Every spring, the day comes when the heat and humidity reach the point where it’s time to shut the windows and turn on the AC. But what if the house doesn’t cool off, and you put your hand in front of a vent, and it’s blowing warm air?
Instead of panicking, do some quick troubleshooting and try some easy fixes. If you’re not getting cool results, Jack Hall Plumbing & Heating’s experienced AC technicians are only a phone call or email away.
Here are some of the most common springtime AC issues our team encounters:
Your Thermostat Still Thinks it’s December
Forgetting to switch your thermostat from “heat” to “cool” in the spring happens more than you think. You might also need to adjust the temperature to get the unit to turn on. If your AC isn’t cooling the house, this should be the first thing you check. If the thermostat is set correctly, move on to the next common culprit – the air filter.
Dirty Air Filters Create AC Chaos
The air filter may need replacing if your AC system isn’t running efficiently. Locate your system’s air filter, it’s usually inside the air handler unit in your basement, turn the HVAC system off, then remove the filter and give it a look. Dirty filters block airflow, making it harder for your AC to circulate cool air. A filthy filter can also shut your system down completely, increase your power bill, and create unnecessary wear and tear on your HVAC system, so it’s important to change them regularly.
The Outdoor Condenser Unit Needs a Scrub
The outdoor condenser unit has a large coil and, in the spring, it’s not uncommon for dirt, grass, and other debris to build up in the thin metal fins around the unit. A dirty coil impacts your AC unit’s ability to generate cool air and can eventually shut down the unit and damage the compressor. You can clean the coil by clearing debris and then a quick rinse with a hose. If the AC still doesn’t blow cold air, it’s time to contact the Jack Hall Plumbing & Heating team to get to the bottom of the problem.
Faulty Compressors Can Spark Electrical Issues
The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant in your AC system, making the cooling process work. If you feel warm air blowing from the vents, circuit breakers are tripping, or the AC unit is making weird noises, there’s a good chance it’s a compressor issue. Fixing and replacing failed compressors is a technical, complex job best left to the pros at Jack Hall to troubleshoot and repair.
Frozen Evaporator Coils Heat Up the House
The evaporator coil absorbs the heat from the air inside your home and releases it outside. When the coil freezes, you’ll feel hot air coming out of the vents and see excessive condensation around the indoor unit. The quick fix for defrosting the evaporator coil is to turn off the AC system for a few hours so any accumulated ice can melt. Once it does, you can turn your AC back on and check to see if it’s working.
Refrigerant Leaks Aren’t Cool
Refrigerant is a chemical that circulates through your indoor and outdoor coils, drawing heat and humidity from inside the house and releasing it outside. A refrigerant leak can make it tough for your AC system to generate cool air. If there’s a leak, the unit may run for longer periods of time without cooling things off, and it may eventually damage the compressor, triggering a complete system failure.
Undersized AC Units are Overworked
AC units are rated by how many tons of refrigeration they can produce. A rough estimate is that a ton of cooling power will cool down an entire room. If your AC is undersized, you might not notice anything until a summer heatwave hits and it struggles to keep the house cool. The best way to determine if your AC is undersized is to contact us at Jack Hall. Our licensed HVAC professionals can accurately assess your AC unit’s cooling capacity. Our technicians can also provide practical solutions to address undersized AC units, such as mini split systems for hotter rooms, improving insulation, or installing a more efficient HVAC unit.
No one wants to endure a sweltering summer with an air conditioning system that isn’t working efficiently. If your AC unit isn’t keeping things cool, contact the Jack Hall Plumbing & Heating team. Our experienced technicians can quickly diagnose the problem and make repairs so your home is comfortable even on the hottest days.
