My A/C is not cooling! Help!

Is there anything more panicking than realizing that your air conditioner isn’t cooling properly? First, you think hmmmm… it feels warm in here. Then you check the thermostat and realize that your house is at 84 when the thermostat is set to 78. And that’s when panic sets in. Hot, sleepless nights flash through your mind. You can literally feel the money being drained from your bank account to pay for a new unit. But wait! It might not be as bad as you think. There could be some very simple fixes, even fixes you can do yourself to get your A/C cooling perfectly. Here’s what to do next…

Check the obvious

Is the thermostat set correctly? Did one of your kids mess with it? Be sure that it is set to “cool” and not to “on.” And check to see if someone simply turned up the temperature setting (but I was cold dad!) If one of the fixes works, you should hear the unit kick on and feel cool air coming from the vents. Hopefully it’s that simple!

Check the filters

Filters are often out-of-sight and out-of-mind. But they actually are a very important part of your HVAC system and dirty filters can bring your system’s cooling capabilities to a halt quickly. If a filter becomes full of dirt and airborne particles, it isn’t able to properly allow air into your unit, thus slowing it down or stopping it altogether. We recommend that you change your filter every 1-3 months. Here’s a quick tutorial for changing your filter.

Time to head outside

If you’ve checked the thermostat and replaced the filter and you’re still not getting cool air, it’s time to head outside. Most units have an outdoor condenser that draws air in from the outdoors to begin the cooling process. This unit contains a series of coils. If these coils become clogged with debris, the condenser can’t work properly. If you suspect this is the issue, you can do some gentle cleaning on your own. We suggest lightly vacuuming with a brush attachment or using a garden hose (not a pressure washer). After you’ve done this, give the unit some time and re-evaluate if it is cooling properly. Here’s a good tutorial using a cleaner and garden hose:

Back inside

If that didn’t work, we suggest looking at your evaporator coils in your indoor unit (which most units in Florida will have). If you are seeing frost or excessive condensation and dripping in the area, you likely have a frozen evaporator coil. This can be a tricky fix, so if you’ve gotten to this point, we suggest you give us a call to handle the repair.

What else could it be?

Besides the issues we’ve mentioned, there are a few other things that could be going on with your unit. For example, you could have a refrigerant leak. An HVAC technician can properly measure the refrigerant levels and address the source of the leak. Also, there is a chance that your A/C unit is simply too small for your home. Perhaps your home has been added onto since the A/C was installed. Or maybe your home didn’t have the right size to begin with. If this is the case, we can talk about ways to supplement your system with ductless units or simply upgrade to an appropriately-sized system.

The easiest fix of all

Let’s be honest. Most of us don’t want to worry about air filters, frozen coils, and dirty condensers. If that’s you, our maintenance service is the perfect solution. Let us come out before your unit starts having issues. We’ll check and remedy all of these issues and more, keeping your unit in top condition year-round and extending its life over the long term.

Whether your fix is simple or complex, we are just a phone call away and are happy to help. Head to our website to get in touch.