Updated July 2023
Here in the St. Louis area, we have grown accustomed to the occasional severe storm during the spring and summer months. Along with the possibility of wind damage, one of the biggest threats to your home during severe weather is lightning. If lightning strikes a power line near your home, it can create a power surge that can shut down your appliances and even cut off power to your home. Because your air conditioner is powered by electricity, it’s useful to know how to turn it back on if it is affected by a loss of power. Today we’re going to explain how to do that by talking about how to restart your air conditioner after a power outage!
How to restart your air conditioner after a power outage
- Turn off your air conditioner at the thermostat. Just like restarting your computer, the first step to restarting your air conditioner is to shut your system off. The first place to do this is at your thermostat. Locate the “system” switch on your thermostat and set it to the “off” position.
- Turn off your air conditioner at the circuit breaker. After shutting off your air conditioner at your thermostat, you’ll want to do the same thing at the circuit breaker. Go to your circuit breaker and find the switch for your air conditioner. Set this switch to “off.”
- Turn your air conditioner back on at the circuit breaker. Now that your air conditioner is completely off, you can begin to turn it back on. To do this, you’ll first want to flip the switch at your circuit breaker back to the “on” position.
- Wait for 30 minutes. Your air conditioner’s internal circuitry needs some time to reset after you turn it back on. This can take approximately a half-hour, so sit tight for about 30 minutes.
- Turn your air conditioner back on at the thermostat. After 30 minutes have passed, turn your air conditioner back on at the thermostat. If nothing was damaged during the power outage, your system should turn back on successfully.
Contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning if your system won’t turn back on
If you followed the steps above and your air conditioner won’t turn back on, give Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning a call. There may be a problem with one of the electrical components, so your system will need to be inspected by a professional technician.
Protect your air conditioner with a surge protector from Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning
Although you can’t do much to prevent a power outage in your home, you can minimize the chances of a power surge affecting your air conditioner by installing an A/C surge protector. Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning can install a surge protector for your system so that you can operate it without worry, even during severe weather.
If you have any questions about how to restart an air conditioner after a power outage, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Charles, MO, air conditioning contractor. We provide service to the St. Louis area, including towns like Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Clarkson Valley, MO.
photo credit: acidpix via photopin (license)
