When air from the A/C is cool but just not cold enough to make your home comfortable, that generally means there is an internal problem with your air conditioner. Additionally, your system will run longer to cool the air, increasing you energy costs and burdening your cooling system.
Before calling a professional technician, there are several areas you can check to locate the source of the problem:
The condenser unit
- Leaves and dirt can settle inside the unit and block the airflow necessary for heat transfer.
- Coils inside the condenser accumulate dirt and hinder the heat transfer.
- Fins, surrounding the coils, bend and reduce the airflow required to cool the refrigerant.
The refrigerant line
- Leaks reduce the amount of refrigerant in the line and escaping refrigerant is harmful to the environment.
- Low levels of refrigerant will decrease the volume of cooling in the line moving to the evaporator coils.
The air handler
- Evaporator coils coated with dirt reduce the cool air flowing through the ducts.
- Blocked filters allow dirt to pass to the evaporator coils.
- The fan set at an incorrect speed will affect the cooling of the air.
The ductwork
- Leaks in the ducts allow unconditioned air to mix with conditioned air, changing the temperature.
- Cool air escapes through leaks in the ducts, reducing the amount of cool air moving to your rooms.
As a homeowner, you can solve simple problems such as changing dirty filters, adjusting the fan speed, cleaning the coils and using a special comb to straighten bent fins. After making these adjustments, if the air coming from the A/C is still not satisfactorily cooling your home, it's time to contact a specialist for a comprehensive inspection of your system.
The highly qualified technicians at Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning are educated in the latest methods of repairing your cooling system so the air from the A/C is conditioned to the appropriate temperatures. After a comprehensive inspection and tune-up, your system will run effortlessly and cost-effectively during the hot summer months. Serving homeowners in the Route 495/128 area, we're always happy to help.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Solutions Guide.