When it’s sizzling outside, you trust your cooling to keep things comfortable inside. But is your air conditioner taking forever to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which strain your cooling harder than average. However, if it’s not especially hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a hard time, your air conditioner might have a problem. Use these tips to help you resolve the matter.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an AC system takes too long to cool the house. The job of a filter is to snare airborne contaminants that could cause problems for delicate HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even catch tiny airborne particles to enhance indoor air quality.
Eventually, the filter becomes clogged with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, reducing the flow of air. Besides making your AC unit take more time to cool down the house, this issue can also lead to more expensive energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter each month and change it if it looks dirty. Don't wait over three months to replace the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re not sure where an air filter is located, talk to your HVAC technician at your next service visit.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat must be compatible with your AC system to function effectively. Then, you have to set it correctly to reach a cozy temperature. Employing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat provides the best results.
Solution: If you want to upgrade your thermostat, need help learning about programmable options, or may not feel comfortable programming a thermostat by yourself, get in touch with an HVAC technician at Air Engineers Service Experts for help.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners come with an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit houses the evaporator coil, which collects heat from the air with the refrigerant. It’s more difficult for the refrigerant to hold onto heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is filthy, making it take more time to lower the temperature of your house.
Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC experts to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this maintenance consists of clearing away dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling efficiency.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
A cooling cycle requires transporting warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat into the outdoor air. That said, if the outdoor unit is dirty or overgrown with encroaching plants, the cooling cycle might be less effective.
Solution: Gently hose off the outdoor unit to get rid of dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, prune back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to improve airflow.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is the key to air conditioning. Usually, this substance flows in a closed loop between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak develops and your cooling loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and releasing heat from your home.
Solution: Only a trained technician can repair refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you suspect this problem, call our HVAC experts for help right away.
Leaky Ductwork
Air ducts are the highways of your HVAC system. A leak on either the return or supply side can make your air conditioner perform harder and longer to keep your home cool.
Solution: If you experience irregular temperatures and an excessive amount of dust around the house, call Air Engineers Service Experts to take a look at your ductwork. Duct sealing or replacement can fix the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Conditioned air can only circulate around your home if the vents are open and clear. Closing too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, contributing to more breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Check the vents in each room, making sure they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, rugs or window treatments.
Old or Undersized Air Conditioner
Did you install your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As time passes, the unit becomes less effective and could fail to maintain a comfortable home. Furthermore, have you recently built a home extension or made other improvements? This can leave you with an undersized air conditioner that can’t keep up with demand.
Solution: The only solution for an outdated or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Depend on our certified HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.
Schedule AC Repair with Air Engineers Service Experts
If your troubleshooting attempts prove ineffective, it’s time to bring in the HVAC professionals at Air Engineers Service Experts. We deliver fast, effective support to get your AC back up and running as quickly as possible. You can rest easy knowing our technicians adhere to the highest standards of care to ensure your long-term satisfaction. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or any other HVAC services today.