As a homeowner, one of the most frustrating moments of summer is immediately after a thunderstorm…when your Air Conditioner seems to have stopped working. We understand, which is why we offer this blog post of possible reasons your air conditioner may not be not turning on.

Thunderstorms

If you’ve been experiencing thunderstorm issues in the Naperville or Chicagoland area, one cause for your air conditioner to not be turning on is because of a circuit breaker or a blown fuse problem. Because this is such a common cause of your air conditioner repair for it is not turning on at all, one of the best pieces of advice we can give you is to check your circuit breaker box and make sure there isn’t a blown fuse or broken circuit. You can avoid an air conditioner repair completely by checking your circuit breaker first. Sometimes, fixing your Air Conditioner can be as simple as flipping a switch!

Thermostat Problems

Another possible reason that could cause your air conditioner to not turn on at all is due to thermostat problems. If you’re in the Naperville or Chicagoland area and think you may need an air conditioner repair since your air conditioner is not turning on, you may just need to alter a few settings on your thermostat. First, you need to make sure that your thermostat is set to “Cool”. We know this sounds obvious, but if for any reason your home experienced power issues and your thermostat reset itself, it’s possible that it set itself to “Heat” mode rather than “Cool”.

It’s also important to make sure that your thermostat is set to cool your home to a temperature that is below the current temperature of your home. For example, If it’s 74 degrees in your home and you have your thermostat set to cool your home at 76 degrees, your air conditioner is not going to turn on because your home is already cooled down to your desired temperature. However, if your thermostat is set to cool your home to 74 degrees and it is current 76 degrees in your home, then your air conditioner should turn on and begin to cool your home.

Switches

Finally, one last tip to attempt to turn on your air conditioner and avoid an air conditioner repair is to check the switches that are on the exterior of your air conditioner. There is typically an external safety switch near or on your air conditioner which, when turned off, will prevent your air conditioner from running. It’s very important to make sure that all switches are switched on.

If you have tried all of these items and your air conditioner still won’t turn on, consider calling a professional HVAC company to come and repair your homes Air Conditioner.

Final Reminder

We’ve said it before and we will say it again: The most important thing you can do for your air conditioner is get it maintained on an annual basis. We especially recommend this to anyone who’s home falls victim to Cottonwood Trees, which is extremely common in the Naperville area in addition to the rest of the Chicago suburbs. Cottonwood Trees are often referred to as the “Air Conditioner Killer” for the vast amount of Air Conditioner repairs and replacements they cause. As so obviously stated in their name, Cottonwood Trees produce cotton, typically during the late spring and early summer months. This cotton, when ready, falls from the tree and is blown to the surrounding location. You probably know that there is a Cottonwood Tree nearby when you see cotton residue on the window screens of your home. The reason why Cottonwood Trees are referred to as Air Conditioner Killer is because the cotton itself gets stuck in your Air Conditioner and blocks air flow, restricting your Air Conditioner to breathe. Due to the lack of air flow by cottonwood in Naperville and other Chicago suburbs, many Air Conditioner repairs are needed.

The best way to prevent Air Conditioner repairs due to cottonwood in Naperville and other Chicago suburbs is to have annual 22-Point Certified Cleaning, Tune-Up and Inspection performed on your Air Conditioner. As a part of Nortek Environmental, Inc.’s 22 Points performed on your Air Conditioner as a part of this maintenance check, Nortek Environmental, Inc. will check your Air Conditioner unit and clean any debris that has built up around your unit. This includes cleaning cottonwood that may be seen around your unit.

Along with cottonwood, there are many Air Conditioner repairs in Naperville and surrounding Chicago Suburbs that are the result of leaves getting into the Air Conditioner. A 22-Point Certified Cleaning, Tune Up and Inspection would also help clean the leaves from your Air Conditioner as well.

See all of the Air Conditioning maintenance, repair and inspection services we offer. And, as always, if you are currently experiencing problems with your Air Conditioner, such as it not turning on or another problem, please never hesitate to call Nortek Environmental, Inc. at (630) 548-1500.