Why Does the AC Take So Long to Cool Down the House?

When it’s scorching outside, you trust your AC system 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 squeeze your AC system harder than usual. However, if it’s not particularly hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a hard time, your cooling equipment might have a problem. Use these tips to help you diagnose the matter.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioner needs more time to cool down the house. The job of a filter is to trap airborne debris that may harm your HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even trap tiny airborne particles to enhance indoor air quality.

Over time, the filter becomes clogged with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, limiting the flow of air. Besides making an AC unit take longer to cool down the house, this issue can also lead to more expensive energy bills, additional wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter once a month and change it if it looks dirty. Don't wait longer than three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re not sure where your air filter can be found, check with an HVAC technician at your next service visit.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your AC system to work properly. Then, you have to set it correctly to sustain a comfortable temperature. Installing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat provides the best results.

Solution: If you want to update your thermostat, require help learning about programmable options, or aren't comfortable programming a thermostat by yourself, call an HVAC technician at Roland J. Down Service Experts for assistance.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners come with an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, which collects heat from the air using refrigerant. It’s challenging for the refrigerant to absorb heat effectively if the evaporator coil is filthy, making it take more time to cool your house.

Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC professionals to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this maintenance includes removing debris and grime from the evaporator coil to improve cooling efficiency.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

The cooling cycle requires sending hot refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat away from your home. However, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching vegetation, the cooling process may be less efficient.

Solution: Lightly hose off the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to enhance ventilation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is an essential tool to air conditioning. Typically, this substance moves in a closed loop among the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak develops and your AC loses refrigerant, it becomes less capable of absorbing and expelling heat from your home.

Solution: Only a licensed technician can mend refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you think you're dealing with this problem, call up our HVAC specialists for help right away.

Leaky Ductwork

Air ducts are the highways of your HVAC system. A leak from either the return or supply side could make your air conditioner perform harder and longer to keep your home cool.

Solution: If you notice irregular temperatures and an excessive amount of dust in the house, get ahold of Roland J. Down Service Experts to take a look at your ductwork. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Cool air can only move through your home as long as 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: Take a look at the vents in every room, seeing to it that they’re open and unblocked by furniture, carpeting or window treatments.

Old or Undersized Air Conditioner

Did you put in your cooling more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the AC becomes less efficient and can struggle to maintain comfortable temperatures. Likewise, have you recently completed a home addition or made other improvements? This can lead to an undersized air conditioner that won't always keep up with demand.

Solution: The only option for an old or undersized air conditioner is to replace it. Depend on our licensed HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.

Schedule AC Repair with Roland J. Down Service Experts

If your troubleshooting attempts prove ineffective, don't hesitate to contact the HVAC professionals at Roland J. Down Service Experts . We provide fast, reliable service to get your HVAC system back up and running as quickly as possible. Rest assured that our technicians follow the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term satisfaction. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or other HVAC services today.