How to Restart Your A/C after a Power Outage

Here in Richmond, we’re used to rapidly changing weather. Thunder and lightning storms can strike fast in the spring and summer. If lightning strikes your power line, it can cut off power in your home or cause a surge which shuts your appliances. High winds can have the same effect by knocking down power lines and trees.

Maybe you can go a few days without your microwave and toaster, but going without A/C in the Virginia heat is nearly impossible. Not to mention dangerous. That’s why it’s important to know how to restart your A/C after a power outage.

Follow these 5 steps and you’ll get your air back on in no time:

1. Turn off your air conditioner with the thermostat. Yes, this really is as simple as going to your thermostat and switching the setting to “off.” This will keep your thermostat from connecting with the AC while you reset your circuit breaker.
2. Turn your air conditioner off with the circuit breaker. After you turn off the AC at the thermostat, you’ll want to go to your circuit breaker. This is usually located in a garage, storage room, or basement. Your circuit breaker box should have a switch for the air conditioner. Set it to “off.”
3. Flip the AC back on at the circuit breaker. After you’ve turned off the circuit breaker, you’ll want to switch it back to “on.” Think of it like restarting your computer after it crashes.
4. Wait 30 minutes. Give your air conditioner some time to reset after you turn it on. It can take around 30 minutes for the internal circuitry to get back up and running, so wait half an hour before moving to the next step.
5. Turn the thermostat back on. After you’ve waited for 30 minutes, go to the thermostat and set your system back to “on.” Your AC should turn back on successfully. If it does not, that may mean that the system was damaged during the storm.

Contact Bradley Mechanical if Your AC Doesn’t Turn On

We’ll send out our certified technicians to fix your system quickly. We know how frustrating it can be to live without air conditioning, especially in the summer. That’s why we’ll make sure to solve the problem at the source. Our air conditioning repair is thorough the first time, so you won’t have to worry about calling us back out anytime soon.

Is a Generator Right for You?

If the power goes down and stays down — the only way to get it back is with a generator. If you live in an area where you experienced frequent power outages, a generator could be a great investment for your home. They are also a great fail-safe for businesses who don’t want to suffer the financial consequences of closing due to a power outage. At Bradley Mechanical, we carry a variety of generator systems that can help protect you in the event of a major power outage. We sell, repair, and service generators in Richmond, Chesterfield, Midlothian, and throughout Central Virginia.