Category: HVAC

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What Can Cause My Air Conditioning to Not Cool My House?

Aurora furnace repair

Most households rely heavily on their air conditioner for thermal comfort when the temperatures start rising outside in spring and even more so in summer, which also means that any fault that leads to diminished capacity in the unit’s performance is felt sensitively. Decreased performance can be caused by many issues – here are some that might make AC unit refuse to cool your home.

An Incorrect Thermostat Setting

If you notice that your home is not as cool as you want it to be, the first thing to check is your thermostat. Check whether it is set to cooling mode, then check the temperature setting, too. If the setting is right, you can try to kick the system back to life by turning off the thermostat, then turning it on again in a few seconds, checking the mode and the temperature setting again. If you feel cold air coming from the unit’s register within a couple of minutes, the problem has been solved – if the unit still delivers warm air, however, the best way to remedy the problem is to call a Aurora furnace repair technician.

Dirty Filters

Another common and easy to remedy issue that leads to inefficient cooling is clogging or dirt in the filters. The role of the filter is to capture any dust, dirt and other contaminants when they enter the handler unit – when they become clogged, the problem compromises the amount of cool air blown into your rooms as well as the quality of the air. Fortunately, the replacement is simple – just follow the steps in the manual of your furnace.

A Blocked Condenser Unit

Most air conditioners include an outdoor condenser unit with a large coil that contains lots of small metal fins that is wrapped around the core. If your air conditioner is working, but not cooling properly, the cause might be a blockage in the coil that has probably appeared because the condenser coil has drawn in some sort of dirt, such as leaves, dirt or grass. The coil can be cleaned with a brush and vacuum cleaner, but it might be a better idea to leave the operation to professionals.

A Fault of the Heat Pump

Some types of air conditioners have a heat pump for the exterior unit. The heat pump fulfills the same role as the condenser unit and it can be affected the same way, being damaged by the dirt and vegetation particles that enter it. If you have checked the previous faults and you suspect that your air conditioner is still malfunctioning, the best way to proceed is to turn to an HVAC Aurora furnace repair technician as heat pump repair requires specialized knowledge and tools.

Improper Sizing

One of the most common problems that leads to inappropriate cooling is incorrect sizing – an air conditioner that is not suitable for the size of your room is unable to deliver cool air in sufficient amounts. If this is what causes the thermal discomfort in your home, the only way to remedy the issue is to replace the entire air conditioning system.

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How Important Is Filter Replacement to Your Home’s Heating System?

If you ask a lot of furnace services Denver experts, they will tell you that filter replacement for even a newer HVAC is just as important as in the case of older models. Unless you have a futuristic heating system that no longer uses air filters, you have to consider replacing your air filter on a regular basis, depending on how much your HVAC is in use and what its physical dimensions are.

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A good rule of thumb is to change larger filters more often and smaller ones less frequently. However, there is so much more to understand about these filters and how they might be linked to many other factors and considerations that most people don’t even think about.

Important Considerations

Most of the time, you’ll hear that the best time to replace your filter is when it’s about 90 days old. That means for three months you can generally relax, as your filter should be able to perform just right. Unfortunately, this isn’t always how it works. While the average time for filter replacement is somewhere around 60-90 days, there are a few very important things to consider before choosing that period:

  • How dirty is the filter? If you live in a dry area with a lot of dust, it makes sense that the air filter will be pretty dirty after as little as a month or two of use, in which case you might want to check on it even sooner and think about replacing it around that time.
  • You or someone in your family might have an allergy, or you might have pets or small children around. In such cases, your filter should be replaced about once every 30 to 60 days to ensure that the air quality inside your home is up to par.
  • If your heating system is running more than usual – such as, for example, when it’s very cold or your furnace is old and needs more time to heat your home properly – then it’s also important to check the filter and replace it if necessary.
  • You might notice some strange odors, especially near the HVAC system while it’s working. In many cases that’s a sign that the hot air has encountered some kind of debris or obstruction which will typically be located on the filter – or that the filter itself is damaged or affected by mold, after not having been changed for a while.
  • Finally, inspecting your HVAC and finding a dirty filter is always cause for concern and should warrant replacing the filter immediately, even if it’s relatively new. If that is the case, then make sure you consult with your HVAC experts to find out why the filter was affected so quickly and what are some ways that you can correct the issue.

Frequency of Change Based on Size

Filters come in different materials and sizes, and as you might expect, that will also weigh in when it comes to deciding on when to replace them. Cheaper fiberglass filters should generally be replaced after 30 days, while more advanced, pleated filters can last for 60 to 90 days.

A good rule of thumb when it comes to size is to have smaller filters (1-2 inches) replaced at least once every three months, while larger ones can last even longer. The limit for 4-inch filters should be around 6 months, and 5-inch filters should be able to last for 9-12 months under the most favorable circumstances.