If your A/C is performing as it should, it operates in cycles. If you’ve been paying attention to it, you might have even noticed these cycles coming on and going off.
Normally, a cycle runs anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes at a time. When a cycle begins, the system will kick on and it will continue operating until it goes down to the temperature level you desire (this is also the temperature to which you have your thermostat set). After it attains that temperature, it will then turn off for a while.
However, if your air conditioner is continually running and it isn’t cooling off your home as it should, you have a legitimate cause concern. It shouldn’t be doing this. In addition to it NOT cooling your home, it’s also going to increase your energy consumption, which means higher bills, and put needless stress on your system, which shortens its lifetime. It goes without saying how hot our summers can get here in Ohio. Everyone needs a cool place of refuge from the heat. You’re paying for it, after all!
If you are in this predicament and you’d like to troubleshoot the issue on your own before reaching out to an HVAC technician, we at Kettering-Oakwood Heating & Air present the following list of the most common reasons why your air conditioner isn’t cooling your Dayton, Ohio, area home and what you can do to fix this A/C issue.
Top Reasons Include:
Dirty Air Filter
When your air conditioner is running non-stop and you realize it’s not cooling the place off, the first thing you should do is take a look at the air filter.
When an A/C filter needs to be changed, it restricts the airflow going into your home. This can limit your air conditioning system’s capacity and hinder its ability to eliminate moisture from the air you breathe. Inadequate airflow over the coils prevents it from removing humidity. As a consequence, your home will feel warmer and your system will run continuously.
Wrong Filter in Place
And since we are talking about air filters, we should also specify that there is a chance that your air filter might be too restrictive for your system. It might be the wrong kind of filter. With a wide assortment of air filters available these days, not all of them are intended to work with your specific system. The air filter you are using may have a MERV rating that is too high. The acronym
MERV, which stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, is a rating system that goes from 1 to 16. The rating of the filter you use needs to match the one particular to your HVAC system. Be sure to find out the right MERV rating for your home’s system.
Air Duct Issues
Another reason your air conditioner might not be doing the trick might have nothing to do with the actual A/C itself. In order for the nice and cooled, treated, air created by your A/C to reach you and all the rooms in your house, it must first travel through your ductwork.
Throughout seasons of being used, air ducts can become loose or they can lose insulation. The tape adjoining them can fall off. Or, they may not have been installed with a tight seal in the first place. When this occurs, it can cause air leakage. When excess cool air escapes, it makes it hard for your A/C system to lower the temperature to the level you desire. Knowing this, if you believe the air ducts in your home are leaking, old or that they might need to be checked, give us a call to schedule an inspection. We’d be happy to come out!
Inadequate Levels of Refrigerant
Air conditioning systems need certain levels of refrigerant to keep any home nice, cool and cozy during the hot months. If your system doesn’t have the refrigerant that it needs, there is a good probability you might could a refrigerant leak in the coils. If this is the case, your system will not be able to keep your home as cool. This is a prevalent reason why a homeowner’s A/C system might run non-stop. While the A/C labors harder to cool your home, without sufficient levels of refrigerant, it’ll just be spinning its wheels and this will run up your energy bills while at the same time shortening the lifespan of your valuable system. Because refrigerant is dangerous to handle, we strongly recommend you schedule an inspection with one of our trusted HVAC technicians if you assume this is the case.
Reliable, Affordable and High-Quality A/C Services
If you find that your A/C is struggling to keep your home nice and cool this summer, our team at Kettering-Oakwood Heating & Air would love to help. We offer comprehensive A/C repair services, emergency repair services, maintenance agreements, and full A/C installation, all of which are set at competitive prices. All of our work is guaranteed and insured as we are a Five Star Rated family business built on family values.
Call Kettering-Oakwood Heating & Air today at 937-502-3842, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here.
