Why Central Air is Not Cooling

If you return home after a long, hot day out in the Dallas sun, you expect that your central air system has kept the inside of the house nice and cool while you were away. Unfortunately, while that is usually the case, there is no guarantee that the system has been working properly. Should you happen to find that your central air is not cooling properly, you’ll want to contact the expert team at Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric to address the problem right away.

 

While the repair and maintenance of a central air system should be left to a trained professional, it’s always good to educate yourself on how the system works and what may have gone wrong. Read on for an explanation of some of the reasons why your central air is not cooling.

 

Basic Information on Your Central Air Not Cooling

Getting to the bottom of this problem requires a bit of detective work on your part. Even if you aren’t an air conditioning expert, you can still gather some information that will help you – or a professional – get to the bottom of this problem and get your home properly cooled as soon as possible. The pieces of information you’ll want to collect include the following –

 

• Thermostat settings. This is where you should start your journey. Head to the thermostat and make note of how it is currently set. What temperature is the AC set to, and is it holding that setting or does it change throughout the day? Is the air actually on, or is the thermostat on a “Fan Only” mode? Many homeowners have been frustrated by poor AC performance only to later find that the problem was as simple as a thermostat that was set incorrectly.
• Visit the condenser. Go outside and check on the condition of your condenser. This is the piece of equipment that takes heat from inside your home and blows it outside through the use of a big fan that moves air over some coils. If those coils are clogged up, the air won’t flow freely and cooling won’t happen. Or, you might find that the coils are freezing up, which will also prevent good results.
• Look at the air filter. In many HVAC systems, the air filter is sitting in plain sight in the home, perhaps just behind a metal grate. Find your air filter and visually examine its condition – a dirty air filter will slow down the flow of air in the system and will lead to poor cooling performance.
• Check on the vents. Lastly, walk around and look at all the vents in your home. Are they all open? If some of the vents are closed – or, at least partially closed – the air won’t be able to get out of the ducts and you won’t get the cooling results you desire even if the air conditioner itself is working just fine.

 

DIY or No?

Some of the points above can be handled by the homeowner without any need to call in a professional. For example, changing an air filter is an easy job, and many systems are designed so that no tools are needed to make the switch. Just pick up a new filter of the appropriate size, remove the old one, and slide the new one in place. This task can be finished in moments and it can make a world of difference for your system.

 

Likewise, you can also easily change the settings on your thermostat in an effort to get better results. Outside of those two DIY changes, however, you’ll likely need to call in professionals to have your system repaired properly to get good cooling performance.

 

The Repair or Replace Debate

If it is determined that your air conditioner needs some form of repair to get the job done correctly, you’ll find yourself facing a choice between doing those repairs or replacing the system entirely to work with new equipment. This can be a tricky choice and it’s hard to make on your own. Take some time to gather as much information as necessary to gain a clear understanding of the pros and cons of both options before you proceed. A trustworthy partner like Walker will help you make an informed choice that is right for you and your family.

 

It’s frustrating to have your central air come up short during the middle of a hot summer, but a solution is just a phone call away. Get in touch with Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric right away to schedule an appointment and we’ll be sure to get the cold air flowing as soon as possible. We appreciate your consideration!