What to Do When Your A/C Stops Working

When the air conditioning quits in Sarasota or Bradenton, the house will tell you quickly. Before you call, there are a handful of checks that are safe for a homeowner. None of them involve opening the equipment.

Start with the thermostat

Confirm it is set to cool, that the setpoint is below the room temperature, and that the fan is on auto. Replace the thermostat batteries if it uses them. A blank display is often a battery or a breaker, not a failed system.

Look at the filter and the breaker

• A filter packed with dust can stop airflow. If you can slide it out and it is visibly clogged, replace it with the size printed on the frame.
• Check the breaker for the air handler and the outdoor unit. If a breaker trips again as soon as you reset it, leave it off and call. Repeated resets can damage equipment.
• Make sure the outdoor disconnect switch, the small box near the condenser, has not been turned off by accident.

Stop if anything seems unsafe

Turn the system off at the thermostat if you smell burning, see ice building on the refrigerant lines, or hear a grinding noise that was not there yesterday. Do not remove panels, do not add refrigerant, and do not hose down electrical parts. If you see smoke or think there is a fire, leave the house and call emergency services.

Then call

House of Air provides 24/7 A/C service. When you call 941-650-4216, say what you already checked and what the system is doing now. That short description helps the technician arrive ready. If the system is older or this is not the first repair this year, ask for an evaluation while they are there. Repair and replacement can be discussed from the same visit.