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Why Is My AC Running But Not Cooling?

June 1, 2022 By Anthony Bodden

In our hot and humid Wisconsin summers, air conditioning is a necessity. You become particularly aware of that when your air conditioning isn’t working properly. And when your AC is actually running but not cooling your house, it’s more than uncomfortable. It’s expensive. Unless you enjoy paying for nothing, you’ll be highly motivated to figure out why your air conditioning is running but not doing its job. In this post, we’ll explore some of the most common reasons and what you can do about them.

Air Conditioning Components

Before we delve into possible problems and solutions, it’s important to know a little about how your air conditioning system works. You probably know that an outdoor unit sits somewhere outside your house; that’s the condenser unit (either AC or heat pump). But there’s a lot more to it. Split-system air conditioners have a lot of moving parts, including an indoor air handler unit (furnace or fan coil), an evaporator coil, air filter, thermostat and copper tubing (refrigerant lines) that connect the indoor and outdoor units. When your AC isn’t cooling the house, something could be amiss in any of these places.

Thermostat

The easiest item to check is your thermostat. If you notice your home is simply not cooling, especially if there are zones in your home, look at thermostat settings. Be sure it is set to cool. That sounds obvious, but most systems have a separate fan setting and it might be that your fan is running, but the system is not set to cool. It could be that the AC is off, or even set to “heat” rather than “cool.” If that’s the case, just switch it to “cool” and wait a few minutes; if cold air starts blowing, then the problem is solved!

Air Filter

Another factor that can cause your Air Conditioning to struggle to cool your home is a dirty air filter. There’s probably an air filter located in or around the indoor air handler unit. The filter catches dirt, dust and other airborne particles as they enter the air handler unit. It keeps the components inside the system cleaner and operating more efficiently and can help keep the air in your home cleaner as well. A dirty air filter can block airflow and reduce cooling to your home. In extreme cases, it can cause the system to shut down completely. You can deal with this issue yourself. Find your system’s air filter. Be sure to turn the system off completely before doing anything else. Then, remove the filter. If it’s dirty, simply clean it. Cleaning methods differ depending on the system. Typically, you can vacuum the dust and dirt off with the bristle attachment of your vacuum cleaner; then if your air filter is designed to get wet, soak it in a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar. Let it dry completely and reinstall (being careful to put it back in the same way).

Outdoor Unit

The exterior of the condenser unit features a large outdoor coil, which wraps most of the way around the outside of the unit. The coil includes a series of thin metal “fins” which are spaced very tightly together. If your air conditioner is running, but not lowering temperatures inside, one issue could be a blocked or clogged condenser coil. When operating correctly, the condenser fan draws air into the outdoor unit through the condenser coil to pull heat energy out of your home. Dirt, grass and other airborne debris can accumulate between the fins, clogging the coil. A dirty coil can lead to reduced energy efficiency, lack of cool air from the registers, or in extreme cases, complete system shutdown or damage to the compressor from overuse. All of this means that your outdoor unit should have clearance all around it. No bushes or other debris should touch your AC. You can clean the coil by carefully vacuuming it with the brush attachment of your vacuum or rinsing it gently with a hose.

Other Issues

All of the above are issues that you can deal with yourself. If you have done all of these and your AC is still not cooling your home, it’s time to call the experts at Quality Heating. It could be that you have a damaged heat pump, or that the evaporator coil is frozen, or even that you have a refrigerant leak. Finally, it might just be that your air conditioning system is not designed to adequately cool your home. You wouldn’t think that would be the case, but here at Quality Heating, we’ve seen it. Whatever the problem, we can diagnose it and fix it.

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Filed Under: AC Maintenance, AC Repair, Air Conditioning Maintenance

Maintaining Your AC

March 1, 2022 By Anthony Bodden

Air conditioning is so welcome in our hot and humid Wisconsin summers. In order to keep your AC system working efficiently and at its peak, there are some simple maintenance tasks you can perform. Proper maintenance will lower your electricity bills and keep you and your family comfortable. In this post, we’ll share what maintenance is most important and why.

