What to Do When Your AC Breaks

If your air conditioning unit breaks during the heat of summer, it can be a frustrating experience as you figure out what you need to do, while trying to stay cool at the same time. When your AC breaks, your first intention is probably to call a technician to get it working again, but what can you do in the meantime?

Turn it Off

If your AC breaks, turn it off immediately. You don’t want a malfunctioning machine continuing to run. Running any machine that is broken or damaged can risk further damage and deficiency, not to mention there won’t be any benefit to keeping it running, since it won’t be able to cool your home.

Inspect Your Unit

After shutting down your AC unit, take a moment to inspect it and the connections to your home, if accessible. It’s best not to touch the unit or try to make any repairs yourself, but make note of any leaking, exposed wires, or any other noticeable damages. This can help any technician or repairman to narrow down the possibilities of what caused your unit to break or malfunction. 

Additionally, if you hear any noises coming from inside your home, such as in air vents, make a note of that as well. This will also help your repairman to deduce where the problem might be and what it could be. 

Try to Stay Cool!

If your AC breaks during the summer, you’ll be missing that cool air and feeling the temperature rise shortly after. While some of the alternatives for air conditioners aren’t as powerful, there are still some ways that you can try to beat the heat while you wait for the repairman to make their way to your home. 

Go Somewhere Else

If your home becomes a sweltering, hot, muggy mess when your AC breaks, try to get outside for a while, or to another location with a working air conditioning unit. Why sit in a miserable environment when there are other options available? Even if you don’t know anyone who has working AC, there are plenty of public places that offer air conditioning, such as movie theaters, stores, restaurants, and more. 

Use Fans

We know that fans aren’t as efficient in cooling compared to your air conditioning, but when your AC breaks, fans can help supplement in cooling your home down. While fans don’t create cool air, they can move the hot air out and bring cooler air in. Place your fans strategically, such as near windows or doors, to help the flow of air throughout your home. 

Reduce Heat

In addition to utilizing fans and other ways to cool down your home, make sure that you aren’t producing more heat to combat. If you need or want your home to cool down for a certain period of time, make sure not to run any appliances that will generate heat. Appliances like your dryer, stove, oven, and dishwasher all utilize heat and will contribute to the temperature of your home if they are used. 

Reduce Light

Light produces heat, so by darkening your home or blocking sunlight from coming in will also help lower the temperature if your AC breaks. Covering your windows with curtains or shades diminish the amount of heat entering your home from the sunlight. Additionally, any light bulbs will also generate heat, even if not that much. Other electrical appliances, like gaming systems or computers, can also create a lot of heat. 

Call Us if Your AC Breaks!

Stack Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electric has the experience to tackle any air conditioning issues you might come across. Visit our website or call (440) 937-9134 today!