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

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

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most likely reason an AC system needs more time to cool the house. The job of a filter is to catch airborne particles that could harm your HVAC equipment. More effective filters even trap microscopic airborne allergens to improve indoor air quality.

As time passes, the filter becomes stuffed with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting airflow. Besides making an air conditioner take longer to cool down the house, this issue can also lead to larger energy bills, additional wear and tear, and overheating.

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

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat must be compatible with your cooling to run properly. Then, you must set it correctly to reach a nice temperature. Implementing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat produces the best results.

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

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners come with an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit features the evaporator coil, which soaks up heat from the air via the refrigerant. It’s hard for the refrigerant to absorb heat effectively if the evaporator coil is dirty, making it take longer to cool your house.

Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC specialists to clean and tune up your air conditioner. Part of this call consists of cleaning out dust and grime from the evaporator coil to boost cooling efficiency.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

The cooling cycle will require transporting warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it expels heat to the exterior. Unfortunately, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching plants, the cooling cycle might be less efficient.

Solution: Gently hose off 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 improve circulation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is an essential tool to effective cooling. Usually, this substance moves in a closed loop among the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak develops and your air conditioner loses refrigerant, it becomes less capable of absorbing and dissipating 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 our HVAC pros for help in no time.

Leaky Ductwork

Air ducts are vital to your HVAC system. A leak in either the return or supply side could make your air conditioner run harder and longer to cool your home.

Solution: If you notice inconsistent temperatures and high amounts of dust around the house, contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to take a look at your air ducts. Duct sealing or replacement can take care of the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Cooled air can only flow through your home when the supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Shutting too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, contributing to additional breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Take a look at the vents all through the house, seeing to it that they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, carpets or curtains.

Outdated or Undersized AC System

Did you set up your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it gets older, the unit becomes less effective and can fail to maintain comfortable temperatures. Likewise, have you recently finished a home addition or made other improvements? This might leave you with an undersized air conditioner that may be unable to keep up with demand.

Solution: The only solution for an aging or undersized air conditioner is to exchange it. Depend on our trained 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, it’s time to call in the HVAC experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We supply fast, effective services to get your AC back up and running as quickly as possible. You can rest easy knowing our technicians follow the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term comfort. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or additional HVAC services today.