When it’s scorching outside, you count on your AC system to keep things balmy inside. But is your AC taking forever to cool down the house? This is common on sweltering days, which squeeze your air conditioner harder than normal. However, if it’s not very hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a tough time, your cooling equipment might have a problem. Use these tips to help you troubleshoot the problem.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most likely reason an AC system needs too much time to cool down the house. The job of a filter is to trap airborne debris that can damage sensitive HVAC equipment. More effective filters even capture tiny airborne allergens to increase indoor air quality.
As time passes, the filter becomes clogged with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, limiting circulation. Besides making an air conditioner take longer to cool down the house, this problem can also produce higher energy bills, additional wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter once a month and change it if it looks dirty. Don't wait more than three months to replace the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re not sure where an air filter is, check with your HVAC technician at your next service appointment.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your air conditioner to work properly. Then, you have to set it correctly to reach a nice temperature. Using a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat offers the best results.
Solution: If you want to update your thermostat, need help learning about programmable features, or may not feel comfortable programming a thermostat yourself, contact an HVAC technician at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for support.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners have an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit includes the evaporator coil, which takes in heat from the air via the refrigerant. It’s more difficult for the refrigerant to hold onto heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take more time to cool your house.
Solution: Contact our HVAC professionals to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this maintenance consists of clearing away dust and grime from the evaporator coil to boost cooling performance.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
A cooling cycle involves moving warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it expels heat away from your home. That said, if the outdoor unit is dirty or overgrown with encroaching plants, the cooling process can be less efficient.
Solution: Carefully clean the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to around 12 inches from the unit to enhance airflow.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is the key to air conditioning. Usually, this substance travels in a closed loop between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your air conditioner loses refrigerant, it becomes more difficult to handle the cycle of absorbing and dissipating heat from your home.
Solution: Only a trained technician can repair refrigerant leaks and refresh the system. If you believe your AC is struggling with this problem, get in touch with our HVAC experts for help in no time.
Leaky Ductwork
Air ducts are vital to your HVAC system. A leak in either the return or supply side could make your air conditioner perform harder and longer to cool your home.
Solution: If you notice inconsistent temperatures and excessive dust around the house, contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning to examine your ventilation. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Cool air can only move around your home as long as the air vents are open and clear. Closing too many vents can even disrupt the system’s balance, contributing to increased breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Inspect the vents in every room, seeing to it that they’re open and not blocked by furniture, carpeting or window treatments.
Old or Poorly Sized AC System
Did you put in your cooling more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the AC becomes less effective and could struggle to maintain comfortable temperatures. Furthermore, have you recently completed a home add-on or made other alterations? This might lead to an undersized air conditioner that can’t keep up with demand.
Solution: The only fix for an old or undersized air conditioner is to exchange it. Trust our qualified HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.
Schedule AC Repair with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
If your troubleshooting efforts prove ineffective, it’s time to contact the HVAC specialists at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. We supply fast, efficient service to get your HVAC system back up and running right away. You can rest easy knowing our technicians adhere to the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term peace of mind. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or additional HVAC services today.