Your air conditioner uses a big 240V outlet, and it certainly pulls in a lot of power. But sometimes there’s too much power being drawn in the home, especially if the AC runs when other major appliances are running, and smaller outlets are being pushed to their limits.
This results in an air conditioner burnt outlet due to electrical overload, and it’s not a small problem. So what are you supposed to do about this? Let’s explain.
The Overload Fried Your Outlet
If your AC won’t turn on anymore, and you notice that the outlet has burn marks on it, it’s a classic sign of electrical overload. Now the issue is finding out just exactly what fried, and how far spread the damage is.
The burn marks are just the sliver of damage you can see. The wires that connect your outlet, and the wiring to your air conditioner, have also been hit. It’s worth getting an HVAC technician to inspect the damage, but the AC outlet might not be your only problem.
The Issue Could be Faulty Wiring
Homes have to be rewired every so often. Not just to stay within safety standards, but to withstand the load of electricity we use nowadays. Everything you buy has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, we’re on more devices than ever, so it’s reasonable to assume that your home’s wiring wasn’t built for this task.
If this is the case, we’ll handle your AC repairs, but we also offer electrician services, and these include rewiring. If the wiring in your home is faulty or just plain outdated, we can take care of this problem at the root so you don’t run into it again for the foreseeable future.
It Might Just Be Loose Connections
Your wiring might actually be okay, but it could just be loose. Loose connections can happen due to time and wear and tear, but this is something any good electrician should account for during installation. The previous owner of the home might have already had this problem.
So where do you go from here? An inspection of your electrical systems, and potential rewiring. We know this problem started with your air conditioner, but that was just the catalyst of a much bigger problem in your home’s electrical system.
The Wrath of Mother Nature
This can also happen from a voltage surge that there’s no way to see coming. Storms can do a lot to the electrical grid, and that includes high-voltage surges. If this happened, it could have fried your wiring and your air conditioner outlet.
The good news? Your home likely wasn’t wired wrong. The bad news? It doesn’t really matter, because it has to be rewired anyway.
It’s Not a DIY Kind of Problem
There are some problems that are just not DIY warrior-friendly, and this is one of them. Certified, insured electricians and HVAC contractors should handle every one of the steps required to fix this problem and get your home back up and running again. That’s where we come in.
Contact Air Supreme Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule your air conditioner repair as soon as possible.