Your AC quits on the hottest day of the year. Here is what to do, in order.
1. Think about safety first
A house can become dangerously hot in a few hours. Infants, older adults, pregnant people, people with medical conditions and pets are the most at risk. If anyone seems seriously unwell, with heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, confusion or hot, dry skin, move them to a cooler place and call 911.
2. Try these quick checks
- Check the thermostat: it should be set to cool, and below the room temperature. Replace the batteries if it uses them.
- Check the breaker panel for a tripped breaker. Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off.
- Check the air filter. A clogged filter can shut a system down or freeze the coil.
- Look for water near the air handler. A full drain pan may have tripped the safety switch.
- Look at the outdoor unit. Is the fan spinning? Is there ice? Is something blocking it?
3. Do not
- Keep resetting a breaker that keeps tripping
- Open electrical panels or the outdoor unit cover
- Run a system that is leaking water or has ice on it
4. Keep the house as cool as you can
- Close blinds and curtains on sunny windows
- Run fans, and open windows only if the outside air is cooler than inside
- Avoid using the oven or dryer during the hottest part of the day
- Stay on the lowest floor, and drink water
5. Call for help
If the quick checks do not fix it, call a licensed HVAC company. Describe what you see and hear, and ask for an honest arrival window. Our urgent AC repair page has more on what to expect. If you cannot get cooled down at home, consider a library, mall or public cooling center for the afternoon.
How to avoid it next summer
Most mid-summer breakdowns are preventable. A spring tune-up checks the parts that fail most often: capacitors, contactors, drains and coils. Our Comfort Club includes two visits a year and priority scheduling.