Is your AC not cooling your house anymore? The problem might be more than one! Read this article to find more about why your AC isn’t working well.
Have you ever been in a situation where your AC is not cooling your room anymore? You may have tried to lower the temperature more than usual, but it still doesn’t seem to work for some reason. To make things worse, it occasionally blows out hot air. Whichever AC you may own, be it a split AC or a Window AC, there are certain technical problems that it might be facing.
There are more than one factors that determine if your AC is functioning properly, and if there is a problem with any of those, you probably need to get it fixed. Maybe your AC is not regularly maintained, which a lot of people don’t realize. It also could be that your AC compressor is not working properly.
A huge percentage of houses and offices use ACs now. With the advancement of technology, ACs are being manufactured with better cooling properties and energy efficiency. In this article, we have gathered a few different reasons why your AC is not cooling well enough.
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Thermostat Problems
This is probably one of the most common and least complicated problems related to your AC. We say that it is the least complicated because you can do a quick fix by yourself.
First, you have to ensure that this is the actual problem. How do you do this? See if your AC blows cold air first and then passes out lukewarm air. If this is the case, simply set your thermostat to “Auto” mode instead of “On” mode. By doing this, the fan in your AC will only work when the air is being cooled and hence, blow out cold air every time.
On the other hand, your thermostat can also be damaged. The evaporator cycle and compressor are regulated by the thermostat. So a faulty thermostat will result in a malfunctioning AC. You may need a thermostat replacement in that case.
Refrigerant Levels Unleveled
The function of a refrigerant is to absorb heat from the surrounding air and keep it cool. If the level of refrigerant is not optimum, your AC may malfunction. Look for bubbling or hissing noises from your AC to identify if there is a problem with the refrigerant level.
Another possibility is that your refrigerant tank may be leaking. This can happen especially when you use your AC for a long time, and it has gone through some wear and damage, or if your refrigerant tube is made of copper as copper can corrode quickly.
In both cases, your AC needs immediate repair from a trained professional.
Faulty Compressor
The compressor is one of the most crucial components in an AC. The flow of refrigerant between the condenser and evaporator is controlled by it. Before releasing to the condenser to continue blowing cool air, the refrigerant is first heated by the compressor, and it cools down in the condenser.
Compressors can get damaged due to many reasons, such as a damaged fan coil, a dirty condenser coil, a faulty outdoor coil, or even a dirty filter.
If your compressor is damaged, the first thing you need to do is turn off power to the unit as a damaged compressor can overload a circuit and create further damage. Then you need to get a professional to either replace or repair your AC.
Clogged Evaporator or Condenser Coil
If you want your AC to work without any obstacles, a clean evaporator and condenser coil is necessary. An unclean evaporator coil can cause ice buildup, and a damaged condenser coil leads to improper regulation and distribution of refrigerant. Especially for window ACs, clogs and ice buildup are common issues to jeopardize your AC function. These things prevent smooth airflow and hence result in insufficient cooling. Keeping your equipment clean will ensure clean air inside your room too.
Turn off the power system and defrost the coils. You will need a good HVAC service provider to get this fixed efficiently.
Filthy Filters
For your AC to work efficiently, the airflow it produces needs to be uninterrupted. Dirty filters can be clogged with dirt and dust, pet hairs, and other airborne particles. Not only does this block airflow, but it can also cause clogging of the coils. This eventually shuts off your AC function completely.
For fixing it, shut off your power system and clean up your filters using a vacuum cleaner. If the problem persists, you may need to replace the filter. For this, you would need professional help.
The evaporator and condenser require periodic cleaning and maintenance as well. Regular cleaning of the components will save you a lot of repair costs.
Heat Pump Issues
Unlike its name, a heat pump cools the indoor unit of an AC by letting cold air inside your room and drawing hot air out of it. As a result, a faulty heat pump will not let your indoor air cool properly.
Your heat pump can also be undersized. British Thermal Units (BTU) ratings are assigned to heat pumps based on their sizes. Make sure your AC has one corresponding to its size and capacity.
So what do you do if you have an undersized or damaged heat pump? Get it changed by an HVAC system provider.
Takeaway
With the scorching summer heat, ACs give us that cool, peaceful feeling. A malfunctioning AC is probably one of the worst issues you can face during this hot season. Many people believe that once they install an AC, it just works as long as it can without any maintenance. But regulations maintenance is extremely important to identify any problem and to avoid unnecessary and easily avoidable costs.
In fact, you should get your AC serviced every 3 months. Always make sure to check up on your AC from time to time, and enjoy the comfort of technology!