Lightning is one of the biggest threats to your home during a severe storm. If it strikes a utility pole, it can create a power surge that can cut off power to your home. Once power is restored, it’s likely that some of your appliances, including your furnace or air conditioner, won’t start when you try to turn them back on.

Knowing how to turn your HVAC system back on after losing power for a while is imperative. Trusted residential and commercial air conditioning contractor Cool Zone Air Conditioning & Heating shares the following steps for resetting your home comfort equipment after a power outage.

Turn off the air conditioner from the thermostat. The first step to restarting your air conditioning system is to shut it off at the thermostat. Doing so will stop it from “asking” the equipment for cooling until you reset the breakers. If you have a battery-operated thermostat, the issue can be fixed by installing new batteries. Otherwise, proceed to the next steps.

Reset the breaker. After shutting off your air conditioner at the thermostat, you’ll want to do the same thing at the circuit breaker. Check the circuit box located in your garage, laundry room, basement, or exterior part of your home and find the right breaker for the equipment. Flip the switch off, then back to the “on” position.

Wait for a few minutes. Resetting the internal circuitry of your HVAC system following a power outage takes time. Air conditioning repair technicians recommend waiting at least 30 minutes before proceeding to the final steps. Make sure your thermostat is set to “off” during this time.

Switch to “cooling” mode on your thermostat. After the 30-minute waiting period is up, turn the thermostat back to “cool.” You should hear the sound of your air conditioner turning back up. Adjust the temperature on the thermostat to at least five degrees below the room temperature for the unit to provide enough cooling.

What if after all these steps, the air conditioner still doesn’t turn back on? In this case, there might be a problem with your cooling system’s internal components, which is why you must get in touch with your HVAC technician right away. Cool Zone Air Conditioning & Heating is here to take care of this issue for you while minimizing disruptions.

Our NATE-certified HVAC experts specialize in both residential and commercial air conditioner installations, repair, and maintenance. Give us a call at (623) 777-3881 or fill out our contact form to request a quote or set up a service appointment.

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