Two Simple Things To Check When Your Air Conditioner Won'T Turn On

6 October 2017
Categories: , Blog

When your air conditioner won't turn on, your imagination may run wild and lead you to think it's a big issue that will cost thousands of dollars to fix. Most of the time, it is a simple issue that can be readily fixed with a small amount of effort. Here are two things to double check that may be causing the problem before calling a repair technician.

The Thermostat is Getting Power

One common reason an air conditioner may not turn on is because the thermostat is not working. The thermostat's job is to sense the ambient temperature in the home and trigger the A/C to turn on when it gets too hot in the house. However, it can't do its job if it's not getting a sufficient amount of electricity or none at all.

Therefore, the first thing you check is if the thermostat is on. If it isn't, that may indicate either the battery inside is dead or there's an issue with the wiring. Try changing the battery to see if that fixes the problem. If not, try turning the air conditioner on manually (there's usually a switch on the machine itself). The thermostat's wiring may be the source of the problem if the unit starts up when you manually switch it on. In this case, you'll need to have a professional look at the thermostat.

The A/C Fuse Hasn't Blown

Some models of air conditioners also have built-in fuses boxes that provide another layer of safety just in case other safety measures fail. If there is a particularly strong power surge or some other electrical problem develops with the unit, this fuse will sometimes blow.

Check your owner's manual to first determine if your air conditioner has this backup fuse box as well as where it's located on the machine. Next, change the fuse if it appears to have blown. Even if this fixes the problem, you may want to have your machine inspected by a repair tech if it's not immediately evident why the fuse popped. There may be a more serious problem with your air conditioner that could lead to a heftier repair bill down the road.

There are a number of other simple things that could prevent your air conditioner from turning on and/or working properly. You can get more tips on things to look for by contacting an air conditioner repair company in your area, such as Green Air Inc.

About Me

I almost always have my air conditioner inspected every spring before I start using it in the summer. However, last year I decided to skip the inspection. Everything had been OK for the last couple of years, so I assumed that it would be fine this year as well. Why not save a few dollars and skip the annual check up, just this once? Of course, this was the year that my air conditioner decided to break down. It ran for a few days, but it never really seemed to get cool enough to bring the indoor temperature down. Then it started making a loud noise, right before shutting off completely. By that time, the AC repair company was swamped like it always is when the weather is warm, and I had to wait days for an appointment. Next year, I will definitely be getting that yearly inspection first.