When it’s hot outside, you trust your AC system to keep things balmy inside. But is your air conditioner taking a long time to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which strain your air conditioner harder than average. However, if it’s not especially hot outside and your air conditioner is still having a hard time, your HVAC system could have a problem. Follow these tips to help you diagnose the problem.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most likely reason an air conditioning system needs too much time to cool down the house. The job of a filter is to catch airborne contaminants that can cause problems for delicate HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even capture microscopic airborne particles to enhance indoor air quality.
As time passes, the filter becomes blocked up with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, limiting airflow. Besides making the air conditioner take a long time to cool down the house, this problem can also result in higher energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter every month and change it if it looks dirty. Try not to wait over three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re uncertain where the air filter is, check with your HVAC technician at your next service appointment.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat has to be compatible with your AC system to run effectively. Then, you have to set it correctly to maintain a nice temperature. Implementing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat provides the best results.
Solution: If you want to update your thermostat, need help learning about programmable features, or aren't comfortable programming a thermostat on your own, call an HVAC technician at Gordon's Service Experts for help.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners need an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit includes the evaporator coil, which collects heat from the air with the refrigerant. It’s more difficult for the refrigerant to soak up heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is dirty, making it take more time to cool your 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 enhance cooling efficiency.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
Your AC system's cooling cycle involves transporting heated refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat away from your home. However, if the outdoor unit is dirty or overgrown with encroaching plants, the cooling process may be less successful.
Solution: Gently hose off the outdoor unit to remove dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to around 12 inches from the unit to improve ventilation.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is an essential tool to effective cooling. Normally, this substance flows in a closed loop between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your cooling loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and expelling heat from your home.
Solution: Only a licensed technician can correct refrigerant leaks and refresh the system. If you think you're dealing with this problem, get in touch with our HVAC professionals for help right 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 work harder and longer to cool your home.
Solution: If you are dealing with uneven temperatures and an excessive amount of dust around the house, call Gordon's Service Experts to examine your ventilation. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Cool air can only flow through your home if the vents are open and unobstructed. Closing too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, leading to more breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Take a look at the vents all through the house, making sure they’re open and not blocked by furniture, carpeting or curtains.
Old or Poorly Sized AC System
Did you put in your cooling more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the unit becomes less efficient and might be unable to maintain steady cooling. Furthermore, have you recently completed a home add-on or made other improvements? This could result in an undersized air conditioner that will struggle to keep up with demand.
Solution: The only solution for an old 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 Gordon's Service Experts
If your troubleshooting attempts prove ineffective, feel free to bring in the HVAC experts at Gordon's Service Experts. We supply fast, effective support to get your HVAC system back up and running right away. You can count on the fact that our technicians follow the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term comfort. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or any other HVAC services today.