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 cool inside. But is your air conditioning taking a long time to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which push your air conditioner harder than usual. However, if it’s not especially hot outside and your cooling is still struggling, your cooling equipment could have a problem. Follow these tips to help you resolve the issue.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most common reason an AC system takes too long to lower the temperature of the house. The job of a filter is to catch airborne pollutants that could harm your HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even trap tiny airborne contaminants to enhance indoor air quality.

Over time, the filter becomes blocked up with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting circulation. Besides making an AC unit take more time to cool down the house, this problem can also produce larger energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter once a month and change it if it appears dirty. Don’t wait over three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re not sure where the air filter is, ask your HVAC technician at your next service visit.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your AC system to function correctly. Then, you need to set it correctly to maintain a nice temperature. Installing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat produces the best results.

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

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners need an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit includes the evaporator coil, which collects heat from the air using refrigerant. It’s challenging for the refrigerant to hold onto heat properly if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take longer to lower the temperature of your house.

Solution: Call our HVAC specialists to clean and tune up your air conditioner. Part of this maintenance involves clearing away dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to enhance cooling performance.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

Your AC system’s cooling cycle involves transporting warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat away from your home. However, if the outdoor unit is dirty or overgrown with encroaching vegetation, the cooling process could be less effective.

Solution: Carefully hose off the outdoor unit to get rid of dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, prune back bushes to at least 12 inches from the unit to boost airflow.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is the secret to a cool home. Normally, this substance flows in a closed loop back and forth between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak occurs and your AC loses refrigerant, it becomes more difficult to handle the cycle of absorbing and expelling heat from your home.

Solution: Only a trained technician can repair refrigerant leaks and replenish the system. If you think you’re dealing with this problem, call our HVAC professionals for help right away.

Leaky Ductwork

Air ducts are the arteries and veins of your HVAC system. A leak on either the return or supply side can make your air conditioner run harder and longer maintain comfortable temperatures.

Solution: If you are dealing with uneven temperatures and high amounts of dust inside the house, contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to inspect your ductwork. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Conditioned air can only move through your home when the vents are open and free from any obstructions. Closing too many vents can even disrupt the system’s balance, leading to additional breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Inspect the vents all through the house, ensuring they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, carpeting or drapes.

Aging or Inadequately Sized Air Conditioning System

Did you put in your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the unit becomes less effective and might be unable to maintain a comfortable home. Furthermore, have you recently built a home extension or made other improvements? This can leave you with an undersized air conditioner that can’t keep up with demand.

Solution: The only solution for an old or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Count on our qualified 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, don’t hesitate to bring in the HVAC experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We provide fast, reliable support to get your AC back up and running as soon as possible. Rest assured that our technicians stick to the highest standards of care to ensure your long-term peace of mind. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or other HVAC services today.