If your air conditioner isn’t keeping your home comfortable, there could be several factors involved. You may have a clogged filter restricting airflow or a refrigerant leak causing the system to lose cooling capacity. The best way to get the problem resolved is to schedule a professional inspection. In the meantime, you can follow some simple troubleshooting tips to narrow down the cause and possibly restore better performance.

Check the Air Filter

The air filter on your air conditioner needs to be changed once every 30 to 90 days. If you’re using a mini-split for cooling, it probably needs filter cleaning every two to four weeks. Households with indoor pets often need to do more frequent filter inspections. You don’t want to risk running the AC with a filter that’s clogged with dust, pet hair, and other debris because it can force the system to work harder than necessary. This issue can also worsen indoor air quality concerns rather than helping them.

Clogged air filters are often to blame when an air conditioner:

• Blows warm air
• Cycles on and off really fast
• Causes vents to whistle
• Develops frozen evaporator coils
• Overheats during normal operation
• Produces musty indoor odors

Look and Listen for Refrigerant Leaks

Your cooling system uses refrigerant to absorb heat inside your home to lower the temperature. When the system develops a refrigerant leak, it’ll gradually start to lose its cooling capacity, which is why you may feel warm or weak air blowing from the vents. You don’t want to operate the unit with a refrigerant leak because it puts immense strain on the compressor.

If you see or hear any of the following, the AC may have a refrigerant leak that needs immediate attention:

• Weak airflow throughout home
• Hissing sounds near refrigerant lines
• Bubbling noises from tubing
• Ice forming on coils
• Frozen refrigerant line outdoors
• Longer cooling cycles than normal

Inspect for Dirty or Damaged Ductwork

When the ductwork has holes in it, the conditioned air will escape before it has a chance to reach your living spaces. The rooms farthest from the air handler tend to experience the most cooling problems because they receive the least conditioned air. Having your system professionally inspected once a year is a smart move for staying ahead of minor duct issues before they turn into costly repairs. A skilled technician will check every part of the duct system, including the supply ducts, return ducts, and all connections and joints, to see whether they’re dirty or damaged.

If your air conditioner isn’t operating like it should be, there might be a number of different factors contributing to its poor performance. Booking an appointment with an HVAC technician is the best way to pinpoint the exact cause of the failure and get the system back up and running with a proven repair method. If you live in Colorado Springs, CO or a surrounding area and need AC repair services, make your first call to Peak Home Performance.