If you notice that your air conditioning is not working as it should or it is not working at all, then your first instinct would probably be to call your local air conditioning repair service. After all, living in the heat can be absolutely unbearable.However, before you do this, you should consider checking these four things first:

1. The Power: First off, be sure that you check if the power in your home is working. During the day when you don't have any lights on, it can be difficult to determine whether or not the power has gone out in your area. Check the lights in your home and call your local power company to determine when the power will be coming on again.
2. The Air Filter: If the air filter in your air conditioning unit is dirty, it could be that the air is being completely blocked from all the dirt and debris and is not able to make its way into your home. At some point, the air conditioner could become overworked and thus give out altogether. Be sure that you clean the air filter completely or change it out if you don't have a reusable filter. You can purchase a new air filter at your local hardware store. 
3. The Fuse Box: The air conditioner could not be working because of a tripped circuit. If this is the case, you will want to try resetting the circuit breaker. If your AC starts up again, then you know that was the problem and don't have to worry about it any longer. However, if the air conditioner trips again in the near future, you will want to be sure that you call an electrician because, at this point, it would be an electrical problem and not a problem with the AC itself. 
4. ​The Disconnect Switch: Finally, be sure that you check the disconnect switch that is located on the outside unit and the inside unit. Be sure that it hasn't accidentally been unplugged or switched of. 

By doing these four things before calling an air conditioning repair service, you can save yourself a great deal of time and money. Plus, once you realize that you do need to hire a service, they will actually be able to correct a major problem instead of fix a small problem that you could've fixed on your own. For more information on repair, contact a company like Shenandoah Air Conditioning & Heating.