When it’s scorching outside, you depend on your air conditioner to keep things cool inside. But is your air conditioning taking too long to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which push your air conditioner harder than average. However, if it’s not especially 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 issue.
Dirty Air Filter
A clogged filter is the most common reason an air conditioning system needs more time to cool the house. The function of a filter is to capture airborne pollutants that can damage delicate HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even trap microscopic airborne contaminants to increase indoor air quality.
Eventually, the filter becomes stuffed with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting airflow. Besides making the AC unit take more time to cool down the house, this issue can also produce more expensive energy bills, increased wear and tear, and overheating.
Solution: Check your air filter once a month and change it if it looks dirty. Try not to wait more than three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re not sure where an air filter can be found, check with a local HVAC technician at your next service appointment.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your air conditioner to function properly. Then, you need to set it correctly to maintain a cozy temperature. Using a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat offers the best results.
Solution: If you want to replace your thermostat, need help learning about programmable settings, or aren't comfortable programming a thermostat by yourself, call an HVAC technician at Matz-Rightway for help.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Split-system air conditioners need an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, which takes in heat from the air via the refrigerant. It’s hard for the refrigerant to hold onto heat effectively if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take more time to cool down the house.
Solution: Contact our HVAC experts to clean and tune up your air conditioner. Part of this maintenance involves clearing away dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling efficiency.
Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit
Your AC system's cooling cycle involves sending warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat into the outdoor air. However, if the outdoor unit is dirty or overgrown with encroaching yard waste, the cooling process could be less efficient.
Solution: Carefully hose off the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, prune back bushes to at least 12 inches from the unit to increase circulation.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is the key to effective cooling. Normally, this substance travels in a closed loop back and forth between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your cooling loses refrigerant, it becomes more difficult to handle the cycle of absorbing and expelling heat from your home.
Solution: Only a trained technician can correct refrigerant leaks and recharge 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 the highways of your HVAC system. A leak in either the return or supply side could make your air conditioner work harder and longer to cool your home.
Solution: If you notice irregular temperatures and high amounts of dust throughout the house, get in touch with Matz-Rightway to inspect your ductwork. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.
Dirty or Blocked Air Vents
Conditioned air can only circulate throughout your home if the vents are open and unobstructed. Closing too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, resulting in more breakdowns and repair costs.
Solution: Inspect the vents all through the house, making sure they’re open and not blocked by furniture, carpeting or window treatments.
Aging or Inadequately Sized AC System
Did you install your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As time passes, the AC becomes less effective and may fail to maintain comfortable temperatures. Furthermore, have you recently built a home extension or made other modifications? This may result in an undersized air conditioner that won't always keep up with demand.
Solution: The only fix for an aging or undersized air conditioner is to replace it. Trust our qualified HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.
Schedule AC Repair with Matz-Rightway
If your troubleshooting still proves ineffective, feel free to contact the HVAC specialists at Matz-Rightway. We provide fast, effective services to get your cooling back up and running as soon as possible. You can rest easy knowing our technicians adhere to the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term peace of mind. Contact us to request air conditioning repair or other HVAC services today.