If your air conditioner isn't chilling your home, the problem could be with one of the switches in the system. There are multiple switches in an HVAC unit, and some of them only affect the furnace. However, some also affect your AC and can cause it to malfunction. Here's a look at some switches the air conditioning repair technician may check when your AC isn't working.
The Float Switch
When the float switch is activated, it shuts your air conditioner down. Your AC won't start at all, and you'll probably have no idea the problem is a simple safety switch with an easy repair. The air conditioning repair contractor can track the problem down and verify the issue is with the float switch. The switch could be bad or it could be doing its job and protecting your air handler.
A float switch is activated when the water level in the condensation pan gets too high. When water won't drain from the pan, it will eventually spill on the floor or inside the air handler. This could harm the equipment or your floor, so being alerted to the problem is a good thing.
Water can build up in the condensation pan when the drain is clogged, so if that's the problem, the air conditioning repair technician can clear the clog out of the drain and reset the air handler and your AC should start working again. If the float switch is malfunctioning instead, the repair technician has to replace it.
The Power Switches
If the power switches get turned off, your equipment won't get power so your air conditioner won't work. One of the power switches to check is the on/off switch on your air handler. This switch should be right beside the air handler so the repair technician can reach it while they're working. It looks like a wall switch, so you may not realize it controls the air handler.
If the switch gets turned off accidentally, the air handler won't have power and the blower won't work to blow out cool air. This fix is simple since all you have to do is flip the switch. If the switch is bad and won't work when it's in the on position, the switch may need to be replaced.
Another power switch is in the electrical panel of your home. If a circuit breaker has tripped, your AC won't get power. You can flip the breaker back on, but if it trips again, that could mean your AC has an electrical problem and you need to call an air conditioning repair service.
A third place power can get disrupted is in the disconnect box that's near the condenser outside. It often has fuses instead of switches, and if a fuse blows, power won't make it to your air conditioner from the electrical panel. This air conditioning repair involves replacing the bad fuse, which is an easy job for an AC repair technician.
Contact a local AC repair service to learn more.
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