Check the breaker, the filter, and the thermostat first — those three resolve a real share of heatwave calls. Then protect the people in the house, because during a Texas heat event that matters more than the equipment does.
Protect People First
Heat illness is a genuine risk in a house without cooling during a Hill Country heat wave, particularly for elderly residents, infants, anyone with a chronic condition, and pets.
Move to the lowest, coolest part of the house. Close blinds and curtains on every window, especially west-facing ones. Run ceiling and box fans — moving air helps considerably even when it is not cooled. Drink water continuously rather than waiting for thirst.
If indoor temperature is climbing into dangerous territory and the repair will not be immediate, leave. A cooling centre, a relative’s house, or a few hours at a store or library is the right call. Do not wait it out to save a trip.
The Three Things to Check
The breaker. Air conditioners have two circuits — outdoor unit and indoor blower. Check both. Flip fully off and back on. If it trips again, stop resetting it; the breaker is responding to a real electrical fault.
Also look for the service switch near the indoor unit. It looks like an ordinary light switch and gets flipped by accident more often than you would think.
The filter, and look for ice. A clogged air filter restricts airflow, the evaporator coil freezes, and cooling stops entirely. If you see ice on the refrigerant lines, switch the system to fan only and let it thaw completely — running it frozen sends liquid refrigerant back to the compressor and turns a filter problem into a replacement.
The thermostat. Set to COOL, setpoint below room temperature, fresh batteries.
Check the Condensate Pan
Your system removes gallons of water a day in this climate, and the drain line clogs with biological growth.
Most systems have a float switch that shuts the unit off when the pan fills. That safety working correctly presents as the air conditioning quitting for no apparent reason — which during a heat wave is exactly when it happens, because the system has been running continuously and producing maximum condensate.
Standing water in the pan is your answer.
If the Outdoor Unit Hums but the Fan Is Still
Shut the system off immediately. That is usually a failed capacitor, and a compressor running without the condenser fan overheats fast.
This is the most common way an inexpensive part destroys an expensive one, and every minute it runs makes it worse.
Reduce the Load While You Wait
Close off unused rooms. Avoid the oven and the dryer — both dump significant heat into the house. Delay dishwashing until evening.
Once outdoor temperatures drop below indoor, open windows and run fans to flush the house. In the Hill Country evening temperatures fall sharply after sunset, and this genuinely helps.
Why It Failed Now
Failures cluster on the hottest days because a marginal component carries a light load without complaint in April.
A drifting capacitor, worn bearings, or slightly low refrigerant charge all survive mild weather. Then the system runs eighteen hours a day against a hundred-degree afternoon and the weak part gives out.
That is also when every HVAC company in the county is booked, which is the practical argument for spring AC maintenance — and why members of our Care Club maintenance plan get priority dispatch during exactly these weeks.
Calling for Help
Our emergency AC repair line runs around the clock. When you call, telling us what you have already checked and any symptoms — noises, ice, whether the outdoor fan is turning — genuinely speeds up the visit.
Call (830) 240-1835 or contact 72 Degrees.
