When it’s sizzling outside, you rely on your air conditioner to keep things comfortable inside. But is your air conditioner taking a long time to cool down the house? This is common on sweltering days, which strain your cooling harder than normal. However, if it’s not particularly hot outside and your AC is still struggling, your HVAC system may have a problem. Follow these tips to help you resolve the matter.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an AC system needs too much time to cool down the house. The function of a filter is to snare airborne particles that might cause problems for delicate HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even capture very small airborne contaminants to enhance indoor air quality.
Eventually, the filter becomes clogged with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, limiting the flow of air. Besides making an air conditioning system take more time to cool down the house, this issue can also result in higher energy bills, increased wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter once a month and change it if it appears dirty. Don't wait past three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re not sure where your air filter is, talk to your HVAC technician at your next service visit.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat has to be compatible with your air conditioner to function properly. Then, you have to set it correctly to maintain a comfortable temperature. Using a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat provides the best results.
Solution: If you want to upgrade your thermostat, require help learning about programmable features, or don’t feel comfortable programming a thermostat on your own, get in touch with an HVAC technician at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for support.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners come with an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit features the evaporator coil, which takes in heat from the air via the refrigerant. It’s hard for the refrigerant to soak up heat properly if the evaporator coil is dirty, making it take more time to cool your house.
Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC specialists to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this call consists of clearing away dust and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling efficiency.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
A cooling cycle involves sending heated refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat into the outdoor air. Unfortunately, if the outdoor unit is dirty or surrounded by encroaching vegetation, the cooling process may be less effective.
Solution: Lightly clean the outdoor unit to remove dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to enhance ventilation.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is vital to air conditioning. Normally, this substance moves in a closed loop back and forth between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your cooling loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and releasing heat from your home.
Solution: Only a trained technician can fix refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you think you're dealing with this problem, call our HVAC experts for help straight away.
Leaky Ductwork
Air ducts are vital to your HVAC system. A leak from either the return or supply side can make your air conditioner run harder and longer maintain comfortable temperatures.
Solution: If you notice inconsistent temperatures and an excessive amount of dust in the house, get ahold of Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning to take a look at your ventilation. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Conditioned air can only circulate around your home as long as the air vents are open and free from any obstructions. Closing too many vents can even disrupt the system’s balance, contributing to increased breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Inspect the vents in each room, making sure they’re open and unblocked by furniture, carpets or drapes.
Aging or Poorly Sized AC System
Did you put in your air conditioning more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the AC becomes less efficient and might be unable to maintain steady cooling. Additionally, have you recently built a home extension or made other modifications? This could result in an undersized air conditioner that will struggle to keep up with demand.
Solution: The only solution for an old or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Count on our certified 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 call in the HVAC pros at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide fast, effective support to get your cooling back up and running as soon as possible. You can rest easy knowing our technicians adhere to the highest standards of customer service to ensure your long-term satisfaction. Contact us to request air conditioning repair or additional HVAC services today.