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

When it’s hot outside, you rely on your air conditioner to keep things cool inside. But is your air conditioning taking too long to cool down the house? This is familiar on sweltering days, which strain your air conditioner harder than usual. However, if it’s not very hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a tough time, your cooling equipment might have a problem. Try these tips to help you troubleshoot the issue.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most likely reason an air conditioning system needs too much time to cool the house. The job of a filter is to snare airborne contaminants that might harm your HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even catch very small airborne allergens to increase indoor air quality.

Eventually, the filter becomes blocked up with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, reducing airflow. Besides making the air conditioner take more time to cool down the house, this problem can also result in larger energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter every month and replace it if it looks dirty. Try not to wait longer than three months to exchange the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re unsure where an air filter is located, ask your HVAC technician at your next service visit.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your air conditioner to work properly. Then, you have to set it correctly to sustain a nice temperature. Implementing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat provides the best results.

Solution: If you want to replace your thermostat, need help learning about programmable features, or aren’t comfortable programming a thermostat yourself, contact an HVAC technician at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for help.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

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

Solution: Call our HVAC experts to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this call involves cleaning out dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to boost cooling efficiency.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

Your AC system’s cooling cycle will require sending warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat to the exterior. Unfortunately, if the outdoor unit is dirty or surrounded by encroaching plants, the cooling process might be less successful.

Solution: Gently hose off the outdoor unit to get rid of dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to around 12 inches from the unit to increase circulation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is an essential tool to a cool home. Usually, this substance flows in a closed loop among the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak forms and your air conditioner loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and releasing heat from your home.

Solution: Only a trained technician can fix refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you suspect this problem, get in touch with our HVAC professionals for help straight away.

Leaky Ductwork

Air ducts are vital to your HVAC system. A leak in either the return or supply side can 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 in touch with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to inspect your air ducts. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Cool air can only flow through your home when the air vents are open and unobstructed. Closing too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, resulting in increased breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Take a look at the vents in every room, making sure they’re open and unblocked by furniture, carpets or drapes.

Aging or Inadequately Sized Air Conditioner

Did you install your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As time passes, the AC becomes less efficient and could fail to maintain steady cooling. Furthermore, have you recently finished a home add-on or made other changes? This might leave you with an undersized air conditioner that may be unable to keep up with demand.

Solution: The only solution for an outdated or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Count on our licensed HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.

Schedule AC Repair with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

If your troubleshooting still proves ineffective, feel free to contact the HVAC professionals at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We deliver fast, reliable support to get your cooling back up and running as quickly as possible. You can rest easy knowing our technicians adhere to the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term satisfaction. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or other HVAC services today.