When it’s a searing summer afternoon in Auburn, nothing could be worse than registering your air conditioner isn’t operating the way it should. The last thing you want to do is schedule AC help. But your AC is a fairly complex system, so it can be almost impossible to determine what’s causing the issue by yourself.
That’s why Forster Heating wrote this handbook to help you find out what could be taking place with your AC. Here, you’ll learn a couple typical situtations that explain why your home is feeling a little unpleasant. And while some of these are fairly painless DIY activities, you could want to turn to a professional for home comfort system repair.
And if you do, Forster Heating is prepared to take care of your home. Here are five reasons why your air conditioner may not be cooling your residence in Auburn.
1. Your Device Settings May Be Wrong
Every family uses their thermostat a little differently to work with their distinct requirements. However, many families make the mistake of setting their system to “On” as opposed to “Auto.” Because of this setting, the fan in your system will continue to blow even when you’ve achieved your desired temperature.
This can feel like your vents are releasing untreated air, when really it’s just using the fan more frequently than required. Change this setting and work out if things cool off.
2. Your Home Comfort System Needs Some Cleaning
There are two main places to examine for dirt or dust buildup when your home comfort system doesn’t appear to be functioning well.
First, take a look at your system’s filter. If you don’t swap out your filter often enough, accumulated dirt can make it more challenging for air to move through and lower the temperature your home. If your filter is clearly dirty or dusty, it’s likely time to replace it. (And for best operation, you need to switch it about once every three months or more frequently.)
If your filter appears clean, move to your external unit. Double check there’s a reasonable amount of room around it and clear away plants or debris close by. This section of your system lets off the heat from inside your rooms. If the coils outside are closed off, you won’t be comfortable in your home.
We suggest scheduling professional air conditioner maintenance yearly to keep your system operating like it should and to keep your warranty valid.
3. Your Unit is Releasing Refrigerant
Refrigerant is the stuff that cools the air in your house. It cycles between your inside and outside units to soak up and let out heat, to help your house keep comfortable. If there is an opening somewhere, you won’t be comfortable again until you book professional air conditioning repair.
Signals of a refrigerant leak include a decrease in cooled air, more expensive power bills, frozen evaporator coils and strange hissing noises originating from your air conditioner.
If you feel refrigerant might be leaking, call Forster Heating for system repair as soon as possible. Refrigerant can also be hazardous to your family’s health.
4. One or More Parts Have to Be Replaced
Your cooling system contains a couple crucial elements. These include the blower, evaporator coils, compressor, fan, condenser coils and expansion valve. If any one of these is broken, your home comfort suffers.
Our Forster Heating technicians are trained and skilled in all areas of HVAC. They can help you find and fix any issue.
5. Your Whole System Needs to Be Replaced
If your equipment is upward of 10 years old, it is probably a good time to look into new air conditioner installation. As your system gets older, it unfortunately won’t run as well as it did when it was new. And it could be making your home uncomfortable.
If your HVAC unit is newer but still isn’t keeping you cool, it could be undersized for your home. HVAC systems are not all the same size. An AC that’s too small simply can’t chill a place the way an accurately sized AC can.
Find a More Comfortable Home with Forster Heating
You shouldn’t lose any time this summer in a hot space. When your air conditioner isn’t working the way you need it to, bank on Forster Heating. We’re skilled in AC repair. Contact us at 530-885-8081 right away.