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

When it’s scorching outside, you count on your air conditioner to keep things cool 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 average. However, if it’s not very hot outside and your cooling is still having a tough time, your air conditioner might have a problem. Follow these tips to help you resolve the matter.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an AC system needs too much time to cool down the house. The job of a filter is to catch airborne particles that might damage your HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even capture tiny airborne contaminants to enhance indoor air quality.

Eventually, the filter becomes clogged with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, limiting airflow. Besides making an AC unit take more time to cool down the house, this problem can also produce more expensive energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter every month and replace it if it seems dirty. Don't wait past three months to replace the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re uncertain where an air filter is, talk to your HVAC technician at your next service visit.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat has to be compatible with your AC system to function correctly. Then, you have to set it correctly to reach a cozy temperature. Implementing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat offers the best results.

Solution: If you want to upgrade your thermostat, require help learning about programmable settings, or aren't comfortable programming a thermostat by yourself, call an HVAC technician at Chief/Bauer Service Experts for assistance.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners need an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, which absorbs heat from the air using refrigerant. It’s challenging for the refrigerant to absorb heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is filthy, making it take longer to cool your house.

Solution: Contact our HVAC specialists to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An element of this maintenance involves cleaning out debris and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling performance.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

A cooling cycle will require sending hot refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat into the outdoor air. That said, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching vegetation, the cooling cycle may be less successful.

Solution: Lightly hose down the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to at least 12 inches from the unit to increase ventilation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is an essential tool to a cool home. 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 less capable of absorbing and releasing heat from your home.

Solution: Only a trained technician can repair refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you believe your AC is struggling with this problem, call up our HVAC pros for help right away.

Leaky Ductwork

Air ducts are the arteries and veins 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 experience uneven temperatures and excessive dust in the house, call Chief/Bauer Service Experts to examine your ductwork. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Cool air can only flow around your home if the air vents are open and unobstructed. Closing too many vents can even throw off the system’s balance, contributing to increased breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Inspect the vents in each room, ensuring they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, carpets or window treatments.

Old or Undersized Air Conditioning System

Did you put in your air conditioning more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the system becomes less efficient and can be unable to maintain steady cooling. Additionally, have you recently finished a home add-on or made other alterations? This could result in an undersized air conditioner that can’t keep up with demand.

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

Schedule AC Repair with Chief/Bauer Service Experts

If your troubleshooting efforts prove ineffective, it’s time to bring in the HVAC professionals at Chief/Bauer Service Experts. We supply fast, reliable service to get your AC back up and running right away. You can count on the fact that our technicians follow the highest standards of customer service to ensure your long-term comfort. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or other HVAC services today.