Most AC problems give you warning signs before they become emergencies — warm air, strange sounds, water where it should not be, a bill that jumped for no reason. These guides walk through what each symptom usually means, what you can safely check yourself, and when it is time to call.
Everything here is written for West Palm Beach homes: the salt air near the water, the older systems in the historic east-side neighborhoods, and the long cooling season that wears equipment down. If you are unsure about anything, call (561) 786-1337 — describing the symptom to us is always free.
The Four Problems We See Most
Day in and day out, West Palm Beach AC calls come down to four complaints. Each has its own guide below with safe homeowner checks and the likely causes.
- AC not cooling — running but blowing warm or weak air.
- AC won't turn on — nothing happens at all.
- Water leaking from the AC — water pooling at the indoor unit or dripping from ceilings.
- High electric bill — the system runs, but the meter spins too fast.
Safe Steps Before You Call
There are a few things any homeowner can check safely: the thermostat setting and mode, the air filter, the breaker (reset once), and whether the outdoor unit is blocked by debris or vegetation.
That is the whole list. Do not open the equipment, do not add refrigerant, and do not keep resetting a breaker that trips again. Those are our jobs.
When It Is an Emergency
Call right away — not tomorrow — if you smell burning or electrical odors, the breaker trips when the AC starts, water is leaking from the indoor unit onto floors or ceilings, or the system will not run at all in extreme heat with vulnerable people in the house.
Everything else can be a scheduled visit. But when in doubt, call. We would rather talk you through it than have you wait on something serious.
Common questions
Should I keep running the AC if something seems wrong?
If it is cooling weakly, you can usually run it until we arrive. If you hear grinding or screeching, smell burning, or see water leaking, turn it off and call us.
Can you tell me what's wrong over the phone?
We can narrow it down from the symptoms, but a real diagnosis needs eyes and instruments on the equipment. The phone call tells us what to bring and how urgent it is.
Is it worth repairing an old system?
It depends on the system's age, the repair cost, and the refrigerant type. Our [replacement page](/ac/replacement) walks through the repair-vs-replace framework we use.
Related help
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(561) 786-1337