If everything else shut down at the same time, you may simply be dealing with a power outage.
It’s much more efficient to keep the thermostat set to “auto” when you’re heating or cooling your home. Still, if it isn’t warm or cool enough for you, feel free to adjust the thermostat!
If there are any electrical issues, you won’t be able to fix those on your own. Call an electrician or HVAC technician to have them take a look at the problem.
On a central AC system, the filter is usually located in the duct on the return line, or on the furnace. In a ductless system, there’s a reusable filter on the condenser outside. For a window unit, the filter is usually behind the grates on the front. [5] X Research source
If there is any debris outside around your condenser unit, clear it away. This can occasionally be the source of the problem.
You can clean the coils on a window unit as well, but you’ll need to take it outside to do this.
It often helps to do this if you accidentally tripped a fuse or you just had a power outage and your AC is acting funny. However, if you have to do this frequently, it’s a sign that something may be going on with your system and you should get an HVAC pro to take a look at it.
Freon and other refrigerants can be toxic, so don’t mess around with any leaks or fluids in your AC system. [13] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
You can theoretically check the cartridge fuses on an AC system with a multimeter, but it won’t necessarily tell you much and it’s dangerous. A professional will be able to check the fuses in 30 seconds anyway, so there isn’t a particularly good reason to check them yourself.