Air Conditioning - Air fans not working

We just purchased our first house and I know very little about repairs...so please bear with me!

Our central air stopped working today for the first time. There is no activity from either the blower inside the house or the condensor outside. I checked our main breaker box and everything there seems fine for both the AC and the furnace. I also cannot get the furnace to operate after I adjust the thermostat to where it should turn on. Have toggled on/auto at the thermostat. Have checked the main switch next to the furnace blower. That's all I really know how to do. It sounds like maybe a blower problem, but the outside fan is not working either.

Some confessions: We have not done anything with maitenance in the last 2 years. I have learned a lot trying to figure out what to do today. The filter is loaded, there is a bush grown next to the outside unit, none of the coils have been cleaned. I know that is all bad, and maybe what caused the problem, but what to do now?? If I clean everything up, I'm guessing that won't make it start working. Are there any other fuses to be looking for on the units themselves?

Any ideas would help. Should I call a serviceman?

i would call a tech to service your unit. it sounds as if there is no low voltage present at the tstat

is it a heat pump or gas unit?

do you have a meter or test light to look for 24 volts at the tstat??

Try locating the breakers for the funace in the main breaker panel. Turn the breaker off, then back on. This will confirm that the breaker isn't tripped.

Assuming that all is well with the breakers and switches, the only other thing to suspect in your case would be the thermostat. It could have gone bad or you could have a mouse that chewed on the control wires between the furnace and the thermostat. If you feel comfortable with opening up the furnace/central air there are a few simple tests you can perform. Somewhere there should be a small, multiconductor wire running into the furnace from the thermostat. The wire should be running to terminals that are marked R,G,Y, and W. Try taking a small jumper wire and jumpering between R and G. If the inside furnace fan comes on then you know that the problem is either the thermostat or the wires. You can try removing the thermostat from its base and using the same jumper wire as before and jumper the R and G terminals on the thermostat base itself. If the fan comes on this confirms that the wire is in good order and it's time to suspect the thermostat.

If the fan doesn't come on then there is a power supply problem somewhere and you will most likely need to call for professional help.

PS...Does your thermostat require a battery?? If it does make sure the battery is good.

also check on the circuit board, if there is one, for a blade fuse.