Filters – Why They’re Important

Air conditioners and furnaces take in all sorts of dust and dirt that naturally floats in the air. As such, to reduce the amount of residue they take in, they’re equipped with HVAC filters. These filters trap all kinds of residue, but the filters can become completely blocked in the process. These filters need to be changed on a regular basis. You should change your HVAC filter at least every 3 months; if you have cats or dogs in your home, you should do it once a month. If you have a media filter, they should be replaced every 9 to 12 months; this filter is located inside your ductwork next to your furnace or air handler.

Filters – Where They Are

Your HVAC filter could be located in your return air vents or it could be located within your furnace. If you’re not sure, look up videos online for your particular AC or HVAC system. If you aren’t clear exactly what system you have, your HVAC technician would be happy to show you where they are. Certainly, if you have dealt with Dave’s Appliance, we would have that information for you, or could easily find it out for you.

Filters – How To Replace

Replacing the filter once you locate it is relatively easy. They’re designed to be taken out and replaced, so it should be pretty obvious. If you have any confusion about how to do it, again, there should be online videos guiding through your particular system’s process. Replacement filters are obtainable at many stores; Dave’s Appliance can supply you or point you to the place to go.

Condenser Area – Why It’s Important

Your AC’s condenser is located outside of your home. As such, it’s exposed to falling branches, kicked-up stones and dirt, bushes, and all sorts of overgrowth. In rare cases, overhanging greenery can fall into condensers, causing jams and general mechanical damage. Then there’s the chaos that creatures cause. Squirrels, mice, and even ants and other insects can chew on the electrical wirings or are attracted by the water. It can be hazardous to them and they can damage your outside unit.

Condenser Area – What To Do

You can prevent problems by keeping the area around your condenser clear of plant life and debris, and checking for evidence of chewing. At Dave’s Appliance, we recommend five feet of clearance on each of its sides. Also make sure that any trees or hedges in the vicinity are properly trimmed. Performing this basic outdoor maintenance should make it less attractive to creatures of all kinds.

Condensate Drain – Why It’s Important

When condensate drains are running at full speed during a hot spell, they are constantly removing water in the air; but when they are turned on less often, it means that your condensate drain can start to accumulate algae, mold, and gunk. It builds up faster than you might think, and a clogged drain can be a big problem.

Condensate Drain – What To Do

A simple way to keep your drain clear is to pour a cup of plain vinegar down it periodically. As the summer winds down and you use your AC less often, it might be a good idea to perform this task weekly. It certainly won’t do any harm, and it could save you a lot of hassle. If you’re worried about remembering to do this, contact Dave’s Appliance. We have some longer-lasting solutions to prevent these clogs.

Vent Covers – Why They’re Important

AC systems use a duct system to distribute the air that comes out of vents in the different rooms—on walls, ceilings, or floor. Keep an eye on your vent covers for any build up of mold. Excess humidity leads to mold, and you’ll want to take care of that immediately. Mold can cause those sensitive to it to become quite sick.

Vent Covers – What To Do

Simply cleaning with hot water and detergent should take care of the problem, unless there is a really significant mold build up. If so, use a cleaner designed specifically for mold issues.

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Ph:   262.786.4450
Fax: 262.786.5098

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Filed Under: AC Maintenance, AC Repair, Air Conditioning Maintenance, HVAC Repair

Tips for End of Summer Air Conditioning Maintenance

October 14, 2021 By SunAnt

Here in the Midwest we had a pretty warm late summer/early fall, but it’s time to start thinking about putting your AC to bed for the cold months, so that it’s ready to perform at peak when it’s needed next year. And for that matter, it’s not a bad idea to get it done in conjunction with any furnace maintenance you might need headed into the winter.

Replace the Filter(s)

First of all, you want to replace your filter, so that your unit’s ready to go when it gets warm again. It’s not just a matter of health–though it is that. A clogged AC filter can reduce the efficiency of the unit by as much as 15%. And again, you may want to replace your filter at the same time as you replace your furnace filter. A properly functioning filter on either unit will help cut down on potentially harmful particulates in your indoor environment, and if you’re an allergy sufferer–particularly if you react badly to dust–you might want to consider replacing that filter a little more often even than recommended by the manufacturer. Like air conditioner efficiency, a clean filter will also make your furnace operate more efficiently by increasing the through-flow.

