Why Your AC Isn’t Cooling

Summer is here, and most people are clamoring to flip the switch on their HVAC unit. If your unit isn’t cooling the space, check that your compressor is large enough to do the job. Once you’ve confirmed the compressor is good, try using these tips to troubleshoot further.

Filter Blockage

When you first move into a home, check the Filtrete filter. The tenant before will often neglect their air filter, and it’s one of the first places to check if you find your HVAC unit is underperforming. You’ll often find layers of dust caked onto the surface of the filter, which are easy to remove with a strong vacuum. Still, not every filter is washable. Most are temporary, but they are fairly inexpensive. Go to your local hardware store, or order a new filter online. A blocked filter directly impacts the air quality in your home, so you might not breathe as well if your filter is stopped up.

This also applies to 3m furnace filters, which may be located in a different part of the house.

Leaks

Freon needs to run through the coils before any kind of cooling can occur. The air is run through the coils, where the Freon adds cooling to the heat. If there is a leak in the lines, there is no coolant in the coil. This is a problem that you need to address as quickly as you can. Failure to do so will cause your AC unit to run up your power bill without any real benefit to your home. This is a job best left to professionals, but diagnosing is fairly easy to do. Be sure that you’ve checked the air filter and the thermostat before you have someone check coolant levels.

Mechanical Issues

Many home owners don’t know that an air compressor has a life span. In most cases, this is about twenty years. Houses built before 1994 will typically have some issues with the age of the unit that is installed in the house. A unit can run past its lifetime date, but it will often run inefficiently. The only fix is a full replacement, which can be costly depending on where you live. For instance, some parts of California require technicians to check ducts for air flow before installation is complete. Lose too much air and you might need a full replacement.

Final Thoughts

In most cases, there is a simple answer for the reduced cooling in your AC unit. Some cases will require a technician, but troubleshoot what you can to save money on repairs.
——————————————————————————————————————–
Your Filter Connection sells the Honeywell furnace filter for residential use. Find out how to improve your HVAC efficiency with air filters from Your Filter Connection.