It’s very frustrating when your central air conditioning goes on the fritz on a hot day – but you can try these simple steps to solve the problem yourself:
- Check the thermostat – it should be set to air conditioning or AC, and the setpoint temperature should be below the room temperature reading. You can switch the fan to “ON,” and if the fan runs, this means there is power to the system.
- Check the breaker in the main fuse box. Is it tripped for the furnace or AC? You could try resetting it once.
- Check the switch on the side of the furnace. It should be in the “on” position.
- Check the disconnect outside by the AC compressor unit. There may be a breaker that is tripped or a fuse that is blown. Normally you will need help to check and replace a blown fuse.
A few tips to remember: If the fan is running but there is no cooling, the breaker or fuse to the air conditioner may be tripped. If the inside fan and the outside compressor are running with no cool air, you have a refrigeration problem.
If the fan will not run, this indicates that there is no power to the system. A switch may be turned off at the furnace, the thermostat, or the breaker for the furnace.
