Frequently asked questions.

The more you use your home, the more often you need to change the filter. With pets in the home, consider changing it every 60 days. With several pets, or anyone with allergies or a respiratory condition, every 20 to 45 days. Vacation homes and vacant homes can usually wait 9 to 12 months.

Start with the batteries: if they've died, the thermostat can't power on. If new batteries don't help, check the breaker. Next, check the safety (float) switch in the drain pan: an underlying system problem can cut power to the thermostat. And if none of that works, the thermostat may be at the end of its life; the average one lasts about 10 years. Give us a call and we'll tell you whether it needs replacing.

A healthy system runs in cycles of about 15 to 20 minutes. If yours runs constantly without cooling, the most common causes are a clogged air filter, a filter that's too restrictive for your system (its MERV rating is too high), leaking air ducts, or low refrigerant from a leak. Refrigerant is dangerous to handle, so schedule an inspection for that one.

Swap the air filter regularly, keep up with routine maintenance, get problems repaired right away, keep the vents open in every room, have the ducts cleaned, and keep plants trimmed back from the outdoor unit so it can breathe.

Check the thermostat settings and its batteries, then the circuit breakers, then the filter. Make sure the switches on the indoor air handler and the outdoor unit are on, and check the drain pan and drain line for standing water. If you've checked all of that and it still won't run, it's time to call us.

The most common reason is a clogged condensate drain line. Other causes are a cracked or rusted drain pan, a broken condensate pump, a dirty filter that lets the coil freeze and then melt, or low refrigerant. If you hear hissing or the system isn't cooling well, call us.