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Things to do before calling Tri County Air
As much as we love hearing from our customers and helping them solve problems with their AC units, whether it be over the phone or face to face, we want our customers in South West Florida to have an idea of what they can do for their air conditioners from the comfort of their homes.
That Weird Box on the Wall… Is It a Thermostat or a Dehumidistat?
Almost all homes that have air conditioning will also have either a thermostat or dehumidistat on the wall, and it’s important that you know where this device is and how to use it. These can be battery-powered or simply wired up to your home’s breaker system. If your odd little box on the wall is unresponsive, make sure either your breaker switch is on or has a fresh set of batteries.
To learn more about dehumidistats, click here.
You and Your Breaker
If you’ve spent any time at all in Florida during the summer, you’ve probably noticed the reoccurring afternoon thunderstorms. It is not uncommon for lightning to strike near your home or your neighborhood’s transformer up in the power lines. In an event like this, your breaker might trip. This will cause your entire home to lose power–that means lights, appliances, not to mention your air conditioner, thermostat, and dehumidistat. Sometimes you may have to restart your breaker by turning it off and then back on again. Make sure your breaker is on properly before assuming the worst!
Get to Know Your Unit
It’s important to have a few things in order before you call the experts, two of those things being your unit’s serial number and model number. It’s important to have these numbers handy, or even written down so if there is something seriously wrong with your air conditioner, your technician can know what kind of unit they will be dealing with. Knowing these numbers is also extremely convenient when ordering parts. Since there are 100+ types of units, that means there are 1000+ kinds of parts, so knowing your serial and model number will save you tons of time and aggravation.
Determining Proper Operation
Airflow, airflow, air flow!!! Did you catch that? If there is one thing anyone at Tri County Air will tell you is important, it’s your AC’s airflow. Lots of things can obstruct your unit’s airflow whether it’s outside conditions or inside conditions. If your air conditioner is blowing hot air and your thermostat is set to 62, it may be time for a new filter. Also, is your fan set to auto on the thermostat? Make sure your fan is always set to auto to reduce humidity.
There are three main components that we need to determine are operational:
#1: The blower fan which circulates the indoor air in the home. Make sure one of your supply vents is blowing air. Is the air room temperature or cold like it should be when in cooling mode? Alternatively, if in heating mode,
#2: The outdoor condensing fan should be spinning and blowing warm/hot air in cooling mode (it will blow cool air when in heating mode).
#3: Is the compressor humming? This is the most difficult to determine. It is good to listen to what your system sounds like when it is operational so you can hear the difference when it is not.
If any of these components are not working, then shut the system off at the thermostat and give us a call at 941-485-2222!
If everything seems to be working and it is still not meeting the temperature at the thermostat, then shut the system off at the thermostat and give us a call at 941-485-2222!
To learn more about air filters, click here.
To learn more about AC efficiency, click here.
At Tri County Air, it is our job to ensure your comfort…but we also want to save you money! Take advantage of these steps to check your A/C yourself before you give us a call.