Why is my central air conditioner not cooling the house under 80 degrees?
If you’ve had problems with your central air conditioning, repairing it now is recommended by most experts. With regard to the aforementioned question, there may not be anything wrong with your central air conditioner, repairs aren’t necessary. As hot as the summer got this year, it is possible that your central air reached its limitations. But there are common issues that can affect the operation of an air conditioning system:
- A clogged, dirty air filter
- A blocked condenser
- Leaking refrigerant
- Leaking air ducts
- Leaky ducts
While you can have professional central air conditioning repair service for these things, there are two things that central air conditioning repair aren’t the answer:
- The central air conditioner unit is too small
- The central air conditioner has aged out
Instead of having your central air conditioning repaired, these two things will require your purchasing a new system. Can this wait until next spring, or do you need to buy a new system now? Yes, you could wait until next spring, but by buying it now, you’ll be able to purchase at summer close-out pricing and the schedule for installation is probably wide open!
And there is a third reason: you need your central air conditioning repaired for the heating system. So, the central air conditioning system is needed for the central heat portion of the system to work properly. How does the air conditioning part of the HVAC system affect the heating system? They have common parts!
The air conditioning part of your HVAC system chills the refrigerant using the coils, fans, and an exterior unit. The heater part of the HVAC system uses the coils, fans, and the same ductwork to transport the heated air throughout.
Why is my central air conditioner not cooling?
As the summer progressed, you may have noticed that the central air conditioning system wasn’t cooling your home, there can be several issues that cause that. On your end, first, check the thermostat was set to “auto” and “cool”. Then check the air filter and change it or clean it. If all is in proper condition and your home still isn’t cool, it is time to schedule a central air conditioning repair service.
What is the life expectancy of a central air conditioner?
The average lifespan you can expect from a central air conditioning system is around 15 years, some may last 30 years and others may quit at 8 years. There are some factors that can affect the average lifespan such as:
- The quality of the HVAC system
- The quality of the installation
- The amount of usage
- The maintenance and upkeep
- The insulation level in your attic
How do you clean a clogged condenser coil?
The exterior component of your central air conditioning system is important for the system to properly cool. Here are the basic steps:
- Turn off the power to the air conditioner.
- Remove the top and side covers of the condenser unit.
- Remove the fan if you can and want to try.
- Clean off any debris in and around the unit
- Vacuum over the coils to remove any dirt and dust.
- Fix any bent fins.
- Spray a coil cleaner over the coils.
- Using a garden hose, spray water over the coils to complete the cleaning.
- Put the air conditioning unit back together.
Go inside the house and make sure the thermostat is in “cool” and “auto” positions and set it 10 degrees lower than the house is currently. After an hour, if it hasn’t cooled the house to the set temperature, call for a professional central air conditioning repair service.
How do you know if the compressor is the problem with your central air conditioning?
There are some indicators that hint that the compressor in your central air conditioning may be going out. However, these same symptoms can be something else:
- Strange sounds from the outside component.
- The air conditioning system overheats.
- Warm air blowing from the vent.
- Refrigerant level is low.
- Moisture leaking from the system.
- Energy bills have skyrocketed higher than normal.
In Closing
While you may be ready for the hot summer to be over and put on the sweaters and heat the hot chocolate, you can’t neglect your central air conditioning system. If it wasn’t in prime working order, any central air conditioning repairs should be done now to ensure the heating system can work properly. Also, by addressing the issues now, it will be ready and waiting to keep your home cool next summer arrives. For central air conditioning repair in Orange, CA, please reach out to us at (714) 464-6622 today!