How to Reset Air Conditioner When It Stops Working

Need professionals to help restore your home's cool air? Call Gladiator Services at (201) 419-6090.

You probably love having an air conditioner, especially during those hot and crazy summer months. Unfortunately, air conditioning units can fail anytime, leaving you without that fresh, cold air you deserve. While some air conditioner issues require repairs and extensive professional help, you can take simple steps to reset your air conditioner that may just get it working again.

Gladiator Services, Hillsdale's expert air conditioning repair company, is here to explain how to reset air conditioners. This guide also explains why air conditioners stop working and what you can do if resetting your air conditioner doesn't work.

Why Do Air Conditioners Need Resets?

Your AC unit uses an electrical power supply to circulate air throughout your home. This electricity flows through a device known as a circuit breaker. These circuit breakers include built-in safety features to prevent electrical issues during a power surge. 

When you experience a power surge, your air conditioner shuts down alongside the rest of your home's electrical appliances. It can take some time for air conditioners to recover from power surges, while on other occasions, they need a reset to get them up and running again.

How to Reset Your Air Conditioner

Resetting your air conditioner doesn't require a professional technician's help. 

1. Power Off Your Air Conditioner

To start, you'll want to find your home's circuit breaker. Locate the switch that controls your air conditioner's electric supply and set it to the off position. You'll need to do this for each air conditioning unit that you have, so if you own a split system, switch the outdoor unit off as well.

2. Find Your Air Conditioner's Reset Button

Next, find your air conditioner's reset button; it's usually small and red. If you can't find it, check your owner's manual or call for professional help.

3. Hold the Reset Button for Three to Five Seconds

Press your unit's reset button for approximately three to five seconds before letting go. 

4. Turn the Circuit Breaker Back On

Finally, turn your circuit breaker's air conditioning switches back on, first for your indoor unit and then for your outdoor unit.

Voila! Your air conditioner should be running smoothly now, but you can test to see if it's working by checking your living spaces for cool air.

What If My AC Unit Doesn't Have a Reset Button?

While most air conditioners have a reset button, some don't, especially window and portable air conditioners. If you own one of these smaller types of air conditioners, all you have to do to reset them is unplug them for a few minutes; it's that easy.

If you own a larger air conditioning system that doesn't have a reset button, don't fret. You can still reset your unit using a different approach.

Simply turn your air conditioner off, and turn your breaker switches off. After waiting a few minutes, turn them back on, wait 30 minutes, then power up your air conditioner.

Sign You Need Air Conditioner Repair

While it's crucial that you understand how to reset an air conditioner, unfortunately, there are some air conditioning problems that you can't fix by resetting. Broken components, refrigerant leaks, and bad wiring require dedicated, professional help. If you notice any of these signs, contact your local air conditioning repair experts.

Warm Air

Your air conditioner shouldn't be producing warm air, but this common problem can occur for many different reasons. Bad air filters and faulty condenser coils can interrupt your unit's functioning, making it difficult or impossible for it to convert hot air into cool air. 

Refrigerant Leaks

Air conditioners rely on liquid refrigerant to function. In particular, this refrigerant removes heat from warm air, making it cool and ready to circulate throughout your home. However, when refrigerant lines rupture or break, refrigerant can pool inside or outside your unit, impairing its functioning.

If you notice icy frost or strange, blue liquid on your unit, you almost certainly have refrigerant issues. You shouldn't wait to fix these problems, as continued refrigerant exposure can cause serious health problems. 

Short Cycling

When you power up your AC unit and realize it's only working for short periods at a time, you're experiencing short cycling. Short cycling occurs when your air conditioner repeatedly overheats or suffers some other internal issues. Besides causing headaches and stress, short cycling can strain your system, leading to even more complications and problems.

Changing your unit's air filter can fix short cycling, but other times, there's something deeper at play, like bad wiring or faulty evaporator coils. In any event, you should contact your local HVAC experts to get your unit working consistently and effectively.

Frequent Circuit Breaker Issues

Circuit breakers should sometimes trip, like when there's a sudden surge of electricity or some other dangerous threat to your home's power supply. However, it's not normal or ideal for your circuit breaker to constantly trip over and over again. 

Repeated circuit breaker issues can cause problems like overheating, technical failure, and even house-wide power outages. Sometimes, knowing how to reset an air conditioner can stop these problems, but on other occasions, you'll need an entirely new circuit breaker.

The Importance of Air Conditioning Maintenance

Regular maintenance can prevent AC problems before they occur, saving you time and money. Even better, maintaining your air conditioner isn't even that difficult!

All you need to do is regularly check your unit's air filters and exterior for any signs of dust, debris, or damage. When in doubt, however, you can always reach out to professional technicians for further assistance.

Professional Air Conditioner Repair Services

Now that you understand how to reset your air conditioner, you might've realized that your air conditioner is experiencing more serious issues.

Our team at Gladiator Services provides expert air conditioning repair and maintenance services in Hillsdale, NJ, and we know how to stop AC from tripping its breaker and how to reset air conditioners. Call us at (201) 419-6090 to get your free quote today!