Troubleshooting An AC That Won’t Cool Your House

Many home and business owners face air conditioning troubles at the start of the cooling season or well into it, during the hottest days of the summer. Either way, it’s important to know that there are several reasons why your AC might not be adequately cooling your home and what you can do about them. Here’s what you need to know and when it’s time to call in a professional HVAC contractor for help.

Your Evaporator Coils Need To Be Cleaned

Your AC unit’s evaporator coils play a vital role in the cooling process. The coils absorb excess heat from the air in your home and pump it outside, resulting in a cooler and less humid home. But over time, these coils can become dirty, which makes it more difficult for them to work properly. This forces your air conditioner to work even harder to cool your home, resulting in higher energy bills and potentially even damage to the unit.

Your Coils Are Frozen

It’s also possible for the coils to freeze over, even in the summertime when it’s warm outside. This is caused by restricted airflow, which results in too little heat for the coils to absorb from the air. This in turn causes condensation, which reduces the temperature of the refrigerant inside the coils. When this occurs, ice can begin to build up and the AC will eventually stop working.

If you suspect your coils have frozen over, shut off your AC to allow the coils to thaw out. In many cases, this may be all you need to do to remedy the issue. If the issue persists, you’ll need to call a qualified HVAC technician, since this could be indicative of a larger problem.

There Are Leaks In Your Ductwork

Another potential reason why your AC unit is not cooling your home effectively is ductwork that has holes, leaks, or other damage. This allows cooled air to escape before it has the chance to reach its designated space.

Signs of this issue are usually being able to feel cool air coming from the vents closest to the AC blower but not feeling as much or any airflow coming from vents that are farther away. Or, the temperature in the rooms closer to the blower may be fine, while the temperature in rooms farther away are uncomfortably warm.

You Have Your Thermostat Set Higher Than It Should Be

If you find that your AC unit is running constantly but not cooling your home sufficiently, one issue may be that your thermostat is set too high. This causes your system to cycle off more frequently, failing to completely cool down your home. You may need to set your thermostat to a lower temperature than you think to reach the comfort level you want depending on your system and the accuracy of your thermostat.

You should also avoid turning your thermostat up while you’re gone so your AC doesn’t have to fight with fluctuating temperatures. While this may save you a little money in the winter, your system has to put as much or more effort to cool your space back down in the summer after it has been allowed to warm up.

Your Filters Are Too Dirty

HVAC units rely on filters to remove dust and debris particles from incoming air before circulating it throughout your home. But over time, these filters become clogged and aren’t able to draw in enough air to operate properly. This not only reduces airflow but also puts stress on other components of your system as they work overtime to compensate.

To prevent this problem, make sure you’re checking the filters monthly during peak periods and wash or replace your filters frequently as needed. If you or a family member suffer from allergies, asthma, or other health issues, consider investing in high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that trap smaller particles more effectively than standard filters.

Your System Is Too Small For Your Home

An AC unit that is too small for the space it’s trying to cool can also be ineffective. If the unit can’t circulate air properly or remove enough heat and moisture from the air, you will struggle to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. Even if it runs all day and night, a system that doesn’t have enough tonnage won’t be able to adequately cool your space.

This is where an experienced HVAC contractor comes in handy. They can assess your current setup and determine if your cooling problems are caused by a too-small AC. If they are, the contractor can calculate how much tonnage you actually do need and what solutions will meet those needs.

Contact Jones Services today for AC troubleshooting help in Goshen, NY by dialing  (845) 299-2074.