How Do I Reset My Air Conditioning Unit When It Stops Working?

An underperforming air conditioning unit can quickly become dangerous during the height of summer. When you wake up sweating in the middle of the night and sleepily search, “How do I reset my air conditioning unit?” you may not find the information you need quickly.  Here is a guide to restarting your air conditioner and when you should call a professional. 

Smooth Sailing Heating & Cooling is Boiling Springs’ most trusted HVAC company for all your heating and cooling needs. Call us at (864) 689-2303 when you need reliable AC services in Boiling Springs, SC.

Restarting Your Air Conditioning Unit

If you know what to look for, the resetting process should only take a few minutes. You can safely restart your air conditioner yourself in a few easy steps:

• Locate the electrical panel in your home. If your electrical panel is well-labeled, you should be able to easily locate the breaker to switch off the power supply to your air conditioning unit.
• Pinpoint the reset button on your air conditioning unit. It is a small red button. 
• Press the reset button for five seconds.
• Wait a few minutes for residual heat to dissipate from the unit.
• Turn on all circuit breakers you switched off, and turn your air conditioning unit back on.

Your air conditioner may not immediately start blowing cool air. Wait a few minutes for the air conditioning unit to restart, and check the vents for cool air. 

If Your Unit Doesn’t Have a Reset Button

If you can’t locate the reset button on your air conditioning unit, locate the user manual. Once you confirm that your unit does not have a reset button, you can move forward with resetting your unit a different way.



Instead of using the reset button, you must turn off the power to the condenser inside your unit. Locate the unit panel and turn off the condenser power.

Next, switch off the breaker to your air conditioning unit.

Now, unplug your unit and leave all power disconnected for half an hour.

After enough time has passed, you can restore power. First, switch on the breaker and then plug in your air conditioning unit. 

Ensure your thermostat is set to your desired temperature. 

Reasons to Restart Your Air Conditioner

If you find yourself wondering, "How do I reset my air conditioning unit?" you may also wonder when it's necessary. Here are a few reasons to restart your air conditioning system:

You Experienced a Power Outage

In the event of a power outage, air conditioners have a safety feature to prevent the unit from catching fire. If your power went out recently, and your air conditioner didn’t resume working when the power came back on, the circuit breaker probably tripped. Resetting your air conditioner should restore full function.

Thermostat Recalibration

Occasionally, the thermostat fails to tell your air conditioner to reach the set temperature. If you lower the thermostat and your air conditioning unit does not provide cool air, resetting the unit may fix the problem.

Additional Problems

If you finish the reset process, either with the reset button or with a manual reset, and your air conditioning unit does not resume cooling the space, there could be an electrical issue inside your unit. A professional HVAC technician can diagnose the problem and perform necessary repairs. 

When to Call a Professional

Air conditioning units require regular maintenance to avoid discontinuation in operation. An air conditioning unit is a major electrical appliance. If you attempt to repair electrical problems yourself, you could end up causing a fire or electrocuting yourself. 

Over time, the evaporator coils on your air conditioner could form a leak. When this happens, resetting your air conditioner will not help. When your evaporator coils leak, refrigerant slowly seeps from the coil, resulting in warm air blowing from the vents.

It’s never worth it to attempt air conditioner repair on your own. A simple problem in the hands of an amateur can quickly turn into an expensive repair bill.  If you are still asking yourself, "How do I reset my air conditioning unit?" you should hire a professional.

HVAC Maintenance in Boiling Springs

A licensed professional can handle any air conditioner maintenance. If you want to upgrade your HVAC unit to a more efficient model, our Smooth Sailing team can find a great unit with a high air conditioner SEER rating to lower your energy bills.

Call 864-869-2303 and speak to our experienced team at Smooth Sailing Heating & Cooling in Boiling Springs, SC.