Is your air conditioner not cooling your home? Unfortunately, even newer air conditioners can perform poorly. Sometimes it is easy to find what is happening and resolve it with a simple remedy. Still, you need a professional to locate the problem and fix it in other instances.
This article goes over all the reasons your air conditioner is not cooling and what you can do about it. If you still need help, Hurliman Heating can assist you further.
What can cause the air conditioner not cooling?
An AC unit may not cool your home for many different reasons related to mechanical parts, thermostats, or even more complex situations. You could try locating the problem yourself and resolve it, or if you have done all you can without results, ask for help.
Here are the main reasons for an air conditioner not cooling:
1. Thermostat problems
The first thing to check is always the thermostat. It could be set on the wrong parameters, or someone could have changed the settings without you knowing. It should be set to “cool” if you want it to produce cold air.
If it is set to “heat” or “off,” the solution is as simple as changing the settings again and placing the thermostat back to “cool.” Then, wait for a few minutes to see if the air conditioner will produce cold air again, and if it does, you have solved it.
You could use the “Auto Mode” option to prevent unwanted situations. For example, this option set on the thermostat allows you to establish the desired temperature for your home. Then, the air conditioner will start working only when necessary to cool down the house to reach the desired result.
2. Air filters need to be changed
The air filters block unwanted particles such as dust, dirt, and other particles from coming into the ducts and damaging the AC unit components. In addition, they are there to keep the air inside the house cleaner and free of contaminants.
However, if the filters are not changed and accumulate a lot of dirt and dust, they can prevent air from coming in and even block the passage entirely. Cool air will not get through if that happens, and your house won’t get colder.
In extreme situations, clogged filters can even cause a system to shut down or make the evaporator coil freeze. After checking the thermostat, you should check the filters. If they are dirty, you have to turn the system off and replace them.
Sometimes the thermostat is not working because of the dirty filters. Therefore, if you think you have a problem with the thermostat, try replacing the dirty filters and check if it works properly again.
3. Low refrigerant levels
The refrigerant is essential for the correct functioning of the air conditioning unit. It is responsible for absorbing the heat from the air, and when the levels are too low, the AC unit will not cool the house effectively.
One of the most common reasons for low refrigerant levels is the presence of leaks. You could figure out a leak by ice build-up on the outside unit or even a hissing or bubbling sound coming from your AC unit.
The AC unit can still run without cooling the house when the refrigerant is low. The problem is that the system is running harder than usual, wearing out its components faster, sometimes damaging the compressor. A technician should be called to do a full inspection and seal any leak.
4. Leaky air ducts
Leaky air ducts can be the reason for the cool air never reaching your home or for your air conditioning system having to work so much to get you the desired temperature.
The cool air is getting lost through the ducts’ leaks, and although it seems that everything works fine, you still can’t get a pleasant temperature in your home. The ducts can develop holes because they get old or are poorly sized, allowing air to escape from the joints.
To locate the holes, you have to get professionals to do an inspection and seal the holes.
5. Problems with the condenser
Typically, an air conditioning system includes an outdoor condenser unit with a large coil that draws hot air out of the house. This coil is made of a series of very thin metals very close to each other. If it gets clogged or blocked, the air conditioner could stop lowering the temperature inside your house.
The cause of the blockage can be dirt, debris, and grass accumulating over the coil. When this happens, the AC unit will produce less cool air coming from the registers, and in the most severe cases, the compressor can be damaged from overuse.
The solution is to clean the coil with a vacuum cleaner and other tools and if that doesn’t resolve it, ask for assistance from a professional.
6. Problems with the compressor
The compressor unit is responsible for compressing air, cooling it, and getting it to the house. When it is not working or if it is broken, the AC system will not produce cool air. For example, there is no refrigerant circulation through the system with a broken motor, resulting in a lack of cool air.
Sometimes electrical parts get damaged, making it look like the compressor is broken. Still, with a careful inspection, one can replace those parts, such as the capacitor, for example, and the compressor will begin to work again.
However, if the compressor is broken, it needs to be replaced.
Conclusion
When your new air conditioner is not cooling, it is necessary to find its reason. The problem can be resolved simply by changing filters or adjusting a thermostat. But, in the worst cases, a more complex resolution is required.
When you can’t resolve the situation yourself, you should contact professionals to review your system thoroughly. If you need assistance with your AC unit, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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