Cold Air Not Flowing? 5 Easy Ways to Reset Your Air Conditioner
It’s a hot summer day in Fort Lauderdale, and you’re relieved you have central air conditioning. But then you find your AC behaving oddly or not cooling like it is supposed to. Before you stress, try resetting your air conditioner. This quick step often fixes small issues and gets your system operating normally again.
Why Would I Want to Reset My Air Conditioner?
Every air conditioner has a protection circuit breaker. This safety apparatus helps prevent electrical mishaps, such as fires or explosions, that could happen from power surges or outages. When the circuit trips, resetting your home’s AC becomes necessary to get it running again.
Another time to reset the AC is if your unit is blowing warm air when it is supposed to be producing cool air. In this case, the root cause might be a thermostat problem. Occasionally, a simple reset is all it takes to eliminate the issue.
Then again, it’s essential to approach this endeavor with caution. If you’re uneasy about resetting the AC all by yourself, contact a professional for help. In addition, be aware that tampering with your unit’s internal elements might void your warranty, so always check the guidelines before proceeding.
5 Methods for Resetting Your Home’s AC
When simple issues develop, a reset is a good way to start off to try and fix it. Here are five simple tips to reset the AC.
1. Reset Your Circuit Breaker
Your home’s electrical panel contains the breakers for all your electrical circuits, including a specific one for your heating and cooling system. If the AC is having issues following a power surge or outage, try this approach first.
Find the electrical panel—often found in the garage, basement, crawlspace or utility closet—and try to find the switch for your HVAC system. If the circuits aren’t identified, you might have to experiment. Flip the circuit breaker off, wait 30 minutes, and then flip it on again. Next, turn the AC back on, make sure that the thermostat is set to “cool” and see how the unit operates.
2. Press the Reset Button
If your cooling system has a reset button, this is a simple way to clear any slight bugs in the system. This small, red button is often located on or near the outside condensing unit, perhaps under a panel marked “Reset”. If you are not able to find it, reference your unit’s owner’s manual or find one online.
Use these tips to reset your cooling system using the reset button:
1. Turn your thermostat to the “off” setting.
2. Hit the circuit breaker that powers your air conditioner.
3. Click and hold the reset button for three to five seconds.
4. Restore power to your AC by flicking the circuit breaker back on.
5. Last, set the thermostat to “cool” and choose a temperature slightly less than the current indoor temperature. The cooling system should turn on in just a few seconds. If the air blowing from the registers is cool, you’re all set!
3. Hit the Isolation Switch
If you don’t see a reset button, go for the isolation switch that is typically in the vicinity of the exterior unit. This safety feature enables you to shut off power to the air conditioning system when the unit malfunctions without impacting the rest of your home’s electricity. It usually looks like a dial with an “on” and “off” position.
Shut off your system by hitting the isolation switch, wait 30 to 60 minutes and then flip the switch again to power it back up. This manual reboot completely disconnects your air conditioning from power, allowing all electrical components to reset.
4. Unplug the Air Conditioner
Is your air conditioning system still not operating as expected? The next air conditioner reset technique is to unplug the unit. First, locate the shutoff panel near the outdoor unit and cut the power to the compressor. After that, unplug the AC from the power supply board. Leave the unit unplugged for a minimum of 30 minutes to let any residual charge dissipate from the internal components, clearing any errors and giving the equipment a brand-new start. If your AC still fails to work after plugging it back in, the socket could be defective. You’ll need a professional to repair this issue.
5. Work with a Professional
When all else fails, or you’re not feeling confident in trying the DIY tips above, hiring a pro is your best bet. A certified HVAC tech can reset your system using particular tools and diagnose underlying issues that might not be solved with a simple reset.
Air Conditioner Still Not Working? Call the Pros at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
If you’ve made an attempt at resetting your air conditioning yourself and it’s still not functioning, don’t worry—Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. Our ACE-certified technicians provide fast, durable AC repair, with your satisfaction guaranteed. If you’re not totally happy with our AC services in Fort Lauderdale, we’ll make it right! Call us at 954-736-4314 today to get your cooling system back on track!
