Troubleshooter
What's your system doing?
Answer a few plain-language questions and get either a genuinely safe check you can do yourself, or a straight answer that it's time to call — and how urgently.
What’s your system doing?
Pick the closest match — two to four plain-language questions later you’ll have either a safe check or a clear next step.
Safety first: we'll only ever suggest checks that are safe for homeowners — filters, breakers, thermostats, vents, and water shutoffs. Anything involving refrigerant, gas, or opening equipment routes straight to a professional. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your utility from outside before anything else.
Browse by symptom
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AC running but not cooling
An AC that runs without cooling usually has restricted airflow, a tripped outdoor unit, or low refrigerant. Check the filter and the outdoor breaker first; refrigerant problems need a technician.
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Ice on the AC or refrigerant lines
Ice means the coil is running colder than designed — usually a dirty filter, blocked airflow, or low refrigerant. Turn the system off to thaw before anything else; running it frozen can destroy the compressor.
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Heat pump not heating
Check the thermostat mode and batteries first, then the breakers. Brief steam during defrost cycles is normal; constant ice or cold air in heat mode needs a technician.
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Furnace won't start
If you smell gas, leave the house and call your utility from outside before anything else. Otherwise check the thermostat, the furnace switch, and the breaker — ignition and safety-control faults need a professional.
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No hot water
First look for water around the unit — a leaking tank is a replacement conversation and worth shutting the water off. If it's dry, an electric unit may just have a tripped breaker; gas ignition problems need a pro.
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House feels humid or musty
Cool but clammy usually means the system isn't running long enough to dehumidify, or moisture is entering faster than the AC can remove it. Filters and run settings are the safe checks; persistent mustiness deserves an assessment.
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Strange smells or noises
Gas or rotten-egg smells mean leave the house and call your utility from outside. Burning smells that persist mean shut the system down. Grinding or screeching means turn it off and call — running it makes the damage worse.
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Thermostat is blank
A blank thermostat is often just dead batteries or a tripped breaker — but it can also be a safety switch doing its job, like a full condensate pan cutting power. Those two checks are safe; beyond them, call.
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Plumbing leak or water where it shouldn't be
Active leaks: shut off the water at the fixture stop or the house main, then call. Slow stains and warm floor spots point to hidden leaks that professional diagnosis finds fastest — Lowcountry humidity turns small leaks into mold quickly.
Rather just talk to a person?
A real human answers until 9 PM — describe what's happening and we'll take it from there.