When it’s sizzling outside, you trust your air conditioner to keep things comfortable inside. But is your AC taking too long to cool down the house? This is common on sweltering days, which push your air conditioner harder than average. However, if it’s not very hot outside and your AC is still having a hard time, your air conditioning may have a problem. Try these tips to help you diagnose the matter.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioning system needs more time to cool down the house. The function of a filter is to capture airborne contaminants that can damage delicate HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even trap very small airborne particles to increase indoor air quality.
Eventually, the filter becomes stuffed with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, limiting airflow. Besides making the AC unit take longer to cool down the house, this problem can also result in higher energy bills, additional wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter once a month and change it if it seems dirty. Don't wait more than three months to exchange the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re unsure where your air filter is, ask an HVAC technician at your next service visit.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat must be compatible with your AC system to run correctly. Then, you have to set it correctly to sustain a comfortable temperature. Installing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat produces the best results.
Solution: If you want to replace your thermostat, need help learning about programmable features, or don’t feel comfortable programming a thermostat by yourself, call an HVAC technician at Coastal Service Experts for support.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners have an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit houses the evaporator coil, which absorbs heat from the air with the refrigerant. It’s hard for the refrigerant to absorb 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. Part of this maintenance involves clearing away dust and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling performance.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
A cooling cycle will require sending hot refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat away from your home. However, if the outdoor unit is dirty or surrounded by encroaching plants, the cooling process can be less effective.
Solution: Lightly hose off the outdoor unit to get rid of dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to around 12 inches from the unit to boost circulation.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is an essential tool to effective cooling. Typically, this substance travels in a closed loop back and forth between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your air conditioner 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 believe your AC is struggling with this problem, call our HVAC experts for help at once.
Leaky Ductwork
Air ducts are the arteries and veins of your HVAC system. A leak in either the return or supply side might make your air conditioner work harder and longer to cool your home.
Solution: If you are dealing with irregular temperatures and high amounts of dust throughout the house, contact Coastal Service Experts to take a look at your ventilation. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Cool air can only flow around your home when the vents are open and free from any obstructions. Shutting too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, leading to more breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Inspect the vents in each room, making sure they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, carpets or window treatments.
Aging or Inadequately Sized Air Conditioning System
Did you put in your air conditioning more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the system becomes less efficient and may be unable to maintain a comfortable home. Additionally, have you recently built a home addition or made other improvements? This might lead to an undersized air conditioner that can’t keep up with demand.
Solution: The only fix for an old 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 Coastal Service Experts
If your troubleshooting efforts prove ineffective, feel free to contact the HVAC professionals at Coastal Service Experts. We provide fast, effective support to get your HVAC system back up and running as quickly as possible. Rest assured that our technicians adhere to the highest standards of care to ensure your long-term peace of mind. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or additional HVAC services today.