How to Fix an Air Conditioner that is Not Cooling?

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Sinclaire Enterprises, Inc.

140 South St., Walpole, MA 02081
P 508.668.8200 Toll Free 877.668.8822 info@sinclaireboston.com
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When the scorching summer is at its peak, the last thing you want is a malfunctioning air conditioner at home! It can be quite annoying to find your air conditioner is not cooling optimally on hot and humid days. Now, inadequate AC cooling can be caused by a number of factors. Some of these issues can be diagnosed and dealt with at home. In other cases, you need to call a company helpline or hire an AC repair technician.

Ways to Find and Fix the Commonplace AC Cooling Issues

  1. Improper Room Insulation – Air conditioners, regardless of type and brand, are meant to be used in places with proper insulation. The doors and windows must be well sealed. If the gap between frames and floor and windows is larger than usual, the AC will struggle to cool the room. This will result in more air from the outside seeping in easily, affecting the cooling efficacy. Hence, you need to check if the doors and windows in the room are closed well when the AC is running.
  2. Dirty and Clogged Coils – The AC units have two types of coils: the evaporator and condenser coil. Over time, dirt and dust can clog these coils. Much depends on the air quality, proximity to trees, etc. If these coils become dirty and clogged, the air conditioner’s cooling efficiency will fall. You will also have to cope with inflated power bills. Based on your AC type, you may be able to clean the evaporator coil inside the indoor unit. The condenser coil tends to gather more dust as it is placed in the outdoor unit.
  3. Dirty Air Filter – Your AC unit is equipped with an air filter meant for filtering the air that is circulated inside. Over time, this filter also gathers dirt and dust, and that negatively affects cooling performance. It can be cleaned at home using a small vacuum cleaner and a damp cloth.
  4. Coolant Leakage – Poor cooling performance is also caused by the inadequate refrigerant in the unit. Typically, the coolant does not get depleted unless there is some leakage. Small and nearly invisible leaks can cause a drop in the coolant level. This is a problem that can be fixed by an AC repair agency or technician.
  5. Faulty Thermostat – Your AC has a thermostat unit to regulate temperature and other cooling controls. If it develops a snag that can impede the cooling efficiency of the device, you may try setting the thermostat to “auto” mode to see if that resolves the issue. Some ACs come with an option to show error codes to indicate thermostat issues. A faulty thermostat unit has to be replaced.
  6. Faulty Compressor – This is the heart of your AC. If the compressor starts malfunctioning, a replacement is a prudent option. Look out for unusual noise and vibration at the outdoor unit when the AC is running.

Fixing All AC-related Problems Easily

If you are not confident about troubleshooting and fixing your AC problems personally, you should hire reliable heating and AC repair agency. In this regard, your best choice is Sinclaire Home Services.