Air conditioning systems have limits. For example, a residential air conditioner can change the indoor temperatures a maximum of 20°F from the outdoor temperature, and thermostats won’t allow temperature settings lower than 60°F (which is too cold for most people anyway). But if a central air conditioner is properly sized and installed, it will be able to provide enough cooling for a house to keep it comfortable throughout even the hottest summers.
If your air conditioning is not managing the job of cooling your house, either never getting to a comfortable enough temperature or creating uneven cooling with hot spots in some rooms, then you may need air conditioning repair in Oregon City, OR, or possibly even a replacement system.
Below we’ll examine some reasons you may have an AC that’s struggling to do its job.
The air conditioner was incorrectly installed
We’ll start with the big one: if this is a new air conditioning system, a failure to cool the whole house is a warning that it was poorly installed. This is a common problem when amateurs do the job since they’ll likely make a guess about how powerful the AC needs to be and end up installing an undersized system. The only solution to this problem is to replace the AC—and have licensed professionals be the ones to do it this time to ensure the new system is sized accurately.
The AC is near the end of its service life
A loss of cooling capacity in an air conditioner that’s 15 years older or more is a sign the system is in a final decline. Sinking money into repairs for a system that’s this old is basically throwing away funds that should go to a new system. Fifteen years is a good run for an AC, and now it’s time to invest in a replacement.
The air filter is clogged
Now to a simple explanation, and one you can correct on your own. If the air filter in the HVAC system (which in most setups serves both the furnace and the AC) has been left in place for more than three months, it’s almost certainly congested with dust and lint. This blocks airflow into the air conditioner and the amount of cooled air the system can put out. Change the filter and see if this helps. Keep up with regular filter changes every one to three months.
There are refrigerant leaks
Another common concern for ACs, refrigerant leaks not only cause a decline in cooling capacity, but they will also eventually cause the compressor to burn out. That usually means the end of the line for the whole AC. Fortunately, if detected, leaks are an easy repair for our technicians. They’ll seal the leaks and recharge the lost refrigerant amount.
The ductwork is leaky
The issue with AC performance may be in the ventilation system, not the cooling system. When ductwork develops air leaks, it will cause a drop in air pressure throughout the ductwork that will affect cooling. Leave the job of finding and sealing duct leaks to professionals.
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