Why Does the AC Take So Long to Cool Down the House?

When it’s hot outside, you depend on your air conditioner to keep things comfortable inside. But is your air conditioner taking forever to cool down the house? This is familiar on sweltering days, which strain your cooling harder than average. However, if it’s not very hot outside and your air conditioning is still having a hard time, your HVAC system may have a problem. Use these tips to help you troubleshoot the matter.

Dirty Air Filter

A clogged filter is the most frequent reason an air conditioner takes too long to cool the house. The purpose of a filter is to trap airborne pollutants that could damage your HVAC equipment. More effective filters even catch microscopic airborne allergens to improve indoor air quality.

Eventually, the filter becomes blocked up with dust, pet hair, and textile fibers, restricting the flow of air. Besides making the air conditioner take a long time to cool down the house, this situation can also lead to more expensive energy bills, additional wear and tear, and overheating.

Solution: Check your air filter every month and exchange it if it seems dirty. Don't wait past three months to change the filter or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re uncertain where the air filter can be found, ask your HVAC technician at your next service visit.

Improper Thermostat Settings

Your thermostat must be compatible with your cooling to run correctly. Then, you have to set it correctly to reach a nice temperature. Implementing a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat offers the best results.

Solution: If you want to update your thermostat, want help learning about programmable settings, or aren't comfortable programming a thermostat yourself, get in touch with an HVAC technician at Winnipeg Supply Service Experts for support.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Split-system air conditioners need an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit features the evaporator coil, which takes in heat from the air via the refrigerant. It’s more difficult for the refrigerant to hold onto heat properly if the evaporator coil is dirty, making it take longer to cool your house.

Solution: Get in touch with our HVAC professionals to clean and tune up your air conditioner. An element of this visit involves clearing away dirt and grime from the evaporator coil to improve cooling efficiency.

Dirty or Obstructed Outdoor Unit

A cooling cycle requires transporting hot refrigerant to the outdoor unit, where it ventilates heat away from your home. Unfortunately, if the outdoor unit is dirty or surrounded by encroaching vegetation, the cooling process may be less efficient.

Solution: Lightly hose down the outdoor unit to eliminate dust, cobwebs, pine needles and grass clippings. Then, trim back bushes to around 12 inches from the unit to enhance circulation.

Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is the secret to air conditioning. Usually, this substance travels in a closed loop between the indoor and outdoor units. If a leak occurs and your cooling loses refrigerant, it becomes less effective at absorbing and expelling heat from your home.

Solution: Only a licensed technician can fix refrigerant leaks and refresh the system. If you think you're dealing with this problem, call our HVAC specialists for help straight away.

Leaky Ductwork

Air ducts are the highways of your HVAC system. A leak from either the return or supply side might make your air conditioner perform harder and longer maintain comfortable temperatures.

Solution: If you notice uneven temperatures and an excessive amount of dust throughout the house, call Winnipeg Supply Service Experts to take a look at your air ducts. Duct sealing or replacement can resolve the problem.

Dirty or Blocked Air Vents

Conditioned air can only circulate throughout your home as long as the air vents are open and clear. Closing too many vents can even disrupt the system’s balance, contributing to additional breakdowns and repair costs.

Solution: Check the vents in each room, ensuring they’re open and not blocked by furniture, carpets or drapes.

Outdated or Poorly Sized AC System

Did you set up your air conditioning more than 10 to 15 years ago? As it ages, the AC becomes less effective and may struggle to maintain steady cooling. Likewise, have you recently completed a home add-on or made other modifications? This could result in an undersized air conditioner that will struggle to keep up with demand.

Solution: The only fix for an outdated or undersized air conditioner is to exchange it. Depend on our licensed HVAC technicians to size and install your new unit for comfort and efficiency.

Schedule AC Repair with Winnipeg Supply Service Experts

If your troubleshooting still proves ineffective, feel free to call in the HVAC pros at Winnipeg Supply Service Experts. We deliver fast, reliable support to get your cooling back up and running as soon as possible. Rest assured that our technicians adhere to the highest standards of care to ensure your long-term comfort. Contact us to schedule air conditioning repair or additional HVAC services today.