My AC won't start after a storm. What should I check?
After a storm, look before you touch: check the outdoor unit for visible damage, debris, or standing water, then the breaker, then the condensate float switch, which shuts the system off on purpose when a drain line clogs. If the unit sat in floodwater or took visible damage, leave the power off and call instead of resetting anything. The same goes if the breaker keeps tripping, you smell burning, or water is pooling near the indoor unit.
Inspect the Outdoor Unit, But Don't Touch the Wiring
Walk around the outdoor unit and look for obvious storm damage: bent fins, debris packed against the sides, a fallen branch or fence panel, or standing water around the base. A gentle hose rinse to clear leaves and dirt off the exterior coil is fine. Give it a few minutes to drain and dry before trying to restart the system. Opening the access panel or touching any wiring is not part of this step. Storms can loosen electrical connections inside the unit, and that's not something to check yourself.
If the unit looks physically fine but still won't start, or if it hums without starting, the problem is likely electrical or mechanical inside the cabinet rather than anything visible from the outside.
Reset the Breaker Once, Not Twice
One rule comes before any of this: if the outdoor unit sat in floodwater or shows visible storm damage, leave the power off and call instead of resetting anything. Storms cause power surges and flickers that can trip a breaker without damaging anything else. Go to your electrical panel and find the breaker labeled for the AC or air handler. If it's tripped, switch it fully off, then back on, one time. This is one of the few checks in your electrical panel that's safe to do yourself, precisely because it doesn't involve opening the AC unit at all. If the system starts and runs normally, you're likely done.
If the breaker trips again right after you reset it, stop there. A breaker that won't hold is telling you there's a short or an overload somewhere in the system, and that's electrical work for a licensed technician, not a DIY project.
Why Storms Hit AC Systems Especially Hard
A single storm can stack up several small problems at once: a power flicker that trips a breaker, wind-driven debris that packs into the outdoor coil, and heavy rain that overwhelms a drain line, all within the same afternoon. None of these is unusual on its own. It's the combination, all happening within a few hours, that makes storm season different from a random midsummer breakdown.
That's also why checking things in order matters. Fixing one issue, like resetting a breaker, doesn't rule out a second one, like a clogged drain line, sitting underneath it. Working through a checklist in order, rather than stopping at the first thing you find, gives you a more complete picture before you decide whether the system is actually fine or still needs a second look.
Look for a Tripped Float Switch
Heavy rain can overwhelm a condensate drain line, especially one that already had a little algae or debris built up. Most systems have a float switch that senses rising water in the drain pan and shuts the whole system off on purpose, before that water backs up into your ceiling or walls. Most sit in or on the drain pan at the air handler, or on the drain pipe just past it, so it can help to check both spots. If the breaker is fine and the unit has power, but nothing happens when you lower the thermostat, a tripped float switch is a common reason.
A careful drain-line clear is a safe step here: a wet/dry vacuum at the outdoor end of the drain line can sometimes pull a minor clog free. If the switch still will not reset after that, leave it and call. If that doesn't reset things, or you can't find the drain line, that's a good point to call in a professional instead of guessing further.
When to Stop and Call It In
Some situations mean you should stop troubleshooting right away. If you smell burning, shut the system off and call right away. If the breaker trips more than once, water is pooling near the indoor unit, or the system hums but won't start, stop checking. Switch your thermostat to off (not just up) to protect the system if it's frozen or struggling. Then call in a professional.
For storm-related outages, timing matters, especially once the heat builds back up inside the house. That's what same-day service is for: a fast, safe diagnosis instead of hours of guessing while the house gets hotter. It also means a technician isn't starting from zero, since you can describe exactly what you already checked and what you found. And if the outdoor unit flooded or took a visible hit, that is a stop on its own: do not re-energize it, describe what you see when you call.
Storm Knocked Out Your AC? Work Through This Order First
If the checklist above doesn't get things running again, call or text (239) 350-5234. After-hours and weekend calls are welcome, with a $125 call-out fee outside business hours.