The air conditioner or heater is on the fritz, and you’ve just about had it. Before you line up someone to fix your problem, follow this check list, recommends Stephen Mahoney, founder of Ultra Heating & Air Conditioning in Lynnfield, Mass. Sometimes the situation doesn’t require the expert touch.
Thermostat woes
One reason why the AC or heater may not be functioning properly is because of a malfunctioning thermostat. If cool or hot air isn’t flowing like it should, check to see if the thermostat is solidly affixed to the wall. If your thermostat runs on batteries, replace them with fresh ones, advises Mahoney, who started his family-owned Lynnfield heating and cooling company more than 40 years ago.
Breaker problems
After you’ve checked the thermostat, you should next look at the breaker. Sometimes a system-wide failure is due to an over-taxed electrical outlet. According to Mahoney, every system or motor “has a draw and every wire has a maximum draw. So if it has too much draw, it shuts off to save the wires and prevent fire and equipment getting destroyed or compromised.”
Flip the breaker switch to turn things back on but first shift energy needs away from that outlet if you can. Otherwise, it’ll trip again.
Check the filter
Whether you have a standard AC system or use a heat pump, examine the state of your filter. A clogged or dirty filter not only cuts down on your system’s efficiency, it can also cause your system to overheat and then shut down.
“Fifty percent of my AC calls are because people don’t change their air filters or get their filters serviced,” says the Lynnfield AC repair expert. “If they want to change it, I will teach them how to change it. That’ll save them about $200 a year since that means someone like me only needs to come two to three times in 10 years. If they can’t be bothered and want me to come, just let me know what filter it is and I’ll come by.”
Switched off
Another reason why your AC or heater is not working is someone accidentally turned off the equipment switch because they mistook it for a regular light switch. “We’re trained to turn switches off when we leave the room. But some switches need to stay on all the time,” says Mahoney, who is also a Lynnfield boiler repair specialist. “Tracing a wire from your equipment to the nearest switch is usually the best way to find out if what you have is an equipment switch or not.”
If your problem still persists, then it’s time to ask friends and family for referrals for HVAC experts and call the Better Business Bureau about complaints. Further protect yourself by hiring a company that has liability insurance and is properly licensed. In Massachusetts, says the Lynnfield heating and cooling professional, there are licenses from the Department of Public Safety for oil burning for those who work with oil furnaces, gas fitting for those who work with gas furnaces, ventilation, and refrigeration for those working with AC systems and heat pumps.
Lynnfield,,
MA
01940
Phone: 781-334-9928