There are a number of causes your house might be staying sizzling, even when your air conditioner is working. Widespread points vary from easy issues like a clogged HVAC filter to extra advanced issues like refrigerant leaks to an improperly sized unit.
You possibly can diagnose most of those points your self, however you’ll probably solely have the ability to repair a couple of with out the assistance of an skilled HVAC contractor
1. Ductwork is Leaking
Leaks in heating, air flow, and air con ductwork enable air out of your furnace or air conditioner to flee. This wastes vitality and raises your cooling prices.
You possibly can typically discover leaks the place traces department off or separate. When your furnace fan is working, you possibly can really feel air escaping the duct.
When you’ve discovered the leak, flip off the fan and apply metallic foil tape over the outlet or hole. Then apply duct mastic over the tape and joints to enhance the seal.
Watch “Methods to Restore Leaks in HVAC Ductwork” to be taught extra.
2. Your Air Filter Wants Substitute
What number of instances have you ever heard how vital it’s to alter your heating and cooling system’s air filter? And the way typically have you ever puzzled why a $10 or $15 filter is essential to your system’s operation?
Right here’s the actual fact: All your house’s air passes by way of the A/C return grill and the filter earlier than it will get to the air handler. When an air filter will get soiled, that filth passes by way of the air handler and the buildup makes it work a lot tougher.
This buildup doesn’t simply trigger a rise in your cooling invoice; it additionally might result in a damaged air handler unit and costly repairs.
Watch “Methods to Change the Air Filter in Your Residence” to be taught extra.
3. Your Home windows are Leaking
If you happen to really feel radiant warmth in your house when blinds are closed and curtains are drawn, your home windows might be leaking.
This occurs one in all two methods:
Your single-pane home windows’ glazing is failing. Single-pane home windows want glazing putty to forestall leaks. Over time, glazing putty can crack and even fall off.
If this occurs, use a putty knife or paint scraper to take away previous glazing across the window opening. Then apply window glazing (obtainable in a can or caulking tube) across the window body.
Subsequent, maintain a putty knife at an angle to the body, and use it to easy the glazing compound.
Lastly, paint over the glazing with exterior home paint after the glazing has set.
The window transmits photo voltaic warmth achieve. When photo voltaic radiation penetrates window glass, a room’s thermal vitality will increase.
To cut back dangerous UV rays and photo voltaic warmth achieve, add window movie that may mirror as much as 72% of the solar’s warmth and block as much as 99% of UV rays.
Learn additionally: Methods to save vitality with window movie
4. Warmth Coming from Your Attic
Through the summer season, warmth seeps by way of your roof, into the attic and causes your air conditioner to work additional time.
There are two issues you are able to do to forestall warmth within the attic from coming into your residing house:
Set up an attic vent fan. Add an attic exhaust fan close to the height of your roof to maintain the attic cooler, decrease cooling payments, and make your roof last more.
Watch “Protecting Your Home Cool Throughout Sizzling Summer season Climate” to be taught extra.
Add extra insulation. Insulation is vital to cut back warmth achieve and save vitality. How nicely a specific sort of insulation works is decided by its R-value, which measures the insulation’s resistance to the switch of warmth.
Watch “How A lot Insulation Do You Want in Your Residence?” to be taught extra.
5. Warmth Coming By means of Your Partitions
When you have a brick residence, you know the way quick photo voltaic warmth cooks these bricks — and the way quickly you begin to really feel the results inside.
That’s why wall insulation is so vital.
Once more, earlier than you buy insulation, contemplate R-values. Fiberglass batts for normal 2-by-4 partitions can be found in low, medium, and high-density merchandise that vary from R-11 to R-15. Spray foam insulation in the identical wall cavity can vary from an R-14 to an R-28, relying on the product used.
Learn, “The whole lot You Have to Know About Insulation’s R-Worth” to be taught extra.
6. Refrigerant Leak
Suppose your AC unit has a leak. In that case, it could possibly have low refrigerant and received’t have the ability to cool your house successfully. Refrigerant leaks can happen as a consequence of harm to the refrigerant traces or improper set up. Indicators of a refrigerant leak embody heat air coming from the vents, hissing sounds from the AC unit, and a spike in your vitality invoice.
To repair a refrigerant leak, you’ll have to name an EPA-certified HVAC technician. They’ll discover and restore the leak after which recharge the system with the correct quantity of refrigerant.
7. Clogged Evaporator Coils
The evaporator coils in your AC unit soak up warmth from the air inside your house and expel the nice and cozy air outdoors. Over time, these coils can get clogged with mud, filth, and particles — particularly in the event you don’t sustain with filter modifications. If it will get caked in mud and dirt, it reduces its skill to soak up warmth successfully. This may finally result in your air conditioner pushing heat air all through your house.
