AC Repair in Mankato area, MN: How to Fix 3 Frequent Issues

There can be a couple of reasons why your air conditioner won’t run: a triggered circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a turned off switch or a full condensate drain pan.

Your air conditioner won’t work when you have an overloaded breaker.

To determine if one has gotten overloaded, locate your house’s main electrical panel. You can find this gray box on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Confirm your hands and feet aren’t wet before you work on the panel or breakers.
• Look for the breaker labeled “AC” and ensure it’s in the “on” spot. If it’s overloaded the lever will be in the middle of the panel or “off” location.
• Firmly transfer the breaker back to the “on” location. If it instantaneously flips again, don’t touch it and contact us at 507-387-6596. A switch that keeps tripping might mean your home has electrical trouble.

If your thermostat isn’t signaling your air conditioner to work, it won’t activate.

The key part is ensuring it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner may not turn on. Or you might have. hot air blowing from vents since the heater is running instead.

If you’re using a regular thermostat:

• Put in new batteries if the monitor is blank. If the screen is presenting jumbled characters, get a new thermostat.
• Check the proper mode is displaying. If you can’t update it, override it by decreasing the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if programming is incorrect.
• Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees colder than the space’s temperature. Your AC won’t start if the thermostat is set the same as the space’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is set accurately, you should receive cold air promptly.

If you have a smart thermostat, including ones manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, check the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 507-387-6596 for support.

Your system usually has a shut-down lever by its outside unit. This switch is commonly in a metal box hung on your house. If your AC has recently been repaired, the device may have accidentally been placed in the “off” location.

Condensate drain pans catch the surplus condensation your AC takes out of the air. This pan is located either below or in your furnace or air handler.

When there’s an obstruction or backed up drain, water can become concentrated and prompt a safety feature to stop your unit.

If your pan includes a PVC pipe or drain, you can clear the surplus liquid with a custom pan-cleaning tablet. You can get these tabs at a home improvement or hardware store.

If your pan has a pump, find the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s liquid in the pan, you might have to replace the pump. Contact us at 507-387-6596 for assistance.

If your equipment is on but not providing cold air, its airflow might be obstructed. Or it might not have enough refrigerant.

Your system’s airflow can be decreased by a plugged air filter or dusty condenser.

A dirty filter can create countless issues, like:

• Reduced cooling
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Intermittent cooling
• Larger electricity bills
• Causing your system to stop working sooner

We recommend installing new flat filters once a month, and creased filters every three months.

If you can’t remember when you last replaced yours, shut off your unit fully and take out the filter. You can spot the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It could also be located in an attached filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.

Tilt the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see any light you should replace it.

Greenery, grass and leaves can obstruct your condensing equipment. This can restrict its airflow, lower its energy efficiency and impact your comfort. Here’s a method you can follow to get your equipment operating properly again.

1. Switch off power completely at the breaker or outdoor device.
2. Remove greenery waste around the unit. Once you’ve removed bigger clutter within a two-foot space, you can use a paint brush or vacuum to gingerly remove dust from the condenser fins. Warped fins can also affect capability, so you can attempt to correct them with a dinner knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to gingerly take off dirt on the fins from inside the equipment. Don’t get moisture on the fan motor.
4. Replace the top and turn on the power.

When cooling units don’t have enough refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from your home.

Here are a few flags that your unit is leaking refrigerant:

1. It takes too long to lower the temperature in your home and you’re continually lowering the thermostat.
2. Air coming through the vents isn’t as chilled as it should be.
3. You’re experiencing fizzing or bubbling racket when the AC is on.
4. Your evaporator coil is frosted on account of having an issue handling heat.

Think your equipment is seeping refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service specialist to repair the leak and replenish the right amount of refrigerant in your system. Get in touch with us at 507-387-6596 for assistance.

When it seems like you’re not getting adequate amounts of cold air, there’s probably an obstruction or separation somewhere in your AC system.

• The first place is checking your air filter. Replace it if it’s filthy.
• Then check the registers are free throughout your home.
• If you’re still not receiving sufficient chilled air, you should have your ducts checked by a expert like Northern Comfort Inc. Your ducts may need to be serviced or relinked in tricky spots like your attic, basement or crawl space.