view specials
BOOK ONLINEYou’ve invested in an AC to keep your home cool during these hot summer months. If it isn’t doing its job, however, the climate of your home will be insufferable. Let’s take a look at why your air conditioner might not be cooling the house.
Poorly Positioned
As impressive as your AC may be, it’s of no use if the unit isn’t positioned properly. An AC that faces a wall does nothing but keep the wall cool. Instead, you’ll want to position the unit to face the majority of your home. This is true whether you have an external unit or a full HVAC system with vents. Think about where you and your family tend to be sitting for the majority of the day. The AC needs to be located on a wall that has open access to these spots. In addition, just because there is a direct line of sight doesn’t mean that you’re free of issues. A unit at a very sharp angle might not be blowing air in that direction at all. You want the AC to be close and nearly perpendicular to the target area.
Wrong Type of Room
Air conditioning works best in a small, sealed room. This prevents air from escaping, and it will remain at a constant temperature. If your room is too large, there’s simply too much volume of air to cool. While the most powerful units can handle these rooms, the average AC system isn’t strong enough. Look at your AC, and see what the manufacturer’s recommendation is. Even if the room is relatively small, it might not be sealed. Air could be escaping through cracks in the windows or walls. It’s important to acknowledge that the door to the room will never be completely sealed, so this could be a source of inefficiency. Overall, you’ll want to close as many doors and windows as possible when your AC is on. You can also look toward other methods of downsizing the room to maximize circulation.
Broken Vents
In the worst-case scenario, your AC is simply broken. Broken vents don’t allow air to escape and instead keep all of the cool air in the room. Vents can be poorly positioned at the wrong angle, making them closed and purposeless. The connection between your vents and the interior of the unit could also be posing a problem. In essence, you’re looking for a smooth transition from the heart of your AC to your living room. The air needs to circulate properly; otherwise, you’re reusing the same hot air over and over again. Look closely at the vents, and see whether you can detect any misalignment. If you do notice something, refrain from pushing the vents by hand. This could cause permanent damage. You’re much better off with contacting a service that has the right tools and experience.
Broken Cooling System
Your air will stay at room temperature if you have a broken cooling system. This defeats the entire purpose of installing an AC in the first place. Because the cooling system is located in the interior of the unit, it’s difficult to examine it directly. Instead, perform some experiments with the cooling. See how your AC responds to different temperature commands. If you notice a repeated pattern in how it malfunctions, you’re most likely dealing with a broken cooling system. Fixing this on your own is a huge task. There are so many moving parts that it’s better to rely on a professional repair company instead. Even if the problem is as simple as a lack of cooling fluid, the AC is old enough that repair makes sense. AC units don’t last forever, and they will inevitably require repair after about a decade of use.
Investigating Your Air Conditioner
It can be difficult to determine the source of an AC issue. However, Simmons Heating & Cooling is a great resource for all things related to air conditioning. We can take a look at your unit and the layout of your home to see where things are going wrong.
Staying up late at night and thinking about what’s wrong with your AC is an incredibly frustrating feeling. Equally as frustrating is not having your home feel as cool as it should be. Turning to our team of professionals is a much better option. We provide a range of heating– and cooling-related services for residents of Chesapeake, VA.
