Air conditioning (AC) systems are essential components of home comfort; however, sometimes they can stop working correctly or malfunction and must be addressed immediately to keep living spaces comfortable and at the right temperature.
Dirty air filters can impede airflow and decrease cooling capacity, as well as refrigerant leaks and frozen coils – these issues must only be managed by licensed professionals.
1. Thermostat Settings
Your AC unit’s thermostat is a silent hero, keeping your home at just the right temperature. However, sometimes things can go awry; especially if someone in your household tampered with or altered its settings. A simple reset should do just the trick to address any potential problems.
When your air conditioner is running but not cooling as intended, it is a good idea to inspect its thermostat’s settings to make sure they have been set to “cool.” Also make sure that it has not been programmed with different seasons in mind as this can reduce efficiency of operation and save on energy costs.
If the thermostat is set on “cool”, but your home still feels hot, it could be down to air ducts or HVAC unit itself causing issues. To find out for sure, call in an experienced HVAC service provider to inspect it.
Another frequent cause of AC failure can be low refrigerant levels. Refrigerant circulates with your air, cooling it effectively; but if there’s an leak in your system or there is too much heat present in your home, its job won’t be done effectively and your refrigerant won’t do its job as intended.
One of the easiest ways to replenish your refrigerant levels is to contact a professional and have them recharge your system. However, if there’s a leak somewhere within it then that might require completely replacing it instead; only they will know what might be necessary and provide solutions tailored just for you.
2. Debris in the Condenser Coil
Your AC unit’s indoor portion, known as an evaporator coil, removes heat from air before cooling it with refrigerant that circulates throughout your home. When this coil becomes dirty it restricts airflow and decreases effectiveness while pollutant and allergen-filled air seeps in to create poor indoor air quality. Dirty coils also circulate pollutants such as allergens or unpleasant odors into your living space and impact its quality negatively.
Outdoor units of air conditioners contain condenser coils that draw heat out of your home and release it outside, in order to cool your house efficiently. Unfortunately, however, these coils can become blocked with debris like grass clippings, dirt and leaves which impede proper operation of the unit.
To maintain optimal system performance, it is important to regularly clean your evaporator and condenser coils. A garden hose with an adjustable nozzle can help clear away dirt, leaves, sticks and other plant matter; alternatively foaming cleaners may be used and rinsed through to rinse your coils clean after use. Be sure to leave the access panel of your indoor unit open so your coils can air dry after being washed!
Maintain a clear area around your AC unit by clearing away plants, vines, and shrubbery that might restrict airflow through it. Allow at least 18 inches of clearance so the coils can breathe properly while also avoiding reduced air flow through it. Also important is scheduling semi-annual professional maintenance of your air conditioning system to help avoid costly repair bills and extend its lifespan; similarly change out your air filter regularly to keep it from becoming clogged up with dust causing less airflow to flow into your system.
3. Low Freon
Warm air coming through your vents is one of the telltale signs that your air conditioning unit may be running low on refrigerant, a crucial ingredient that keeps compressors and evaporator coils cool as well as providing oil mixture for efficient performance. Without enough Freon levels in your system to adequately cool your home efficiently and remain within energy regulations, more energy will be consumed to achieve cooling which ultimately requires more effort than anticipated and may necessitate expensive repairs down the line.
This issue could also cause your system to run longer than is necessary, leading to higher electricity bills than usual and possibly leading to frequent breakdowns of the unit itself. You should get your Freon levels tested immediately by a certified HCAC technician so as to avoid further damage and costly repair bills in the future.
Signs of low refrigerant levels include an evaporator coil that is too cold, leading to moisture condensing onto and freezing on its surface – an obstruction to cooling. Ice accumulation on this surface also indicates that your air conditioner may be working too hard, potentially leading to overheating and compressor failure.
Low freon levels are often an indicator of leaks within your HVAC system, so it is wise to contact an HVAC specialist immediately. They’ll test the system and locate its source, enabling you to fix it before it worsens further. They may also add new refrigerant, making sure your unit remains fully functional again.
4. Defective Thermostat
Your thermostat sends a signal to your air conditioning system that it’s time for work to begin, and any interruption to this signal could stop or completely prevent cooling operations from taking place. Issues could range from improper settings or batteries needing replacement to an actually defective unit which requires professional assistance to repair or replace.
If the settings on your thermostat have remained the same and nothing else has changed, but nothing seems to cool, it could be time to check your circuit breaker. If it has tripped off unexpectedly and prevented your AC from starting up properly, resetting will usually remedy the situation; otherwise it could indicate larger issues which should be taken care of by professionals.
Another cause of an AC running but not cooling properly are dirty or blocked registers, which can become clogged with debris such as hair and lint over time from being used regularly. Therefore, it’s essential that these registers be regularly cleaned to prevent further waste of energy and an inconvenience in terms of comfort levels.
An effective way to diagnose this problem is by opening the cover and using a vacuum hose to clear away dirt build-up. Some newer thermostats may benefit from hard restarts – removing and giving it some time for rebooting – though usually, this indicates an even larger problem that requires professional assistance.
5. Dirty Air Filter
Your air filter plays a pivotal role in the efficiency and effectiveness of your AC. As it serves as a filter to collect dust, pet dander and other airborne debris, its presence may pose risks that impede its cooling capabilities if too much debris clogs it up. Therefore it’s advised that you check and replace it every 30 days if necessary.
Filters serve as the intermediary between your HVAC system and house vents, so if you are experiencing low cool airflow issues it should be the first thing to examine. If it appears dirty it must be removed from its access door or behind return vent and replaced with one of equal size immediately.
Dirty filters can clog the coils of your air conditioning unit, hindering heat transfer between them. This also makes it harder for it to absorb heat from inside and take it outside.
Your air conditioner uses indoor evaporator coils that remove heat from your home’s air, before returning cooled refrigerant back to its compressor to be pressurized back to optimal pressure levels. However, if these coils become covered in dirt this process could become compromised, resulting in diminished cooling capacity within your home.
If your air conditioner is blowing cool air but fails to cool your home, this could be a telltale sign of another issue requiring advanced HVAC knowledge. Perhaps your system is too big for your home or there are leaks throughout that allow heat escape from within your house into the summer air – in either case contact a professional to perform an assessment and recommend the ideal size air conditioner for you home.