If you’re looking for air conditioning tips, the most useful might be knowing why your air conditioner won’t switch on when you need it to work. The last thing you want is for the thermometer outside to reach triple digits when your AC is on the blink. There is nothing worse than being left to sweat and suffer wishing your air conditioner would work and cool things down.
The good news is that you may not need air conditioning repair specialists to solve the problem. Many such problems are relatively simple to diagnose and fix and you can sometimes deal with the issue yourself, saving a whole lot of money on repair costs and keeping your home a lot more comfortable.
Thermostat Problems
The thermostat is the nerve center of your air conditioning system. It’s the device that controls your HVAC, so if you are finding that your air conditioner won’t turn on, the thermostat is often to blame. The issue may lie there while your air conditioner system is actually operating just fine.
You will need to test your thermostat to see if that is indeed the culprit. The first thing to do is set the device to the correct temperature. When you’re ready to test the thermostat, adjust it to a lower temperature and be sure you’ve switched the system to cool. You should hear a click noise indicating that the system has switched on and working.
But if you get no response after adjusting the thermostat accordingly, check the batteries inside the device. If they are old, leaking, or you just can’t remember when you put in the current set of batteries, it probably means you need to install a fresh set. After that, turn to the switch on your circuit breaker. Has it been tripped? See if a fuse has been blown and then see about setting it back into place.
Either of these could be the reason why your air conditioner won’t turn on. But if nothing is wrong with the fuse and the batteries are fresh and you continue to have problems, there are other things to consider.
Damaged Wiring
Air conditioners are like any other piece of delicate equipment, they can begin to break down and show the effects of wear and tear over time. The wiring in any air conditioner system can start to feel this wear and tear and the result can be an inability to turn on when needed. These internal wires could start to erode, snap, or become damaged in some way that would interrupt the proper operation of the air conditioner.
Leaking Refrigerant
The refrigerant in your system moves among a network of tubes and when an air conditioning system is having trouble operating properly, one of the diagnoses will almost always be a shortage of this essential component. Refrigerant is not something that you might expect to run short on as it’s not a consumable element.
If your HVAC system has run low on refrigerant, that can only mean there is a leak somewhere in the system. A leak in this network of tubes means the liquid is dripping out and getting into the air supply which can be a very bad problem.
Proper Airflow
Sometimes, your air conditioner won’t run properly if it’s not getting the air flow it needs. Movement of air through the system is imperative to ensuring that it works correctly. Without it, you can bet your air conditioner won’t turn on. So, you’ll want to check your air filter to see if it’s clean or if it needs to be replaced. A clogged and dirty air filter can hinder that air flow the system needs to run smoothly.
Changing out your filter can also improve the air quality in the home by filtering out those microscopic particles, bacteria, and various hazardous contaminants that can move freely through the home. A clean air filter keeps those harmful elements out of the air and out of your lungs.
Malfunctioning Compressor
The compressor’s main purpose is to pump the refrigerant through your air conditioner system. However, if the compressor starts to malfunction or poops out altogether, you will need to eventually replace that component. The unit will work extra hard to continue trying to do the job it has been tasked to complete, but eventually, even that will tax the system and the air conditioner will end up breaking down entirely.
As a result, it will not turn on and you will be left with an inoperable HVAC system.
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