one or both filters are clean. A dirty filter restricts airflow and causes your unit to not work well or not at all.

If you have no success after all of these steps, your best bet is to contact a certified HVAC technician like the ones at Four Star Plumbing & Air Conditioning. If you have any questions, please call us at 843.236.7142

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(Source: Flame Furnace / 2013)