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

When it’s sizzling outside, you depend on your AC system to keep things comfortable inside. But is your air conditioning taking forever 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 cooling is still having a hard time, your cooling equipment may have a problem. Follow these tips to help you resolve the matter.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioner needs too much time to lower the temperature of the house. The purpose of a filter is to catch airborne contaminants that could damage sensitive HVAC equipment. More efficient filters even trap tiny airborne contaminants to improve indoor air quality.

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

Solution: Check your air filter once a month and replace it if it appears dirty. Don't wait over three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re unsure where the air filter is, check with your HVAC technician at your next service appointment.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat must be compatible with your air conditioner to function properly. Then, you must set it correctly to maintain a comfortable temperature. Using a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat provides the best results.

Solution: If you want to replace your thermostat, require help learning about programmable options, or may not feel comfortable programming a thermostat on your own, contact an HVAC technician at Orangutan Home Services for assistance.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners possess an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, which takes in heat from the air with the refrigerant. It’s challenging for the refrigerant to hold onto heat efficiently if the evaporator coil is grimy, making it take longer to cool down the house.

Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC specialists to clean and tune up your air conditioner. Part of this visit consists of clearing away dust and grime from the evaporator coil to improve cooling efficiency.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

A cooling cycle requires transporting heated refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat to the exterior. Unfortunately, if the outdoor unit is dirty or covered with encroaching yard waste, the cooling cycle could be less effective.

Solution: Lightly hose down the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to a minimum of 12 inches from the unit to improve ventilation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is an essential tool to a cool home. Typically, this substance moves in a closed loop between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak develops and your AC loses refrigerant, it becomes more difficult to handle the cycle of absorbing and expelling heat from your home.

Solution: Only a trained technician can repair refrigerant leaks and replenish the system. If you believe your AC is struggling with this problem, call our HVAC experts for help at once.

Leaky Ductwork

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

Solution: If you notice uneven temperatures and excessive dust in the house, call Orangutan Home Services to examine your ventilation. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Cooled air can only circulate throughout your home as long as the air vents are open and unobstructed. Closing too many vents can even disrupt the system’s balance, resulting in additional breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Take a look at the vents in every room, seeing to it that they’re open and unobstructed by furniture, carpets or drapes.

Old or Poorly Sized Air Conditioning System

Did you install your air conditioner more than 10 to 15 years ago? As time passes, the unit becomes less efficient and might struggle to maintain steady cooling. Furthermore, have you recently finished a home extension or made other alterations? This might leave you with an undersized air conditioner that won't always keep up with demand.

Solution: The only fix for an old or undersized air conditioner is to exchange it. Count on our trained HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.

Schedule AC Repair with Orangutan Home Services

If your troubleshooting efforts prove ineffective, feel free to contact the HVAC specialists at Orangutan Home Services. We provide fast, effective services to get your HVAC system back up and running as quickly as possible. You can count on the fact that our technicians adhere to the highest standards of customer service to ensure your long-term peace of mind. Contact us to request air conditioning repair or any other HVAC services today.