The central air conditioner is one of the most reliable HVAC systems you could have installed in your home. It’s no wonder why we’re asked to install them time and time again in Southern California.
That being said, these systems—just like any other—will develop their own share of repair problems every now and then.
The best thing you can do is to try and prevent them with regularly scheduled maintenance. The second best thing you can do is to know what these problems are so that you can identify them. The sooner you get in touch with an expert of air conditioning repair in Long Beach, CA, the sooner you can restore your efficiency and the full potential for your system.
Low Air Flow From the Vents
Imagine the horror of putting your hand up to the air vent and discovering that the AC is not doing the one thing it’s meant to do: blow cool air.
Assuming that your AC isn’t just in the middle of a cooling cycle, then it’s possible that something is impeding the flow of air through your HVAC system. That can be more than one thing:
- Duct Problems: The ducts are one of the most important components of your AC, but one often overlooked. Any leaks or obstructions in your ducts could be responsible for
- Frozen Evaporator Coil: The AC’s indoor unit contains the evaporator coil. There are some cases where it can freeze over, which would then lead to restricted airflow issues.
- Dirty Air Filter: The air filter is designed to keep dust out of the AC’s sensitive components, but you can’t forget to change it. You can save yourself some money by checking to see if changing the air filter fixes your problem.
Uneven Cooling, or “Hot Spots”
Do some parts of your home simply refuse to stay cool? These are areas known as “hot spots” and they might drive you a little crazy. If you try to compensate for them by lowering the temperature even further, all you’ll do is use more energy than you intend and turn the rest of the home into an icebox.
It’s not always the case, but one potential cause for uneven cooling is due to duct problems. A substantial number of leaks in the ductwork can cause a good portion of cooled air to be sucked up before it can reach certain rooms. Likewise, insufficiently insulated ducts might cause some of the cooled air to dissipate.
Another cause could be if the AC is undersized. If it’s not powerful enough, the airflow might not be able to make it all the way down the duct system and into some of the rooms.
Short Cycling
On the other hand, if your unit is oversized, it could develop a short cycling problem.
Short cycling is when the AC rapidly turns on and off, unable to complete a full cooling cycle. Not only will this stop your home from getting cool, but it’s a substantial drain on efficiency.
Some causes for short-cycling include those previously mentioned, such as frozen evaporator coils and dirty air filters. However, if your system has always been short cycling, it could mean that it needs to be replaced entirely.
Contact Greenleaf Heating & Cooling today to schedule a repair service.