Why is My A/C Not Turning On?

Your experiencing discomfort due to your air conditioning not working. You do not want to spend hours in your hot home, so we are going to talk through the possible reasons your A/C is not working.

Common Reasons Your Air Conditioning is Not Running

#1 – Thermostat

Your thermostat communicated with your A/C. The thermostat’s job is to read the temperature of your home or room then to communicate to the A/C. A quick reset of your thermostat often does the trick to restart your Air Conditioning. Also, replacing the batteries in the thermostat could be required.

#2 – Tripped Circuit Breaker

You can check your electrical panel to see if the circuit breaker was tripped for the A/C. If you had a power surge then the breaker could of tripped. If you recently had your A/C replaced the circuit breaker could of been left and is undersized for your new A/C. Also, you could have a mechanical component causing the tripped breaker due to the component malfunctioning.

#3 – Safety Float Switch Activated

You can take a shop vac and use it on your drain line, which is outside your home. If your drain pan has water/condensation that activated the float switch then it turns your A/C off as a safety precaution. Also, the safety float can become faulty which can turn off your A/C. 

#4 – Dead Capacitor

Inside the outside condenser is a capacitor that helps the A/C’s mechanical motors and compressor start when the thermostat communicates that it needs to turn on. These capacitors are generally one of the components that requires replacing during the life of the A/C, especially in the hot and humid temperatures of Fort Myers, FL and the surrounding Southwest, Florida communities.

#5 – Blown Fuse

Inside our A/C is a fuse that helps protect the circuit board and other circuits. A fuse in an air conditioner can pop for several reasons. It could be due to overloading of the circuit, a short circuit within the electrical system, a malfunctioning component such as the compressor or capacitor, or even issues with the wiring.

#6 – Dirty Air Filter 

A dirty air filter can cause an air conditioner to freeze due to restricted airflow. Here is how it happens.

1. Restricted airflow: When the air filter is dirty, it becomes clogged with dust, dirt, and debris. This blocks the flow of air into the air conditioning system.
2. Reduced heat exchange: The air conditioner’s evaporator coil relies on airflow to remove heat from the air inside your home. When airflow is restricted due to a dirty filter, the evaporator coil cannot absorb enough heat from the air passing over it.
3. Temperature drop: Without sufficient heat exchange, the temperature of the evaporator coil drops significantly. Moisture in the air condenses on the coil and freezes, forming ice.
4. Ice buildup: As ice accumulates on the evaporator coil, it further restricts airflow and reduces the efficiency of the cooling process. This creates a feedback loop where more ice forms, worsening the problem.
5. System shutdown: To prevent damage to the compressor and other components, the air conditioner’s built-in safety mechanisms may detect the ice buildup and shut down the system automatically.