Your air conditioner receives a signal from the thermostat, and then it acts based on what the reading is. Think of your thermostat as the brain, and the air conditioner as the muscles–your brain has to talk to your muscles to tell them when to do something.
When your AC won’t power down on its own, even when the thermostat says that it’s cool in the house, it’s a problem that requires air conditioning service in Rio Rancho, NM. But in the meantime, so you don’t exhaust your entire energy budget for the month, there are two things you can do to power down your air conditioner before your HVAC technician shows up.
Disconnect Power at the Central AC Switch
Outside, your air conditioner has a switch. It’s normally attached to the house, and it’s very close to where the AC cabinet is. This is what controls the flow of power to the air conditioner.
There will likely be a plastic flip-up cap on the outside of the switch to protect it from the elements. Pop it open and turn the switch. Listen for the air conditioner to power down. You should immediately notice the fan turn off and the noise decrease.
Just to be sure, go inside and put your hand over the vents throughout your home. Once you know for a fact that it’s off, call an HVAC technician to take a look at your air conditioner.
Turn Off Power at the Circuit Breaker
In your home, there’s a metal box that holds circuits. These go to different power zones in your home, so there will be a slew of switches with labels that designate where the power is going.
You should see one labeled AC or Air Conditioner–flip that switch, and it will eliminate power going to the air conditioner. You should be able to put your hand up to the vent to make sure. In the event that this somehow doesn’t stop the flow of electricity, it means the labels are wrong–call an HVAC technician even if your AC doesn’t power down.
Should I Disconnect the AC Wires to Shut it Down?
Absolutely not. Under no circumstances should you ever tamper with your AC wiring. There’s a high risk of injury or death by electrocution, and it’s never worth it even to power down your air conditioner.
HVAC technicians know the ins and outs of all the electrical systems in your air conditioner. They’re equipped to handle your system based on experience, training, and certification.
Beyond that, there are safety protocols they put in place and they’re insured in the event that anything goes wrong. Even if you find an online forum post by someone who claims to be a technician, do not use DIY solutions to fix this problem. Use the two methods outlined above and call for emergency repair.
It’s Off, But Now What?
Now that you’ve powered down your air conditioner, it’s time to get a technician in there to fix it as soon as possible.
Contact First Rate Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling today to schedule your air conditioning service as soon as possible.