When it’s hot outside, you depend on your air conditioner to keep things cool inside. But is your AC taking a long time to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which push your AC system harder than usual. However, if it’s not very hot outside and your cooling is still having a tough time, your air conditioner may have a problem. Follow these tips to help you troubleshoot the matter.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioning system takes too long to cool down the house. The purpose of a filter is to catch airborne particles that may harm sensitive HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even capture microscopic airborne allergens to improve indoor air quality.
Eventually, the filter becomes stuffed with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, limiting the flow of air. Besides making the AC unit take a long time to cool down the house, this issue can also result in more expensive energy bills, increased wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter each month and exchange it if it looks dirty. Don't wait over three months to replace the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re unsure where an air filter can be found, ask your HVAC technician at your next service visit.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat must be compatible with your air conditioner to work properly. Then, you must set it correctly to sustain 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 settings, or don’t feel comfortable programming a thermostat by yourself, get in touch with an HVAC technician at Strand Brothers 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 absorbs heat from the air using refrigerant. It’s more difficult for the refrigerant to absorb heat effectively if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take longer to lower the temperature of your house.
Solution: Call our HVAC experts to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this visit consists of cleaning out dust and grime from the evaporator coil to improve cooling performance.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
A cooling cycle requires moving hot refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it expels heat to the exterior. That said, if the outdoor unit is dirty or surrounded by encroaching vegetation, the cooling cycle can be less effective.
Solution: Lightly clean the outdoor unit to get rid of dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to boost airflow.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is vital to air conditioning. Normally, this substance moves in a closed loop among the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your AC loses refrigerant, it becomes more difficult to handle the cycle of absorbing and releasing heat from your home.
Solution: Only a licensed technician can mend refrigerant leaks and replenish the system. If you suspect this problem, call up our HVAC specialists for help at once.
Leaky Ductwork
Air ducts are the arteries and veins of your HVAC system. A leak on either the return or supply side might make your air conditioner perform harder and longer maintain comfortable temperatures.
Solution: If you notice inconsistent temperatures and high amounts of dust throughout the house, call Strand Brothers 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 through your home as long as the air vents are open and free from any obstructions. Shutting too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, contributing to more breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Take a look at the vents in every room, seeing to it that they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, rugs or drapes.
Outdated or Poorly Sized Air Conditioning System
Did you put in your cooling more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the system becomes less effective and might struggle to maintain steady cooling. Furthermore, have you recently built a home extension or made other modifications? This may leave you with an undersized air conditioner that won't always keep up with demand.
Solution: The only solution for an outdated or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Depend on our trained HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.
Schedule AC Repair with Strand Brothers Service Experts
If your troubleshooting efforts prove ineffective, it’s time to bring in the HVAC specialists at Strand Brothers Service Experts. We supply fast, reliable services to get your AC back up and running as quickly as possible. You can rest easy knowing our technicians follow the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term peace of mind. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or any other HVAC services today.