2 Possible Reasons Why Your Central Air Conditioner Is Not Working Properly After A Severe Summer Storm

After a severe summer storm has rolled through your area, you may have discovered that your central air conditioning unit is either not working as well as it should or not working at all. If so, there are a couple of reasons for which you can check that could be causing the issue.

1.  Power Surge Has Overloaded the Electrical System

If the storm brought with it a lot of lightning, one possible reason why your A/C unit is no longer working properly is that the electricity from the lightning could have caused a power surge. This is especially true if the lightning struck the ground relatively close to your house.

To reset the system, turn the air conditioning switch on your thermostat to turn it off. Then, locate the individual breaker in your electrical box that feeds the unit. Typically, it should be its own breaker, and it usually has a double switch instead of the standard single switch.

Flip the switch to the off position, then wait a few minutes before switching the breaker back on. After you have done this, turn your thermostat on, and allow a few minutes for the unit to kick back on. 

If the unit does not turn back on, you will need to have someone inspect it. If it does turn on but you see no difference in the coolness of your home after about an hour, the problem may lie somewhere else.

2.  Objects Are Blocking or Have Damaged the Unit

The next possible explanation for your A/C unit's inability to properly function after a storm could be storm debris. If leaves and other objects have landed on or near the unit, they could be blocking the flow of air. Or, if a branch has fallen on the unit, it could have damaged the fan or other components inside of the air conditioner.

Once the storm has fully passed, go outside to examine the unit. Clear away any debris that is on or within a few feet of the unit. If there is damage to the exterior, repairs will most likely be needed.

If you have tried restarting the circuit breaker and clearing away any storm debris with no luck, or if you have found noticeable damage to the unit's exterior, it's time to call in a professional to take a look at it. Contact an air conditioning repair service so that they can get to the bottom of the issue and discuss your options for fixing any problems they may find.

Share