If your air conditioner isn’t shutting down, it’s a pretty big concern. It’s already cold in your home, the thermostat says it’s the temperature you want it to be, so what gives? Well, it could be one of many things, but there are two solutions that you can provide as the homeowner before your HVAC technician gets out there.
Make no mistake, this requires AC repair in Long Beach, CA even if you’re able to power it down, but in the meantime, you can apply these quick fixes to at least power it down and stop shredding through your monthly cooling budget. Here’s what to do.
Turn it Off at the Central AC Switch
Your air conditioner has a switch outside. It’s usually located attached to your home, with a flip box to protect it from the elements. In there, you should see a single, simple switch.
This controls all the power going to your air conditioner. Shut it off, and listen for the AC cabinet to power down. The fans should stop spinning and the noticeably loud noise should die down.
Just to be sure, go inside and double-check that everything is off by putting your hands over the vents. If you feel any air coming out after it’s been powered down for a few minutes, it means it’s still receiving power somehow.
Turn the Power Off at the Breaker
Your home has a circuit breaker that’s filled with switches, and hopefully they’re all labeled correctly. These control power zones throughout your home, so while there isn’t an individual switch for every appliance or outlet, they still control sections of your home’s power distribution.
When you open up your circuit breaker box, you’ll see horizontal switches. Some might have metal brackets that connect them to other switches–that’s okay.
Find the one that’s labeled for your air conditioner. It might simply say “AC” next to the switch. Turn it off, then verify there’s no airflow coming out of the vents to be doubly sure.
Should I Disconnect the Wires From My AC?
Never touch, disconnect, or alter the wiring that goes to your air conditioner. There’s a high risk of electrocution and it’s never worth the risk.
HVAC technicians are trained to know what to expect, how to maintain proper safety protocols, and mitigate risk when dealing with air conditioning repairs. It’s never advised to tinker with the internal wiring in your air conditioner.
Even if you find some online forum that tells you what to do, please do not tamper with your air conditioner wiring. Yes, it’s a problem that it’s continuously going, but it’s not an issue that’s worth risking your life.
It’s Shut Down… Now What?
Now you call for professional services to come and fix your air conditioner. Make sure you document all the steps you took to power down your air conditioning unit so you can relay all that information to the HVAC technician when they come out, and they’ll take care of the rest.
Contact Southwest HVAC today to schedule your air conditioner repair as soon as possible.