Why Does the AC Take So Long to Cool Down the House?
When it’s sizzling outside, you count on your cooling to keep things comfortable inside. But is your AC taking too long to cool down the house? This is common on sweltering days, which strain your cooling harder than average. However, if it’s not very hot outside and your air conditioning is still struggling, your cooling equipment may have a problem. Follow these tips to help you diagnose the matter.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioner needs too much time to cool the house. The purpose of a filter is to snare airborne debris that can harm your HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even catch very small airborne allergens to improve indoor air quality.
Over time, the filter becomes stuffed with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, reducing airflow. Besides making your air conditioner take a long time to cool down the house, this problem can also produce higher energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter each month and change it if it seems dirty. Try not to wait longer than three months to exchange the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re uncertain where an air filter can be found, check with an HVAC technician at your next service visit.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat must be compatible with your cooling to work correctly. Then, you have to set it correctly to sustain a comfortable temperature. Implementing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat produces the best results.
Solution: If you want to upgrade your thermostat, need help learning about programmable settings, 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 assistance.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners need an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, which absorbs heat from the air with the refrigerant. It’s challenging for the refrigerant to hold onto heat properly if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take longer to cool down the house.
Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC experts to clean and tune up your air conditioner. Part of this visit involves cleaning out dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling efficiency.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
A cooling cycle will require transporting heated refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat away from your home. Unfortunately, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching plants, the cooling cycle may be less effective.
Solution: Carefully hose down the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to around 12 inches from the unit to improve airflow.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is an essential tool to air conditioning. Normally, this substance moves in a closed loop among the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak occurs and your AC loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and dissipating 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, call our HVAC experts for help in no time.
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 run harder and longer to keep your home cool.
Solution: If you are dealing with irregular temperatures and an excessive amount of dust in the house, contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning to take a look at your air ducts. Duct sealing or replacement can fix the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Conditioned air can only move around your home as long as the supply and return vents are open and free from any obstructions. Shutting too many vents can even throw off the system’s balance, leading to increased breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Inspect the vents in each room, seeing to it that they’re open and not blocked by furniture, carpets or curtains.
Aging or Inadequately Sized Air Conditioning System
Did you install your air conditioning more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the system becomes less effective and might fail to maintain a comfortable home. Additionally, have you recently built a home addition or made other alterations? This may lead to an undersized air conditioner that may be unable to keep up with demand.
Solution: The only fix for an old or undersized air conditioner is to replace it. 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 still proves ineffective, it’s time to contact the HVAC specialists at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide fast, effective service to get your HVAC system back up and running right away. Rest assured that our technicians adhere to the highest standards of care to ensure your long-term satisfaction. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or any other HVAC services today.
