In some situations, it’s obvious that you have an emergency with one of your home’s systems. Water gushing down on you from a pipe somewhere in your ceiling? Definitely a plumbing emergency. Smoke and sparks coming out of your outlets? Definitely an electrical emergency. But what constitutes an emergency when it comes to a problem with your air conditioner?
We’ll talk you through figuring that out. First, we’ll make sure you truly need AC repair, rather than having an issue you can correct yourself. Then, we’ll discuss which air conditioning repair needs can be safely put off until regular business hours and which you should treat as emergencies.
Do-It-Yourself Checklist
We never advocate that people actually attempt to repair their air conditioners themselves. It risks injury to the person and damage to the system, and it will void your warranty. But there are a few things you should check before you decide you actually need AC repair.
- 1: Has a circuit breaker tripped? It may just need to be reset.
- 2: Have your thermostat settings been accidentally changed? If it got switched to off or heat, or if a program for when you’re away from home has been turned on, you won’t get the cooling you expect.
- 3: Is your air filter clogged with dust? Change it.
- 4: Is your outdoor unit caked with dirt or is something else like leaf litter or an overgrown shrub interfering with airflow? Trim or rake anything away and wash down the unit with a gentle hose.
If you’ve looked into or corrected any of these and your problem persists, you do need AC repair. But should you wait and schedule it during regular office hours, or is it necessary to get a technician out right away for emergency HVAC repair in Mandeville, LA?
Non-Emergency AC Problems
If you’re hearing a worrisome sound from your indoor unit or your ductwork, you should get repairs pretty promptly, but it’s not an emergency. If you’ve got a lack of cooling power—no air, lukewarm air, or barely a trickle of air coming from your vents—but the weather isn’t too extreme, you can turn off the AC and wait for a regular repair.
Emergency AC Problems
If you’re hearing a worrisome sound from your outdoor unit, that’s the compressor. It’s so costly that you might end up having to replace the whole system if it fails! Don’t allow your air conditioner to continue operating with a compressor problem. Turn it off immediately, and if you can’t wait for cooling, consider it a definite emergency. You need to get the issue fixed before there’s permanent compressor damage.
The other time that you should consider an AC problem an emergency is if it is preventing you from keeping your home at a reasonable temperature during extremely hot weather. This is particularly critical if you have infants, toddlers, or other vulnerable people in your home.
Trust your instincts. If you’re concerned that your AC problem might qualify as an emergency, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have about your air conditioner.
When you need it done right, contact Professional Heating & Air.