When it’s hot outside, you count on your air conditioner to keep things cool inside. But is your AC taking forever to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which push your air conditioner harder than average. However, if it’s not particularly hot outside and your air conditioner is still having a hard time, your cooling equipment could have a problem. Follow these tips to help you troubleshoot the issue.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most common reason an air conditioner needs more time to lower the temperature of the house. The job of a filter is to snare airborne debris that may harm sensitive HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even catch microscopic airborne allergens to enhance indoor air quality.
Over time, the filter becomes blocked up with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting airflow. Besides making your air conditioner take a long time to cool down the house, this situation can also result in more expensive energy bills, increased wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter once a month and exchange it if it appears dirty. Don't wait more than three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re uncertain where the air filter is located, check with your HVAC technician at your next service visit.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your cooling to function properly. Then, you have to set it correctly to sustain a nice temperature. Using a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat produces 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, contact an HVAC technician at Church Services for assistance.
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 with the refrigerant. It’s hard for the refrigerant to absorb heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is dirty, making it take more time to cool down the house.
Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC specialists to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An element of this visit consists of removing dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to improve cooling efficiency.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
A cooling cycle will require sending hot refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat away from your home. However, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching vegetation, the cooling process can be less successful.
Solution: Gently clean the outdoor unit to get rid of dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to improve airflow.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is the key to effective cooling. Typically, this substance moves in a closed loop back and forth between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak occurs and your AC loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and releasing heat from your home.
Solution: Only a trained technician can mend refrigerant leaks and refresh the system. If you think you're dealing with this problem, get in touch with our HVAC professionals for help straight away.
Leaky Ductwork
Air ducts are vital to your HVAC system. A leak on either the return or supply side could 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, get in touch with Church Services to take a look at your ventilation. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Cooled air can only circulate through your home if the supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Closing too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, contributing to additional breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Take a look at the vents in every room, seeing to it that they’re open and unblocked by furniture, carpets or curtains.
Outdated or Undersized AC System
Did you install your air conditioning more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the unit becomes less effective and may struggle to maintain comfortable temperatures. Additionally, have you recently completed a home add-on or made other changes? This can result in an undersized air conditioner that can’t keep up with demand.
Solution: The only fix for an outdated or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Depend on our qualified HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.
Schedule AC Repair with Church Services
If your troubleshooting efforts prove ineffective, it’s time to call in the HVAC pros at Church Services. We deliver fast, reliable services to get your HVAC system back up and running as soon as possible. You can count on the fact that our technicians stick to the highest standards of customer service to ensure your long-term comfort. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or any other HVAC services today.