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

When it’s scorching outside, you trust your air conditioner to keep things balmy inside. But is your AC taking too long to cool down the house? This is common on sweltering days, which strain your AC system harder than normal. However, if it’s not particularly hot outside and your air conditioner is still struggling, your air conditioner might have a problem. Follow these tips to help you troubleshoot the matter.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioner needs more time to cool down the house. The purpose of a filter is to catch airborne debris that can damage your HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even trap tiny airborne contaminants to improve indoor air quality.

Eventually, the filter becomes stuffed with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting circulation. Besides making an air conditioner take more time to cool down the house, this issue can also result in more expensive energy bills, additional wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter each month and exchange it if it looks dirty. Don't wait past three months to replace the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re unsure where your air filter can be found, check with an HVAC technician at your next service appointment.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat needs to be compatible with your cooling to function properly. Then, you have to set it correctly to reach a comfortable temperature. Implementing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat offers the best results.

Solution: If you want to replace your thermostat, want help learning about programmable options, or aren't comfortable programming a thermostat yourself, get in touch with an HVAC technician at Wesley Wood Service Experts for support.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners have an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit houses the evaporator coil, which soaks up heat from the air with the refrigerant. It’s hard for the refrigerant to hold onto heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is filthy, 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 visit includes cleaning out debris and grime from the evaporator coil to boost cooling performance.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

The cooling cycle involves sending warm refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat away from your home. However, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching vegetation, the cooling cycle could be less efficient.

Solution: Lightly clean the outdoor unit to remove dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, cut back bushes to at least 12 inches from the unit to boost airflow.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is the secret to effective cooling. Usually, this substance moves 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 releasing heat from your home.

Solution: Only a licensed technician can correct refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you believe your AC is struggling 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 perform harder and longer to cool your home.

Solution: If you experience uneven temperatures and excessive dust in the house, contact Wesley Wood Service Experts to inspect your ventilation. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Cool air can only move through your home when the supply and return vents are open and clear. Closing too many vents can even mess with the system’s balance, leading to increased breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Check the vents all through the house, seeing to it that they’re open and unblocked by furniture, carpeting or curtains.

Old or Poorly Sized Air Conditioner

Did you set up your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it ages, the system becomes less efficient and can fail to maintain comfortable temperatures. Likewise, have you recently built a home addition or made other changes? This might result in an undersized air conditioner that can’t keep up with demand.

Solution: The only solution for an aging 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 Wesley Wood Service Experts

If your troubleshooting still proves ineffective, feel free to call in the HVAC specialists at Wesley Wood Service Experts. We supply fast, effective support to get your cooling back up and running right away. Rest assured that our technicians follow the highest standards of support to ensure your long-term satisfaction. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or additional HVAC services today.