It is not unusual for South Carolina to experience thunderstorms all summer, even on hot and humid days. Often they can be serious, with strong winds that can severely damage power lines. When that occurs, you can unexpectedly discover yourself in total darkness, even worse, without an air conditioner!

So when the power has been restored, you simply want to switch your air conditioner back on, particularly on a hot summer day. But, you might be puzzled to discover that your air conditioning system is not working.

Can electrical damage cause it?

Before jumping to conclusions, HVAC contractors suggest you try to reboot your air conditioning system after a power failure.

HVAC Contractor’s Guide on Air Conditioner Reboot

Even a simple thunderstorm can cause lighting to strike, triggering a power surge that can trip the breaker. If it was simply a random blackout and not brought on by a storm, there could still be a surge when the power comes back. That’s simply the breaker doing its task of securing your devices. All you need to do is understand how to reset the breaker and turn the system back on.