What to Do When Your AC Breaks Down in Wilmington, NC

There are few things more annoying than a sudden and unexpected AC breakdown in the middle of a hot summer. Unfortunately, even if you’ve diligently scheduled regular professional maintenance work for your system, some malfunctions are inevitable after enough time. Here are some helpful suggestions for what you should do if your AC breaks down in Wilmington, NC.

Request Professional Repair or Installation Services

This is the most obvious course of action to take if you find yourself with a broken air conditioner. Not only will professionals be able to directly tackle your problem, but, as part of that, they will also be able to determine whether your system is salvageable through repair or whether it makes more sense to get a new one altogether.

In some cases — like when your system is more than about 15 years old — installation may be the more cost-effective option in the long run. The skills a professional HVAC technician can help you find out whether you’re in that situation.

Don’t Use Your AC

As tempting as it may be to try to force your air conditioner to plow through any issues it’s having, you shouldn’t do so. This is likely to exacerbate whatever issues your system already has.

Turn on Some Fans

While a ceiling fan may not be as effective at keeping you cool as an AC, it’s certainly better than nothing. With a few fans, air will circulate more effectively through your home, causing sweat to evaporate (called a chill factor), and keeping you as cool as possible. This will tide you over until the professionals arrive to fix your AC.

Check Your Thermostat and Circuit Breaker

Your AC problems may not actually be due to your AC at all. For example, if you restart your thermostat and find that your AC starts up again, then the issue is with your thermostat. Another possibility is that your AC improperly tripped your circuit breaker and shut off.

Stay Hydrated and Cool

It’s vitally important to stay hydrated if you’re stuck in the heat without air conditioning. You should also strive to prevent heat from unnecessarily entering your home. You can do this by, for example, keeping out sunlight and not operating appliances like ovens.

As unfortunate as a sudden loss of AC functioning can be, there are ways to deal with the problem. If your AC breaks down for any reason in Wilmington, NC, call Airmax Heating & Cooling, and request our repair services.

Image provided by iStock