Before the big heat of the summer arrives, it’s a smart idea to prepare yourself for air conditioning emergencies. There’s no guarantee that your air conditioner will be able to do its job without malfunctions for the entire summer (although you can significantly increase its chances of being error-free by scheduling spring maintenance from professionals). As soon as you notice any sign that the air conditioner is starting to experience trouble running—such as odd sounds or hot spots around the house—call for professionals to identify the trouble and repair it. The sooner the problem is caught, the easier it’ll be to fix.
But what happens when the AC dies suddenly on you? When the system stops running entirely, do the following:
- Check the thermostat: This is always the first step to take when you notice an issue with air conditioning operation. Simple user error, such as a programming mistake, can cause the AC to shut off when you don’t want it to. If you see that the screen of the AC is completely blank, you may have electrical trouble or dead batteries.
- See if any breakers have been tripped: The air conditioner may have caused its circuit breaker to trip and cut off its power. Reset the breaker and turn the air conditioning system back on. If the breaker trips again, the AC has an electrical malfunction that needs to be repaired.
- Check the power: If your air conditioning system ceases working in the middle of the day, you may not notice that the power is out throughout the house. Make sure that there isn’t a power outage.
- Call repair professionals: If you can’t get your air conditioning system working through these basic steps, the issue will need a licensed HVAC technician to remedy it. Call a company you trust to come out and fix the AC. (In some extreme cases, you may need to have the AC replaced entirely.)