To repair clogged or soiled evaporator coils, flip off your AC unit and clear the coils with a smooth brush, vacuum, or compressed air. If the coils are closely dirty, it’s possible you’ll want to make use of a coil cleaner or name an HVAC contractor for assist.
8. Blocked Ductwork
In case your ductwork is blocked or broken, it could possibly block cool air from circulating correctly all through your house. You’ll probably discover uneven cooling and sizzling spots in sure rooms if that is so. Particles, reminiscent of mud, filth, and insulation, or harm by pests or improper set up can block your air ducts.
To repair blocked ductwork, you’ll have to find and take away the blockage. Nevertheless, you’ll probably want an HVAC cleansing firm to scope your ductwork with specialised instruments to search out the clogs. So, it’s greatest to get their assist in the event you suspect this problem.
9. Getting older or Inefficient AC Unit
In case your air conditioner is previous or inefficient, it might battle to chill your house successfully. As AC items age, their parts can put on out and turn into much less environment friendly, resulting in diminished cooling efficiency and better vitality payments.
In case your air con unit is 15–20 years previous (or older), you need to contemplate a alternative. Newer, high-efficiency fashions can present higher cooling efficiency and vitality financial savings in the long term. If you happen to’re not prepared for a full alternative, common upkeep and tune-ups will help enhance the effectivity of your current unit.
10. Improperly Sized AC Unit
An air conditioner that’s too small or too giant in your residence can result in ineffective cooling and a sizzling residence. In case your AC unit is just too small, it should battle to chill your house adequately. Conversely, an outsized unit will activate and off continuously, inflicting cold and warm spots all through your house — together with larger vitality payments.
To repair an improperly sized AC unit, you’ll have to rent an HVAC technician to carry out a Handbook J load calculation to find out the proper measurement in your residence. They’ll then advocate a correctly sized alternative unit that can present optimum cooling efficiency and vitality effectivity.
Why Is My Upstairs So Sizzling?
In case your upstairs is considerably hotter than your downstairs, it’s probably as a consequence of a mix of things. Sizzling air naturally rises, resulting in hotter temperatures on the higher flooring. Poor insulation, air leaks within the attic, inadequate or improperly sized ductwork, blocked air vents, and direct daylight by way of home windows may also contribute to a sizzling upstairs.
Any of the ten widespread points above is usually a purpose your second flooring is staying heat. If the indoor unit (air handler) of your air conditioner is in your basement, you’ll probably discover the signs on the highest flooring first, because it’s furthest away from the air handler.
To repair the issue, deal with bettering insulation, sealing air leaks, making certain correct ductwork configuration, and maintaining air vents open and unblocked. If these measures don’t resolve the problem, you need to seek the advice of with an HVAC technician to evaluate your house’s cooling system.
Why Is One Facet of Home Sizzling?
One facet of your house could keep hotter than the opposite facet for a lot of the similar causes the primary and second flooring differ in temperature. Poor insulation, uneven solar publicity, and any of the ten widespread issues I reviewed above.
If you happen to can’t get your house to chill evenly on either side of your home after troubleshooting it your self, calling an HVAC professional is what you must do subsequent.
Closing Ideas
If your house is staying sizzling in the summertime, you probably have one (or extra) of those 10 widespread points along with your AC unit or different gadgets in your house. If none of your DIY troubleshooting and repairs/enhancements assist your house get cooler, contact an area HVAC firm for a full evaluation. They’ll diagnose the issue and advocate an answer to get your house cool and comfy all season lengthy.
Steadily Requested Questions
How can I inform if my air conditioner is just not working effectively?
You possibly can flip in your AC unit by reducing the setpoint in your thermostat. Then, maintain your hand over a duct register — you need to really feel chilly air shifting considerably quick. If it doesn’t really feel chilly otherwise you don’t really feel any airflow, you have got an AC system problem. Moreover, your thermostat by no means attending to the temperature you set is one other signal your AC unit is inefficient.
When ought to I name an HVAC skilled to assist with my residence’s cooling points?
You need to name an HVAC firm after ruling out widespread points you possibly can repair your self — examine the thermostat, change the air filter, and confirm the breaker in your AC unit is on. You possibly can troubleshoot issues additional, however you’ll probably want an HVAC technician that can assist you repair it anyway.
What are the commonest causes for uneven cooling in a house?
The commonest purpose for uneven cooling in a house is solar publicity. Within the U.S., rooms dealing with towards the south get rather more solar publicity. This heats them greater than the north facet of the home. Different widespread causes embody an outsized AC unit and poor ductwork design.
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