Clean Around the Condenser Coils

Cooling is performed through the expansion and contraction of coolant in the condenser coils. When these get covered with spider webs, dust bunnies, and particulate matter, it decreases the efficiency. There are how-to videos out there that will walk you through the process, and even specialty cleaning products which are very useful. For a central AC unit:
1) Cut power to the device at the breaker. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
2) Remove the fan assembly.
3) Carefully remove the fan out of the way to expose the interior of the air conditioner.
4) Glove up to remove any debris that you can by hand (it’s possible sharp items may be down there.
5) Use a shop vac to remove smaller clutter.
6) Inspect the fins on your heat exchanger. They are quite delicate, and are easily bent or broken, so be gentle working around them. There are specialty tools that can help to straighten out problem areas where lots of fins have been bent or flattened that may be able to help some.
7) It’s very important to clean out any dust and debris that might have become embedded in the fins, and to clean them, you work from the inside out. As air gets sucked into the unit, it passes through the fins and pulls away accumulated heat. It is then blown by the fan through the top of the unit. Airborne materials therefore end up wedging themselves in the fins, reducing the heat-transferring capacity of the unit.
8) You can determine how clogged the fins are by shining a (preferably high intensity) flashlight through the fins from the inside out. It’s best to do this when it’s not super bright out, obviously. If you’ve got material caked on the fins, a clean is way overdue.
9) Using a commercial condenser cleaner (many pros prefer the foaming kinds), spray the foam liberally from the inside to flush the gunk back to the outside. It’s going to look a little like oven cleaner, but it’s nowhere near as noxious.
10) Let it sit for 10 minutes or more to let it do its thing.
11) Spray out the fins with your garden hose, but don’t use too much pressure, because you are dealing with somewhat delicate materials. Be thorough and take your time. It’s important to get all the foam and loosened materials out of there.
12) Once you’ve given the inside-out several thorough rinsings, rinse the outside as well.
13) You may wish to do another flashlight test just to see what your results are like.
14) Before you reinstall the fan assembly, get a look around. Are there any crimped or exposed wires? Is there any damage to the fan? If so, you might want to fix it, if you can, or have a professional in to get a look.
15) Reinstall the fan assembly and reconnect the breaker.
Have You Heard Any Unusual Noises Coming from the AC?

Any air conditioner makes some noise, of course, but if you’ve noticed that your AC is noisier than it used to be, it’s probably time to have a pro take a look. Same if you’re having to crank it to get the same results. In the case of noise, it’s possible that the fan has become damaged or misaligned, or it could be another problem. At any rate, it will be useful to a service person to know what might have happened at the time the trouble began. Did you have a power surge? Was there an electrical storm? Did you hit something with the lawn mower that might have smacked into the AC unit?

In the case of diminished operational efficiency, it’s likely that you may need to have the coolant topped up, or there’s trouble with the thermostat, but it’s also possible that it’s just time to replace the unit. On average, an AC unit will last about 10 years, depending on the climate, the frequency with which it is operated, the stress that is put on the system to cool the area (it’s best to have some excess cooling capacity), the general physical environment, and maintenance. It might just be time to replace it.

At any rate, if it’s time to put your AC to bed for the season, there are things you can do to help it operate better by yourself. But if you feel that you’d like to have someone come give it a look, the pros at Quality Heating will be more than happy to check it all out, replace the filters, give you their advice– and check your furnace, too. Quality Heating is located in Brookfield, and they’ve been installing and servicing AC and furnaces in the Milwaukee, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Sheboygan and Washington counties since 1961. They are also Southeast Wisconsin’s premier HVAC specialists. Give them a call. They have the expertise to keep your systems running efficiently, saving you time, money, and hassle in the long run.

Request a Free Quote

Quality Heating & Sheet Metal Company - About Us Summary Graphic

Get In Touch

Ph:   262.786.4450
Fax: 262.786.5098

Reviews

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Have Questions?

Send us a message
Email Us

Our Location

2840 North Brookfield Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045

Filed Under: AC Maintenance, Air Conditioning Maintenance

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