AC Repair in Manassas, VA: How to Fix 3 Frequent Problems

There can be a few reasons why your air conditioner won’t start: an overloaded circuit breaker, inaccurate thermostat settings, a switched off switch or an overflowing condensate drain pan.

Your cooling won’t turn on when you have an overloaded breaker.

To see if one has tripped, find your residence’s main electrical panel. You can locate this metallic fixture on the wall in the basement, garage or closet.

• Ensure your hands and feet are free of moisture before you work on the panel or breakers.
• Find the breaker marked “AC” and confirm it’s in the “on” location. If it’s overloaded the switch will be in the middle of the panel or “off” location.
• Steadily move the lever back to the “on” location. If it instantaneously flips again, leave it alone and get in touch with us at 703-260-1148. A switch that keeps turning off may signal your house has an electrical issue.

If your thermostat isn’t telling your air conditioner to work, it won’t turn on.

The first point is ensuring it’s switched to “cool” and not “heat.” Otherwise your air conditioner might not turn on. Or you may get. heated air moving from vents because the furnace is going instead.

If you’re using a regular thermostat:

• Swap out the batteries if the monitor is blank. If the screen is presenting garbled numbers, get a new thermostat.
• Ensure the correct mode is on the display. If you can’t change it, cancel it by dropping the temperature and pressing the “hold” button. This will make your AC start if the configuration is wrong.
• Test setting the thermostat 5 degrees cooler than the room’s temperature. Your AC won’t cool if the thermostat is set the same as the room’s temperature.

Once your thermostat is calibrated properly, you should start getting cool air quickly.

If you have a smart thermostat, like one produced by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch, go to the manufacturer’s website for troubleshooting. If you’re still having problems, contact us at 703-260-1148 for assistance.

Your AC typically has a shut-down device by its condenser. This lever is commonly in a metal box hung on your house. If your unit has recently been tuned up, the lever may have inadvertently been positioned in the “off” position.

Condensate drain pans hold the surplus liquid your system takes out of the air. This pan can be situated either beneath or in your furnace or air handler.

When there’s a clog or clogged drain, water can become concentrated and prompt a safety control to turn off your unit.

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

If your pan involves a pump, look for the float switch. If the mechanism is “up” and there’s moisture in the pan, you might have to get a new pump. Reach us at 703-260-1148 for support.

If your AC is going but not cooling, its airflow might be clogged. Or it could not have sufficient refrigerant.

Your system’s airflow can be decreased by a clogged air filter or filthy condenser.

A dusty filter can cause a lot of troubles, such as:

• Lower comfort
• Icy refrigerant lines or evaporator coil
• Inconsistent cooling
• Higher electricity expenses
• Leading your system to break down more quickly

We propose installing new flat filters every four weeks, and accordion filters every three months.

If you can’t recall when you last changed yours, turn off your equipment fully and take out the filter. You can find the filter in your furnace or air pump’s blower compartment. It might also be situated in a connected filter holder or wall-mounted return air grille.

Tilt the filter up to the sunshine. If you can’t see through it you should get a new one.

Greenery, grass and leaves can get in the way of your condensing unit. This may reduce its airflow, make it less energy efficient and impact your comfort. Here’s a way you can get your unit working well again.

1. Turn off power totally at the breaker or outdoor lever.
2. Clear plant waste around the air conditioner. Once you’ve gotten rid of larger clutter within a two-foot range, you can use a fine-bristled brush or vacuum to slowly remove dirt from the equipment’s fins. Bent fins can also hurt capability, so you can attempt to correct them with a dinner knife.
3. Use a hose nozzle to gingerly clean the fins from inside the system. Be careful to avoid getting moisture on the fan motor.
4. Put the top back on and restore the power.

When air conditioning units don’t have sufficient refrigerant, they’ll struggle to remove heat and humidity from your space.

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

1. It takes an extended amount of time to refresh your space and you’re constantly decreasing the temperature on the thermostat.
2. Air conditioning coming through the vents isn’t as chilled as it should be.
3. You’re hearing hissing or gurgling racket when the air conditioning runs.
4. Your evaporator coil is frozen as a result of having an issue absorbing humidity.

Think your unit is losing refrigerant? You need a authorized heating and cooling service expert to fix the leak and replenish the right level of refrigerant in your system. Reach us at 703-260-1148 for help.

When it feels like you’re not having enough chilled air, there’s likely a blockage or separation inside your air conditioning system.

• The beginning place is checking your air filter. Replace it if it’s dusty.
• Then ensure the vents are clear across your home.
• If you’re still not experiencing ample cold air, you should have your ducts inspected by a specialist like Air-Right Energy Design. Your duct system may need to be repaired or hooked up again in difficult locations like your attic, basement or crawl space.