When it’s scorching outside, you depend on your air conditioner to keep things cool inside. But is your air conditioner taking too long to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which strain your AC system harder than usual. However, if it’s not especially hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a tough time, your air conditioning may have a problem. Try these tips to help you resolve the problem.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most likely reason an air conditioning system takes too long to cool the house. The job of a filter is to catch airborne debris that may damage delicate HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even catch microscopic airborne allergens to improve indoor air quality.
Eventually, the filter becomes clogged with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, reducing airflow. Besides making your air conditioning system take more time to cool down the house, this issue can also lead to larger energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter every month and replace it if it seems dirty. Try not to wait over three months to replace the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re unsure where an air filter is, check with your HVAC technician at your next service visit.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your air conditioner to function effectively. Then, you must set it correctly to maintain a cozy temperature. Installing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat provides the best results.
Solution: If you want to replace your thermostat, require help learning about programmable options, or may not feel comfortable programming a thermostat by yourself, get in touch with an HVAC technician at Peitz Service Experts for help.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners possess 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 hard for the refrigerant to soak up heat properly if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take longer to cool down the house.
Solution: Call our HVAC experts to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An element of this visit includes removing dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to boost cooling performance.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
Your AC system's cooling cycle requires sending warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat away from your home. Unfortunately, if the outdoor unit is dirty or overgrown with encroaching yard waste, the cooling process might be less effective.
Solution: Gently hose down the outdoor unit to remove dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to increase airflow.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is vital to effective cooling. Usually, this substance flows in a closed loop among the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your AC loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and expelling heat from your home.
Solution: Only a licensed technician can fix refrigerant leaks and refresh the system. If you suspect this problem, call up our HVAC professionals for help right away.
Leaky Ductwork
Air ducts are the arteries and veins of your HVAC system. A leak on either the return or supply side can make your air conditioner work harder and longer maintain comfortable temperatures.
Solution: If you are dealing with inconsistent temperatures and excessive dust inside the house, contact Peitz Service Experts to take a look at your ductwork. Duct sealing or replacement can fix the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Cooled air can only circulate around your home when the supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Shutting too many vents can even throw off 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 unblocked by furniture, carpeting or window treatments.
Outdated or Undersized AC System
Did you set up your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the system becomes less effective and could be unable to maintain steady cooling. Furthermore, have you recently finished a home add-on or made other modifications? This could leave you with an undersized air conditioner that may be unable to keep up with demand.
Solution: The only solution for an aging or undersized air conditioner is to replace it. Depend on our qualified HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.
Schedule AC Repair with Peitz Service Experts
If your troubleshooting still proves ineffective, don't hesitate to contact the HVAC specialists at Peitz Service Experts. We deliver fast, reliable support to get your cooling back up and running as quickly as possible. You can count on the fact that our technicians follow the highest standards of care to ensure your long-term comfort. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or any other HVAC services today.