Monday, April 29, 2024

Air Conditioner Not Cooling? DIY Fixes to Try Before Calling a Pro

air conditioner not cooling house

About 20-30% of homeowners experience the “air conditioner not blowing cold air” problem. Every air conditioner has one function; to cool your home. It isn’t not cooling your home, it’s not doing its job properly. If the air conditioner is blowing cold air but not cooling the house, the home could be leaking air to the outside. If the air feels cooler than the room temperature but is not as cool as desired, this could just be the fan blowing. If it’s been more than a couple of months since you’ve replaced the return-air filters in your AC system, they may be clogged and dirty, and may be affecting airflow.

Broken Thermostat

How best to set your air conditioner for the summer - The Washington Post

How best to set your air conditioner for the summer.

Posted: Mon, 10 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

You’re spending electricity and sweating in your home at the same time. Without refrigerant, your air conditioning system can't cool the air. Even a small refrigerant leak can drastically impact your air conditioner's ability to cool.

HVAC metrics:

Another reason your HVAC system might be blowing out warm air or inadequately cooling your home is if you have a malfunctioning part. This might mean a damaged AC compressor unit, broken fan motor, or blown capacitor. Any of these failures can result in a system that freezes over or simply can’t keep your home at the proper temperature. Even if your air conditioning unit is operating perfectly, you may still find that it’s not keeping your home cool if you have damaged ducts. The ductwork throughout your home pushes cooled air from your HVAC unit into different rooms. If it’s crushed or there is a hole, air may not flow properly, or cold air may escape into your attic space instead.

The Best Energy-Efficient Air Conditioners of 2023

AC Unit Not Cooling Properly? It May Be Time to Change Your Filter - CNET

AC Unit Not Cooling Properly? It May Be Time to Change Your Filter.

Posted: Sun, 30 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

If your evaporator coils freeze again soon after you defrost them, contact an HVAC technician to examine the unit and determine the underlying cause. The evaporator coil, located on the inside unit, is responsible for cooling the air that is then blown into your home. These coils have a tendency to freeze up, which can reduce or totally compromise their function. Every home has different recommended intervals for replacing return filters, dependent on several factors.

AC not cooling? Find out why and how to fix your AC

air conditioner not cooling house

Misalignment or holes will allow cool air to escape the ducts before reaching your rooms, making it feel like the air conditioner is working but not cooling. If you reach this conclusion and you’ve exhausted the options outlined previously, it’s time to call a Carrier HVAC dealer. It’s important for your comfort, but also for the health of your AC system. Continuing to run your AC when it’s not properly cooling your home can take a minor issue and turn it into a major component failure or system replacement. If your system is undersized, it may be possible to provide cooling in problem areas by adding a ductless unit to help out in “hot spots”.

Undersized Unit

If this is the problem homeowners may also notice that the AC unit fan is not spinning or the outside AC unit is not turning on at all. They can try resetting the breaker and turning the AC on again to see if that solves the problem. It’s also a good idea to see if the motor has a built-in overload switch that needs to be reset. Lastly, they can take a quick look at the power cord to ensure it didn’t get pulled out of the socket. The vinegar will kill residual mold buildup and reduce the risk of future clogs. A professional will evaluate your home’s size and provide the best options for your cooling needs and budget.

There could be issues with the condenser or evaporator coil.

The air passing through the coil will not be cooled down enough which will result in our AC not blowing the chilly cold air. Before, the air was cooled by cooling coils with superb heat-exchange coefficient. Now, there is ice covering them, and ice might be cold but it has a much lower heat-exchange coefficient than AC cooling coils. As a result, the air output temperature might be up to 5°F cooler than room temperature; but that’s not cold enough in most cases. Check where in your AC unit the drain piping is located. If you see debris, mold, leaves, hair, algae in that piping, make sure to remove it and clean the piping.

For central AC systems, check the filter manufacturer’s recommendation for when to swap in a new one. In CR’s tests, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) filters last three to 12 months. HVAC systems use refrigerant (also called coolant) to cool hot air before sending it back to circulate throughout the home. ” In this case, the leak must be fixed to solve the problem, but homeowners won’t want to attempt this without a professional.

air conditioner not cooling house

If dry leaves and debris have piled up next to the compressor unit, it may not be able to draw in sufficient air. To find out, locate the compressor unit, which will typically be tucked away on the back or the side of the house, where it won’t draw attention. In some cases, you can supplement an undersized air conditioner with ductless units installed in hotter areas of the home, which can be a more cost-effective solution. Here are eight questions to ask that will help you determine what’s ailing your AC.

When the filters become clogged, air flow decreases and you’ll notice the AC running but not cooling to your selected temperature. Most suggest being cleaned or changed every 60 to 90 days, but if your filter needs to be replaced before then, make the change. From a simple flip of the switch to replacing the AC compressor, these solutions will help get your HVAC system back up and running. When you discover your air conditioner not blowing cold air, give these remedies a try. Batteries in the thermostat can also be one reason why AC is not blowing cold air. It might sound basic but batteries in the thermostat can be quite fickle; especially when there are near depletion levels.

Indoor evaporator coils can also freeze over in some circumstances, even on hot days. If you see frozen evaporator coils, you know there’s a problem. Central AC units are designed to blow cool air while removing humidity and moisture from the house.

She has expanded CR’s cookware category to include not only more pots and pans but also other essentials like stand mixer attachments, sheet pans, and vacuum sealers. Mary also covers vacuums but finds cooking way more fun than cleaning. Since the mid-1990s, Mary has held senior positions at People.com, MSNBC, and Ladies’ Home Journal.

To get rid of the ice, just run the air conditioner with the fan on, and the cooling system off. That will melt the accumulated ice and release the cooling coils. Only after the cooling coils are out of the ice shell you can start using the air conditioner properly.

These were the basics of what to look for when trying to solve the problem of air conditioners not blowing cold air but running. This is a less frequent cause of central AC not blowing cold air; it might help some homeowners, however. We have already talked about the air conditioner being “flooded” when there is no adequate drainage. All these things can dirty up the compressor and reduce its performance. When central AC isn’t blowing cold air, for example, you can check if everything is OK with your compressor.

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