During the hot summer months, having a reliable home air conditioning system is incredibly important. Unfortunately, just like any other system in your home, your air conditioner may malfunction occasionally. One particularly frustrating issue you may experience is your unit running but not adequately cooling your home.
Read this guide to learn common reasons, what to do, and when to call an AC repair expert.
Check Your Thermostat
One of the most obvious reasons for your HVAC running but not cooling down your home is you have your thermostat set to the heat function. Be sure that your thermostat is set to cool and not heat.
Additionally, check the setting for your blower fan. It should be set to auto and not on. If your blower fan is set to on, it will run nonstop, even when your air conditioner is off. This will simply circulate the air in your home through your ducting without cooling it.
Dirty Air Filter
The air filter in your system can impede proper airflow when it becomes coated with a substantial volume of debris. This restriction in airflow through your ducting can make it much harder for your air conditioner to deliver fresh, cold air throughout your home.
You can easily check your air filter by pulling it out of the filter housing. Hold it up to a light and look through it. If you can’t see through it, it’s time for a replacement. Also check for signs of damage, like a crushed filter frame or holes.
Blocked Condenser Unit
Just like an indoor air filter can restrict the ability of your air conditioner to produce cold air, so can the outdoor condenser unit. When the outside of the condenser unit is blocked by debris, like leaves or branches, it can’t adequately release heat from your home to the outdoors. Fortunately, this is an easy fix, as you just need to remove the debris from your condenser unit. Periodically check the area around your condenser for overgrowth.
Low Refrigerant Level
For your air conditioner to remove heat from the air, it needs an adequate amount of refrigerant. Over time, fittings can loosen, and leaks can develop in your coils and refrigerant lines. When too much of the refrigerant is released, there isn’t enough left to successfully cool your home.
If you suspect your AC is low on refrigerant, it’s best to call our team. One of our knowledgeable HVAC technicians can assess where your refrigerant is leaking, repair the issue, and recharge your system’s refrigerant level. This will return it to functioning like normal so your home can feel comfortable and cool.
Ducting Issues
Another culprit behind your AC issue could be issues with your ducting. It can be highly advantageous to check all the supply vents in your home to see if the issue is at one vent or all of them. In cases where the issue is at one vent, you may simply have an obstruction that’s blocking airflow in your ducting.
The problem could be a buildup of debris, like pet dander and dust, or there could be a pest infestation in your ducting. In cases where you’re experiencing an issue with all your vents, you may have a major leak in your ducting near the indoor air handler unit. One of our technicians can thoroughly assess your ducting to identify the leak’s location and repair it to restore the functionality of your ductwork.
Dirty Coils
For your air conditioner to work properly, both the evaporator coil in the indoor air handler unit and the condenser coil in your outdoor condenser unit must be able to transfer heat. If the coils get overly dirty and covered in grime, the dirty layer could prevent heat transfer in and out of the coil.
This can prevent your air conditioner from being able to remove heat, which will ultimately cause the refrigerant inside the coils to freeze. That’s why coil cleaning is an essential step during professional HVAC maintenance. It’s best to have one of our technicians thoroughly clean your coils with a specialized solution to get rid of that grime.
Faulty Compressor
The compressor is located within your outdoor condenser unit and is responsible for pressurizing the refrigerant so it can effectively transfer heat from inside your home to the outdoors. Unfortunately, if the compressor malfunctions, it will render your unit’s refrigerant unable to move heat.
You’ll note the air coming out of your vents seems warm, and you’ll likely notice a reduction in the airflow. A compressor is something you’ll want one of our experienced technicians to replace to restore the functioning of your air conditioning system.
Blower Fan Malfunction
The indoor air handler for your AC houses a blower compartment that has a blower motor, pulley, belt, and fan. If any component of the blower fan compartment malfunctions, it can render your unit unable to move air.
For example, if the blower fan belt breaks, it won’t be able to spin the pulley to rotate the fan. You’ll notice a lack of airflow from your vents, even though your air conditioner is still running. One of our technicians can assess all the components inside your blower compartment to identify the malfunctioning one and replace it with ease.
Tripped Breaker at Condenser Unit
It’s important to remember that your air conditioner has two units, an indoor air handler unit and an outdoor condenser unit. The indoor air handler is responsible for removing heat from your air and circulating it throughout your home. Your condenser unit is responsible for getting rid of the heat by dispersing it outdoors.
If you notice the air coming out of your vents isn’t cool, it could be because your outdoor condenser unit is off. Most condenser units have their own subpanel box with a circuit breaker. If you trip the breaker or shut the box off, your condenser unit won’t run.
However, your indoor air handler unit, which is on a different circuit breaker, can continue to function as normal. Typically, resetting the circuit breaker for your outdoor condenser unit is all that’s needed to restore the full functioning of your entire AC unit.
Undersized Unit
Residential air conditioners are rated to handle a certain amount of square footage. If your air conditioner isn’t big enough for your living area, it could struggle to adequately cool it. This problem is most prominent if you just had a new air conditioner installed or put an addition on your home without upgrading your old air conditioning system. Unfortunately, the only solution to this issue is to purchase a larger unit that can meet your home’s cooling demands.
Outdated Unit
Most air conditioners are rated as lasting between 15 and 20 years. If your air conditioner is getting up there in age, you’ll notice a decrease in its overall performance. If it doesn’t seem to be properly cooling your home like it once used to, this may be a sign that it’s time for an upgrade.
Reliable AC Repair Service
Fox Heating, Cooling & Plumbing offers dependable, expert AC service for the Wheat Ridge, CO community. We can help with all your heating and air conditioning maintenance, repairs, new installation, and replacement needs.
Call our team at Fox Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Wheat Ridge today.
