Not Cool, Man: 5 Reasons Your AC Unit Won’t Kick On

If it’s a hot day but your AC unit isn’t turning on, your home can get pretty uncomfortable pretty quickly. Even if you have been keeping up with your summertime HVAC maintenance, AC units can run into problems that cause them to stop working. These can be fixed with something as simple as flipping a switch or may require a full replacement. Before you call us for an AC repair appointment, there are a few things you can do yourself to see what might be causing your AC unit to not kick on.

Tripped circuit breaker

One common reason for an AC unit to play dead is that it has tripped the circuit breaker. If your AC unit is not kicking on, check the breaker box to see if this has happened. It can happen for many reasons, and most of the time the solution is simply to flip the switch back on. If the circuit breaker trips again after being turned back on once, leave it off and call a professional electrician. 

Dirty air filter

We all know we’re supposed to change our air filters every month. But because replacing your air filter is such a quick and easy task, it is something many people forget. If you haven’t changed your air filter in quite some time, it may become overloaded with dust, pet hair, and other little bits of debris. If this gets too bad, the airflow can become restricted and the unit can overheat and shut off. Make sure you pick the right air filter and change it every month. 

Debris on the outdoor unit

The outdoor unit for your AC system is called the condenser. It brings air from outside, cools it, and blows it into your home. If you have plants growing near or even on top of your condenser unit, they can get caught in the small fins that line the unit. If enough debris gets into the fins, the entire unit can break and may need to be replaced. You can keep the fins clear by spraying them with a hose a few times each summer, but the best bet is to keep the area clear of plants and other debris. 

Clogged condensation line

The condensation line is a plastic pipe that collects the condensation from inside your home in the condenser unit and drains it into the drain pan. If this line gets clogged, it can cause the condensation to build up inside the condenser unit, eventually leading to the unit breaking. There are many things that can clog the condensation, such as mold and mildew, dirt, and other small particles or debris. You can usually clean a clogged condensation line yourself. 

Low refrigerant 

Refrigerant is what the air passes through on its way back into your home. If it leaks out, the AC unit won’t be able to cool your home because there will be nothing to actually cool the air. You can check to see if this is happening by looking for frost on the coils on the evaporator unit inside your home. If there is frost, low refrigerant is the culprit. It’s not a repair that you should attempt, but the problem can easily be fixed by one of our trained specialists. 

Keep Your Cool and Call Welter if your AC unit won’t kick on

If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with your AC unit, our technicians can help you figure it out. And once you do, they can help you fix it. There is no need to be without air conditioning on a hot day, so give us a call and we can get your AC unit up and running again.