Before you call your HVAC contractor because your air conditioning (or heating) system isn’t working, you might want to try a little trouble shooting on your own to see if something simple has gone wrong that you can identify and possibly fix yourself.

Start by making sure that power actually is available to your HVAC system. Look at your main electric service entrance panel for tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses. You also may have a power switch, circuit breaker or fuse panel just for your HVAC equipment – near the main service entrance or near the equipment itself – that should be checked out, too. You also may see a “reset” button on or near a motor housing; let the motor housing cool down if it’s hot (wait about half and hour to be sure), then try pressing the reset button.

If all this checks out, you can assume that power is available to your HVAC unit. (If you use gas, check that the supply line is turned on and the pilot light is lit.)

So, next check your thermostat: is it set where you really want it, especially if you have adjustable settings for different times of the day? Check to see if it’s working by changing the temperature settings a few degrees temporarily to see if the system responds; drop the setting by 5 to 10 degrees in the summer or raise it similarly in the winter.

If you’ve done these few preliminary checks and adjustments and your HVAC still isn’t working, it’s time to call a professional HVAC contractor. Just call one of those you’ll find listed at www.PAMCANI.org.