7 Reasons Your AC Is Not Cooling & What to Do About It

If you live in temperate regions where the weather can dramatically rise without notice, the effect of a malfunctioning AC can be far-reaching. For air conditioners to work properly, they need the right combination of airflow, pressure, and temperature.  Air conditioning systems are a bit complex and there are a number of ways or areas that can cause it to fail.  However, most air conditioning problems are typically minor faults that can be easily repaired.

Here are seven top reasons why your AC might be running but not cooling the house and solutions to take to remedy the situation

1. Improper installation

One of the most popular reasons that your AC is running but not working is because it was installed improperly.  If your AC is installed incorrectly you will have to visit the place where you bought the AC so that they can recommend professionals to help you install it properly.

If the cause of not cooling was from improper installation, it is best that you visit a second company to have them re-inspect the air conditioning system. Try out Advanpro Air conditioning repair for proper inspection.

2. Bad Condenser

The next most popular reason why your AC is running and not cooling is because of a faulty condenser.  The condenser is the compartment that needs good airflow at all times and it is usually located outside the house. If you do not carry out routine maintenance on the condenser it could develop a fault as a result of neglect.

The Solution: Carry out routine maintenance of the condenser.  Clean the body to ensure all debris that might have fallen into the condenser is properly removed.

3. Insufficient Airflow

We made mention earlier that AC requires sufficient airflow to reach its maximum cooling ability.  It doesn’t matter how much air passes through the vents, if your AC is not getting enough air it will not feel cool.

To know if your AC is receiving sufficient airflow, hold a lighter close to the vents and move progressively farther away from the vents.  Ideally, the air from the vent will have an impact on the flame once it is close by, but as you move further away the effect diminishes.  Now you should at least get to the end of the room and still have an effect on the flame if the AC is having sufficient airflow.

If you notice that the vents aren’t receiving sufficient airflow, it’s probably time to consult a technician to have the duct cleaned or replace the air filters.

4. Electrical issues

Electrical issues that result in AC not cooling might be as a result of accidental tipping of a beaker that doesn’t flip to the off position. To resolve this issue look for beakers, they are ideally 2-3 beakers labeled as compressors, AC etc.  Flip them off, and bring them back on again to see if it resolved the issue.

5. A faulty thermostat

All AC comes with a thermostatic feature that regulates the temperature of the room in which it is cooling. The thermostat batteries can be faulty, or inside components could start malfunctioning.   Check to see if the thermostatic display screen is blank.  This could be a pointer to issues relating to the thermostat. To solve this problem, try changing the thermostat battery to see if it is resolved.  If not, consult with a licensed HVAC professional to have the AC troubleshoot.

6. Undersized AC

One common problem users face is purchasing an AC off their budget and not of the room’s requirements. If you purchase an undersized or low powered AC for a very large room, it will be difficult to feel the impact of the AC in the room.  The size of the AC you buy should be based according to the size of the room it’s meant for.

7. Low refrigerant level

Refrigerant is needed to cool the air flowing through the vents. One common problem of AC not cooling the room is as a result of low refrigerant level. A high refrigerant level is needed to produce cool air. The best solution to address a low refrigerant level is by consulting with an HVAC professional that will offer professional advice and probably use the right equipment to measure the refrigerant level inside your unit. They will help properly dispose of the old refrigerant and refuel with new a one to solve the problem.