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

When it’s hot outside, you trust your air conditioner to keep things comfortable inside. But is your air conditioning taking a long time to cool down the house? This is common on sweltering days, which strain your cooling harder than usual. However, if it’s not especially hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a tough time, your HVAC system may have a problem. Follow these tips to help you troubleshoot the issue.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most likely reason an air conditioner needs too much time to cool the house. The function of a filter is to trap airborne debris that may cause problems for your HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even capture microscopic airborne allergens to increase indoor air quality.

Over time, the filter becomes blocked up with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting circulation. Besides making your air conditioning system take a long time to cool down the house, this problem can also produce higher energy bills, increased wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter every month and replace it if it seems dirty. Try not to wait over three months to replace the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re uncertain where your air filter is located, talk to your HVAC technician at your next service appointment.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your air conditioner to function correctly. Then, you have to set it correctly to reach a nice temperature. Employing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat produces the best results.

Solution: If you want to upgrade your thermostat, need help learning about programmable features, or aren’t comfortable programming a thermostat on your own, get in touch with an HVAC technician at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for assistance.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners possess an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit includes the evaporator coil, which collects heat from the air using refrigerant. It’s hard for the refrigerant to hold onto heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is dirty, making it take longer to cool down the house.

Solution: Contact our HVAC experts to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this visit includes clearing away debris and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling performance.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

Your AC system’s cooling cycle involves moving heated refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it exhausts heat away from your home. That said, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching yard waste, the cooling process could be less successful.

Solution: Gently hose down the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to enhance circulation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is the key to effective cooling. Typically, this substance travels in a closed loop among 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 licensed technician can fix refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you suspect this problem, get in touch with our HVAC pros for help at once.

Leaky Ductwork

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

Solution: If you are dealing with uneven temperatures and an excessive amount of dust throughout the house, call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to take a look at your ductwork. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Conditioned air can only circulate through your home when the supply and return vents are open and clear. Closing too many vents can even throw off the system’s balance, leading to additional breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Check the vents in every room, making sure they’re open and not blocked by furniture, carpets or window treatments.

Aging or Inadequately Sized Air Conditioner

Did you set up your cooling more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the unit becomes less efficient and could struggle to maintain comfortable temperatures. Likewise, have you recently built a home extension or made other changes? This might lead to an undersized air conditioner that may be unable to keep up with demand.

Solution: The only option for an old or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Depend 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 efforts prove ineffective, don’t hesitate to call in the HVAC experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We supply fast, reliable service to get your AC back up and running as soon as possible. You can count on the fact that our technicians stick to the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term satisfaction. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or other HVAC services today.