We all know that in the great state of Texas, especially in the Houston area, that the summers get to be very hot and humid. During that time, all of us Houstonians like to stay cool and comfortable in our homes. So when our AC stops working, we are usually not very happy.
One thing that can cause our air conditioning systems to quit working is if the circuit breaker gets tripped. When the air conditioner trips the circuit breaker, there could be a few reasons why that need to be addressed right away. If they are not, potential harm can come to the equipment or even cause a fire.
The main reason why a breaker would trip is because it’s pulling more amps than the breaker is suppose to handle. What this means is that if the breaker is suppose to only be a 20-amp, but your air conditioner is working at 30-amps, this will cause the breaker to trip.
There are a few commons things that can cause the breaker to trip, which these things can be correctly either by yourself or a professional, but are pretty easy to fix.
Check your outdoor part of the unit, it may be possible that it is pretty dirty which you can get a HVAC contractor like Autumn Mechanical out there to give it a nice annual tune up. This is always best left to a professional, as they can also check for an leaks, recharge the refrigerant if needed, and more. This will help keep your system up and running to the standards it needs to be to give you its best.
Check your air filter, if it is dirty this can cause the AC unit to over work it. If you find that the filter is dirty, it is best to change this or you unit will continue to trip the breaker.
Another few issues that could arise that a specialist can check for you are if the motor has shorted out. If the motor runs how for too long, this can cause the wire insulation to break down and lead to an electrical short. If your compressor is having issues starting up, which means it may just need a “jolt” to get it moving again. Make sure that your compressor is grounded because if it is not, it could cause sudden current surges that can trip the breaker.
Needing to schedule an air conditioner repair is never a fun thing to be told, but if any of these issues are happening, it is important to get a professional to handle it.
Where to find your circuit breaker in your home will usually depend. Newer homes, it is said that the common place is in the garage, but older homes it is usually found inside the home itself.
When it comes to figuring out just which breaker is for what, when the electrician set up the breaker box, they usually go through and label each breaker for the homeowners.
Thankfully, if a breaker trips you simply just need to reset it to get it back on. First you must make sure that the AC has been unplugged from the outlet, and then find the breaker in the breaker box that is out of line with the rest. Turn it completely off and then back on, this should reset the breaker.
If your air conditioning system is not operating correctly or is in need of its annual maintenance to prevent potential issues, please contact us today to schedule your appointment. Do not be strand in the blasting heat of Houston, Texas summer without a cool home.
Autumn Mechanical
18812 Tomato St.
Spring, TX 77379
(713) 864-8368
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