It’s the middle of Summer, you have guests in town, and your air conditioner decides that today is a 
perfect day to stop cooling. These machines seem to know when it is the worst possible time to give up on us. As a result, you want to get it fixed quick. Here are a few things that anyone can check on their air conditioner and prevent an unnecessary visit from the AC guy.
Is it plugged in?
It sounds simple, but most gas furnaces are powered by a light switch or a plug that goes into a standard outlet. Take a look at the indoor air conditioning unit and see if the switch is on/ the plug is plugged in. If the plug is in, you may want to plug another appliance(ex: hairdryer) in the outlet to make sure the outlet is good. You wouldn’t believe how many service calls are for this reason alone.
Breakers
Open the electrical panel and see if any breakers are tripped. If they are marked “Air Conditioner, Furnace, Heat, or Air Handler” try to reset the breaker. If it trips immediately, don’t reset it. Further inspection is needed by an air conditioning company or an electrician.
Thermostat
Take a look at your thermostat. Is the display blank? If so, replace the batteries.
Air Filter
We all change our filters within 30 days exactly, right? Well, not always. If your filter is clogged with dirt and dust then it could cause the unit to freeze up or overheat.
Outdoor Unit
Check the coils on your condenser or outdoor unit for dirt. As a result, aq`a dirty condenser coil will cause the outdoor unit to be over stressed and not cool properly. If it is dirty, turn the power off to the unit and spray a garden hose on the coil to remove the dirt. Let the water dry and turn the power back on.
Call an Air Conditioning Professional
If you check all of these things and find nothing out of the ordinary, you can feel confident that your money will be well spent on an air conditioning service call.
