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

When it’s scorching outside, you count on your cooling to keep things comfortable inside. But is your air conditioning taking forever to cool down the house? This is typical on sweltering days, which strain your AC system harder than average. However, if it’s not especially hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a tough time, your air conditioner might have a problem. Try these tips to help you troubleshoot the matter.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioner needs too much time to cool the house. The job of a filter is to capture airborne particles that may damage your HVAC equipment. More advanced filters even catch very small airborne allergens to increase indoor air quality.

Over time, the filter becomes blocked up with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting circulation. Besides making your air conditioning system take more time to cool down the house, this issue can also produce more expensive energy bills, higher wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter once a month and exchange it if it appears dirty. Don't wait more than three months to exchange the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re uncertain where your air filter is located, talk to your HVAC technician at your next service appointment.

Improper Thermostat Settings

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

Solution: If you want to upgrade your thermostat, require help learning about programmable features, or may not feel comfortable programming a thermostat yourself, call an HVAC technician at Stallion Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning for help.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners come with an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, which takes in heat from the air via the refrigerant. It’s challenging for the refrigerant to soak up heat effectively if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take more time to lower the temperature of your house.

Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC professionals to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An important part of this call consists of removing dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to boost cooling efficiency.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

A cooling cycle involves moving hot refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat to the exterior. That said, if the outdoor unit is dirty or surrounded by encroaching vegetation, the cooling process might be less effective.

Solution: Gently hose down the outdoor unit to get rid of dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to at least 12 inches from the unit to enhance circulation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is the key to air conditioning. Typically, this substance travels in a closed loop back and forth between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak develops and your cooling loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and dissipating heat from your home.

Solution: Only a licensed technician can correct refrigerant leaks and recharge the system. If you think you're dealing with this problem, call up our HVAC pros for help at once.

Leaky Ductwork

Air ducts are the highways of your HVAC system. A leak on either the return or supply side might make your air conditioner run harder and longer to keep your home cool.

Solution: If you are dealing with uneven temperatures and excessive dust inside the house, contact Stallion Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning to take a look at your air ducts. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Cool air can only flow through your home when the air vents are open and unobstructed. Closing too many vents can even throw off the system’s balance, contributing to additional breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Inspect the vents all through the house, seeing to it that they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, rugs or curtains.

Aging or Undersized AC System

Did you set up your air conditioning more than 10 to 15 years ago? As time passes, the unit becomes less efficient and might struggle to maintain comfortable temperatures. Additionally, have you recently built a home extension or made other modifications? This might result in an undersized air conditioner that will struggle to keep up with demand.

Solution: The only option for an aging or undersized air conditioner is to swap it out. Count on our certified HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.

Schedule AC Repair with Stallion Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning

If your troubleshooting attempts prove ineffective, don't hesitate to call in the HVAC experts at Stallion Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning. We provide fast, reliable support to get your AC back up and running as soon as possible. You can rest easy knowing our technicians adhere to the highest standards of care to ensure your long-term comfort. Contact us to arrange air conditioning repair or additional HVAC services today.