Why Your HVAC System Isn't Cooling Your Home

Running into an issue where your HVAC system isn't working and the air conditioner is not producing cool air? If so, it will help to know some reasons why this problem is happening.

The Evaporator Coil Is Dirty

A common problem that people have is an evaporator coil that is plugged or dirty. This can happen gradually over time from air cycling through the evaporator coil, but it can also happen from forgetting to put a filter in your HVAC system. As that filter collects dirt, the coil will freeze over and not allow the refrigerant to flow through the system and remove the heat from the air.

You need to let the ice thaw from the evaporator coil, and then clean all of the dirt that is on the coils. There are special sprays that can be applied to the evaporator coil that will loosen debris that is on it, but you can also just scrub the debris off the part.

The Condenser Coil Is Dirty

A similar problem can happen outside your home with the condenser coil being dirty. This unit sucks air in through the fins on the outside of the home and pushes it out through the top of the condenser with the fan. This gets rid of that heat that is extracted from the evaporator coil with the refrigerant. Thankfully, it's easy to fix this problem by simply cleaning the condenser. You can use a hose to spray down the unit from the inside so that all the debris shoots outward. 

Dirty or Blocked Return Vents

Go around your home and make sure that all of the return vents in your home are not closed, dirty, or blocked off. Many people don't think of leaving these vents open as a priority, but it is necessary for the air to circulate and create cool air. Moving furniture in front of them, cleaning the vents, and getting air flowing can make the air in your home cool again. 

Broken Thermostat

Of course, it's always possible that the thermostat in your home is broken. It may not be sending the signal to your air conditioner to start producing the cool air you want, but the fans are turning on to get air flowing through the home. Try swapping out the thermostat to see if that fixes the problem since it is relatively easy to do on your own. 

To learn more, contact an HVAC service.